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Post by Ian on Sept 1, 2010 12:35:25 GMT
So that was it then, the finale, with an audience of 5.4 million.
I've only one criticism of the ending; the lack of Jane Freeman as Ivy. The 2nd longest serving cast member after Peter Sallis should by rights have been there even in some way. She and June Whitfield's Nelly were the only characters missing from the show, and it seemed a shame not to have them there.
That niggle aside, the finale was by far one of the best episodes for years;
Pearl's photograph sabotage with Marina's hat was a brilliant yet unstated act of revenge to put the 'other woman' firmly in her place.
The hint of happiness for Marina with Toby; there can't be many fans who didn't want her to finally find herself a man. Nice how it left the possibility there.
A happy ending for Morton.
Great use of Tom and Auntie, Stella and Alvin and PC's Cooper and Walsh in their little pieces. The Hobbo/police confrontation was wonderfully done.
More proof that slowly, subtly, Roy Clarke was evolving the character of Glenda into her mother Edie; something that's become more noticeable over the last few series.
Clegg and Truly finally get more than one scene each, and Clegg's understated last line seemed in keeping with the style of the show.
But best bit for me was Howard and Pearl's conversation about their wedding. It could so easily have been a scene written for Nora and Wally or Syd and Ivy thirty years ago. Gentle, loving, wonderful, and funny.
A real tribute to the series, for me it's up their with the Millennium special and the Compo funeral trilogy as some of the best writing Roy Clarke produced. Sad to say goodbye, but wonderfully done.
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Post by Matthew24691 on Sept 1, 2010 13:11:54 GMT
from reading the daily mail on monday, they claim bbc axed LOTSW before they had even seen Russ Abbot in the series properly shame as i had just gotten used to him by this series
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Post by Sodor's No.1 on Sept 1, 2010 16:08:41 GMT
To be honest, I don't think they ended the series soon enough. Just to re-itterate, I do like Last of the Summer Wine. It remains one of my favourite shows on the TV (I own all of the DVD's which have currently been released), but I feel more recently, the show has declined from a very funny programme to a load of old dribble. Truly and Clegg get one small scene in each episode, Hobbo seems to be a carbon copy of Foggy and Alvin & Entwhistle just aren't funny. If ever they make a joke about what Hobbo has just said, it's rubbish, been heard before and nothing follows from it. Then, they keep doing too many 'manwhile, ...' shots. In one episode, you get The trio, Glenda & Barry, Morton & Toby, the Policemen, Marina & Miss Davenport, etc. etc., it just seems too much. Another area that needed improvement on was the use of the Cafe. In the older series, not many episodes didn't have the cafe in it. More recently, you see it in the odd one or two episodes, but that's it!
I think the show died along with Bill Owen. I do like some of the episodes post-Compo, but they just aren't what the other episodes were (that being funny).
The reason I think the show has gone down hill is that Roy Clarke had completely run out of ideas, hence Hobbo and all of the same old dull, overly-used, repeated jokes. If it had ended 10 years ago, I would have dearly missed the series and would probably be wanting more. I now have a feeling of 'Good Riddance', which isn't what I should be feeling. As a last episode, bleurgh!
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Post by Ian on Sept 2, 2010 9:01:49 GMT
from reading the daily mail on monday, they claim bbc axed LOTSW before they had even seen Russ Abbot in the series properly shame as i had just gotten used to him by this series In all fairness I don't think it would have mattered really. The shows demise was a cost cutting exercise, nothing more. The audience was still there; the last 6 episodes never dipped below 4 million each.
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Post by Chris on Sept 11, 2010 10:29:09 GMT
Bit late to the "party" here, but have been meaning to post my thoughts... I watched the last episode not expecting much and probably a good thing too because, let's be honest, it wasn't great. How I wish they'd held back "It's Never Ten Years" until 2010, when it actually was ten years. Although a clip show, therefore relying on past glories, it would have made a much more fitting send off.
