The trio pays a visit to the barbers where they talk about the war, marriage, local women, and the frequent rows that exist between couples. then they go to the café, where the first (of many) arguments between Ivy and Sid takes place. Compo realises he forgot his house key in the library and the trio wonders through town, in search for the librarian (Mr. Wainright)
Compo is bored. Since Cyril Blamire left for Oswestry, to live with a woman, things have been a bit too calm for him in town. but soon, Clegg brings the solution to all their boredom. a letter from Blamire asking them to welcome home an old fried of his, called Foggy Dewhurst, and help him cope with the sudden changes in his life, after he was more or less forced to retire. Compo and Clegg meet with the new ""third man"", the war hero Foggy Dewhurst, who because of his peculiar life, and his endless wartime stories soon makes his presence noted around town. his military posture, and his ""murderous"" impulses only get him in a fight with Big Malcolm, and his military precison doesn't seem to be a great help, when the trio tries to carry Foggy's heavy war time luggage up a hill.
Mr Wainright is back in town, and quickly throws the trio out of the library. The trio goes back to the Cafe, where Ivy is having the usual battle of witts with Sid. there they meet with Stuart, and old man who's having a strange click in his leg. Later the trio helps Sid to mend a whole in the roof of the Cafe, with the usual disastrous results. Meanwhile Wainright dates the new female librarian.
'The Funny Side of Christmas' is a Christmas special broadcast by BBC1 on 27 December 1982. Presented by Frank Muir, it comprised one comedy sketch each from 10 contemporaneous English comedy series: Butterflies, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Last of the Summer Wine, The Les Dawson Show, Only Fools and Horses, Open All Hours, Smith and Jones, Sorry!, Three of a Kind, and Yes Minister.
When Foggy hears about an athletic charity drive, he enters Compo and Clegg despite their wishes. An ""injured"" howard drops out of the race and stops to recover in this young lady's refreshment stand. How refreshed can one man get? This episode includes one of the funniest Eli gags ever, but you have to wait through the credits to catch it.
Ivy lets Foggy fix her toaster, and it goes to his flippin' head. Now he thinks he can restore the tatty sunken boat he's found at the bottom of the lake. He actually accomplishes even this, so Compo decides he must get Nora Batty into the boat alone with him. But surely Nora knows better-- she'll have to be tricked.
Compo can't get over his suspicion of Nora's new lodger, Smiler. When he thinks he hears Nora singing a happy tune, he nearly goes to pieces. The trio tracks them around town, with Compo agonizing all the way. Meanwhile, Edie wants to go shopping at Huddersfield, but Wesley just wants to tinker with engines. Who do you suppose gets to have their way?
Now Foggy's on about Compo and Clegg being out of shape again, and he ends up putting them through an exhaustive training course that leaves them trapped inside sewer pipes. Howard's latest subterfuge has him publicizing the bicycle race he and Marina are ""participating"" in, but he does it a little too well this time.
In the pub, the trio run across a scruffy old man looking for the wilderness. Foggy tries to avoid him, certain he's looking for a handout, but a curious Compo and Clegg learn it's just the opposite...he wants to abandon all his worldly possessions! They quickly take him up on the offer, not realizing that among those possessions is the man's wife. Their horror mounts as she follows them wordlessly around town.
Foggy's become interested in his lineage and is positive he's related to the Dewhirsts living on a big estate nearby. Compo spots Nora eyeing some hats in a shop window and concludes that a hat is his ticket to winning Nora's heart. Foggy offers to help buy one if Compo assists him in his scheme to make a good impression on the Dewhirsts of Ogleby Hall. Also in this plot-heavy episode, Marina is looking for love with a taller man, but a note declaring her intentions gets misrouted.
