Best SW Third Men

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I love Seymour and Foggy as third men - Both as nutty as each other! And Seymour has that 'mad professor' look, with his hair in a mess, and a garden full of madcap inventions.
 
This is a hard one to answer as Foggy is the obvious choice, but I liked Seymour more, he was nutty but kind with it. And Truly comes a close second to him because of his sense of humour. I didn't like Hobbo much at all, he was a very pale imitation of Foggy, in my opinion that is! Cyril Blamire was also good, but I doubt that the show would have survived as long as it did with just the original cast. Foggy certainly gave the whole thing a lift.
 
Sue said:
This is a hard one to answer as Foggy is the obvious choice, but I liked Seymour more, he was nutty but kind with it. And Truly comes a close second to him because of his sense of humour. I didn't like Hobbo much at all, he was a very pale imitation of Foggy, in my opinion that is! Cyril Blamire was also good, but I doubt that the show would have survived as long as it did with just the original cast. Foggy certainly gave the whole thing a lift.
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I think I have said before that I found Foggy irritating. Out front for me was Truly followed by Blamire. I am far from certain of Sue's assertion about the show not surviving so long with the original cast but we shall sadly never know. For me, as long as Clegg was there and playing a major role (unlike in those inferior Hobbo days) the show could sail on ad finitum.
 
I personally loved the first two series, Unc. The comedy was so understated. A lot people, family members included, just didn't get it. The one where they found a kite, for instance, no one said 'oh look there is an old kite lets get it down from the tree and fly it!' they just did it while still chatting away. When Foggy arrived things changed a lot and the comedy was made simpler. Just my opinion.
 
I personally dont think the series would have become as big as it was had Michael Bates stayed. If there is a tragic blessing in disguise, his departure was that
1.Foggy
2.Truly
3.Seymour
4.Blamire
5.Hobbo
 
I think all the third men have their own merits, at a push though I would say Foggy was my first choice as it represents the golden era of the show.

Of course Blamire, Seymour and Truly have really good moments as third man which I would say push them very near to Foggy in terms of funniness.

The least popular with me being Hobbo, in fairness though the ending of the series didn't give the character enough time to develop.
 
I think had Blamire stayed, the show still would have become more physical - just look at Ballad for Wind Instruments and Canoe. There was physical stuff in Foggy's first series, some of which was written with Blamire in mind.

Fortunately Bates, Wilde, Aldridge and Thornton were so good I don't have any real preference.
 
wstol said:
I think had Blamire stayed, the show still would have become more physical - just look at Ballad for Wind Instruments and Canoe. There was physical stuff in Foggy's first series, some of which was written with Blamire in mind.

Fortunately Bates, Wilde, Aldridge and Thornton were so good I don't have any real preference.
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You didnt rate Russ Abbot then?
 
I used to be quite opinionated about this topic and had a specific ranking of third men. However, the more I watch the show the more I find Foggy, Seymour, and Truly on neutral ground.

I used to prefer Truly because he was the leader in my favorite era of the show, 2000-2007. However, I am currently in my third "full" rotation in watching the show from beginning to end. Recently, my love of Foggy and Seymour grew quite a lot.

Here is the newest aspect I am grasping with the "third" character roles. Instead of ranking each character, I am noticing more of the change of the same characters over the duration. For example, Seymour starts out as an eccentric but warm scientist type. After about five episodes he transitions into a pompous school master that sometimes socially distances himself from Clegg and Compo. Foggy's change is more from his two separate runs.

Now, I just finished Compo's passing triology and I have observed this..... Truly starts out as a socially aloof curmudgeon. However, I find his character changing a good bit with Elegy of Fallen Wellies. He becomes a more warm sociable person who turns out to be Clegg's main support during this tragic time. Elegy of Fallen Wellies is when I really took notice of Truly's character change, although he may have been gradually changing earlier.

So I conclude, I like the warm sentimental value of the third man being somewhat down to earth. As a result. I like the earlier Seymour more than the latter. I absolutely love the beginning of Series 9. Then, I prefer the post-Compo Truly to the earlier Truly. I prefer the old Foggy because the character is a bit fresher then.

wstol said:
Totally different then, without Compo and Clegg. :)

Russ Abbot did a reasonably good job.
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I totally agree with WSTOL, Hobbo didn't have a fair chance at this category with the declined supporting cast.
 
