Last of the Summer Wine (TV Series) The Rights of Man (Except for Howard) (2010) User Reviews

Howard's woes continue.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 7/10 · 11 November 2021]

Homeless Howard has to win back the affections of Pearl, who's still reeling from his public display of affection with Marina.

The usual form isn't applied here, normally when an episode ends, and then starts, we're reset to zero, Clarke again is doing things differently in this final series, Pearl threw Howard out, and he's still put, the previous episode is probably the closest the show ever came to a cliffhanger.

There have been a few episodes, possibly series, recently, where it's felt as though this show was kept alive for the sake of nostalgia only, credit where it's due though, it has felt like the show has regained some earlier form, and is back providing some laughs, gentle laughs.

Once again they tried to put Clegg and Truly in an outside setting, and the actual scene is more convincing than the last, but the two extras .... I'm reminded of an episode of Murder she wrote, where a woman in her 20's visibly stands in for Jessica Fletcher, one was a little on the tall side, a few foot too many.

Poor Howard really was the most gullible person in sitcom land. I really did enjoy the scenes between Marina and Miss Davenport.

The coppers are good fun once again, what a shame the spinoff series didn't happen, that would have been great Sunday teatime TV.

Another funny episode, 7/10.

The thing is...

[keysam-02610 · 7/10 · 22 February 2024]

The thing is I cannot stand Howard. He's a dreadful character. His behaviour is appalling and frankly laughing at the things he does regarding his wife and Marina feels quite icky. So this little run of episodes is a mixed bag from my POV.

Unlike the 'live' audience, I do not feel the need to go 'Awwwww!' when Pearl has finally had enough and throws him out. It's about time!

That said, Robert Fyfe, who has the misfortune to play Howard, does an excellent job. He also clearly managed to stay fit well into later life, as his dancing (apart from the bit where he was obviously sitting on a green-screened chair) illustrates.

(There's also an earlier episode where at the end Howard emerges from a police car and legs it up a sloped street in a remarkably short time. I couldn't see any evidence of camera trickery, it seemed to remain firmly on him and there wasn't a cut that might have hidden a swap. I think Fyfe was just in good health!)

There is some humour here though, mainly from the sheer idiocy of Hobbo's expertise.

Things are winding down in LotSW and it does show. But it's still not a terrible way to pass a half-hour.

Howard's gone to camp

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 23 September 2019]

Stella laments with Alvin how badly smokers are treated these days when she smells cigarette smoke. Not sure Roy Clarke is backing the correct horse when it comes to people passing off secondary cancer.

Howard's camping trip is staying over at Hobbo's. Howard misses home but Pearl is not having anything to do with his assertiveness in order to get back to his house.

Howard turns to bicycle tricks, Russian dancing and then trampolining to impress Pearl.

Meanwhile Auntie Wainwright confesses to a thing she had with an American GI during the war. He got hold of the nylons and she sold them.

Barry tells Toby and Morton that he is reduced to eating grass in order to lose weight. He hates it and they tell Barry that he should consider himself lucky.

Some green screen work was required for Howard's bicycling as well as a rather tal stunt double.

Roy Clarke does pepper the script with a few nice jokes, monthly through Entwistle.