Marina leaves Howard for good this time. he suspects that she has been seeing another man, and asks for the help of the trio to get her back. Foggy feels that what Howard needs is a bit of ""the glamour of the uniform"". Auntie Wainright's new established costume department might be just the perfect place to find it
When word comes around that there's a treasure buried in town, it's up to the trio to go and find it. to do so they need the help of the one man that has the *only* map, Lieutenant Commander Willoughby (Royal Navy, retired). it's up to Foggy to pay the 30 pounds the map's worth. the problem is... how many maps were sold in the first place? Foggy vows not to be near one cash dispenser again...
When Compo reaches a crucial point in his ""relationship"" with Nora Batty, and realises he's not going anywhere with her, he decides to go looking for his old ""girlfriends"" from his school days, with whom he expects to get a more ""personal"" relationship. it turns out he wasn't really ready for some of the surprises he encounters after all these years... people DO change sometimes
A depressed Howard tries to build himself up but, under Foggy's instruction, ends up breaking his leg. Auntie Wainwright has Smiler testing a Triumph Motorcycle, after she rents him the riding gear. Foggy intends to sneak Marina past Pearl and into Norman's house so that Howard can come over to see her. Meanwhile, the ladies morning coffee group plan to give Howard a surprise visit that same evening to cheer him up during his recovery.
Compo and Clegg are getting ready to attend the stag night of Edie Pegden's Niece's husband to be, but when Compo's ferret, Stella, gets lose, they need to turn their attentions to making sure Compo's front door is on securely! Arriving late, Compo and Clegg find that the majority of the crowd have already had quite a lot to drink and one of the few still standing is Herbert Truelove, former policeman recently returned from his time in London back to his roots in Yorkshire. Clegg receives a phone call from Foggy who has been taken away to Blackpool by the post lady and is now, engaged quite by accident, to be married.
Clegg, Compo and Truly bump into an old school mate, who now has a miserable and peaceful life. Compo's afraid to become like him, so he tries to think of ways to improve the trio's daily routine. The trio end up rolling down a hill, as they did when they were children, but their age proves to speak louder than their will for adventure.
Compo wants to buy a present for Nora but has no money. Auntie Wainright search Compo's house for something of value to swap for the gift. Truly misses his life as a police officer, and regrets not being recognized for something heroic during his police force service. He and Clegg wonder through town in search of ""an accident waiting to happen"", so he can prevent it, and be regarded a local hero - he even calls the local paper. However it's not HIS face who ends up on the front page.
Glenda gives one of Barry's old suits to the jumble sale, because she thinks it attracts blondes. Compo ends up buying the suit, with money from Truly and Clegg, and he DOES end up being chased by a blonde. Compo gives Nora Batty her last chance. when she turns him down, he starts searching for other women he dated when he was young, hoping to find the right one to marry him
Barry buys a new saxophone from auntie Wainright. Glenda doesn't let him play indoors, so he has to find a spot outside to practice. the problem starts when Barry discovers in what type of case the saxophone comes in. Compo and an old local man start a competition to see which one of them is in better shape. the challenges include, finding out who can climb a tree faster (problem is climbing down again), and who can go downhill faster, using Wesley's new invention. of course the winner is never found for various disastrous reasons
Howard buys a new van, as part of his new scheme to be left in peace with Marina. he even buys some furniture to put on the back of the van, to make it ""a little more comfortable"". unfortunately the engine is not up to the test of those hills, and they end up coming down faster than they went up. Truly and Clegg spend the day dealing with a problem regarding Clegg's taxes
Nora Batty gets a postcard from a Gladwin in Cannary Islands. Compo's jealous, and tries to find something to win her heart back. First he tries to sing, but receives a ""wet response"". Then he finds an airmans uniform in Auntie Wainright's shop, and tries his luck at skydiving, with disastrous results . Howard enlists Truly's help in yet another scheme to fool Pearl about his outdoor activities. He asks him to tell Pearl he's his security advisor. Wesley has a new invention, and he asks Barry to be the one to test it.
