Series Thirty And Thirty One.

[Pearl]

I'm going to lump these two together because i don't like either of them and don't want be negative about Summer Wine anymore, plus I have the attention span on of a goldfish and want to get to me next mission.


I'm sorry I didn't like Hobbo at all, nothing against Russ Abbott I found him in Boomers to be very funny, its the Hobbo character I didn't like he was just too unbelievable has for How Not To Cry At Weddings I thought it was rushed but had some good moments in it.

At least we got a proper ending and it didn't just not appear the next year. I thought the storyline of Pearl kicking Howard out and him trying to get back in went on for too long and it became boring, I'm sure I'll be told of the error of my ways on this subject by those that liked him and the series.

Small print and waver........

These threads are just my opinion and in no way represent the views of the management.

PS I'll be doing the xmas specials over the next few days seeing how I made a bog of it before.

 

[wstol]

Firstly, I have to say it's a bit unfair to lump Series 30 and 31 together.

They are two separate series, and quite different in that the earlier one has a Special and a lot of episodes, the later series consists of just six shows, in a serial form.

Telling off over and done with!

Each time I revisit the Hobbo series', I have to say it gets better.

If it was the only way the series could continue, and still allow Peter Sallis to still be 'in it', albeit for a few moments, then I think it just, just worked.

I said on an earlier post perhaps the introduction of Hobbo did refresh the show - I think many series before these were getting a bit tired.

For me, the problem wasn't Hobbo, or Russ Abbot - it was having to watch a trio which didn't have much to do with the older, classic episodes.

 

[wstol]

From Series 30, I like Goodnight Sweet Ferret best.

From Series 31, I like the one where Howard is doing the stunts on the bicycle. How Not to Cry at Weddings is growing on me. It's not a brilliant finale, I'm not sure it was really meant to be.

Roy Clarke has since revealed that every later series was written as if it may be the last, so this may explain why the ending was not spectacular. I think perhaps he thought this series still might not necessarily be the very end...

 

[Pearl]

I think the changing and experimenting with the trio was the beginning of the end, they tried to add Tom as a replacement for Compo then did a bit of a mix and matching with Billy and Entwistle but that didn't work either, replacing the whole trio was never going to work it lived through the change of third man several times but changing the whole trio was a no no.

 

[happyjack]

Sorry wstol have to agree with Pearl again. Hope I haven`t upset Dick by doing this, don`t want to make him jealous or it will be Brushes at Dawn.

 

[Pearl]

Sorry wstol have to agree with Pearl again. Hope I haven`t upset Dick by doing this, don`t want to make him jealous or it will be Brushes at Dawn.

I feel sorry for which ever one of you has Smiler for a second

 

[dick]

Sorry wstol have to agree with Pearl again. Hope I haven`t upset Dick by doing this, don`t want to make him jealous or it will be Brushes at Dawn.

No worries H J , I am in total agreement with Herself!! The Howard saga was way too long, !!LEAVING HOME FOREVER OR UNTIL TEA TIME did it in the one episode!! Sweet Ferret was ok but a bit predictable!

 

[onyx(John)]

I think I've gone on record before saying that I liked the Hobbo character. I think had he had a longer run people might have warmed to him, maybe the BBC realised this and got in there with the axe before that happened I agree with (our)Pearl about the Howard/Pearl saga dragging on too long. I dont think there had been a previous storyline that carried through so many episodes???
Well done Pearl for taking us daily through the entire series, looking forward to your comments on the specials :respect:

 

[Pearl]

Thanks lads, sorry I got bored

I'll do the specials in segments from tomorrow. I've been reviewing them and sorting them into groups.

I feel a bit like Barry Norman reviewing films.

 

[codfanglers]

Firstly, I have to say it's a bit unfair to lump Series 30 and 31 together.

They are two separate series, and quite different in that the earlier one has a Special and a lot of episodes, the later series consists of just six shows, in a serial form.

Telling off over and done with!

Each time I revisit the Hobbo series', I have to say it gets better.

These are my sentiments as well.

As for Pearl, how many times did you actually watch the Hobbo era? I could understand if you saw it once and was so annoyed you never watched it again.

However, I previously commented that I absolutely despised Hobbo the first time around. I avoided the Hobbo era the next time around but then I broke down and started watching them when they were on TV. Then each time I caught them I realized I liked them more and more.

I love Good Night Sweet Ferret and In Which Howard Crossed the Atlantic is pretty funny. Now this is nowhere near the quality of the classics like Series 8, but it is worth watching.

Series 31 being in a sequence format was an interesting attempt but I was not fond of it. The whole Howard/Pearl/Marina was OK but those storylines were never my favorite parts of Summer Wine and with a reduced cast, there is more emphasis on them (too much in my opinion).

I liked How Not to Cry at Weddings, but like others, I have recommendations on how to make it a better swansong.

 

[Pearl]

These are my sentiments as well.

As for Pearl, how many times did you actually watch the Hobbo era? I could understand if you saw it once and was so annoyed you never watched it again.

.

I've watched them about 4/5 times and I'm watching them again, I'm desperately trying to find something in them to like, but I can't (Except for the bigger roles played by Cooper and Walsh). The story lines went a bit arie and sometimes far fetched. Hobbo just won't grow on me I really don't like him at all.

But having said that, its good that some people do because if we all liked or hated the same thing there'd be no need for this forum and then I wouldn't have met yous lot and that would be sad.

