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phillipjfry

macrumors 6502a
Dec 12, 2006
847
1
Peace in Plainfield
The Simpson's made fun of British sitcoms coming and going very frequently.

Do Shut Up (British sitcom "Not hard to see why it's England's longest running series, and today, we're showing all seven episodes!")

Is it true? If so, then I guess it comes as an amazement that this show lasted 37 years.
 

Mac Kiwi

macrumors 6502a
Apr 29, 2003
520
10
New Zealand
Damn. My oldies love that show. They will not be happy.

Doc Who has been around for a bloody long time...admittedly on and off.


Theres also Red Dwarf etc etc.
 

ethical

macrumors 68000
Dec 22, 2007
1,661
1
Ahh I remember watching this every Sunday after eating the roast dinner! Haven't seen it in a very long time though, I thought it stopped ages ago. It's a great achievement to have lasted that long.
 

0098386

Suspended
Original poster
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
The Simpson's made fun of British sitcoms coming and going very frequently.

Is it true? If so, then I guess it comes as an amazement that this show lasted 37 years.

Hah! Yea we don't get many episodes. The average series tends to have 6 episodes, though some (like Last of the Summer Wine, Spooks, Ashes to Ashes... all the big boys) have up to 10. Doctor Who has the most at 14 episodes per series.

But yea this one had a total of 289 episodes, which is unheard of for a UK comedy. The same guy wrote them all too. Hoping they release a massive boxset now :D.

last-of-the-summer-wine-pic-bbc-6906139861.jpg

Now what are retired comedians going to do :mad:.

I know the show wasn't the best or anything but it was really cosy to watch.
 

parish

macrumors 65816
Apr 14, 2009
1,082
2
Wilts., UK
Yes, sad to see it go, but it's had a phenomenal run, especially as it started as a one-off Play For Today I think it was.

Just one question. Will Howard and Marina finally get it together and ride off into the sunset in the final series? :p
 

Queso

Suspended
Mar 4, 2006
11,821
8
The cast is a little different to how I remember it. When did Russ Abbott sign up? Where did the guy that voices Wallace get to? Who's the Chinese guy? And does Mildred know where George is living now?
 

Jaffa Cake

macrumors Core
Aug 1, 2004
19,801
9
The City of Culture, Englandshire
Where did the guy that voices Wallace get to?
Peter Sallis and a couple of the older actors only do indoor scenes now I believe, due to the high insurance costs required to get 80+ actors outdoors. I haven't seen the programme for years to be honest, so I don't know when Russ Abbott and all started on it.

Isn't the Chinese chap in the picture Burt Kwouk?
 

parish

macrumors 65816
Apr 14, 2009
1,082
2
Wilts., UK
But yea this one had a total of 289 episodes, which is unheard of for a UK comedy. The same guy wrote them all too. Hoping they release a massive boxset now :D.

My kids bought me the box set of the very first two series - with the original " third man", Michael Bates as Blamire. What's interesting watching them is seeing how PC LOTSW has become over the years.

The cast is a little different to how I remember it. When did Russ Abbott sign up? Where did the guy that voices Wallace get to? Who's the Chinese guy? And does Mildred know where George is living now?

Russ Abbott has been in it on and off for few years now.

Peter Sallis - the voice of Wallace - is still in it.

The Chinese guy is Burt Kwouk (Peter Sellers' side-kick in the Pink Panther films - Kato was is?)

Yootha Joyce (Mildred) died years ago.
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,835
847
Location Location Location
I know British series' end early, but in a way, it makes for better television when a tv sitcom or drama doesn't last for 5+ years. Sometimes, you need to know where to end it. You don't necessarily make something better by making it last longer and longer. Just ask my girlfriend.

Many Chinese, Korean, and Japanese dramas and comedies are the same. The drama series last around 12 episodes, and that's it. Everyone knows the series will end after a set number of episodes, and they understand why. Once the story has been told, it's over. No b.s. story extensions so that networks make more money. The story plays out like a movie, but more in-depth than a movie since their stories need to be around 2 hours and fit everything into it.
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,835
847
Location Location Location
Well yes it was. However, there are many American TV shows that really shouldn't air longer than 2 seasons (which makes them around 40 episodes or so), and yet air for years.

Think about a show like 24. It really could have been 1 or 2 seasons, and nobody could have been happier.

What many countries would call a TV series, Americans call a "mini-series".
 

Sydde

macrumors 68030
Aug 17, 2009
2,552
7,050
IOKWARDI
Coupling went on for four seasons, and it was a pretty good length (and an excellent sit-com).

Steve Moffat seems to be an excellent writer. This series of Dr. Who is very well done (I believe he also wrote one of the most popular episodes, back in the Eccleston days).

Still, if you use a Mac, Douglas Adams is difficult to match.
 

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
Good. And it shart be missed.

In fact... if they axed every program on the tele, there would be no need for one. Saving me licence money.

If I had it my way, there would be no tele.
 
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