New Fan to Summer Wine

David Piper

David Piper

Dedicated Member
Hello, everyone! I'm an American fan of Last of the Summer Wine even though I have only watched a handful of episodes over the years. It wasn't until a holiday in New England in 2019 that I was finally able to watch a few later-series episodes which got me properly hooked on the show.

One of the episodes I watched was the series' third-to-last episode, The Rights of Man (Except for Howard). Knowing precious little about this longest-running series, I could tell the show was well past its prime, yet I liked what I saw in this episode. Clegg and Truly were largely confined to sitting indoors in their easy chairs, but I knew then that I had to go back and start from the beginning, which is what I am doing now. I hope to discuss the episodes with everyone here.
 
Welcome, yes definitely start from the beginning. The changes a lot from series to series and theres a lot to talk about.
 
I tend to get long winded in writing my episode reviews--though they're really more observations than reviews. I like to point out how a given era looks or "feels", and I soak up any cultural references I can.

There's a gritty, early '70s toughness in the look of series one. Given what was going on in Britain (as well as the US) then, I can understand it.

I like a lot of British programs. Some recent "discoveries" include Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? and Rising Damp. These are just a couple of shows I've known about for decades, but never had the chance to watch until now.

My avatar and screen name comes from Peter Sallis' character from his guest role on The Persuaders!, one of my all-time favorite TV shows. I can quote episodes at length but oddly enough, no one ever asks me to do that.;)
 
Greets and Weclome, @David Piper ! :18:

The Likely Lads and Rising Damp are both classics. I also recommend watching as much of LotSW in as much order if you can. Mostly for character progression. I too had seen a few random episodes when I first discovered the show long ago. It wasn't until I saw the 25 years special (which later got morphed into the 30 years special) that really got me wanting to learn more about the show and watch as much as I could of it.

If you are a fan of James Bolam / Terry Collier from Likely Lads then you may want to try Only When I Laugh. Which also has Peter Bowles in it from Rising Damp (played Hilary in Stage Struck episode) and To the Manor Born.
 
I appreciate the warm welcome from everyone!

RickAns said:
The Likely Lads and Rising Damp are both classics. I also recommend watching as much of LotSW in as much order if you can. Mostly for character progression. I too had seen a few random episodes when I first discovered the show long ago. It wasn't until I saw the 25 years special (which later got morphed into the 30 years special) that really got me wanting to learn more about the show and watch as much as I could of it.

If you are a fan of James Bolam / Terry Collier from Likely Lads then you may want to try Only When I Laugh. Which also has Peter Bowles in it from Rising Damp (played Hilary in Stage Struck episode) and To the Manor Born.
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To the Manor Born is another show I have watched endlessly! In fact, my wife and I watch it every Thursday evening. We even listen to the radio series, which has four episodes exclusive to it.

I found Only When I Laugh late one night (or was it early one morning?) years ago during a bout of insomnia...it didn't cure it, as I enjoyed the show, and James Bolam has become a fast favorite. Only When I Laugh has such an insane concept--three perpetually "ill" patients in a hospital?!?--that I just "had to" take to it.

As for LotSW, two years ago I bought a few books on the series: the BBC book, the Andrew Vine book, and the "Country Companion." Now that I am watching the show in order, I can crack open those books.

Sir David Jason is another actor I admire. A Touch of Frost is legend at my house, and I recently reconnected with Open All Hours, a program I used to watch when I was a child. I think Roy Clarke's style, regardless of the program, has resonated with me. Keeping Up Appearances is great madcap fun.

There are loads of other British programs I could go on (and on) about, and I'm sure I'll get around to talking about those, too.
 
maltrab said:
I hope the show is talked about for many years to come, there will be nothing new that will ever come close to it[...]
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What a coincidence that my long-deferred interest in LotSW has finally taken hold as I approach the age Michael Bates and Peter Sallis were when series one first aired. Should Summer Wine endure for the ages, perhaps it will be as a rite of passage or even a "guide to dealing gracefully with being made redundant" for future fiftysomethings...:16:
 
David Piper said:
What a coincidence that my long-deferred interest in LotSW has finally taken hold as I approach the age Michael Bates and Peter Sallis were when series one first aired. Should Summer Wine endure for the ages, perhaps it will be as a rite of passage or even a "guide to dealing gracefully with being made redundant" for future fiftysomethings...:16:
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...... or that growing old disgracefully isn't such a bad thing!
 
Hello and welcome to you!
Growing old gracefully?
You call that gracefully?
Dear old Compo must’ve fallen down at least a hundred times in this show
I hope I can age just a bit more gracefully than that!
But welcome welcome to you
 
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