At what level is a television show considered truly successful? Artistic merit aside, let's focus on the raw popularity itself, and nothing more. American sitcoms such as Friends and Frasier enjoyed nearly a decade of popularity, while The Simpsons has been on the air even longer. However, there are far greater success stories to be found overseas, namely in the long-running British sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. It's been broadcast for over 30 years (premiering in 1973), and now has nearly 300 half-hour episodes under its belt.

How's that for a success story?

To the best of my knowledge, Last of the Summer Wine airs every Sunday on BBC1, in what seems like a perfect day for such a show. Leisurely, relaxed, and relatively gentle in execution, this show is anything but your typical sitcom. Over the years, it has featured an endlessly talented group of actors at the helm (including Peter Sallis, the voice of Wallace from Wallace & Gromit, among countless others).

In short, the show revolves around a central group of older men who refuse to grow up. From reminiscing about their younger days to pulling stunts more suited to men half their age, these are the kind of relatives I wouldn't mind having as part of the family. Of course, to some viewers who have grown up watching the show, some of these characters practically are family.

Naturally, the cast of characters (and actors) has changed slightly over the years, but a 30-year lifespan is a remarkable feat for any production. Former characters include Seymour Utterthwaite (played by Michael Aldridge from 1986-1990, who died shortly after), Walter "Foggy" Dewhurst (Brian Wilde, who stayed on the show for nearly 20 years), Kathy Staff (Nora Batty, who logged nearly 30 years!) and Edie Pegden (the remarkable Dame Thora Hird, who also stayed on for nearly 20 years before passing away in 2003). Of course, there are many more characters that have come and gone since the show's premiere in 1973, but it completely mirrors real life in that sense: old friends die and new ones are made, but the show must go on.

Of course, not every fan of Last of the Summer Wine has been on board since the beginning. While television fanatics outside of the UK may have a very limited knowledge of the show (myself included), new fans can rest easy in knowing that this is an extremely accessible show...no matter when you jump on. However, like wine itself, this is a show that gets better with age; it's likely a far richer experience for long-term viewers, as it should be.

Although the show's relaxed nature lends itself to a truly unique "sitcom", this is a show that won't appeal to all audiences. Last of the Summer Wine is not always laugh-out-loud funny like most other popular UK imports (Absolutely Fabulous and Fawlty Towers come to mind). In fact, the subdued nature of this show doesn't really lend itself to a sitcom at all; save for the occasional bit of slapstick, the only sitcom staple present is a laugh-track. Still, it's a show that isn't like any other, and the long-standing success of Last of the Summer Wine is a testament to its effectiveness.

For what it's worth, this DVD collection is the second domestic release of Last of the Summer Wine in any form (the first, released in March 2003, collects various early episodes of the show). Strangely enough, this 2-disc set contains the 17th "season" of the show, a 10 episode run from late 1995. Although I've no idea why a more chronological release pattern hasn't been set, this is a consistent lineup of episodes that stand well on their own. They are as follows:

Disc One: Leaving Home Forever Or Till Teatime, Bicycle Bonanza, The Glamour Of The Uniform, The First Human Being To Ride A Hill, and Captain Clutterbuck's Treasure.

Disc Two: Desperate For A Duffield, The Suit That Turned Left, Beware Of The Elbow, The Thing In Wesley's Shed, and Brushes At Dawn.

For complete episode recaps, please see the link at the end of this review.

Even though the show had been on the air for over 20 years when this season was produced, the freshness and spark of the show was more than enough proof of its overall quality. Featuring memorable characters, beautiful scenery, and plenty of amusing situations, Last of the Summer Wine proved to be quite a pleasant surprise on DVD. Even with the strange timing of this release, the presentation quality is excellent: produced by Warner Bros. (in association with BBC Worldwide, it would seem), this 17th season of the longest-running sitcom in television history arrives in style.

Seen below left, the menu designs for this release are very appropriate: laid-back, relaxing, and visually appealing. Each disc begins with a short montage of clips (which can be bypassed), and the menus themselves are static with accompanying background music. As for the episode presentation, each 29-minute episode is given six convenient chapter stops, as well as a handy 'Play All' option. NOTE: The packaging was not on hand for this screener copy.

Disc Two contains another substantial featurette: A Tribute to Dame Thora Hird (30 minutes, above right). As mentioned before, Hird was a regular on the show since 1986, and passed away in 2003 at the age of 91. Her career as a character actress spanned approximately eight decades, and this fitting tribute paid respect to one of the most popular, funny, and dedicated actresses of all time. It's one of the best tributes I've seen on DVD yet, and an extremely appropriate inclusion for this release. Also on this second disc are a fresh batch of Cast Biographies, a series of text-based essays that outline some of the key players in Last of the Summer Wine. Overall, I found the extras to be perfectly satisfying, even with the absence of audio commentary (a personal favorite for TV releases on DVD). This makes for a highly polished and well-rounded presentation that captures the show perfectly.

Being a relative newcomer to this long-running production, I had doubts about being able to jump right in to the 17th season of Last of the Summer Wine. After witnessing the quality of the show, these doubts were quickly put to rest. Even though interested parties may want to seek out the first DVD collection beforehand, bear in mind that this show is still an acquired taste. If you're expecting a madcap, Monty Python-style extravaganza, you'll probably walk away disappointed. The slow, deliberate pace and subtle humor create a much different style of sitcom than most American audiences are used to, so it's obviously not for everyone. Still, I found Last of the Summer Wine to be a leisurely, charming show, and the DVD treatment by Warner Bros. is even better! From an excellent technical presentation to a nice little assortment of bonus features, this 2-disc collection is a great purchase for old and new fans alike. Recommended.