User Reviews

A great episode from the first series of 'Last of the Summer Wine'

Compo, Clegg and Cyril are off to Upperdyke Hall with Compo's nephew Chip, Chip's wife and their kids (about seven of them). Cyril as ever is moaning at the constant poor time keeping in the Simonite family. Upperdyke Hall is a stately home where behaviour is of the utmost importance. Surely Compo will behave himself won't he...

Some nice guest appearances in this episode. There is an early performance in it for Tony Haygarth playing Chip, he would go on as more of a dramatic actor, being very prolific. Playing the Guide for Upperdyke Hall is John Barrett, one of those sitcom actors who appeared in scores of British sitcoms in the 1960's and 70's.

This episode is from the first series of 'Summer Wine' which almost beggars belief when you watch one of the dire episodes from its final series which is airing now (series 31) that it is the same show. This doesn't have Russ Abbot in it. Neither does it have Howard and Marina on bikes. Neither does it have 8000 characters in it. All I can say is thank God for that.

Instead 'Pate & Chips' though not being a laugh a minute, is full of quality dialogue from the three leading players and is a joy to watch. Cyril's snobbishness really shows through in this episode, yet even he isn't above a good old booze up when the trio are finally thrown out of Upperdyke Hall. This episode really put the first series on the map and it would remain at a decent quality like this for another ten years or so.

An slightly unusual episode for SW because it takes the cast out of town on a trip to a stately home. This sort of thing was a regular feature of life in the 70s, when most people could't afford more than one holiday a year, if that, and made do with day trips out.

It's also a fairly accurate depiction of the 70s in the kids left outside while the parents go in the pub and the casual approach to drinking & driving.

Not really things we should miss!

It would have been nice to see more of Compo's family over the years. Chip (& his earring!), his wife and umpteen kids are a cheerful lot & in later years Compo sometimes seemed very alone apart from Clegg & whoever the third was at the time, so having the occasional disreputable relation pop up might have been nice. (I don't count the introduction of Tom, after Compo died, which took some time to bed in!)

There's also a poignant moment as the group set off for their trip when Ivy is cuddling the baby & mentions that she & Sid don't have any children. It's clear this is a real regret for her & gives an insight perhaps into why she is so prickly.