The only sense of closure seemed to come from the Howard/Pearl/Marina storyline. I felt this was getting tired even before Bill Owen died, so the development Roy Clarke gave Howard throughout this series was welcome. It's saying something that he was actually more interesting to follow than the new trio! Howard admirably carried most of the physical scenes too - hard to believe he's only four years younger than Peter Sallis and Frank Thornton, at 85. Though I do wonder where they would have gone with his character if the series had been recomissioned...?
Having rewatched a few classic episodes recently, another criticism with the newer ones is the very static directing. There used to be many shots of our heroes strolling along exchanging banter. In recent series, Hobbo et al were more inclined to just be standing around - so overall much less movement. What little they do see of the countryside is from Entwistle's truck, which very much seems to take the magic out of things. I suppose our old enemy the budget is partially to blame, if less money was available to spend on locations. In a way the show had almost come full circle, recalling those early, long drawn-out scenes of the three men stuck in the library, barber shop etc.
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TEngine
Main Line Engine
Posts: 1,920
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Post by TEngine on Nov 28, 2010 20:50:55 GMT
Does anyone happen to know the episode where the three are on a sofa being pulled by a tractor and ends up running away? I have it on my BBC Comedy Moments DVD that now i had to sadly sling as its badly scratched
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Post by Ian on Nov 29, 2010 9:31:21 GMT
I think the episode you're thinking of is 'The Loxley Lozenge'. It was a Christmas special from the early 80's if I recall, where they used a sofa as a seat on the frame of a vintage car. In saying that, they were being pulled by a Land Rover. Closest I can think of off top of my head though, so hope it helps
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Post by Halstead on Nov 29, 2010 9:55:55 GMT
Apologies for keeping behind on this, but perhaps this should've been played over the final end credits instead of the default jingle.
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PC Stratford
Passenger Engine
I'm a walking television show. I can't get away from it.
Posts: 755
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Post by PC Stratford on Nov 29, 2010 15:15:37 GMT
Does anyone happen to know the episode where the three are on a sofa being pulled by a tractor and ends up running away? I have it on my BBC Comedy Moments DVD that now i had to sadly sling as its badly scratched As Ian said earlier, the moment is from the episode 'The Loxley Lozenge' and can be found on the 'Series 7 and 8' DVD set. Hope that helps you
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quofan16
Shunting Engine
"My Dear Old Thing"
Posts: 63
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Post by quofan16 on Dec 29, 2010 19:24:38 GMT
Better late than never.....
Last of the Summer Wine was one of the few remaining truly family friendly shows on television. The humor in it was accessible to all generations.
The dynamics of the show changed dramatically following the death of Bill Owen, but, in my opinon, 'Last Pidgeon and Post', and following season, were among the finest that Roy Clarke wrote. The extraordinary balance of comedy and sadness in those episodes is something that is rarely seen on television, and even more rarely performed well. Roy Clarke achieved this in his writing of those episodes, and the cast, particularly Peter Sallis, Kathy Staff, and Jane Freeman, achieved that in their performances.
The final season, in comparision with the preceding few seasons, was actually quite good in terms of writing. I do feel however, that there was still life in the series.
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PC Stratford
Passenger Engine
I'm a walking television show. I can't get away from it.
Posts: 755
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Post by PC Stratford on Jun 20, 2011 20:37:14 GMT
Hi All Just to let you now that I have started up a Last of the Summer Wine Podcast. Episode 1 is now available to download. You can find it here: summerwinepodcast.podbean.comI hope you all enjoy, I know I am not the world’s greatest speaker in terms of being a Presenter, but please be kind to me! If you wish send feedback, be either an e-mail or audio comment, please sent feedback to: summerwinepodcast@gmail.com Thanks PC
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Post by Ian on Oct 20, 2014 16:14:22 GMT
www.comedy.co.uk/news/story/000001626/last_of_the_summer_wine_policemen_spinoff/Never thought this likely but... Summer Wine might be getting a spin off based on PC's Cooper and Walsh who, since the TV show ended, have featured in their own stage show. Given how these characters grew in later years and their long standing in the series (from the late 80's which may be surprise to some) this is a clever move by Clarke and Bell. Here's hoping it succeeds, and we get a few cameos of other much loved and much missed characters too.
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Post by OldReliableIronNo.2 on Mar 12, 2022 5:16:26 GMT
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