An underrated trio in Summer Wine

codfanglers

codfanglers

Dedicated Member
The Summer Wine trio gets a lot of recognition, and rightfully so. Afterall, the show is based on them. The Batty family gets a lot of praise because they are hilarious and I believe everyone loves Wesley. Howard and Marina have gotten a lot of camera time and focus for decades (and a lot of episodes used them for the main story lines).


However, I always appreciated Barry and Glenda's contributions to the show and Edie hd great moments. Barry and Glenda were great when Barry's in-laws would make him a nervous wreck (a good reflection of real life). Of course, Barry was always afraid of Wesley messing with his car, but his fear of the stern Edie was great as well.

I watched the Incredible Ordeal of Norman Clegg for the first time in a while yeasterday in a rare day of. I love the scene where Barry is driving and Edie is in the passenger seat and Glenda is in the back. I forget the exact lines one day later but I love it when Edie is strongly questioning him and mentionns girls at his workplace and Glenda gets upset in the back. Meanwhile Barry is innocent the entire time. Edie's sternness, Barry's weak nervousness, and Glenda's naivety made them a great trio at times.
 
My son in laws aren't afraid of me :D Hi Cod good to hear from you :D

I love the Pegdens too, Edie and Wesley had some great scenes together. I liked Barry and Glenda was good so long as she wasn't whinny, she was another one that went through a character change as the season's went by.
 
Pearl said:
My son in laws aren't afraid of me :D Hi Cod good to hear from you :D

I love the Pegdens too, Edie and Wesley had some great scenes together. I liked Barry and Glenda was good so long as she wasn't whinny, she was another one that went through a character change as the season's went by.
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She seemed to morph into her mother from time to time . :me: ::)
 
But, of course she had the unique ability to make remarks that absolutely mortified her mother.
 
Pearl,

Re you comment " she was another one that went through a character change as the season's went by " I think Roy Clarke wrote the Glenda part initially, with Edie around , as very much the subservient daughter who was reverent towards not only her mother but also the other older ladies. Roy coupled that with the odd snippet of rebellion but when that was contested Glenda retreated to character .

With Thora Hird's frailty and increasingly reduced appearances, until she sadly could work no longer, I think Roy Clarke embellished the Glenda role and gave her greater strength offering more forthright opinions , effectively standing up against the elder ladies, and certainly domineering Barry to a level which whilst strong did not reach the level Edie attained over Wesley . I suppose Roy Clarke was showing a more modern , younger attitude to marriage and relationships to contrast with what he did with Edie/Wesley, Nora/Wally etc which was "old school" .

I think as series went on her voice did deepen and the " little girl lost " infliction thankfully only made rare appearances. I think Sarah Thomas was excellent in the role .
 
In then end, Barry made another great henpecked husband, like those that have gone before him. I always thought this couple was great, even after Edie. But it sure was great seeing how Edie could make Barry so uncomfortable.
 
I didn't believe that this deserved a new thread but because the example I have added here concerns Glenda I thought it appropriate . I am sure people have noticed continuity issues before but the more I watch episodes the stranger I find the way the show was shot . Whilst Doctor Who portrays time travel and the ability to jump time zones it appears LOTSW also has examples of such behaviour . On Gold today they showed How to Remove a Cousin , the ladies are having coffee at Pearl and Howard's house and there is a shot of Brenda in a chair drinking coffee and chatting not 5 seconds later she is with Barry in Auntie's shop to buy a hat for him !

Whilst I know there is a theme running through the whole show and each episode is a series of vignettes, to explain such jumps in time a quick line, in this case "my Barrie needs as new hat" , would make the jump all that more plausible. I am probably over analysing the show and should accept it for what it is but I find myself looking for examples on an increasing basis.
 
Three great Edie/Barry scenes
.when Edie was cutting his hair
when Barry gave Edie driving lesson
when Edie accidentally locked Barry in her house
 
I wanted to touch on the continuity issue that was brought up. A few weeks ago I was watching some 'making of' type videos on youtube about Summer Wine and even a few talks with the crew behind the scenes that make it all happen. In some of these home recorded videos (of the actual show being filmed on location) references are made to scenes that made it into the show and some which did not. It was very neat watching what goes on behind the scenes of a TV shoot.

