A Bicycle Made for Tight Jeans and Metal Detector

[theatrically_inclined]

In the series 6 episode “A Bicycle Made for Three”, the Trio visit the second-hand shop owned Percy Westerfield, he's the one who preferred to be called "Dirk". Then then two episodes later in “Serenade for Tight Jeans and Metal Detector” the Trio visit Dougie another second-hand shop owner.
Incidentally - we never see the exterior of Dirk's shop; we never Dougie, only the exterior of his shop.
This was well before Aunty Wainwright was introduced, but it seems odd that there were two second-hand shops in town. Was Dougie perhaps meant to be the same character as Dirk, but the name got forgotten or changed by accident?

 

[Eithne]

My guess is that Roy Clarke was going for funny, not continuity. I think even some of the cast had opinions on that. I read somewhere about Mrs. Tewson expressing concerns about her character, but I don't remember the details. I think Clegg refers to previous episodes a couple of times late in the series but that is about it in the continuity department, and we don't know if that was Clarke or Peter putting a bit in here and there.
To his credit though, where Clarke put continuity to good use was stable characterizations. Very rarely did anyone ever act out of character and that is a major feat to be proud of.
I'm constantly being disappointed by thinking I've found a good series to watch and somewhere around season 3 all the writing and characterizations go right out the window.

 

[wstol]

In the series 6 episode “A Bicycle Made for Three”, the Trio visit the second-hand shop owned Percy Westerfield, he's the one who preferred to be called "Dirk". Then then two episodes later in “Serenade for Tight Jeans and Metal Detector” the Trio visit Dougie another second-hand shop owner.
Incidentally - we never see the exterior of Dirk's shop; we never Dougie, only the exterior of his shop.
This was well before Aunty Wainwright was introduced, but it seems odd that there were two second-hand shops in town. Was Dougie perhaps meant to be the same character as Dirk, but the name got forgotten or changed by accident?

Yes, I've always thought that to be strange.

I can only assume it is out of respect to the actor who played 'Dirk', a guest appearance by the actor Joe Melia.

Having Joe Melia in a one-off episode, and then only referring to him a few episodes later may have been the wrong protocol.

Of course, it may have just been bad continuity, which unfortunately happens a lot - yet it's these 'quirks' that make the show still interesting 40 years later.

 

[Graham]

Perhaps Dirk / Joe did have a cycle shop. I throw this in just as a bit of fun.

 

[Pearl]

I dont think it's strange at all in fact if you go to Holmfirth you'll 5 or 6 second hand/charity shops. I remember several in my area when I was a child and every other shop in town is now a secondhand shop. Pawn shops are all over the place so I'd have said it's fairly standard in a small community especially up North.

 

[captain clutterbuck]

Pawnbrokers have always been a feature in towns and cities for time in memoriam but the second hand shops perhaps started to increase in numbers following the demise of Rag and Bone men who used to collect items which now end up in second hand/charity shops.

 

[Roger]

Dirk's shop was supposed to be an antiques shop although it was mainly filled with junk. Duggie's was more of a general second-hand clothing and household goods shop. We also see a change in Clegg's demeanour, at Dirk's he is relaxed and confident and is taking the mick out of Dirk, but at Duggie's he is nervous and is easily talked into buying the metal detector, a trait that's repeated years later at Aunty Wainwright's shop.

 

[theatrically_inclined]

Dirk's shop was supposed to be an antiques shop although it was mainly filled with junk. Duggie's was more of a general second-hand clothing and household goods shop. We also see a change in Clegg's demeanour, at Dirk's he is relaxed and confident and is taking the mick out of Dirk, but at Duggie's he is nervous and is easily talked into buying the metal detector, a trait that's repeated years later at Aunty Wainwright's shop.

That makes sense...
I don't mean that you normally talk twaddle - you might, I haven't been paying attention.

I'll get me coat ...

 

[Sarkus]

Having Joe Melia in a one-off episode, and then only referring to him a few episodes later may have been the wrong protocol.

Of course, it may have just been bad continuity, which unfortunately happens a lot - yet it's these 'quirks' that make the show still interesting 40 years later.

I've always felt Percy/Dirk was meant to be the introduction to someone we would see again, perhaps on a regular basis. Maybe the plan that series was for him to also appear in a second episode, but he wasn't available so they went with the never seen Dougie. As the BBC audience tested everything in those days, it could be that the character didn't work so he didn't get another episode in later series. Another one of those things on my long list of questions I'd have for Roy Clarke and Alan Bell if I ever had a chance.