List of Only Fools and Horses episodes
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The following is an episode list for the BBC One situation comedy Only Fools and Horses. The show was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 8 September 1981.[1] It ran for seven series and nineteen Christmas Specials[2][3] until 25 December 2003, when the final episode was broadcast.[4] In total, 64 regular episodes of Only Fools and Horses, all written by John Sullivan, were produced. All are now available on both Region 2 and Region 1 DVD.
Additionally, seven special editions of the show were made. Of these, two ("Licensed to Drill" and "The Robin Flies at Dawn") have never been broadcast commercially[5][6] and some have only recently been rediscovered.[5][6][7] The above six episodes are very rare and have never been released on DVD.
All episodes originally aired on BBC One. The list below is ordered by the episodes' original air dates.
Overview
The first series, which consisted of six episodes, aired from 8 September to 13 October 1981, with a Christmas special, now generally considered part of Series 1, which aired on 28 December 1981.
A second series, consisting of seven episodes, aired from 21 October to 2 December 1982, with a Christmas special, which again is generally considered part of Series 2, aired on 30 December 1982.
A third series, of seven episodes, aired from 10 November to 22 December 1983, with a Christmas special, which for the third and final time is now regarded as being part if the preceding series, aired on 25 December 1983.
A fourth series, of seven 30-minute episodes, was aired from 21 February to 4 April 1985.
"To Hull and Back," a 90-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1985.
A fifth series, of six 30-minute episodes, aired from 31 August to 5 October 1986, and was originally going to signify the end of the series until David Jason had a change of heart.
"A Royal Flush", a 76-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1986.
"The Frog's Legacy", a 60-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1987.
"Dates", an 80-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1988.
A sixth series, of six episodes, aired from 8 January to 12 February 1989. With the series returning to the conventional series format as opposed to Christmas specials, more creative control was given to the producers, the most notable aspect of the change being the increased running time of 50 minutes for every episode.
"The Jolly Boys' Outing", an 80-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1989.
"Rodney Come Home", a 72-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1990; although a special, this episode served more as a direct prequel to Series 7, due to that series starting five days later.
A seventh and final series, of six 50-minute episodes, aired from 30 December 1990 to 3 February 1991.
"Miami Twice", a two-part Christmas special, aired on 24 and 25 December 1991.
"Mother Nature's Son", a 65-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1992.
"Fatal Extraction", an 85-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 1993.
A Christmas trilogy was aired on 25, 27 and 29 December 1996, and consisted of "Heroes and Villains", "Modern Men" and "Time On Our Hands". It served as the intended closure of the series.
After five years, and due to popular demand, Only Fools and Horses was resurrected for three Christmas specials to be aired over three years.
"If They Could See Us Now!", a 70-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 2001.
"Strangers on the Shore", a 75-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 2002.
"Sleepless in Peckham", a 75-minute Christmas special, aired on 25 December 2003.
