We all know that a the longer a series goes on,the more it is likely to lose its quality. It can also be said that if a show lasts an unbelivable amount of time, like Last of the Summer Wine, the more episodes we simply cannot remember.

Who, for example, remembers Mr Wainright and Mrs Partridge and their far from secret 'afair' from the first three series of Summer Wine? Or when Seymour taught his sister Edina (Thora Hird) how to drive?

The same could be said for Only Fools and Horses.It is likely many people perhaps cannot recall the episodes when Del witnesses a statute of the Virgin Mary weeping and turns the church into a media frenzy, or when Rodney goes on the run after accidentally frightening a drunken woman.

We could even bring My Family into this, and try to remember the one where Susan gets her revenge on a bloke who dumped her 28 years ago, or the episode where Ben and Roger attend a dentistry seminar.

Is it best to keep a show within three or four series just so we can remember them all? Or is it all right to continue a show for series after series and assume the audience will remember the best bits but diregard the rest?

For me, it means that 5, 10 years later or more, I can revisit a series like it was the first time.

I'm watching LOTSW reruns on GOLD at the moment and they're all fresh !

Wonderful !

A very good point, Oldrocker.

I don't remember any of the LOTSW points mentioned - mainly because I've never seen the early series of the show. But I do remember all of the episodes of other shows mentioned.

I probably only saw about the first three series - then lost interest and have only seen odd ones since.

(Can't be sure though)

The first two series with Michael Bates were very boring, in my opinion. If you're going to have a series which is made up of diaglogue and anecdotes, it has to be exceptionally funny, so by the time it's finished, the viewer hasn't realised that there's been no plot and doesn't particularly mind.

I've never watched LOTSW but I can remember the OFAH episodes you mentioned.

I think this is especially true of big long-running American shows. Rewatching Cheers and even Frasier DVDs, I'm surprised at how many I'd forgotten all about. Sometimes, I might have vague recollections of the episode, at other times it feels completely new.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 26 2010, 2:18 PM BST

I've never watched LOTSW but I can remember the OFAH episodes you mentioned.

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I don't believe that at your age you've never seen LOTSW. I reckon that is a cae of alzheimers!

Quote: Chappers @ April 27 2010, 4:20 PM BST

I don't believe that at your age you've never seen LOTSW. I reckon that is a cae of alzheimers!

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Well there's a high chance of that, but so far I have managed to avoid ever seeing a complete episode. And for the record, I am still in my 30s!

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ April 27 2010, 4:23 PM BST

Well there's a high chance of that, but so far I have managed to avoid ever seeing a complete episode. And for the record, I am still in my 30s!

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Quote: Dave @ April 20 2010, 10:03 PM BST

We all know that a the longer a series goes on,the more it is likely to lose its quality. It can also be said that if a show lasts an unbelivable amount of time, like Last of the Summer Wine, the more episodes we simply cannot remember.

Is it best to keep a show within three or four series just so we can remember them all? Or is it all right to continue a show for series after series and assume the audience will remember the best bits but diregard the rest?

View original

To be honest I don't remember episodes after the first 4/5 series-it gets too long winded and the characters become diluted. I personally think that it is time to give it a break after the 4th series-maybe you can have a 5th series but to carry on and on does have the effect of a series diluting the quality.

I watched LOTSW ages ago but cannot remember any of the episodes-if only because it was so long ago.