Compo tries to resurrect the ancient art of Thumpy Dub. Auntie Wainwright sells Truly a broken lawn mower. Marina buys two vanilla slices from Ivy in the cafe, who is the other one for?. Glenda is relieved when Barry prefers an éclair, but Pearl isn't so happy when Howard has vanilla slice crumbs around his mouth.
Howard is suspicious when Pearl suddenly starts looking glamorous and very happy, he is so concerned he sends Compo to meet Marina to tell her he can't make it for their rendezvous and then recruits Clegg, Truly and Wesley to follow Pearl with him to see what she is up to.Meanwhile Barry goes missing after leaving for a jog, Glenda recruits Edie, Ivy, and Nora to help look for him unaware that Auntie Wainwright has recruited him to help her and Smiler collect some furniture.
Compo is selected to travel to France with a group of local WWII veterans, only to have the offer withdrawn when the organisers realize how scruffy he looks. The local ladies take pity on him and collect enough money for him to go, and Truly and Clegg join him for the trip. Meanwhile, Edie's long-estranged sister Ros shows up in town, ready to make amends with Edie and possibly settle down again. Edie, angry at her for leaving her husband and devastating their mother, isn't interested in reconnecting. In France, the trio has two goals: to release Billy Hardcastle's homing pigeon and to revisit a spot Compo and some of his fellow soldiers camped overnight after a grueling escape from the Germans. There's just one snag: Compo doesn't remember where it is.
Truly tries to fix Clegg's Vacum Cleaner. Compo and Howard get into a fight with a big man. Barry gets in trouble, because he's ""caught"" by Marina, as she kisses him, and leaves traces of her lipstick on his mouth. In order to explain this to Glenda he enlists the help of the trio, and they start spreading the rumour that the kisses are for ""charity purposes"". Auntie Wainright sells a motorbike to two policemen.
Howard has a wig delivered to Clegg's, but when Pearl is suspicious Clegg has to not only pretend ownership of it, but be seen wearing it, much to Truly's amusement. Howard is only persuaded to reclaim the wig after the trio arrange for Smiler to wear it and Marina to kiss him. Meanwhile Barry tries and fails to be master of his own home, and Compo offers himself to Nora Batty as a "limited sale".
Our trio help a middle-aged couple get their old car out of a field, but the wife insists she's receiving ancient telepathic messages through its hubcap. Or is she making it up as an excuse to chase after a certain younger gentleman? Meanwhile, Auntie Wainwright is trying to vanquish her demons by splurging on Ivy's most expensive cream cake.
Compo recieves a personal letter after all these years. when Clegg and Truly open it they discover Compo's biggest secret: he has a son. The son, Tom, wrote to Compo, because after all the years of separation he hoped he and his father could get together. When Tom arrives in town it's up for the pair of them to give him the shocking news.
In this episode, Tom carries a fake dog around and attempts to be like his father, Compo, and climbs a tree as persuaded by Clegg and Truly. Also, Tom is keeping some of his personal property at Barry's house, including a Goat that Glenda does not approve of when she sees it in the garage. A Repoman, who is trying to find Tom, cannot find him until the end when Clegg, Billy, and Truly take Tom's dog and place it under the tyre of the Repoman's car. Very funny ending!
Howard has lost his boxer shorts and Pearl is upset at him. But it turns out she hid them from him just to keep him on his toes. Barry wants to become thin and Tom and Mrs. Avery help him out by being his personal fitness trainers. The Trio help Howard figure out a way to prove to Pearl that he's found his shorts so the trio helps him out. Howard borrows some boxer shorts from Billy and then he shows them to Pearl. She tells him to put them on and when he does (Note that Billy's legs are very long) the boxer shorts go from his waist down to his ankles almost! Howard is very embarrased!