Standard serial episodes
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | DVD release | Ave. UK viewers | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |||||
Series 1 | 7 | 1981 | 7 October 2003 | 20 November 2000 | 3 May 2004 | 7.67 million | |
Series 2 | 8 | 1982 | 7 October 2003 | 2 April 2001 | 3 May 2004 | 8.85 million | |
Series 3 | 8 | 1983 | 7 October 2003 | 4 June 2001 | 2005 | 10.5 million | |
Series 4 | 7 | 1985 | 12 October 2004 | 1 October 2001 | 2005 | 14.91 million | |
Series 5 | 6 | 1986 | 12 October 2004 | 30 September 2002 | 4 August 2005 | 15.97 million | |
Series 6 | 6 | 1989 | 11 October 2005 | 22 September 2003 | 4 August 2005 | 16.73 million | |
Series 7 | 6 | 1990/91 | 10 October 2006 | 6 September 2004 | 4 May 2006 | 16.75 million |
Separate specials
Special | Duration | Episodes | DVD release (R2) | Ave. UK Viewers | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | 90 mins | 1 | 12 November 2001 | 16.92 million | |
1986 | 80 mins | 1 | 9 May 2005 | 18.80 million | |
1987 | 60 mins | 1 | 20 November 2000 | 14.50 million | |
1988 | 80 mins | 1 | 6 May 2002 | 16.60 million | |
1989 | 85 mins | 1 | 6 November 2000 | 20.12 million | |
1990 | 75 mins | 1 | 14 February 2005 | 18.00 million | |
1991 | 145 mins | 2 | 19 May 2003 | 16.30 million | |
1992 | 65 mins | 1 | 24 May 2004 | 20.14 million | |
1993 | 85 mins | 1 | 12 July 2004 | 19.60 million | |
1996 | 180 mins | 3 | 9 February 2004 | 22.30 million | |
2001 | 70 mins | 1 | 11 November 2002 | 21.30 million | |
2002 | 75 mins | 1 | 17 November 2003 | 17.40 million | |
2003 | 75 mins | 1 | 4 October 2004 | 16.37 million |
Episodes
Series One (1981)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Big Brother" | Ray Butt | Martin Shardlow | 8 September 1981 | 9.2 million | 30 minutes |
Derek "Del Boy" Trotter employs his younger brother Rodney as his assistant in his company Trotters Independent Traders. At Peckham's local pub, the Nag's Head, Del and Rodney meet Del's friend Trigger (who believes that Rodney's name is Dave), who sells them 25 suitcases for £200. Back at their flat in Nelson Mandela House, the Trotters discover that the suitcases can't be actually be opened because the combinations for the locks have been locked inside. The following day, Rodney attempts to run away to Hong Kong, although eventually returns to Peckham after forgetting his passport. Del takes his brother's advice and chucks the briefcases in the river, losing his £200. First appearance of David Jason as Derek Trotter, Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney Trotter, Lennard Pearce as Grandad and Roger Lloyd-Pack as Trigger | ||||||
2 | "Go West Young Man" | Ray Butt | Martin Shardlow | 15 September 1981 | 6.1 million | 30 minutes |
Del's second-hand car dealer friend from Lewisham, Boycie, has recently bought a Jaguar E-Type for his wife, Marlene, and Del agrees to hide it away in his garage for a week in exchange for a death trap of an old car costing £25. When Del sells the car to an Australian man for £199, he believes that he and Rodney deserve a night out in London's pubs and clubs. Rodney finds a club and suggests that he and Del try it out, but have to leave quickly when they learn that it's actually a gay club. The brothers finally find a decent club and meet two young women, who invite the Trotters back to their place. Whilst driving there in Boycie's Jaguar, the car behind them crashes into them due to his dodgy brakes. Unfortunately for Del and Rodders, it's the Australian man they ripped off earlier that day. First Appearance of John Challis as Boycie | ||||||
3 | "Cash and Curry" | Ray Butt | Martin Shardlow | 22 September 1981 | 7.3 million | 30 minutes |
Eager to forge new business links, Del befriends Vimmal Malik, a wealthy businessman who seems eager to work with Trotters Independent Trading. After a dance at the Camberwell Chamber of Trade, Del and Vimmal are cornered by Mr Ram and his heavy boys. It seems that Vimmal is holding onto a pricey porcelain family heirloom that belongs to the Ram family – and they want it back. To try to make an impression, Del offers to mediate between the two men, especially as Mr Ram says he'll pay £4,000 for the return of the statue to his family. Unluckily for Del, it's all a ruse and he ends up losing a fortune to Vimmal and Ram, a couple of conmen touring the country, using the same scam on local businessmen wherever they go. Absent: Lennard Pearce as Grandad | ||||||
4 | "The Second Time Around" | Ray Butt | Martin Shardlow | 29 September 1981 | 7.8 million | 30 minutes |
