Summer Wine Christmas Shows

[Bora Natty]

I'm watching the Christmas shows for the first time and having a blast. Being from the states, we never got a chance to see them. In fact, any Summer Wine is hard to find on the telly anymore, which is a shame. Most PBS stations, at least those around here, have stopped showing the comedies and have gone more to dramas. Now I rely on UK telly for my comedies. I'm sitting here as I type, watching the Christmas shows on Drama and it's like having new Summer Wine shows for me..

 

[Barrychuckle]

I'm watching the Christmas shows for the first time and having a blast. Being from the states, we never got a chance to see them. In fact, any Summer Wine is hard to find on the telly anymore, which is a shame. Most PBS stations, at least those around here, have stopped showing the comedies and have gone more to dramas. Now I rely on UK telly for my comedies. I'm sitting here as I type, watching the Christmas shows on Drama and it's like having new Summer Wine shows for me..

Do you watch the episodes online, they're pretty much all there if you know where to look?

 

[Bora Natty]

Barry, no, for the most part I just watch what Gold and drama schedule..

 

[ferret]

There’s a great feel to the early Christmas episodes for me, especially watching them at this time of the year.
It must be great to see one’s you’ve never seen before.

 

[Amos Hames 2]

I always make sure I watch the Christmas episodes in order on the run up to Christmas even the much hated Extra Extra

 

[Adrian Morris]

We have two channels here called Jones and Jones Too on Sky that run all the old programmes from years ago. This year there is no LOTSW Christmas Specials. In the past they would run them back to back and I would watch them all over again enjoying them as if I was watching them for the first time. I guess this year I am going to have to dig out my DVD's and watch an episode to celebrate Christmas.

 

[Barrychuckle]

As I wasn't really an avid fan of LOTSW until it's last few years, the first Christmas special I can recall watching was A Tale Of Two Sweaters from what I remember this was shown mid afternoon between Christmas & New Year. This disappointed me as I felt the show was destined to fail when a special was put on during the middle of the day when many people would have returned to work. As it transpired this was the last proper Christmas special

 

[Amos Hames 2]

Why is Dream Acres not overly popular amongst our group. I really like that special.

 

[ferret]

Why is Dream Acres not overly popular amongst our group. I really like that special.

I like it.

 

[ferret]

I always make sure I watch the Christmas episodes in order on the run up to Christmas even the much hated Extra Extra

Extra Extra?? Steady on

 

[Barrychuckle]

Dream Day At Dream Acres is certainly better than Extra Extra but neither are proper Christmasy episodes

 

[Roger]

Christmas specials should be Christmassy.

 

[Barrychuckle]

Christmas specials should be Christmassy.

...even though they were filmed in July!!!!!

 

[imitation700mb]

A lot of so called Summer Wine "Christmas Specials" had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas and were just episodes taken from the normal filming schedule, which could easily have been broadcast as part of that year's normal series. (Loxley Lozenge, Stop That Castle, Situations Vacant etc.) In our house we tend to treat them as all year round episodes and save the episodes with a specific Christmas plot for the run up to the big day. (I.E. December).

 

[Long Prawn]

Christmas specials should be Christmassy.

Many of the 80s episode were fortunately set at Christmas. If you watched them first time around, rewatching them now is a connection to past Christmases.

 

[theatrically_inclined]

A lot of so called Summer Wine "Christmas Specials" had absolutely nothing to do with Christmas and were just episodes taken from the normal filming schedule, which could easily have been broadcast as part of that year's normal series. (Loxley Lozenge, Stop That Castle, Situations Vacant etc.) In our house we tend to treat them as all year round episodes and save the episodes with a specific Christmas plot for the run up to the big day. (I.E. December).

This wasn't an accident. TV producers realised that they were spending big budgets on show that had a limited window for exposure (they didn't yet know there would be channels like "Dave" showing everything endlessly on repeat - not saying that's a bad thing!) So, they started using the bigger budget to make a "special" that would premiere at Christmas, and then would still be palatable at any celebration or holiday period.

 

[imitation700mb]

This wasn't an accident. TV producers realised that they were spending big budgets on show that had a limited window for exposure (they didn't yet know there would be channels like "Dave" showing everything endlessly on repeat - not saying that's a bad thing!) So, they started using the bigger budget to make a "special" that would premiere at Christmas, and then would still be palatable at any celebration or holiday period.

So, the so called "Specials" were specifically made as specials then? I must have got that wrong.

 

[Onslow]

Christmas specials should be Christmassy.

What episode would that be? I've only seen a few Christmas specials and some of them made barely a mention! I have most of the Region 1 "Vintage" DVD releases and am looking for something to put on the player tonight.

 

[theatrically_inclined]

So, the so called "Specials" were specifically made as specials then? I must have got that wrong.

Some "specials" were originally intended as series episodes... but without the original paper work - most of which no longer exists - it's almost impossible to tell which is which!

 

[theatrically_inclined]

What episode would that be? I've only seen a few Christmas specials and some of them made barely a mention! I have most of the Region 1 "Vintage" DVD releases and am looking for something to put on the player tonight.

you'll have to watch this video!!