Last of the Summer Wine Series 3 & 4

Catching up with this post and the next, (the one above), as I watched this a few months ago. I found the half hour format very relaxing after finishing work. Very laid back and very British. Now I'm ready to order series 5-6 Amazon is out of stock. Should I wait and see if it becomes available or should I try something new like EBay. On Amazon the independent dealers can't send to us in Thailand.

My review : (4 stars) It is such a pleasant surprise that I like Last of the Summer Wine so much. I did see one of the early ones during a visit home in the mid-seventies, but it's really a very recent addiction. I was a little worried it would be a bit too much Yorkshire, too much Geoff Boycott, but it isn't. It is just a relaxing way of watching TV and waiting for the little verbal gems from Peter Sallis. In these series 3-4 we have Brian Wilde playing the straight man against the Bill Owen and Peter Sallis characters, replacing Michael Bates. I think this was regarded as the strongest cast. Brian Wilde who died in March also played the nice prison officer in Porridge.

Details : 1976-1978 TV sitcom series 3 & 4. 15 episodes of about 30 minutes each made by the BBC.

Episodes : 13 - The Man from Oswestry, Mending Stuart's Leg, The Great Boarding-House Bathroom Caper, Cheering Up Gordon, The Kink in Foggy's Niblick, Going to Gordon's Wedding, Isometrics and After, Ferret Come Home, Getting on Sidney's Wire, Jubilee, Flower Power Cut, Who Made a Bit of a Splash in Wales Then, Greenfingers, A Merry Heatwave (Xmas Special) and the Bandit from Stoke-on-Trent.

Features : No

Print quality : Good

Sub-titles : Yes

Discs : 3

Last of the Summer Wine Series 1 & 2

My review : (4 stars) According to Wikipedia Last of the Summer Wine is the longest running comedy program in Britain and the longest running sitcom in the world. I can understand that. It something that at times our program makers can get so right. It's so laid back that you really don't have to be totally awake to enjoy, in fact a little delay while you pick up one of Peter Sallis's throw away one-liners makes it even better. The half-hour show gets you through a dinner in front of the box. At times we have watched two shows one after the other, no matter how much I hate the double-headers on the BBC Entertainment Channel, (see my earlier post here).

So this DVD set is the first two series. Good as it is, you know it's going to get better. It could have been bad so easily. If they had overdone the Yorkshire bit and had them all talking with Geoff Boycott or Freddie Truman accents three-quarters of Britain would have been turned off. This year should see the 29th. series. The first one kicked off in 1973. Another great picture from inside the box below.

I think the secret of the show is the Peter Sallis and Bill Owen characters are very Peter Pan like; acting like schoolboys in spite of their advanced years. The third character, who is played by Michael Bates in these two series, is so full of self-importance that the other two can play off against his straight man role. I won't say two much as having also watched series 3 and 4 I suspect I will watch the next 25 also.

Details : 1973-4 TV sitcom series 1 & 2. 13 episodes of about 30 minutes each made by the BBC.

Episodes : 13 - Short Back & Palais Guide, Inventor of the Forty Foot Ferret, Paté & Chips, Spring Fever, The New Mobile Trio, Hail Smiling Morn or Thereabouts, Forked Lightning, Who's That Dancing With Nora Batty, The Changing Face of Rural Blamire, Some Enchanted Evening, A Quick Drink, Ballad for Wind Instruments & Canoe, and Northern Flying Circus.

Features : Don't think so

Print quality : Very good

Sub-titles : I'll check

Discs : 4