Del Boy is shocked to hear that one of his many ex-fiancés, Pauline Harris, is back in Peckham after returning from America. Soon, much to Rodney and Grandad's horror, Del and Pauline are engaged again, despite Pauline's husband just dying from what Del is told to be food poisoning. The Trotters leave Nelson Mandela House and give Pauline five days to pack her bag and get out. The family arrive at what they believe to be their great-aunt Rose's house but it turns out that aunt Rose moved out of the house ages ago. Pauline moves out of the Trotter flat but also phones Tim the Talking Clock in America. | ||||||
5 | "A Slow Bus to Chingford" | Ray Butt | Martin Shardlow | 6 October 1981 | 7 million | 30 minutes |
Del interrupts Rodney's romantic evening with his girlfriend to tell him that he's got a job as a nightwatchman for buses. The following morning, Del confesses that the bus company would give him a double-decker bus in exchange for Rodney becoming a nightwatchman. Del Boy uses the bus to set up a bus tour company taking tourists around London but on the day, nobody turns up. On the bus, Del reveals that he doesn't know any facts about London and would therefore tell the tourists lots of false facts. Grandad wins a bet against Del when nobody turns up by the end of the day but his celebrations are short-lived... because Del founds all the leaflets that Grandad chucked down the rubbish chute. | ||||||
6 | "The Russians Are Coming" | Ray Butt | Martin Shardlow | 13 October 1981 | 8.8 million | 30 minutes |
Another successful dodgy deal means Del has over a grand's worth of lead from a disused factory to get rid of. When Rodney points out that the three tons of lead are in fact a DIY fallout shelter, Del refuses to believe him until he reads the accompanying brochure. With the threat of nuclear holocaust preying on Rodney's nerves he asks Del what he'd do if he heard the four-minute warning. Without an answer, Del considers putting a survival plan into action that means reaching Grandad's allotment in time to take shelter. It's during a practice run for the Trotter counter-strike survival plan that they get stopped for speeding by the police – they never find out whether they'd make it in time. |
Christmas Special (1981)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | "Christmas Crackers" | Bernard Thompson | Bernard Thompson | 28 December 1981 | 7.5 million | 35 minutes |
It's Christmas in Peckham and Del and Rodney are waiting for Grandad's traditional poisoned Christmas dinner to arrive at the table. But it turns out that for once that, after dinner and exchanging gifts (including a £20 given to Grandad by Del), Grandad's going to the OAP party, meaning that the Trotter brothers are hitting the Monte Carlo Club. Unfortunately, Rodders is unable to pull any birds, even after reading his book, and when he does finally make some progress, he's beaten by two other men, much to his and Del's horror. |
Series Two (1982)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8 | "The Long Legs of the Law" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 21 October 1982 | 7.7 million | 30 minutes |
Rodney is feeling down in the dumps after a dreadful night out with Del and two birds, a mother and her daughter. Del explains to Grandad that whilst he and Rodney were out, there was a big fight at one of the pubs. Someone called the law, who sent a young policewoman to deal with the situation, who Rodney tried to date whilst she carried out the arrest. At Sid's Cafe, Del learns that Rodney did manage to get a date with the policewoman, whose name is Sandra. Rodney takes Sandra to see a film and then invites her back to Nelson Mandela House, which is bad news for the Trotters because the flat is full of hooky gear. Del is not pleased when Rodney opens his big mouth and gives away information that could get the Trotters arrested. Luckily, it looks like the Trotters have got away with it but back at her flat, Sandra tells Rodney that she knew from the very beginning that the flat was full of illegal items. Sandra gives the Trotters twenty-four hours to "spring clean" their flat before she informs the CID. Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del feels like killing Rodney for getting them in the mess in the first place. | ||||||
9 | "Ashes to Ashes" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 28 October 1982 | 9.8 million | 30 minutes |
