Of Funerals & Fish.... My pick of S1 - 5

Barrychuckle

Barrychuckle

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I've just watched this I'm not sure if anyone else has managed to take a fresh look at it. The wonderful thing about watching this wonderful comedy is you always spot something new.

Although this is a pilot and introduction to the main protagonists, there is an awful lot of depth to the episode. The political divide between Blamire & Compo which wasn't continued with the introduction of Foggy interestingly. I'm also wondering whether Wainwright & Mrs Partridge was the inspiration for Howard & Marina although the latter was lot more innocent.

Interestingly the mention of Compo's wife running off with a Pole was barely mentioned after the first few series, which was interesting. There are many other points I'll leave others to raise. One thing I wondered was who the attractive girl coming out of what we now know as Nora's house was? I'm not sure whether she was supposed to be her daughter or whether Nora was supposed to be living somewhere else?
 
As it was a one off pilot, I imagine Nora was not actually allocated a house as such, and so the young lady 'lived' at that house.

But now of course, we can pretend or imagine or claim that Nora did live there, and the young lady was simply assisting Nora.



Notice how Clegg's tie differs between interior and exterior scenes.
 
This pilot episode is most interesting in that it is virtually plotless. It is three old men just talking, I'll change that if I may, three old men shouting at one another. There is no timing as such and, it appeared that they were in a rush to get their lines out. However, having said that, it is amazing how LOTSW developed and encroached about three plots for each episode with everything done in a more natural relaxed attitude. Things changed when Foggy joined Compo and Clegg.
 
I suppose many pilots are essentially plotless as the priority is establishing the characters and how they interact. Prisoner & Escort which was the pilot for Porridge (which interestingly was broadcast at the same time) is just about Fletch's journey to prison under escort.

I think the focus early on was on verbal dialogue and monologues but it evolved into physical humor later in the series. Thanks for your points Peri, make sure you remember to nominate an episode when it's your turn, I'm looking forward to seeing why members like particular episodes and different perspectives..
 
I guess the pilot was finding it's feet and we will never know what the connection of the young lady was to Nora, along with the other neighbour hanging out washing that I don't think we ever see again, in fact I don't think after the pilot Nora never had another neighbour expect for Compo and those living in his house in later episodes
Do we ever see Cyril leaving his house again
The pilot does give us an indication of Compo's religious beliefs
When you watch the pilot followed by a later series there is some major redesigns of the interior of the Library
Sid was more aggressive with Ivy
The Church was a lot closer to the cafe in those days
 
For some reason I never like the characters Wainwright & Mrs Partridge I much preferred Howard and Marina in the later series also the library reading room was a bit boring , it was much better when they started to get out and about.
I read that they started to shoot more outside shots and stunts to appeal to a younger audience to get more people watching. I used to love Sid And Ivy in the cafe they really loved each other ;)
 
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Mrcobbledstreets said:
For some reason I never like the characters Wainwright & Mrs Partridge I much preferred Howard and Marina in the later series also the library reading room was a bit boring , it was much better when they started to get out and about.
I read that they started to shoot more outside shots and stunts to appeal to a younger audience to get more people watching. I used to love Sid And Ivy in the cafe they really loved each other ;)
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I agree, Mr Wainwright came across very sleazy whereas Howard was likeable and their fun was a lot more innocent!
 
It is interesting that we do not see much of Compo and Nora's neighbors after the pilot episode. I do remember an episode where Nora drags Wally outside to listen if they can hear their wireless radio or TV. Nora is fussing because a neighbor (or passerby?) mentioned something about them being able to hear it. Of course Wally is oblivious. I had wondered why Nora did not go inside the neighbors place for a listen. Other than that not much mentioned of the neighbors.

Can't remember how close Gloria who moved to Australia lived to them. If she could have been considered a neighbor.
Perhaps the BBC could not get the rights to use the neighboring houses so they cut them out of future scripts. The use of their doors for the actors to go in and out of to look like they lived there.

@barryboy1985 the pilot was released on some of the more recent DVD's. I forget when exactly they started this. It did come with my boxed set.

I think like any show it took them a little bit of episodes to settle into their groove and pacing. For both the storytelling and the actors to get comfortable as their characters. A groundwork for the characters and why we are watching them needs to be laid. Which may be why it was such a good environment when Foggy stepped in to join them.

I do find Howard much more likable than Mr. Wainwright.
 
With the exception of Clayes wonderful comic strip we've not had a LOTSW specific thread in over a week. I know Inky Batty mentioned he would choose an episode for us all to watch and comment on, would he or anybody else like to nominate an episode for us to watch from series 6 - 10?
 
Some years ago I mentioned that One of Last Places Explored By Man was the most typical episode of LOTSW, would that do if Inky doesn't get back to us?
 
wstol said:
Some years ago I mentioned that One of Last Places Explored By Man was the most typical episode of LOTSW, would that do if Inky doesn't get back to us?
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No you got in first wstol! I'll watch that episode in the next few days..... Thank you
 
Barrychuckle said:
I've just watched this I'm not sure if anyone else has managed to take a fresh look at it. The wonderful thing about watching this wonderful comedy is you always spot something new.

Although this is a pilot and introduction to the main protagonists, there is an awful lot of depth to the episode. The political divide between Blamire & Compo which wasn't continued with the introduction of Foggy interestingly. I'm also wondering whether Wainwright & Mrs Partridge was the inspiration for Howard & Marina although the latter was lot more innocent.

Interestingly the mention of Compo's wife running off with a Pole was barely mentioned after the first few series, which was interesting. There are many other points I'll leave others to raise. One thing I wondered was who the attractive girl coming out of what we now know as Nora's house was? I'm not sure whether she was supposed to be her daughter or whether Nora was supposed to be living somewhere else?
Click to expand...

Compo mentioned his wife ran off with a pole in a later episode. I believe it was "The Glory Hole" when he was looking for Gophy's (spelling?) address and came across his air raid siren and a photo of an old girlfriend. Also the young girl at Nora's house was not given a character name on the end credits, (not even just "neighbour") so we will never know who she was really meant to be. Let's believe she was a neighbour assisting Nora with the washing.
 
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imitation700mb said:
Compo mentioned his wife ran off with a pole in a later episode. I believe it was "The Glory Hole" when he was looking for Gophy's (spelling?) address and came across his air raid siren and a photo of an old girlfriend. Also the young girl at Nora's house was not given a character name on the end credits, (not even just "neighbour") so we will never know who she was really meant to be. Let's believe she was a neighbour assisting Nora with the washing.
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Thanks for your input, regarding Compo's wife, it wasn't mentioned at all the the latter episodes perhaps because it wasn't a politically correct term!
 
RickAns said:
Can't remember how close Gloria who moved to Australia lived to them. If she could have been considered a neighbor.
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Gloria lived in the cottage where, much later, we see Alvin set up his bistro table for breakfast or elevenses, blocking access to the door. Just before the interaction among Nora, Compo and Gloria, we see her scrubbing that doorstep.
 
imitation700mb said:
Compo mentioned his wife ran off with a pole in a later episode. I believe it was "The Glory Hole" when he was looking for Gophy's (spelling?) address and came across his air raid siren and a photo of an old girlfriend.
Click to expand...
In another episode, the title of which escapes me at the moment, Sid was speculating on ways to shed Ivy and said to Compo, "Your wife left you, didn't she?" Compo replied, "She run off with a fizzin' Pole." (Which the subtitles render as "fishin' pole".) She left very soon after World War II, while there were still a great many Polish refugees in the UK, so she wouldn't have had to go far to find one to run off with.
 
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