Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series) Surprise at Throstlenest (2000) User Reviews

A great surprise

[keysam-02610 · 8/10 · 25 March 2022]

While agreeing with reviewer Prismark10 that Compo's Thursday trysts are completely shoehorned in, it still makes for a great surprise & a nice pick me up after his sad demise.

I *can* actually see the attraction of Compo (or probably more of Bill Owen) who, in the absence of smell-o-vision always seems quite good fun to have around. You wouldn't want to rely on him, live with him or marry him. But a regular Thursday appointment for a bit of, well, shall we say fun? That could be very pleasant!

Less easily understood is that revolting beige rag Liz Fraser has been given to wear in her first scenes. I know they want to show off her legs, but she looks frozen, and it's also totally unflattering. Real mis-judgement by the costume dept. If they didn't want to dress her like Marina, a decent pair of denim shorts (like Daisy Duke's sort of thing) would have been OK for someone supposed to have a farm & shown plenty of leg.

It's no fun being without Compo, but this is still a decent half hour of comedy.

Surprise at Throstlenest

[studioAT · 6/10 · 29 August 2023]

This is the second part of the 'Compo's passing' trilogy, with this episode focusing on the preparation for the funeral itself.

There's lots of lovely moments here, with us getting to see how everyone's grief about Compo is impact them. Peter Sallis in particular is on fine form.

There is a sense of writer Roy Clarke trying out some potential candidates to be the new 'third' in the main trio, with Wesley (and maybe even Barry) auditioning here.

Overall, this is another bittersweet instalment of the much-loved show, that manages to combine heart and humour well. It must have been very difficult for all involved to make these episodes, because to many, Bill Owen WAS the show.

A biting episode

[Prismark10 · 4/10 · 9 October 2018]

Compo wrote a letter to Clegg and Nora, implying that he knew his final days were here. He leaves some instructions for his funeral arrangements and for his ferrets.

The disappointment is that this episode wants you to believe that someone as delectable as Liz Fraser was messing around with penniless, scruffy Compo every Thursday for god knows how many years.

It seems every Thursday when Clegg and others though Compo was exercising his ferrets. He was somewhere far away with Reg. Short for Regina played by Liz Fraser and still showing a great pair of legs.

It has never been mentioned in the show before that the trio never met on a Thursday. It really is a bolt out of the blue. Given how long it took Wesley to drive to Throstlenest Farm I would like to know how Compo got there. It is inferred he biked it. I think not.

It really is poor plotting and far fetched from Roy Clarke. I am not even convinced that Reg could even take care of the ferrets although her garden looked lovely.