The Trotters and Trig attend Trigger's grandmother's (Alice) funeral. When they visit her old house, Trigger tells Del and Rodney that whilst his grandfather (Arthur) was away fighting in the war, Alice was seeing another man, who was obviously Grandad. Back at the flat, Del examines two antique urns which Alice owned but discovers that one of them contains Arthur's ashes. Grandad fears that Arthur is trying to communicate with him. With Trigger away on holiday, Del Boy and Rodney attempt to get rid of the ashes. They remember that Arthur use to be a member of the local bowling club but have no luck scattering the ashes on the bowling green. They then try to dump the Ashes in the Thames but are spotted by a police boat. The brothers nearly give up but then a road-sweeping lorry passes by and sucks up Arthur's ashes. Del and Rodney think it's ironic because Arthur use to be a road-sweeper, so for him this would be like a "Viking burial". Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del Boy receives a call from Trigger who reveals that his gran was married twice, a fact which Grandad had failed to point out. When Del looks in the other urn he discovers that it does, of course, contain more ashes. | ||||||
10 | "A Losing Streak" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 4 November 1982 | 7.5 million | 30 minutes |
Del is getting into financial trouble – even his double-headed coin can't help him win. He's gambling away his money with no sign of stopping, and he's already £150 down. When Boycie challenges him to a winner-takes-all poker game, Del is eager to host it in his flat in Nelson Mandela House. As the night progresses, Del's luck goes from bad to worse as he ends up owing Boycie all his money, the TIT van, Grandad's cash, jewellery and even a collection of loose change. But all is not lost, as Del finally turns the tables on Boycie in revenge for fixing all the previous card games in his favour. | ||||||
11 | "No Greater Love" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 11 November 1982 | 8.6 million | 30 minutes |
Rodney falls for Irene Mackay – a woman twice his age – and Del Boy isn't happy about it. Not only is Irene a lot older than Rodders, but she's married to a hard nut who's doing time in Parkhurst – and is about to be released. Concerned for his brother's welfare, Del convinces Irene to ditch Rodney. But when Rodney realises Del has been interfering with his personal life again, he goes loopy. Soon afterwards, Tommy Mackay gets out of prison – he soon finds out his wife has been cheating on him with a Trotter, and goes looking for revenge. Luckily for Rodney, Tommy finds Del Boy first, and the elder Trotter takes the punishment for him. When a bruised and battered Del returns to the pub, he's over the moon to find out that Rodney has moved on to someone new anyway, so there wasn't really anything to worry about. | ||||||
12 | "The Yellow Peril" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 18 November 1982 | 8.2 million | 30 minutes |
Trotters Independent Traders has got a job painting a Chinese restaurant but Del gives the job to Rodney and Grandad as he is busy. The job is finished with the Chinese restaurant having had a new lick of yellow paint. Del returns home and greets Trigger, who reveals to Rodney that the paint he supplied Del with is dodgy... and luminous. Fortunately, the restaurant's owner is delighted with the work but there is an issue: Del used the paint to paint his mother's grave... so now it looks radioactive! Del decides to keep quiet and flees the scene. | ||||||
13 | "It Never Rains..." | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 25 November 1982 | 9.5 million | 30 minutes |
Trotters Independent Trading has been forced off the market, with the continuing downpour keeping most of Peckham indoors. While drowning their sorrows in The Nag's Head, Alex the travel agent mentions that business is slow and he can't give holidays away at the moment. As a promotional gimmick, Del suggests offering an 80% discount on a holiday to the next customer in the shop – and who happens to walk by, but Derek Trotter. Having sold sun hats in the rain, Rodders has managed to earn some travel cash, but he is dismayed to learn that the 80% discount only extends to a grotty hotel in Benidorm. And despite not being included in the bargain, the brothers reluctantly pay for Grandad to join them on their escape to the sun. During the whole holiday, Del and Rodney check out the local talent, while Grandad cramps their style: especially when they bring two girls back to their apartment, only for the old man to scare them off with his dentures. Things get a bit more serious when Grandad is arrested. He is worried that the arrest is for an old incident 'during the war' – but it turns out that he was arrested for jay-walking and is released without charge. Much to Del's annoyance. | ||||||