Got to be Foggy he was in the golden era of the show also Seymour was great although not a lot of people liked him at the start he grew on most people.Blamire and Truly were both great as well :)
 
They all have their good points. Blamire was very much a snob, ideally balancing Compo, with Clegg as the pivot on which they turned. Foggy was a bit nuts. I thought one of Brian Wildes best performances was in The Kink in Foggys Niblick. Really funny stuff. I kind of wandered a bit for the Seymoure era, but watching it again, he was fantastic, wasn't he? Truly, I think, became Cleggs friend. Not a leader, not a third man, as such, but Cleggs friend.
As for Hobbo, I never quite got the hang of him but I think he could have worked out.
When Mr Sallis took a reduced role I thought the whole thing took a bit of a turn. Cleggs the star. Always was, always will be.
 
Rhi said:
They all have their good points. Blamire was very much a snob, ideally balancing Compo, with Clegg as the pivot on which they turned. Foggy was a bit nuts. I thought one of Brian Wildes best performances was in The Kink in Foggys Niblick. Really funny stuff. I kind of wandered a bit for the Seymoure era, but watching it again, he was fantastic, wasn't he? Truly, I think, became Cleggs friend. Not a leader, not a third man, as such, but Cleggs friend.
As for Hobbo, I never quite got the hang of him but I think he could have worked out.
When Mr Sallis took a reduced role I thought the whole thing took a bit of a turn. Cleggs the star. Always was, always will be.
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I would totally agree with you here
 
in my books its obviously Foggy in 1st possibly one of the best comedy characters ever not just in Last of the Summer Wine (im a big Foggy fan) second for me is Seymour when I was growing up in the 90's there was a few vhs's of Seymour and I liked him from them and when I saw more of his shows on GOLD and other repeat channels I liked the others from his time especially "Crums" which is possibly the best ever christmas special, next for me its Hobbo I think he weren't given enough time to build this character into a favourite but from the first time I saw his first episode I loved his wackyness and his character and could see a bit of Foggy and a bit of Seymour in him so thats why he is next after them two I also met Russ Abbot and he is a gentlemen so that also gives me a high opinion of his character, next after that is Truly his first two series were ok but after Compo died his time was more testing the water and weren't keen on changes every series it seemed until they found the right balance after Billy left (im not a big Billy fan) with the three of Clegg, Truly and Alvin and unfortunately Billy drags Truly into 4th and of course that leaves me with Blamire in last nothing wrong with michael bates cause how the series was set in the early days was a class system with Blamire Upper, Clegg middle and Compo lower, there were some good episodes from his time but if michael would have stayed longer I doubt the show would have continued cause his character was ok but never a Foggy, every third man i compare to Foggy and Blamire is no Foggy in my books.
so my list is

1st - Foggy
2nd - Seymour
3rd - Hobbo
4th - Truly
5th - Blamire
 
Rhi said:
They all have their good points. Blamire was very much a snob, ideally balancing Compo, with Clegg as the pivot on which they turned. Foggy was a bit nuts. I thought one of Brian Wildes best performances was in The Kink in Foggys Niblick. Really funny stuff. I kind of wandered a bit for the Seymoure era, but watching it again, he was fantastic, wasn't he? Truly, I think, became Cleggs friend. Not a leader, not a third man, as such, but Cleggs friend.
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Yes, this comment really ties in my thoughts from my thread about viewing Compo's Passing Triology. Truly, changes after Compo's passing. I believe it was in a good way.

DJWCFC said:
next after that is Truly his first two series were ok but after Compo died his time was more testing the water and weren't keen on changes every series it seemed until they found the right balance after Billy left (im not a big Billy fan) with the three of Clegg, Truly and Alvin and unfortunately Billy drags Truly into 4th
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I couldn't disagree with you more Darren. I absolutely love Truly in the 2000-2007 era. However, it is fun to have these debates.
 
codfanglers said:
DJWCFC said:
next after that is Truly his first two series were ok but after Compo died his time was more testing the water and weren't keen on changes every series it seemed until they found the right balance after Billy left (im not a big Billy fan) with the three of Clegg, Truly and Alvin and unfortunately Billy drags Truly into 4th
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I couldn't disagree with you more Darren. I absolutely love Truly in the 2000-2007 era. However, it is fun to have these debates.
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hey were all different, just cause i don't like it doesn't mean it doesn't bother me you do, as you say its all part of debates on here
 
Yet another way to look at this ....

I much prefer the Clegg from the Blamire period to the
later Cleggs. The early Norman Clegg had attitude and spirit.

As well, the Blamire-period Compo was a much-less
civilized bloke than the later Compo with sleeves patched.

Compo and Clegg were much more interesting when we were
less enthused over the third man.
 
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