A Dewhurst up a Fir Tree

maltrab

maltrab

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Staff member
I find it a little odd that in this episode when Foggy mentions the previous Christmas they missed out because Christmas eve shopping was a no go,as it was a Sunday and the shops were shut, why none of the trio had worked this out beforehand, also when Foggy presented the slide showing what little food they had for dinner, I find it odd that other than Compo probably having no food at home, that Foggy and Cleggy had next to zero also, or the ability to see a friendly neighbour for supplies, in fact although Nora & Ivy frowned upon the trio, I doubt they would see them without something on Christmas day.
 
The previous Christmas was in fact that of Small Tune on a Penny Wassail, where it was clear the trio did have plenty to eat, so a continuity error here.

The specials were a year apart.
 
wstol said:
The previous Christmas was in fact that of Small Tune on a Penny Wassail, where it was clear the trio did have plenty to eat, so a continuity error here.

The specials were a year apart.
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Well pointed out and and something I had missed
 
Often writers get their ideas for scripts in a very organic fashion. Perhaps the discussion around Roy Clarke's dinner table focused on a lack of planning for Christmas shopping. Yes, the holiday can creep up on you and there you are -- nothing is done. So that theme would eventually appear in the Christmas script. I've heard of one writer who would listen intently as his daughter recounted the days events and to her extreme embarrassment, the tale of woe would show up in a script.
 
Continuity was never one of the show's strong suits and I can't really blame Clarke or anyone else for that. I really don't think when he was writing in the mid 70s it ever occurred to him that a) the show would last for more than 30 series or b) that people would end up watching a given episode more than once or twice. We only notice these things because we've seen the episodes so many times. Most of us have likely seen them more times than Clarke or Bell or (in this case) Lotterby ever have.
 
I think these goof's make the show more human, if I spot and point one out, it's mainly because I have watched them time and time again and never noticed. On a couple of occasion I have noticed Sid has come in a bit early for his lines, and he has had to stop and let the other person complete their line and Sid starts again.
Also there are times of complete silence,where a good line came out, the live audience never laughed, yet they left the pause for the laughter, I think the line went over the audiences head or they did not hear it
 
When Foggy mentioned the shops being shut I took that to mean the guys did not manage to get gifts in time. Did not even think about them not getting food in time for a Christmas dinner.

Speaking in general terms throughout the timeline of the show and not taking continuity into it. For all their fussing about the guys I doubt any of the neighbor ladies (Nora, Ivy, Pearl, Edie) would have knowingly let any of the trio go hungry on such a day. They all seemed like a tight knit group who had known each other for decades through thick and thin.

For instance, the time when Howard broke his leg the ladies did not want the guys to feel left out and came over to Clegg's for a little celebrating. Poor Marina did end up on the roof that time. Plus the time that Compo brought three 'little' (though well developed) orphans over to Clegg's. Even though they were going to just have cheese and bread for the meal since they were not celebrating Christmas that day. Clegg still secretly had a turkey in the oven and decorations / gifts on standbye. Didn't they all have a Christmas gathering in the cafe with Ivy and friends once, too?
 
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