14 | "A Touch of Glass" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 2 December 1982 | 10.2 million | 30 minutes |
Returning from an auction, the Trotters stop to help a woman whose car appears to have broken down. It is revealed that she is Lady Ridgemere, wife of Lord Ridgemere who owns the Ridgemere Hall Estate. Having towed the Lady to her stately home, Del overhears that Lord Ridgemere is having trouble with the firm he's hired to clean their chandeliers. He wastes no time in offering the Trotters' services as chandelier cleaners for a mere £350. Rodney and Del are up ladders, holding an old sheet to stop the cut-glass chandelier crashing to the floor when Grandad unscrews it. But Grandad unscrews another chandelier, which smashes on the floor. As a horrified butler walks into the hall, the Trotters make a swift exit, barely giving Rodney enough time to climb into the van before Del floors it. |
Christmas Special (1982)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | "Diamonds Are for Heather" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 30 December 1982 | 9.3 million | 30 minutes |
Del has the Yuletide blues, and drinks away his loneliness at a Spanish night at The Nag's Head. There he meets Heather, who seems to be one friend short of company. Del Boy, ever the gentleman, entertains her and sees her home safely. At her flat he discovers that she has a young son, by a husband who seems to have joined a very long queue at the Job Centre eighteen months ago and not come back. In no time at all their romance blossoms and all is running so smoothly that Del decides to propose. However, when he takes her for a candle-lit curry, she refuses his offer of marriage. Her husband has returned, employed as a department store Santa, and she wants to give it another go, leaving Del Boy without an angel for Christmas. |
Series Three (1983)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 | "Homesick" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 10 November 1983 | 9.4 million | 30 minutes |
Lugging the shopping up those 12 flights of stairs is proving too much for Grandad, and the doctor recommends a new council bungalow for the Trotter dynasty. Over to Rodney, the new chairman of the housing committee... | ||||||
17 | "Healthy Competition" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 17 November 1983 | 9.7 million | 30 minutes |
Rodney, tired of his two GCEs getting him little more than a crummy job as a lookout, decides to go it alone and leave Peckham's own multinational conglomerate – Trotters Independent Trading. By the end of the week he's already cornered the market in broken lawnmower engines and with Mickey Pierce as his financial director, the sky's the limit... | ||||||
18 | "Friday the 14th" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 24 November 1983 | 9.7 million | 30 minutes |
The Trotters are off to Boycie's cottage in Cornwall for the weekend to do some illegal salmon fishing. At the gate, a policeman tells the Trotters that an escaped axe-murdered is on the run and is believed to be lurking in the area around Boycie's cottage. After a few hours in the cottage, Del believes that he's knocked out the axe-murderer but when Rodney and Grandad take him to the police station, the police tell them that it's actually the gatekeeper. Back at the cottage, Del is with the real axe-murderer, who is posing as the hospital's chief of security. As police helicopters arrive, Del plays an imaginary game of snooker with the insane criminal. | ||||||
19 | "Yesterday Never Comes" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 1 December 1983 | 10.6 million | 30 minutes |
Del Boy's into art dealing in a big way. Especially as it involves Miranda, the glamorous "posh tart". Is she really being wooed by his tequila sunsets or are her motives rather more mercenary...? | ||||||
20 | "May the Force Be with You" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 8 December 1983 | 10.7 million | 30 minutes |
A ripple of panic runs through The Nag's Head. Del's old school enemy Slater is back in town hell-bent on revenge and brandishing his police badge whilst on the trail of some stolen microwaves... | ||||||
21 | "Wanted" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 15 December 1983 | 11.2 million | 30 minutes |
Watch out! The Peckham Pouncer's about! Alias Rodney Trotter...? Surely not. But try telling that to Rodders, London's most wanted sex offender. Now what was the name of that drunk woman in the street? | ||||||
