Izak86 I loved Last of the Summer Wine in the early 1990's when I was a kid and really enjoyed the mischief Compo, Clegg and Foggy got up to. Story lines also included Compo's constant attempt to attract Nora Batty which was always a laugh, but sadly in 1999, Bill Owen (Compo) passed away. Surprisingly though, the producers just continued making new series. The 'Compo's Funeral' episode was very touching but in my opinion, this should have been the show's final episode, ever since then, the show's quality has declined rapidly. Many of the other major characters have now passed away and often just replaced with other 'similar' characters, making it more like a soap than a much-loved sitcom. Even Clegg (Peter Sallis) is now only in episodes briefly.I feel the producers are now just trying to keeps the show alive for as long as possible, but with few 'original' characters and poorer story lines, new episodes could tarnish the image of the series that was once brilliant.

ShadeGrenade One of the saddest sights on television in recent years has been the continued presence of Roy Clarke's 'Last Of The Summer Wine' on our screens, a show well past its sell-by date. It is easy to forget just how good it was when at its peak, from the mid-'70's to late-80's.Peter Sallis once called it 'Just William with pension books', and I think that's about right. The adventures of three mature men - 'Blamire' ( Michael Bates ), 'Compo' ( Bill Owen ) and 'Clegg' ( Sallis ) - whose zest for life has not diminished with time. They have nothing to do all day except wander the cobblestoned streets and leafy lanes of Holmfirth, either reminiscing about the past, or getting into new mischief. A regular port of call was the café, run by henpecked Sid ( the marvellous John Comer ) and fearsome Ivy ( Jane Freeman ). The early shows had them calling on the library a lot, hence the working title: 'The Library Mob'. Clarke's scripts were full of wonderfully funny lines and situations ( although the later shows tended to rely too heavily on stunts for my taste ). Compo had a crush on the local battle axe 'Norah Batty' ( Kathy Staff ), who, in her curlers and wrinkled stockings, regularly used to hit him about the head with a broom. Bill Owen loved doing the show so much he came to regard himself as a native of Yorkshire ( that is where he is buried ), despite being a Cockney.Bates left after the second season and Brian Wilde replaced him as 'Foggy' Dewhurst, a ex-military man who keeps coming up with stupid ideas to make the world a better place, such as erecting a Union flag on a hillside in Jubilee year ( 1977 ), turning 'Compo' into a superhero called 'The Phantom', and taking a drive in 'The Loxley Lozenge'. After Owen died, the show carried on with the likes of June Whitfield, Frank Thornton, Burt Kwouk, Stephen Lewis, Norman Wisdom and others, but it never reached those heights again. The show has had its detractors over the years. Jeremy Clarkson put it on 'Room 101', for instance ( which is where he belongs ). Jezza seemed to think the audience for the show is composed entirely of pensioners, whereas it is enjoyed by families.At its best 'Last' was the perfect tonic; the sun always shines in Holmfirth, everybody gets on well with everybody else, and nothing unpleasant ever seems to happen. Ronnie Hazlehurst's gentle theme seems evocative of a simpler, nicer age. Had it ended at the time of 'Getting Sam Home', I think that today it would be as fondly remembered as 'Steptoe & Son' and 'Hancock's Half-Hour'.

ruddigore-1 Being neither from Yorkshire, nor over the age of 60, I have never really been able to connect with this show. None of the characters are likable and I find them annoying more than anything else. I just don't understand how stupid senility is that funny. While some of the jokes are okay, most of them are ruined by the fact that they are told by idiotically senile men. An old person trying to jump over a wall and not being able to just isn't that funny. I suppose it would be funnier if I really knew people like this (i.e. if I was from Yorkshire) or if I found it uplifting to see old people on TV doing something (i.e. if I was over 60). I guess if you're from Northern England or if you love Matlock. You'll love this show. If not, you'll probably find it annoying and kind of creepy. It has its moments and it probably could be a pretty decent show with better timing, cinematography and some recasting. Some fresher writing would be nice too. There's only so far the whole concept of "I'm crazy, old and confused! Where's my soup!" can go and remain funny. Adding a couple of characters that are likable (see Are You Being Served?) would be a big help too. At least I would not feel like yelling "Shut up, just shut up already about being old!" at the screen for the whole show.

patjeffo When we first started to watch this show we were in our 30's which put the actors at around 50 years of age, As I am sure most of you "younguns" out there of 30 or under will testify, 50 is an age you yourselves will never be, just as we thought then, how wrong we were, Time shoots by so very quickly that here we are 30 odd years later and still avid fans. Last of the Summer Wine was and still is wonderful viewing if you prefer your television to not be peppered with unnecessary expletives nor have endless closeups of moving bed-clothes and sundry body parts. This was a story of 3 middle-aged men who still had their wits and humour about them and most of all loved to laugh. The fact that you knew in advance the slide down the hill on a tray or running with a kite being pulled by Wesleys "jeep" would always end in disaster for one or the other of the trio was part of the attraction and still is. Viewing the programme now with many new actors in the cast, due mainly to the demise of the original cast members, is just a reflection of life and death but the humour, fun and sheer joy of living is still there despite the fact that Norman Clegg still professes to find it difficult to talk to women or for that matter anyone except his close compatriots. Now in our mid 60's my husband and I still love this programme and will always watch the repeats which are, fortunately for us, now running on cable TV. A toast to the Summer Wine-- Long may it Last-.