 

[Sarkus]

I think the changing and experimenting with the trio was the beginning of the end, they tried to add Tom as a replacement for Compo then did a bit of a mix and matching with Billy and Entwistle but that didn't work either, replacing the whole trio was never going to work it lived through the change of third man several times but changing the whole trio was a no no.

I'm not sure I agree with this. A completely new trio could have worked, but it would have required planning and some luck and neither ended up happening. I continue to view the loss of Billy (either due to health or other) as where the show's fate was probably sealed. A successor trio of Billy, Alvin, and someone else (probably not Entwistle) could have set the show up for many years with Billy (and Alvin to a lesser degree) providing a clear link back to Clegg and Truly. Keith Clifford was young enough to have played Billy for decades - he was just 72 as of 2010. Instead the only link, and a rather weak one at that, was Alvin. Throw in the bad luck they also had in losing several other long-time cast members in a relatively short time in the early to mid-2000s and you end up with a show that by the end had only a few links to its glory days left.

 

[Elmc]

Proper ending?? There was nothing proper about it. And it wasn't an ending. Two cops holding their pants/

 

[codfanglers]

I'm not sure I agree with this. A completely new trio could have worked, but it would have required planning and some luck and neither ended up happening. I continue to view the loss of Billy (either due to health or other) as where the show's fate was probably sealed. A successor trio of Billy, Alvin, and someone else (probably not Entwistle) could have set the show up for many years with Billy (and Alvin to a lesser degree) providing a clear link back to Clegg and Truly. Keith Clifford was young enough to have played Billy for decades - he was just 72 as of 2010. Instead the only link, and a rather weak one at that, was Alvin. Throw in the bad luck they also had in losing several other long-time cast members in a relatively short time in the early to mid-2000s and you end up with a show that by the end had only a few links to its glory days left.

I think I respectfully disagreed with you on a handful of threads, Sarkus, but this time I agree with you a lot. The show took a hit with the departure of Billy. One thing I previously mentioned was that Series 28 was the last series I really look forward to. In addition to further decreased roles in Clegg and Trully, I was sad to see Smiler leave.

Smiler is a great extra who doesn't seem to get a lot of credit. Do you and anyone else here think Smiler was strong enough to be part of the trio?

 

[dick]

I think I respectfully disagreed with you on a handful of threads, Sarkus, but this time I agree with you a lot. The show took a hit with the departure of Billy. One thing I previously mentioned was that Series 28 was the last series I really look forward to. In addition to further decreased roles in Clegg and Trully, I was sad to see Smiler leave.

Smiler is a great extra who doesn't seem to get a lot of credit. Do you and anyone else here think Smiler was strong enough to be part of the trio?

To become part of the trio after having the ""wee-wee"" always taken out of him may not have worked , but I agree with the Billy hypothesis Its a pity we'll never know!

 

[wstol]

I think what I disliked most about these two final series had nothing to do with Russ Abbot, it was Entwistle suddenly taking over Clegg's role, and even being given some of his old lines ('come and sit over here with us chickens').

 

[Pearl]

I think what I disliked most about these two final series had nothing to do with Russ Abbot, it was Entwistle suddenly taking over Clegg's role, and even being given some of his old lines ('come and sit over here with us chickens').

I liked Entwistle, I know he wasn't a huge favourite round here but I liked him. He wasn't another Foggy or Compo, he was different.

 

[codfanglers]

I liked Entwistle, I know he wasn't a huge favourite round here but I liked him. He wasn't another Foggy or Compo, he was different.

I absolutely loved Entwistle when he was first introduced. However, in the later years it just seemed like he wasn't funny at all. Perhaps it was a poor attempt to have him be "Clegg-Like".

 

[captain clutterbuck]

redeeming features

I think 30/31 has redeeming features love nobody messes with Tony the Throat especially when the inept Howard gives Pearl his best roar. The love interest for Stella back to back episodes have some comic highlights especially the hapless Randolph dressed as Zorro doing his best farmyard impressions to the totally unimpressed Stella .

The overarching theme of these episodes from my perspective is the attempt to turn this into the Russ Abbot show . I wonder if either Russ suggested to Roy Clarke or Roy himself that they could embellish the spy character Basildon Bond from Russ's TV show and sure enough they did that with Hobbo.

To keep the show running and with Peter Sallis/Frank Thornton too infirm to undertake scenes they had in previous series I just feel the Producers/Writer had little choice but to look for actors who could aptly deliver the content of Roy Clarke's script.

I suspect if this forum had been running for the duration of programme people would voice the opinion that Foggy was not a suitable replacement for Blamire, Seymour for Foggy etc . Technically when Compo sadly passed away the BBC could have ended it there and then thankfully they did not and the comic genius continued for some time albeit in some cases diluted from what had gone before .

 

[Nicko12345]

It may not be a popular viewpoint but I would say that in terms of structure that the final two series are better than the episodes that had gone immediately before. Having a main 3 was a better idea than just having around 16 supporting characters which had happened in Series 29.

I think though that the Hobbo character was an odd one. I quite like him even though I must admit that some of the writing doesn`t work. If he was only shown talking about his `spy work` when he was with company then it would make sense that he might only be exaggerating to impress people. To show him doing this when alone as well indicates he is a complete nutter though.

I also think though that Roy Clarke`s writing was showing several other problems (understandably after so many episodes) and even without the cast changes the show wouldn`t have been in the rudest of health.