22 | "Who's a Pretty Boy?" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 22 December 1983 | 11.9 million | 30 minutes |
To get revenge against Irishman Brendan O'Shaughnessy for supplying him with battleship grey paint, Del visits his friend Denzil, who is due to have his front room painted by O'Shaughnessy, and gets the job of painting his front room instead. Grandad and Rodney arrive with the paint but unfortunately, Rodney leaves the kettle on the gas and apparently kills the canary in the kitchen. Grandad buys a new one but when Denzil's wife Corrine returns to the flat, she reveals that the canary died before the painting began. At the Nag's Head, Del meets the new landlord, Mike Fisher, and strikes up a deal to decorate the pub. |
Christmas Special (1983)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
23 | "Thicker than Water" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 25 December 1983 | 10.8 million | 30 minutes |
Reg Trotter, absentee father to Del and Rodney, unexpectedly arrives to celebrate Christmas with his boys. Reg explains that he has been living in Newcastle, and after a visit from the infirmary, was diagnosed with hereditary blood disorder. Scared for their well-being, he decided to tell his two sons. However, several tests later, Reg is given the all clear but it seems Del Boy and Rodders have different blood types. It would seem the wayward father has some explaining to do. Reg explains that he frequently argued with their mother before they split. She had several dalliances with other men, and Del is the mystery child. Fortunately a visit to the family quack gives him news to put the smile back on his face. This is notably the only time Reg Trotter was featured in the series, as well as being the last episode to feature Grandad Trotter (prior to Rock & Chips) due to Lennard Pearce's death the following year. |
Series Four (1985)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
24 | "Happy Returns" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 21 February 1985 | 15.2 million | 30 minutes |
Derek stops a young boy, Jason, from running into the road, and strikes up a friendship with the lad. It's not long before Del discovers that Jason's mother, June, is an old flame whom he last saw around nineteen years ago. Despite being worried about Grandad's health, Del and June rekindle their romance, Rodders is dating a lovely girl from the newsagent called Debby – a fact that is seriously curtailing his dirty magazine fetish. It soon transpires that Debby is June's daughter, and it's almost her 19th birthday. Del and Rodney soon put two and two together, and decide that Debby may well be Del's daughter. It gets worse when Rodney realises that he has fallen for a girl who could be his niece. Everything comes to a head when Del finally confronts June to find out whether Debby is his daughter or not. It turns out that Debby was actually fathered by his friend Albie Littlewood, who died while crossing the train tracks while he was seeing June behind Del's back. (While filming this episode, the news that Lennard Pearce had died was broken to the cast and crew.) | ||||||
25 | "Strained Relations" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 28 February 1985 | 14.9 million | 30 minutes |
After Grandad's funeral, the mourners return to the Trotter's flat in Nelson Mandela House. Rodney is annoyed that Del is having a good time, when he should be upset. After everybody leaves, Grandad's brother (Uncle Albert, who didn't talk to Grandad for years) emerges from one of the bedrooms, after having too much to drink. The following morning, Del drives Albert back home but the caravan where he was living with Del's cousin has been moved. Del kicks Uncle Albert out of the flat and sends him down the Seaman's Mission. Del tells Rodney that he doesn't know how to grieve for Grandad and is hiding his pain. Later at the Nag's Head, Albert turns up and Del finally gives in, welcoming a new addition to Nelson Mandela House. First Appearance of Buster Merryfield as Uncle Albert | ||||||
26 | "Hole in One" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 7 March 1985 | 13.4 million | 30 minutes |