Howard is filled with cheer because Pearl, Ivy, Roz, Glenda, Nora and the girls are going on a nice outdoor picnic. He has his chance with Marina alone - finally! But his plan backfires because he pushes Marina off the wall they were eating on when he sees the bus Pearl is riding on. Meanwhile, Petal drives the bus and can't get her left and right worked out correctly. Later on she misses a turn and gets out all flustered and when she looks back the bus is gone. Meanwhile Clegg, Truly, Billy, Tom and Smiler test out an off-road bike and Barry goes out golfing and is sick of Glenda ringing him on his cellphone, which bothers the captain of the golf course.
Wesley has a ""Go anywhere"" coffee vending machine, which is successful at first, but after trying it at the ladies' Jumbo Sale and the Golf Course it finally blows up, which is a huge embarrassment for Barry, who is trying to be on the captain's good side, like Petal said after she gave him a palm reading. Before, Glenda rang Barry right when the golf captain was about to make a shot, which made him angry.
Multiple things are going on in this episode, which make this episode so great! First, Auntie Wainwright takes a half hour break from the shop, leaving Smiler in charge, and is impatient for the half hour to be over so she can go back to work. Smiler gets very upset of her calling him every five minutes! Pearl thinks Howard is a bit overactive and cheerful so she fixes him a big supper to slow him down, but that doesn't stop him from seeing Marina! Barry wants a new suit to look more of an ""executive type person"" but Glenda refuses him to buy it. He buys it anyways and goes along with the Trio and Tom around town, testing the suit out, and everyone thinks Barry has gone to a funeral! After yelling at him, Glenda thinks that she was too harsh on him and sets out with Wesley and Edie looking for him. Petal and Tom start Ace Carpeting, for which the van is in very poor shape, so they get Wesley to fix it. In the end, Howard and Marina are together and Pearl spots them.
Tom recieves a Solicitor's letter, which says he has recieves a big screen television set, which he ends up giving to Eli, and Barry takes up flying, which is just a model airplane. Also, Howard wants Norman to play Tennis so he can play Tennis with Marina, who gets sick of it and then ends up flying with Barry.
To excite more in the village Truly stops a common citizen, which happens to be Billy Ingleton, the man who almost knew Pavaroti, in a car and warns him about ""The Tiger"". Billy gets worried and gets pulled over again. The Rumor spreads across town and Howard buys things from Auntie Wainright to protect him and MARINA against the tiger! In the end everyone fears ""The tiger""
Billy is being followed by a fan as a result of - after having one too many in the pub - bragging that himself, Clegg and Truly are the three surviving descendants of Robin Hood's men. Howard, meanwhile, is concerned that Pearl doesn't love him any more - she only gave him one fried tomato for breakfast!
Clegg is dismayed when Howard leaves with him a ""picnic accessory"" which he plans to collect later - Marina! He will only collect her when Pearl is safely away, but that could be some time, as the ladies are coming to tea next door. Auntie Wainwright's advertising dummy becomes key in the plan as Truly and Billy help Clegg get free of the imposed house guest.
When Nora Batty books Billy Ingleton's organ for a charity fair, she badly underestimates how much of an attraction it will be... Marina declines to go out with Howard because she's caught the showbiz bug, and is rehearsing a play at the local church. Howard asks the trio to help him think of something "showbizzy" they can do together.
Alvin the Birdman crashes from the skies into the lives of Truly, Clegg and Billy. He thinks he has landed in France, and has thus broken the long-distance hang-gliding record. After breaking the news about the failure of his flight, the wily trio desperately try to find something that he can be first at. Rumours of a mystery cat creature lurking in the nearby woods gives them the perfect opportunity. Can Alvin turn stalker to identify the beast?
Norman has been roped into performing a humorous monologue for the Christmas Concert. Pearl plans to force Howard to mime a recording of Nelson Eddy. Glenda plans to force Barry to perform as a magician. Billy wants to give an archery demonstration. Alvin is practicing as a one-man-band. Entwistle hypnotizes Smiler into knowing how to dance.
