Last Of The Summer Wine is the title of the United Kingdom’s longest running sitcom. It is written by Roy Clarke and as of July 2007, its 28th series is being broadcast by the BBC. Last of the Summer Wine showcases the lives of three retired men. The comic tension mostly comes from the different world view points from these three men. The trio consists of lower class Compo, middle class Norman and a third man, who through the years has been played by a variety of different people. Last of the Summer wine is also filled with characters of the local scene and the series has most often become an ensemble piece. In 2004, the sitcom made fourteenth in the BBC poll to find Britain’s Best Comedies.
What The Critics Have To Say
Last of the Summer Wine has been praised by critics for portraying older people in a positive and active fashion, as opposed to other shows that show the stereotypical retired old person. The show is also praised for its clever and philosophical writing, as well as for being family friendly. However, recently, the show has been criticized for being too long and formulaic. The critics who claim this say the cast has become too big and there are way too many plotlines to follow.
The Two Main Characters
Last of the Summer Wine is filmed in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. Normal Clegg, or Cleggy, a shy widower, is played by Peter Sallis. William “Compo” Simmonite, small and scruffy, is played by Bill Owen. Campo is in love with another character, frumpy Nora Batty, who is played by Kathy Staff.
The Third Ever Changing Member
The third member, as stated, has changed often as the series has continued. This third character is typically an authoritarian figure and is usually mocked by the other two. The original third character was Cyril Blamire played by Michael Bates. Cyril always wanted to better himself and was usually embarrassed by Compo’s unkempt personal hygiene. Then, there was Walter “Foggy” Dewhurst, played by Brian Wilde, who was a pompous ex-military Corporal. Following that was inventor Seymour Utterthwaite, played by Michael Aldridge, the brother of Edie Pegden, played by Thora Hird. After that, Foggy returned. Today, the third character is played by Herbert "Truly" Truelove, a retired police office played by Frank Thornton.
You can buy series one through six on DVD as they are available for purchase.
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