The Trotters have fallen on hard times, largely due to Rodney's £500 investment in suntan lotion during one of the worst winters ever seen. To make things worse, the deep-fat fryer they sold to Mike, landlord of The Nag's Head, is on the blink and the tension brings Del and Rodney to boiling point. But throughout all this trouble, Uncle Albert, who Rodders blames for their bad luck, keeps telling them that something will turn up. As Albert leaves the pub, he accidentally falls through an open cellar door, and the Trotters' quickly come up with a way to get some cash – by suing the pub for damages. Albert's accident claim finally makes it to court, but to the shock of Del and Rodney, it appears that their Uncle has already sought 15 identical damages claims going back to 1944. Their case gets chucked out of court, and Albert admits he was using some of the tricks he learnt in parachute training to try to help Del and Rodney pay for Grandad's headstone. | ||||||
27 | "It's Only Rock and Roll" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 14 March 1985 | 13.6 million | 30 minutes |
Rodney has joined a new band, and Del immediately capitalises on this by booking them into The Shamrock Club to play for the St Patrick's night festivities. Taking his place as the band's manager, Del winces his way through their rehearsals, and when the Shamrock gig results in a fight, the band are forced to leg it, leaving the instruments behind them. When Rodney finds out the musical equipment has vanished, he contacts the police and helps them with their enquiries. When Del sees Rodney with the constable, he quickly distracts the officer and pulls Rodney aside. It turns out that Del had the instruments on sale or return, and he'd taken them back because their band was so bad. Rodney's dreams of showbiz fame have been shattered, but he goes ballistic when he sees his group performing their old hit single on Top of the Pops and realises that without Del's interference he might have made it to number one. | ||||||
28 | "Sleeping Dogs Lie" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 21 March 1985 | 18.7 million | 30 minutes |
In an attempt to earn an easy £60 a week, Del persuades Boycie and Marlene to entrust him with the care of their Great Dane puppy, Duke, while they are away on holiday. Whilst out on a walk, Rodney notices that the dog is a bit sluggish, and they decide to take it to the vets. Del and Rodney think that the dog may have eaten some reheated pork leftovers for breakfast, and the vet quickly informs them that Duke has probably caught Salmonella. It's only when they get home that they realise Albert has eaten the other half of the pork, and they quickly rush him to hospital. When Albert's gets discharged from hospital a few days later, with a clean bill of health, Del boy discovers that Rodney has been giving Albert's sleeping pills to Duke, and the dog's vitamin supplements to Albert. | ||||||
29 | "Watching the Girls Go By" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 28 March 1985 | 14.4 million | 30 minutes |
Rodney is taking some stick from the lads down the pub about his 'imaginary' girlfriend, and Mickey Pearce bets him fifty that he won't bring a girl to the Saturday night bash in The Nag's Head. When Rodney admits to Del that he was lying about the girl he's going to bring on Saturday night, his big brother sets about trying to get him a date. On the Friday night, the two brothers head out clubbing, and despite trying almost every club in London, they end up in a seedy little bar in search of a date for Rodney. As luck would have it, Del boy spots Yvonne, an old flame who he knows isn't too picky who she goes out with, and he offers to pay her part of the winnings from Rodney's bet if she'll escort his little bruv the following night. When Rodney gets home from The Nag's Head on Saturday night he's in tears. Apparently, the date went well, until halfway through the evening when Yvonne takes centre stage in the pub and begins her act as a stripper – in front of all of Rodney's mates. Del boy tries to console Rodders with the thought of his £50 winnings, but it turns out the bet was for fifty pence, not pounds. | ||||||
30 | "As One Door Closes" | Ray Butt | Susan Belbin | 4 April 1985 | 14.2 million | 30 minutes |
The trouble starts when Del agrees to provide painter and decorator Brendan O'Shaughnessy with enough louvre doors to refit an entire housing estate in Nunhead. Del's supplier, Teddy Cummings, only stocks and supplies in bulk, so it's up to the Trotters to find two grand by the next day or there's no chance of getting the doors. As usual, a solution turns up in the form of Denzil's redundancy money, which they somehow convince him to part with, only to be told by O'Shaughnessy that the doors he's bought aren't needed. And to make things worse, the doors turn out to be stolen. It's not long before Denzil and his five brothers come looking for their money, so with nowhere else to go, the Trotters visit their mother's grave – a favourite refuge for Del in times of trouble. At their mother's graveside, Rodney notices a rare butterfly from the cover of his magazine, that's worth about £3,000 to collectors. After chasing the butterfly around the churchyard, the park and the boating lake, they finally capture it, only to have it accidentally squashed by Denzil moments later. |