Clegg climbs a tree so he can see the church clock, unfortunately he gets stuck and Truly, Alvin, Entwistle, Howard and Marina come to his rescue. Auntie Wainwright sells her cooker to Nora, Ivy, Pearl and Glenda for the church hall. The two policemen give Smiler a speeding ticket..and he only has a handcart.
Glenda shows Nora and Tom that she can drive just as well as her mother ever did. Howard is afraid that he his showing his age, so he goes on a quest to make his appearance more youthful (and we learn a little about he & Pearl's courting days). Smiler is longing for the woman he fell in love with during the war, so Clegg enlists the Boys to find her - but the street she used to lived on was torn down.
Clegg tries to remember the name of his area manager from the Co-op in 1937. Nora and Ivy visit Auntie Wainwright. Herman Teasdale tries to get Barry to pretend to be a burglar. Marina tells Howard she can't be seen with him any more as she wants to remain true to the memory of her first love. Miss Davenport helps Entwistle fix his truck.
Glenda decides that Barry would suit a hat, Smiler finds a suit of armour in the shop storeroom, Cleggs cousin turns up and Clegg, Truly, Billy, Alvin and Entwistle follow a bottle with a message in it. Marina and Miss Davenport compare notes on their love lives. Nelly joins the ladies for coffee at the cafe.
Alvin has Truly and Norman over for a Holiday dinner. Glenda invited a man to dinner that Barry does not like. Pearl and Marina each give Howard a sweater vest, so he wears them both... at the same time. Auntie Wainwright gives Tom and Smiler a dinner that is actually nice, and then empties their pockets in a card game.
Howard becomes jealous when Marina and Miss Davenport become enamored with Jeremy, a man who claims to be an international jewel thief. When Tom discovers a safe in Aunty Wainwright's store which she can't remember the combination to, Howard puts Jeremy to the test by enlisting him to crack the safe.
Luther 'Hobbo' Hobdyke, a retired milkman with strong links to MI5, arrives in the village. Very soon, calling upon his experiences on numerous dangerous missions overseas as a master spy, he forms a small team of reluctant volunteers, consisting of Alvin and Entwistle, ready to react to any emergency in the village. Finding that Hobbo has moved in next door, Clegg and Truly recall that he was never much of a milkman, but have to admit that his needlework is always exemplary.
Pearl throws Howard out of the house, but when he goes to Clegg's for sympathy it falls on deaf ears, while Pearl tells Nelly she's going to have to sort out Howard once and for all. Meanwhile, Glenda decides that Barry and herself are fat and that something must be done before Gloria's wedding, and forces Barry to embark on a new fitness regime. And PC Walsh informs PC Cooper that the sergeant is on their back - he's complaining about the amount of crumbs they're leaving in the car.
Hobbo and his 'team' turn Howard into a tramp to show Pearl how rough he's been living and convince her to take him back. The men pitch him a tent but Howard's isn't keen and goes for a meal with Glenda and Barry. The men return to the camp with Howard to show Pearl how much he's roughing it, but Marina arrives at the same time and Hobbo and Howard bundle her into the tent. Howard lies on an ants nest and suddenly jumps to life, along with Marina and Hobbo. Pearl sees all and is not impressed.
Wondering if Pearl still loves him, Howard asks Hobbo to give her a peck on the cheek from him - only to become even more despondent when he sees his wife deliver a passionate kiss. Meanwhile, Glenda sends Barry off to paint a landscape, hoping the activity will take his mind off his hunger - but fish and chips is the only thing on his mind.
In this final episode of the long-running comedy, everyone is getting ready for a wedding - prompting Howard and Pearl to look back at their relationship. Meanwhile, Alvin flirts with Stella, Toby tries to smarten himself up in a bid to win back Monica, and Clegg worries that he's forgotten something important.
Documentary looking back at 25 years of Yorkshire-based tomfoolery in Last Of The Summer Wine