MovieChat Forums > Last of the Summer Wine (1973) Discussion > Last of Last?

Last of Last?

posted 15 years ago by OptimusTimelord
9 replies | jump to latest

Firstly, I'll admit that I haven't really bothered much with the show over the last 10 years, but it used to be a family favourite back in the late 70's/early 80's...

Anyway, the end is nigh (finally) and I was wondering if there will be any kind of 'special' finale to the series, or how anyone else would like to see it end? Personally I think it ought to do something radical for the final episode and go out on a tv high. Here's my idea...

Obviously Clegg is the only remaining 'original trio' character, and I think the last episode should belong to him. Without sounding morbid, I think Clegg on his death bed, surrounded by the rest of the cast come to share his last hours, would be a poignant end. I would even go so far as to add a touch of the unusual and say that as he gets weaker, the most recent members of the cast could fade away almost unnoticed, one by one, until only Clegg and Ivy are left in the room. As he dies, she too fades away... Standing at the window (somehow!), half obscured perhaps by dusty glass, the figures of Compo, Foggy and Blamire. They turn and walk away. Cut to them, including the young Clegg, out strolling into the distance across the hills.

Thoughts?

"All the long distance lines are down? What about the satellites, is it snowing in space?"

[–] samwise_fan1965 15 years ago

I can see that happening. I like the part of just him and Ivy left with all the others fading away.
I always imagined the last shot would be when Clegg makes it to heaven and they wander off together. Or maybe him and Ivy sitting and talking about the past they both shared with a final montage of all those who have moved on.
-samwise

[–] OptimusTimelord 15 years ago

I hope we get a montage of the earlier years at the very least.

But with Clegg and Ivy currently reduced to cameo appearances I have a feeling LotSW might end with a whimper rather than a bang... Does anyone know if the decision to cancel/not renew the series was made before or after filming had wrapped for the current run?

"All the long distance lines are down? What about the satellites, is it snowing in space?"

[–] Jazzomaniac 15 years ago

I think it will end with a slow camera pan over the countryside and show all the familiar spots we saw over the years. Perhaps we might get a glimpse of three male shadows walking by a stone wall making us wonder if their spirits will live on and give that warm goodbye feeling with the song being hymned by a choir.

[–] OptimusTimelord 15 years ago

To answer my own question about the cancellation, it seems this series was filmed before final word was announced. So sadly I don't think there'll be any kind of send-off for the show, which is a great shame. If the Beeb don't at the very least put the choir version of the theme at the end I'll be rather annoyed.

Apparently it will end with the characters off to a wedding, the last words being Clegg asking "Did I lock the door?"
http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/08/12/after-37yrs-it-s-last-o f-the-summer-line-115875-22482056/
Hardly a fitting tribute to 37 years of TV history...

"All the long distance lines are down? What about the satellites, is it snowing in space?"

[–] OptimusTimelord 14 years ago

So there we have it. Just an ordinary episode; no special music, montages or flashbacks, not even a hint that this was the final end. And the Beeb had the cheek to promote it in listings as 'The Very Last of the Summer Wine.'

They should at least have given the programme a decent send off, but we were left with 'the last dregs of the summer wine' instead.

"All the long distance lines are down? What about the satellites, is it snowing in space?"

[–] blame_thatcher_2003-2011 14 years ago

It hadn't been officially axed when the last episode was made. That's the way I'd like to go out.

"Am I too soon?"

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] Troll_Dahl 12 years ago

That is true. Although if they'd known for sure it was the last series, I think Ivy closing down the cafe to embark on retirement might not have been too much. But I do agree that subtlety and simplicity can be the best. Just panning across some pretty Yorkshire countryside would have been nice. Summer Wine always was a show where not that much happened. It didn't make sense to change that for the last episode!

'Irregardless' is not a word