I really enjoyed seeing this today. Never seen the original series before. And bravo to Drama for starting with the pilot, not Series 1 Episode 1. Much appreciated. 
Last Of The Summer Wine Page 2
If there was a like option on the forum, I'd 'like' that comment.
Well done Dave.
It's a shame this show stopped so early. So much more mileage in it.
I'm probably in the minority here but I do like Summer Wine, I've been re watching them again quite a lot recently and there was some really brilliant episodes of it. For me, I feel the show was at its peak in the 80s and 90s era particularly when Foggy came back from '90 - '97. I do feel that they should have ended it when Compo passed away though, it was never quite the same.
Fair play to Roy Clarke though for writing every single episode of it!
I used to watch it when I was a kid. But I used to listen to Claire and Friends. Can't sit through an episode now.
Quote: Chappers @ 1st March 2015, 9:25 PMshe really has got stunning legs.
You mean Norah. What a hilarious character and not at all sexist.
I love it till Compo died. I loved the characters and the plots, really good fun. But when Compo died, the show should have ended.
The Compo, Cleggy, Foggy period was my favorite. I have watched almost every episode but the more characters they added the more it lost what it started out being, the adventures of three retired oddballs. During Foggy's first departure Seymore just didn't fill the gap, Foggy returns and it doesn't take long before Brian Wilde's health kept him from continuing. Truely was too much like Foggy and you get a bossy cop instead of a bossy military man. Howard's extra-marital activities become way too stupid. After Compo died and by the time Bill Owen's son enters there are just too many story lines that took it further and further from what made it a great show. There are a lot of great moments.
That's a very good summary of the sitcom which I think you have spot on. I didn't watch it as avidly as you did but I did enjoy the 70s and 80s eps when I saw them. Hard to remember that far back but I'd say the 70s eps were the best when the café was run by the two of them, I think it lost something when the husband left. Also remember a lot of focus on the countryside, which was possibly the real star of the show, and definitely helped pull in the viewers.
The trio of CCF were together so long that it just didn't work as well with replacements although I thought Seymour was a decent enough effort and Frank Thornton when he came, was good as always. The logical thing when they all started leaving would be to end the series but by that time it had already lost its charm and degenerated into routine rounds of slapstick. And as you say the side character stuff became very silly indeed. The writer does have a reputation here for quantity over quality, he's obviously been kept very well by it, though. Morning.
A classic show and at its best it was as good as any sitcom.
I agree that the Compo, Clegg and Foggy years were the strongest. Blamire and Seymour were both ok and Truly was quite good as well.
It still had some good moments after Compo died, but it became more of a sketch show after that. And it was an impossible task for Roy Clarke and Alan Bell to have to replace so many legendary actors and characters.
I thought the last couple of series with Hobbo were a slight improvement (though still well below the glory years), simply because there was an attempt to focus on 3 main characters. Burt Kwouk was a fine late addition to the show.
I suppose he had to introduce more characters to continue the show. The three of them would've run out of steam.
Also there was an abundance of old sitcom actors he rescued from the scrapheap.
I will confess to needing a LOSW fix every six or eight months. I dig out my disks and watch, usually Compo/Cleggy/Foggy but sometimes start at the beginning with Blamire. When I began watching originally, it was the Foggy return years so hadn't met Blamire til much later. I think he's second to Foggy and, now and then, even better. I only occasionally watch beyond Foggy and almost never past Compo's death. Of the early years, I've noticed the episodes I particularly like are most often directed by the late lamented Syd Lotterby. Once I watch a dozen or so episodes, I put them away again until nostalgia or the need for some total nonsense grips me. Lately, of course, there's been a lot of that around here.
Being repeated from the first episode on the Drama channel 6.40 pm this coming Monday 25th.
OK, so have now watched the first two complete episodes and am at a complete loss as to why it was so popular and reminds me why I didn't watch it the first time.
What is funny about it??. Just three blokes relating unconnected bland stories, with one of them (Bill Owen) really getting on my tits.
Never again.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 27th January 2021, 12:43 AMOK, so have now watched the first two complete episodes and am at a complete loss as to why it was so popular and reminds me why I didn't watch it the first time.
What is funny about it??. Just three blokes relating unconnected bland stories, with one of them (Bill Owen) really getting on my tits.
Never again.
It's just what old people do - as you should know.
Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 27th January 2021, 12:43 AMOK, so have now watched the first two complete episodes and am at a complete loss as to why it was so popular and reminds me why I didn't watch it the first time.
What is funny about it??. Just three blokes relating unconnected bland stories, with one of them (Bill Owen) really getting on my tits.
Never again.
I don't think it's that bad but I have to say I know what you mean. I can never watch it as an episode, it is just line after line of Roy Clarke's patented gentle dialogue and women's neverending talk about how much they hate men.