Sid's Relationship with the Trio

[codfanglers]

Does anyone notice the inconsistency regarding Sid's relationship with the trio, primarily in the Foggy years? Sometimes they are so close together. He takes part in their foolishness and they travel together. Other times he barely speaks to them or doesn't want to see them. Perhaps I am just stating the obvious, but I always found that strange. I enjoy it when they bond more.

 

[Eithne]

I really enjoyed Sid as well. I think, and I may be wrong, that it's indicated that he was a little younger. He didn't share any military history like the others. It seems he inherited the business from his father so there may have been residual class differences. Also, I'm not sure if it's true for men, but women tend to be very different with married friends than they are with single friends. Those are all guesses. I agree that it would have been nice to have seen Sid interact more. I wonder if his health limited him earlier than we know.

 

[Peripheral]

Sid was often reading the newspaper or keeping a wary eye out ready for one of Ivy's outbursts. He was my favourite character in SW.

 

[codfanglers]

Interesting points, Eithne. I am not sure Sid was meant to be younger or the same age. The differences between the married and single men show strongly in the Great Boarding House Bathroom Caper. And I just can't help but think of it as Ivy's Cafe, even when Sid was there.

 

[codfanglers]

Sid was often reading the newspaper or keeping a wary eye out ready for one of Ivy's outbursts. He was my favourite character in SW.

Very good point about Ivy!

 

[Sarkus]

There is at least one reference that suggests Sid did serve in the war but at least based on FOTSW, he didn't grow up with the trio. I do agree with Peripheral that Sid was certainly at times restraining himself from getting involved because of Ivy. Of course, a lot of this is really just how Clarke wrote the episodes and I think its pretty clear he liked adding new characters all the time rather than keep using the same established one. So while Sid or Wally could have substituted for a guest star playing someone new in a lot of episodes, it was more fun to play with a quirky unknown. It also means the episodes where Sid or Wally did play a bigger role were more memorable.

An example would be "Getting on Sidney's Wire," which I think is a classic example of what makes the show great and is one of my favorite episodes. If we were seeing Sid all the time, spending an entire episode with him would have been less interesting.

 

[Barrychuckle]

@codfanglers Thats a really good point and right now you mention it. I think it was Roy Clark experimentation with the character, and he couldn't decide if he would be an addition to the trio or simply somebody to bounce off.

 

[RickAns]

I enjoyed Sid's character as well. Especially when he had a chance to get out and have some adventures with the guys. I figured that the times Sid was grumpy was because he was getting more flack than usual from Ivy recently. Which cause him to get snippy with the trio or others. Also, Foggy could wear on people's nerves.

The guys guys did drop Sid in it with Ivy on occasion - Flower Power Cut and the bed roll in the woods dressed as a cowboy episode. Don't recall Sid snapping at Clegg, more Compo and Foggy. I'm sure Sid envies the guys ability to go on adventures whenever they please while he has to mind the cafe.

 

[Pearl]

In First of the Summer Wine there was character called Sherbet, we never knew his real name but him and the young Ivy got close so I like to believe he turned out to be Sid.
Sid and Wally where the only married men of the group so that severely hampered their time and juvenalty to take part in the shenanigans. I think Ivy and Nora kept their domesticated feet firmly on the ground. It shows that if a man is left to his own devices it can lead to all sorts of trouble so they're better off with a better half keeping them sober, honest and reliable.

 

[Pearl]

I really enjoyed Sid as well. I think, and I may be wrong, that it's indicated that he was a little younger. He didn't share any military history like the others. It seems he inherited the business from his father so there may have been residual class differences. Also, I'm not sure if it's true for men, but women tend to be very different with married friends than they are with single friends. Those are all guesses. I agree that it would have been nice to have seen Sid interact more. I wonder if his health limited him earlier than we know.

If we go by First of the Summer Wine Ivy was the same age as the men and it was very unusual for for women to marry young men even by a couple of years. Now a days no one gives a penny but back then it would have caused gossip.

 

[gothic]

It shows that if a man is left to his own devices it can lead to all sorts of trouble so they're better off with a better half keeping them sober, honest and reliable.

Spoken like a true Woman/Wife.....

oh cr*p, did I say that out loud.. now I'm in trouble

 

[Pearl]

Spoken like a true Woman/Wife.....

oh cr*p, did I say that out loud.. now I'm in trouble

 

[captain clutterbuck]

Nice to see you mastered the art of taking a selfie with a filter on Pearl

 

[codfanglers]

In First of the Summer Wine there was character called Sherbet, we never knew his real name but him and the young Ivy got close so I like to believe he turned out to be Sid.
Sid and Wally where the only married men of the group so that severely hampered their time and juvenalty to take part in the shenanigans. I think Ivy and Nora kept their domesticated feet firmly on the ground. It shows that if a man is left to his own devices it can lead to all sorts of trouble so they're better off with a better half keeping them sober, honest and reliable.

I definitely realized Sid was never meant to be part of the trio. I just always thought it was odd how he enjoyed their company so much at times and other times he didn't want anything to do with them. However, after reading the responses here, I didn't take into account that Ivy just being around the corner played a big part in this.

 

[Barrychuckle]

He did kind of become more involved with the trio in Getting Sam Home, sadly his last appearance. I wonder if he'd been around for longer would have kicked on from this and got involved in their escapades more?

 

[codfanglers]

He did kind of become more involved with the trio in Getting Sam Home, sadly his last appearance. I wonder if he'd been around for longer would have kicked on from this and got involved in their escapades more?

Two things....

1. Maybe I am getting the characters' sequences mixed up, but maybe his departure led to bringing in Howard and Pearl to continue having couples in the storylines.

2. He may have increased his time with the trio. The direction of the show brought on more characters and focus to more than just the trio.

 

[RickAns]

This is a nice discussion on Sid.

 

[Eithne]

1. Maybe I am getting the characters' sequences mixed up, but maybe his departure led to bringing in Howard and Pearl to continue having couples in the storylines.

I think this is true, Roy Clarke would have wanted to show the contrast between the married men's lives and our three main characters. It also opened up a lot of plot lines that he wouldn't have been able to utilize otherwise. Without that flexibility it would have been hard to keep going so long.

 

[Douglas Enwright]

I think it’s true that he was always wary of Ivy over his shoulder,I can remember in one episode though he was in diving gear in a river,well away from Ivy,and seemed really annoyed to come across the trio who were on the river bank.

 

[Eithne]

Remember though, he didn't want Ivy to know about the scuba diving and didn't want them to talk. He also was probably embarrassed he was seen.