This was the US version of the hugely successful British sitcom Porridge, produced by the BBC from 1974-1977. 'Porridge' is/was a British slang term for a prison sentence.
Concerned about the audience reaction to the setting of a sitcom in a prison, network executives at one point suggested the prison be located in Hawaii.
Despite getting better reviews than most American remakes, the network that broadcast this did not commission another series.