Maybe some of the continuity jumps are because of scenes that had been cut for time restraints, or they just did not turn out as well as hoped for. If the show is running too long and they have to snip a few seconds here and there. Or reviewing the film later parts just did not look right and they did not have the time to go back and re-shoot. Would be nice to see some of the scenes and shots that hit the cutting room floor and never made it to the official broadcast version.

Of course I speak as one who has little real knowledge on the process of producing and editing a show. There are some here that I gather know much more on these matters than I. Possibly they had a short clip of Glenda and Barry walking or driving to the shop for a hat and it just never made it to our eyes. Just because we notice these things does not necessarily mean we are being too critical or scrutinous. It simple means we are being observant about a show we like enough to watch, care about and actually pay attention to. :)

I thought I had a decent knowledge of Summer Wine trivia before finding this site. There are some on here that absolutely amaze me with their skill to quickly quote lines of the show, as evidenced via one of the more popular threads. My hat goes off to them, for I admire well they know the show. :dance:


Cheers,
Rick
 
Hello Rick,

I don't believe that the continuity detracts from the enjoyment . I believe the site has enhanced all members capability to spot the continuity errors . The main sources are the photographs coupled with the Summer Wine map and members identifying where scenes are shot . An example I have quoted in the past is the Miraculous curing of Old Goff Helliwell , where Howard has left his house with his ladder that has been bent by Pearl and which he is hoping can get straightened.

You see him walking along a lane supposedly from his House, which is actually Hill Street in Jackson Bridge just up from the White Horse pub off Scholes Road. He then encounters some of the others at the same Bus Stop where Clegg and Truly waited for the Bus to go out for lunch in celebration of Cleggy's birthday in the Secret Birthday of Norman Clegg [when the others turn up in suits Cleggy runs off] . From the site photos and the Summer Wine map the Bus Stop is actually at the junction of Ford Gate and Dobb Lane near Holmbridge which is miles from Hill Street in Jackson Bridge . If Howard had carried the ladder that far he'd be in hospital with exhaustion .

I think curiosity and a love of the show drives members to the detailed analysis , perhaps rightly and wrongly we have moved on from simply being satisfied just watching this great show and the quest for more in depth knowledge of how the show was created and filmed becomes some member's goal.
 
When I watch Glenda and Barry I always think that they are a younger version of Edie and Wesley, poor Barry seem 's to be so henpecked by Glenda and Edie , he like's to escape with the trio and Wesley for some excitment and danger, but alway 's is a bit reluctant to try Wesley's latest creation.
 
gill said:
When I watch Glenda and Barry I always think that they are a younger version of Edie and Wesley, poor Barry seem 's to be so henpecked by Glenda and Edie , he like's to escape with the trio and Wesley for some excitment and danger, but alway 's is a bit reluctant to try Wesley's latest creation.
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Although Glenda is very "caring and sweet" to Barry. It is hard to imagine Edie being that way towards Wesley, even if it were to be some years back.
 
I remember Edie showing her caring side toward's Wesley in the episide Situation's Vacant when she knew that Wesley was ok.
 
Edie was a caring person in her own way didn't she get him a pay rise once and Glenda is a person I wouldn't want to cross her and as for my favourite lady Nora no way! Barry would have been embarrassed on some of Foggys adventures and would have been in the way but he did get lumbered a great many times especialy when the captain moved next door.
 
I think Roy Clarke wrote Edie's part to mirror Thora Hird's character Thora in Meet the Wife where Freddy Frinton played a similar role to that of Wesley as the downtrodden Fred . In the series, as she does with We-re-sl-ay [calling him in a posh voice in case the neighbours are listening] , she calls him Fray-ed and emphasises he is a Mar-st-ar[Master] Plumber .
 
I believe it depends on what you are looking for, I watch scenes carefully not because I am looking for any mistakes or continuity gaffs but the wonderful way the actors portray the scenes and characters they play, a raised eyebrow or pause in dialogue at just the right time can turn a funny moment into pure joy and have me in hysterics. Sometimes I will focus on just one of the actors ( I have to say it is usually Peter Sallis :)) as even if there character is not in the main action they will still be coming out with some wonderful moments, so I have found it is always good to watch what is going on around a scene as it were, and for me anyway the more you watch them in that way the better as you keep seeing new bits and it all stays so fresh and funny. :):)
 
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