The last great episode of the show?

[Nicko12345]

Thanks for all of the replies and the fine suggestions about later era stonkers. Today I watched the following episodes (making use of my summer vacation as a teacher ):

Destiny and Six Bananas (Series Eighteen)
Gnome and Away and The Coming of the Beast (Series 22)
In Which Howard Gets Double Booked (Series Twenty Eight)
Will Howard Cross the Atlantic Single Handed? (Series 30)

All enjoyable episodes but (I know I`ve said this before so you can start rolling your eyes now ) I think there are too many actors/characters in each. Any long running show needs a big cast but I think they should have done what most American shows do in only using certain cast members for each episode...

The Coming of the Beast though has a good plot and the farce builds steadily incorporating several of the characters at the end. Very impressive and a good example of the show working at its best (considering that Compo was no longer there).

The episodes from the later series are still enjoyable but I think some decline is apparent. For Will Howard Cross the Atlantic, for example, I actually don`t think that Hobbo is a big problem (I can understand why some do though) but that Barry/Glenda/Toby/Morton is more of an issue. In earlier series, even after Seymour had departed, there was some connection between Barry/Glenda and the other characters:-

Barry/Glenda - Wesley - Compo/Foggy/Clegg etc.

In the later series it is more like:-

Barry/Glenda - A vast chasm - Hobbo/Entwistle/Alvin etc.

Also, the cutting of the budget was evident when watching these episodes. Some very good stunts in The Coming of the Beast which they probably couldn`t have afforded later on.

 

[Nicko12345]

Agree this was another great episode!!!!

Does anyone else think that Robert Fyfe did a lot of his own physical stunts, I mean, running to get on his bike, to where it seems Sallis and Owen,probably would have had the stunt double do it. He probably didn't do the falling off of the roof stunts. It seems he was really agile when he would crouch to not be seen by Pearl thru the window, etc. Out of all of them, I think he the most active. Just sayin'

I think you are absolutely right and he proved to be a major plus for the show as the years went on. Watching him jogging and doing shadow boxing at the start of, I think, A Short Introduction to Cooper`s Rules it seems astonishing that he was well into his 80s by this point.

 

[brendalovescompo]

I think you are absolutely right and he proved to be a major plus for the show as the years went on. Watching him jogging and doing shadow boxing at the start of, I think, A Short Introduction to Cooper`s Rules it seems astonishing that he was well into his 80s by this point.

I just watched the home movies of the couple on you tube that shows the making of the show,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROvNwSrkzNU
for those who haven't seen. Hope it sticks.

In this clip it shows Fyfe praticing carrying a long ladder to Cleggs house. Very active I must say. Was very impressed. He is up in years now 89 , making him 83 or thereabouts while filming.:respect:

 

[codfanglers]

Earlier in this thread I voted "In which Howard gets Double Booked" as the last classic episode. I saw it on Friday. Unfortunately I have to retract that statement. I remember it being hilarious the whole way through but after watching it recently, the episode was just OK, with the hilarious last ten minutes of Howard being rushed back and forth.

Wow! That leads me to think now that Follow that Bottle is the last great episode. This doesn'nt leave too many classics for the Truly era. However, I still have a love for the post-Compo, "collection of barmpots" era. There aren't really true classics, but tons or good laughs.

 

[cornishman]

I just watched the home movies of the couple on you tube that shows the making of the show,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROvNwSrkzNU
for those who haven't seen.

Never seen these, what a find, just spent the last hour watching some of the other youtube's as well (from the Summer Wine Home Videos page).
Many thanks.

 

[Pearl]

Earlier in this thread I voted "In which Howard gets Double Booked" as the last classic episode. I saw it on Friday. Unfortunately I have to retract that statement. I remember it being hilarious the whole way through but after watching it recently, the episode was just OK, with the hilarious last ten minutes of Howard being rushed back and forth.

Wow! That leads me to think now that Follow that Bottle is the last great episode. This doesn'nt leave too many classics for the Truly era. However, I still have a love for the post-Compo, "collection of barmpots" era. There aren't really true classics, but tons or good laughs.

I find that sometimes it depends on the mood I'm in, you may go back in a few weeks and find you really like it again.