Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series) Who's That Dancing with Nora Batty Then? (1975) User Reviews

Australia bound

[keysam-02610 · 9/10 · 21 June 2022]

Compo's young neighbour Gloria is emigrating to Australia. This was surprisingly common at the time. Almost everyone in the UK of a certain age probably knows someone who moved there. A bit of research reveals there was an assisted migration scheme, run by the Australian govt (for not entirely altruistic reasons - google White Australia) so Gloria and her family can go for only £75 per adult ticket, kids going free (originally this was the Ten Pound Pom scheme & amazingly it didn't end till the early 80s) but it will cost a lot more to come back. Along with the general price of travel in the 70s, there is every chance Gloria's mother will never see her again, which is one reason she & Gloria are so upset. Travel from the UK to Oz & vice versa would, like all travel, become a lot more affordable in future decades but at this point, Gloria might as well be going to Mars.

The rest of the episode is really based around the concept of a leaving do for Gloria. This involves the three collecting a piano, which Blamire proceeds to bash out tunes on (& if you concentrate, there are actually melodies buried under the thwacking!) & some flirting of Compo with Nora - who looks more recognisable in her first scenes than in series 1 and positively poshed up at the end! She also flashes her stocking for possibly the first time.

The new librarians are clearly supposed to be a stereotype either of radical feminists or lesbians, or possibly both. With a bit of Mrs Whitehouse, bigoted anti "smut" campaigner, thrown in. Apart from the enjoyment of realising one is played by Mrs Pike from Dad's Army, they don't add much to proceedings.

Once again, series 2 is moving ever so slightly closer to the SW of later years.

Those stockings will live forever.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 30 January 2023]

Two new Librarians, Miss Probert, and Miss Jones commit to cleaning up The Library, Compos young neighbour, Gloria, is about to emigrate to Australia.

It's another very fine, amusing episode, it this perhaps the moment where we learn if Compo's love and obsession with Nora Batty's legs and wrinkled stockings, that was such a funny scene.

Series two really has started off with two very fine episodes, the humour is so different to the brand that followed for many years, a little more rugged in tone, a little more cheeky. Not the only piano sequence on the show, Blamire wasn't my favourite character, but his turn was amusing.

I loved Jack Woolgar's performance as grumpy Lollipop man, Shep, you can't imagine he was the most effective of public servant.

Pretty funny, 7/10.

Shoot the piano player

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 31 May 2016]

The second series meant that Blake Butler was replaced in the library. No more of his lustful Cumbrian tones although he would return for a couple of episodes a few years later.

As the boys mess around in the library, two new librarians are hot on keeping morality. Making sure any saucy books are kept out of bounds.

The main part of the episode is the boys transporting a piano and writer Roy Clarke seems to have missed a trick as I expected the piano to roll down a hill.

What we get instead is Blamire playing the piano badly but it does give Compo an opportunity to dance with Nora Batty.

There is a nice turn by the lollipop man who cannot stand kids.

Full of ideas but...

[professoritterrohl · 5/10 · 24 April 2019]

This episode sets up several scenarios but fails to develop them. A lollipop man who hates kids is introduced much the same vein as Mr. Partridge from Hi-De-Hi. However unlike Mr. Partridge, who was in many a funny skit, this lollipop man just makes one further brief appearance where his dislike of kids isn't even mentioned. We also see the gang moving a piano down the road where its seems certain silliness would ensue but no, they just take it to the destination. We also see Compo's neighbour break down and cry and expect some kind of reaction from the trio but they just up and leave her. One bright spot is the introduction of two new librarians; with the main one being Miss Probert a man hating feminist. She is on a crusade to sensor all four letter words from books and puts naughty books in a section called "for degenerates". She even tells a man that he cannot take out a book because it was "filth". She was certainly an interesting idea but again not expanded on as she was only to make one more appearance in the show. Its an episode where you are waiting for a plot to develop but one never really does: its more a series of short sketches. Its an average episode with some of the best gags reserved for the cafe scene at the end. See if you can spot the scene where a fly lands on Compo's nose and his reaction to it.