Last of the Summer Wine (series 9)

Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine Series 9 & 10 DVD
No. of episodes	15
Release
Original network	BBC1
Original release	1 January 1986 (1986-01-01) – 27 December 1987 (1987-12-27)
Season chronology

Last of the Summer Wine's ninth series originally aired on BBC1 between 1 January 1986 and 27 December 1987. All episodes from this series were written by Roy Clarke and produced and directed by Alan J. W. Bell.

The ninth series was released on DVD in region 2 as a box set on 5 May 2008.

Outline

The trio in this series consisted of:

Actor	Role
Michael Aldridge	Seymour
Bill Owen	Compo
Peter Sallis	Clegg

First appearances

• Seymour Utterthwaite (1986–1990)
• Edie Pegden (1986–2003)
• Barry Wilkinson (1986-1990, 1996–2010)
• Glenda Wilkinson (1986–2010)
• Eli Duckett (1987–2002)
• Second Policeman (1987, 1990–2004)

Last appearances

• Wally Batty (1975–1987)
• Crusher (1984–1987)

List of episodes

New Year Special (1986)

Title	Airdate	Description	Notes
Uncle of the Bride	1 January	This episode introduces Seymour, who had a brief stint as Foggy's first successor. Glenda, Edie and Wesley's daughter, is marrying the hapless but kind-hearted Barry. Seymour, her uncle and Edie's brother, is in charge of the pre-nuptial celebrations.	90 Minute Special This episode marks the first appearances of Seymour, Edie, Glenda and Barry, all four of whom started to appear regularly shortly after. This is the second episode to have no laughter track. Wesley became a regular character from this episode onward (until 2002). This special also includes an explanation of Foggy's absence, saying he moved away to Bridlington to take-over a family egg-painting business. In 1994, after Michael Aldridge's death, this special was repeated in his memory. This episode had ratings of 18.10 million viewers, making it the 8th most watched programme of 1986. Included on the Series 9 & 10 boxset.

Christmas Special (1986)

Title	Airdate	Description	Notes
Merry Christmas Father Christmas	28 December	It's Christmas 1986, and Seymour attempts to instil some magic into the festive season by dressing a reluctant Compo as Father Christmas.	35 minute Special. This episode had ratings of 16.30 million viewers Included on the Series 9 & 10 boxset.

Regular series

Title	Airdate	Description	Notes
Why Does Norman Clegg buy Ladies' Elastic Stockings	4 January	Howard persuades a reluctant Clegg to take a message to Marina in the store where she works. Clegg buys random items, including ladies' stockings, in order to explain his extended presence in the store while he waits for a chance to pass the message. Seymour invents a drill and uses it in an attempt to find oil, with unhappy results.	The runtime of this episode is just short of 34 minutes. The show's theme is played in the style of the Dallas theme when Clegg and Compo use Seymour's bike to drill for oil. This is the first episode since it began in 1973 to open indoors in the studio and on videotape (all previous 63 episodes open outdoors on location and on film). The episode is edited by about 4 minutes on the region 1 DVD release.
The Heavily Reinforced Bottom	11 January	Compo takes up canoeing, with disastrous results.	Filming took place near the Standedge Tunnels, (at the Tunnel End Cottages, close by)
Dried Dates and Codfanglers	18 January	Seymour invents a high-security door lock, which fails miserably. Compo has lost a prized possession – a date Nora Batty threw at him!
The Really Masculine Purse	25 January	After Compo claims that any man who uses a purse is effeminate, Seymour tries to invent a strictly masculine purse.
Who's Feeling Ejected Then?	1 February	Seymour builds an ejector seat, which Compo is persuaded to test.
The Ice-Cream Man Cometh	8 February	Seymour misses the good old days, and decides to promote the old tradition of bicycling ice-cream men.
Set the People Free	15 February	Howard and Wally have both been confined to quarters, and it's up to the trio to try to break them free.
Go with the Flow	22 February	Seymour volunteers the trio to help the Vicar and they are assigned to sell tickets for a production of Beatrix Potter – but all he succeeds in doing is getting himself thrown out of the local pub. Will Compo fare any better?	At one point of this episode, a Hornby model of Annie or Clarabel from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, (which had just finished its second season, some three months before this episode aired), can be seen.
Jaws	1 March	Seymour invents a new waste disposal unit for Edie.	This episode marked the first appearance of Eli (Danny O'Dea), who became a regular shortly after.
Edie and the Automobile	8 March	Edie is having driving lessons – no-one is safe!
Wind Power	15 March	Seymour's invents wind-powered rollerskates.
When You take a Good Bite, Yorkshire Tastes Terrible	22 March	Clegg receives word that an old friend in America, Bill Henry Duffield, died six months earlier. The trio relive some happy memories as a tribute.	This episode marks the final appearance of Wally Batty. Joe Gladwin died less than a fortnight before it was broadcast.

Christmas Special (1987)

Title	Airdate	Description	Notes
Big Day at Dream Acres	27 December	There's a big fete at Dream Acres. But why is a tramp so interested in one of the donkeys?	79 Minute special. This special marks the Final appearance of Crusher as Jonathan Linsley left the show having gone onto a crash diet which meant the character of Milburn couldn't continue nor resume due to weight loss. This is the 3rd and final episode to have no laughter track. Guest appearances of Ray McAnally and David Ellison. First appearance of Tony Capstick as a policeman Included on the Series 9 & 10 boxset. The music played by the brass band at the end of this episode would later be used in "Just a Small Funeral".

When recordings were "repackaged" for overseas sale, UK series 9 (12 episodes) was split into "Season 9" and "Season 10" (each of 6 episodes), with all subsequent "seasons" being renumbered accordingly. As a result, (for example) "Series 27" in the UK may be referred to as "Season 28" in the USA.

DVD release

The box set for series nine was released by Universal Playback in May 2008, mislabelled as a box set for series 9 & 10.

The Complete Series 9 & 10

Set Details

15 episodes 3-disc set Language: English

Release Date

Region 2

5 May 2008

References

Bright, Morris; Robert Ross (2000). Last of the Summer Wine: The Finest Vintage. London: BBC Worldwide Ltd. ISBN 0-563-55151-8.

External links

• Series 9 at the Internet Movie Database