Clarke's use of the "oblivious" character trait in Summerwine

[Sarkus]

I was thinking recently about how oblivious Foggy generally is in the series about how people view his war stories. What I'm referring to is how when he starts telling a story and its obvious those listening are not interested, he nevertheless keeps going on with the story. And not only that, he in many cases seems to not ever realize that their attempts to get away are because they aren't interested. Instead, he finds other explanations for their actions.

It then occurred to me that Roy Clarke uses this character obliviousness throughout the series. Another example would be that Howard never seems to quite understand that Marina wants a more physical relationship. Or that Howard never quite understands how bad he is at lying to Pearl.

I'm wondering what other examples people can think of.

 

[Adanor]

Mrs. Wainwright, the Librarian.

 

[Pearl]

Mrs. Wainwright, the Librarian.

Wasn't that Mr Wainwright?

 

[Pearl]

He was totally oblivious because Foggy needed to tell his "War stories" whether they were true or not, he wasn't bothered about if anyone was listening he was merely talking to himself out loud, the fact that someone was standing next to him just gave him the illusion that he was recanting his imaginary fantasies because people were interested when infact it didn't really matter. He probably only needed to say it out loud so he could hear is own voice.


Howard knew exactly what Marina was hinting at but was too afraid to act upon it, his fear was that if they took the next step then Marina would see through his bluster and realise he wasn't a great romancer or lover but a quivering man that had no idea what he was doing when it came to a womans needs just like Pearl did in the end. His belief that Pearl believed him was a survival instinct, bury your head in the sand type thing.

Pearls was pretending to believe Howard because she knew what a hapless man he was when it came to woman has she'd had years of experience with him so knew deep down that his marriage vows were safe. I imagine she secretly liked he had Marina because he wasn't bothering her anymore. Quite frankly if I'd been married Howard I'd be the one chasing Marina!!

As with Foggy he was great man who only existed in his own imagination.

 

[codfanglers]

Let's talk about the Pegdens.

Wesley was certainly oblivious that every time he tried to repair a vehicle there were disasterous results.

I think deep down Edie knew she was a bad driver, but had too much pride to admit it. And like one of Clarke's female characters, it is very natural for her to blame it on the husband.

 

[Pearl]

Let's talk about the Pegdens.

Wesley was certainly oblivious that every time he tried to repair a vehicle there were disasterous results.

I think deep down Edie knew she was a bad driver, but had too much pride to admit it. And like one of Clarke's female characters, it is very natural for her to blame it on the husband.

Well he shouldn't really have been moving the gears about!

But I agree with Wesley having more hammer than he knew what to do with.

 

[wstol]

One 'oblivious trait' throughout the show was vicars.

With exception to the pilot, vicars were portrayed as vague and unable to listen and wouldn't take no for an answer.

Simarly, their respective wives were long suffering.

 

[Adanor]

Speaking of the vicar in the pilot, they should have kept him in a recurring role similar to the vicar in KUA.

 

[Sarkus]

Speaking of the vicar in the pilot, they should have kept him in a recurring role similar to the vicar in KUA.

Consistency of vicars would have been nice. They used John Horsley off and on over the years but there doesn't seem to have been much effort to make the vicar a consistent character played by the same actor.

 

[Pearl]

Consistency of vicars would have been nice. They used John Horsley off and on over the years but there doesn't seem to have been much effort to make the vicar a consistent character played by the same actor.

I'm sure that wasn't intentional, most places have more than one vicar from different churches. You have the Methodists, Baptists, Anglicans not forgetting the Catholics all with different clergy so all the vicars we saw could have been from different churches plus they do tend to move about from church to church, not all but some.

 

[codfanglers]

The vicars in Go With the Flow and Cooper's Rules seem pretty similar, likely by coincidence. Are one of those John Horsley? I think Summer Wine could have used a consistent curmudgeon male character like that, in contrast to the trio.

One character like that who made a few appearances was one of the publicans who occasionally threw the guys out of the bar. I forget the episodes, but one was when they were staring at each other in the eyes really closely.

 

[cciaffone]

One character like that who made a few appearances was one of the publicans who occasionally threw the guys out of the bar.

Do you refer to the publican at the White Horse over in Jackson Bridge?
He appears in a lot of episodes and is often throwing the lads out.

 

[Adanor]

Wasn't he a publican in real life and they just went ahead used him as a publican on the show?

 

[wstol]

I THINK Ron Backhouse was the real landlord of The White Horse, and played himself in many episodes.

I THINK James Duggan was an actor who played another landlord(s) who threw the trio out regularly.

 

[Sarkus]

I THINK Ron Backhouse was the real landlord of The White Horse, and played himself in many episodes.

I THINK James Duggan was an actor who played another landlord(s) who threw the trio out regularly.

Duggan was definitely an actor - he has a long list of credits on IMDB from before and after his time on Summerwine.

 

[brendalovescompo]

Glenda bragging that Barry could do no wrong, and was very predictable. Barry had low self esteem and Glenda always wanting him to be "one of the guys".


Cooper and Walsh looking the other way to keep from doing any work, especially paperwork. Monitoring a deserted road knowing there wouldn't be any traffic.

No matter how hard Clegg would try to stay out of Auntie Wainwrights, she always seemed to sell him something.

 

[codfanglers]

I THINK Ron Backhouse was the real landlord of The White Horse, and played himself in many episodes.

I THINK James Duggan was an actor who played another landlord(s) who threw the trio out regularly.

I remember hearing about the actual landlord playing himself in one of the pubs.

This guy is somewhat short and stocky with brown hair and I recall him in an early Seymour episode as well as much later ones (and perhaps early Foggy episodes as well).

 

[codfanglers]

Glenda bragging that Barry could do no wrong, and was very predictable. Barry had low self esteem and Glenda always wanting him to be "one of the guys".


Cooper and Walsh looking the other way to keep from doing any work, especially paperwork. Monitoring a deserted road knowing there wouldn't be any traffic.

No matter how hard Clegg would try to stay out of Auntie Wainwrights, she always seemed to sell him something.

I never minded the predictability of Glenda because her praising of Barry was always so show a stark contrast between the skepticism of the older ladies.

As for Clegg's and Cooper and Walsh's predictablilty or obliviousness...... I never grew tired of it. Some things just never got old.