It's Never Ten Years questions

[Philosopher Clegg]

As a series "reset" it makes sense to go back to characters in their 50s, since that is what Clegg, Compo, and Blamire were supposed to be when the show started. I didn't realize Murphy and Kwouk were quite that old, though. I think with Murphy they brought him in to try and pair with Clegg and Truly so an older actor made sense, especially after a much younger Tom had not really worked out a few years earlier. Presumably they felt they needed to tie Hobbo to the show by pairing him with characters that had some history with the show and so created the Hobbo/Alvin/Entwistle trio, but I'm sure they had some thought of transitioning those other two out in a few years for younger actors. I could see Barry in a later trio, for example.

Yes, in many previous discussions I supported the idea of Barry becoming one of the trio. Yes, he would have been different than previous trio members, however, like Sarkus said, the show would have needed to reset back to the original form with main characters in the 50's/early 60's. Also, I don't see the need to try to exactly duplicate the past, it could have gone in a slightly different diirection.

I also understand the sentiment that it really wouldn't have been Summer Wine without Clegg and Trully. Therefor, perhaps the show could have went on with a name change. Of course, this is only speculation.

Perhaps without Truly, but not Clegg. Sad to say, but it has to be remembered that Frank Thornton passed away not long after the series was cancelled, so had it gone on they would have been faced with either replacing him or going on with one less major character that helped make it what it was, especially post the Compo era. I think the options were becoming less and less. There is an inevitable end here that you could end up with something not as good that could somewhat spoil the classic era that everyone remembers and actually watches it for.

 

[Paulinehill29]

I also felt that Nora deserved more than a voiceover (ok wrong word but you know what I mean hat bit where she shouted when Alvin walked into his house wet...........ter than normal!

 

[codfanglers]

Cod, I was thinking about that the other day. It was going to be called The Library Mob however after a while they were rarely in the library so I wonder how different the whole show would have been without the name change. You couldn't really have a show called the library Mob without going into the library.

Yes Susan, I remember hearing that on this site. "The Library Mob" certainly would have worked for the Blamire era, but not after that. Just like the conversations on this thread about the direct of this show, I am sure Clarke and Lotterby didn't imagine what the show was going to become during the first couple of series!

 

[Philosopher Clegg]

Cod, I was thinking about that the other day. It was going to be called The Library Mob however after a while they were rarely in the library so I wonder how different the whole show would have been without the name change. You couldn't really have a show called the library Mob without going into the library.

Yes Susan, I remember hearing that on this site. "The Library Mob" certainly would have worked for the Blamire era, but not after that. Just like the conversations on this thread about the direct of this show, I am sure Clarke and Lotterby didn't imagine what the show was going to become during the first couple of series!

I've often felt that The Library Mob would have been an awful title to call the series, although it made sense if it had been a one off. It would have been very limiting as time went on, but at the time it was a decent reflection of what three middle age unemployed men might do with their time. They would spend it in the library which I'm sure was very true for many back in the 70's.

I also recall reading that there were some reservations about calling it Last Of The Summer Wine, because that would give the mistaken impression that it was about people who were retired, when especially in the early years it wasn't about that at all. It was a series about the unemployed.

 

[codfanglers]

Cod, I was thinking about that the other day. It was going to be called The Library Mob however after a while they were rarely in the library so I wonder how different the whole show would have been without the name change. You couldn't really have a show called the library Mob without going into the library.

Yes Susan, I remember hearing that on this site. "The Library Mob" certainly would have worked for the Blamire era, but not after that. Just like the conversations on this thread about the direct of this show, I am sure Clarke and Lotterby didn't imagine what the show was going to become during the first couple of series!

I've often felt that The Library Mob would have been an awful title to call the series, although it made sense if it had been a one off. It would have been very limiting as time went on, but at the time it was a decent reflection of what three middle age unemployed men might do with their time. They would spend it in the library which I'm sure was very true for many back in the 70's.

I also recall reading that there were some reservations about calling it Last Of The Summer Wine, because that would give the mistaken impression that it was about people who were retired, when especially in the early years it wasn't about that at all. It was a series about the unemployed.

I always got the impression that the show made a stronger effort to reflect its society and environment during the Blamire years. (hence making sense that a lot of it took place in the library).

The show changed directions with Foggy. The storylines became more broad, with less ties to society, and it seemed to then target a wider audience.

 

[Sarkus]

I think it would have been better had it ended with a swansong for Clegg, who was the last surviving original major character and in one respect it was appropriate that he had the last say in the final episode. The unfortunate thing was that the final episode in itself was not a particularly good send off, whereas a final one off reminiscing the past with Clegg at the center of it would have been more appropriate.

I agree with you there - they had every reason to think they may be filming the final season when they made the last series and its too bad they didn't treat it as such. However, Bell mentions in his book that the series almost continued on another network (the president of that network was all for it but got overruled by his board of directors) so its possible that Bell thought when filming Series 31 for the BBC that there was a good chance it would be picked up by someone else for at least another season or two and so didn't want an obvious "goodbye" episode. The ideal of never trying the Hobbo experiment and just ending the series at 30 or something with Clegg would have required the BBC and Bell to both be in agreement that it was time to end it, something Bell, at least, never seems to have considered doing.

 

[Cyndy]

In history articles of LOSW, the series was wrote for Peter. Everyone else was a after. It is only fitting he, of all of them, lasted the longest. On checking birthdates, Peter was born 1921. Bill 1914. That puts him right in the age of most the others (1920s) that make the most of the main people dying off before the series comes to a end. I, for one, thank Peter for being the glue that keeping LOSW together. Of course he lived the longest, but he also never left the show on his own.

 

[codfanglers]

Yes Cyndy,

We Summer Wine fans really ought to appreciate the dedication of those working in the show into their 80's or until they could no longer perform. Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, and Jane Freeman had brought us DECADES of pure joy and loughter.