Christmas Special (1985)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
31 | "To Hull and Back" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 25 December 1985 | 16.92 million | 90 minutes |
Boycie and Abdul ask Del to smuggle diamonds from Amsterdam into the country. Del turns the offer down... that is until he's offered £15,000 by the pair to complete the job. When Del learns that DCI Roy Slater is aware of the cases of diamond smuggling, but doesn't know who's involved, and realising that he wouldn't get the diamonds through airport security, Del gets Uncle Albert to take him and Rodney to Amsterdam from Hull in a hired boat. The Trotters arrive at the location and collect the diamonds. Meanwhile, back at the police station, Slater deduces that Boycie and Del are involved in the smuggling and waits at the airport for the Trotters to arrive. Del, Rodney and Albert arrive back a day late because Albert got lost. All seems to have gone well until Slater catches Boycie and the Trotters in the act. However, Slater lets them case go and is later arrested when the police work out that he has been working with the man in Amsterdam who keeps the diamonds until the couriers arrive. Although Boycie used fake money to pay for the diamonds, he paid Del with real money. Unfortunately, Del believes the money is fake and therefore chucks the £15,000 out the window. |
Series Five (1986)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
32 | "From Prussia with Love" | Ray Butt | Mandie Fletcher | 31 August 1986 | 12.1 million | 30 minutes |
It's closing time at The Nag's Head, and Mike the landlord is having problems clearing everyone out, particularly a young pregnant foreign girl who doesn't seem to speak Peckham English. Del and Rodney offer to help, and despite Del Boy's dodgy French, they work out that Anna is from Germany, and she's been chucked out on the street and was considering getting her child adopted. They leave Rodney to take Anna to a hotel, but he ends up bringing her back to the flat, where she explains that, Spencer, the son of the family she was working for as an au pair got her pregnant and then denied it all. After fuming about Rodney bringing another 'waif and stray' home, Del Boy considers what can be done with Anna's unwanted baby – and the first person he thinks of is Boycie. For year's Marlene and Boycie have been trying for a child, with no success, and now for a mere three grand, Del is offering them the chance to have their very own baby boy. The stress is clearly getting to Anna, and she begins to go into labour. Later on Del, Boycie and Marlene all gather round in the lounge waiting for Anna and Rodney to return from hospital. All is well until Rodney lets Del Boy know that Anna's baby is a girl... and that Spencer's parents were actually West Indian! | ||||||
33 | "The Miracle of Peckham" | Ray Butt | Mandie Fletcher | 7 September 1986 | 14.2 million | 30 minutes |
Feeling guilty about his dodgy lifestyle, Del has a rare religious urge and heads to the confession booth of his local Catholic church to speak with Father O'Keith. Whilst chatting with Father O'Keith, Del discovers that the local hospice, St Mary's, requires a £185,000 renovation or it will soon close. And as Derek and Rodney's mother and grandad were both cared for there, the older Trotter takes the charitable cause to his heart. After his confession, Del is about to put some money into the Collection box when Father O'Keith cries out that the statue of the Virgin Mary is weeping holy tears. Within a couple of seconds, Del has persuaded the priest that this miracle needs publicising – something that could go a long way towards raising funds for St Mary's renovations. Father O'Keith reluctantly agrees, and Del gets Rodney to alert the national press. As press arrives from all over the world, Del helps Father O'Keith collect the contributions from all those who wish to witness the miracle of the weeping virgin. It's only when the priest notices rain dripping from the roof of the church that Del Boy's elaborate hoax is exposed. | ||||||
34 | "The Longest Night" | Ray Butt | Mandie Fletcher | 14 September 1986 | 16.7 million | 30 minutes |
Del, Rodney, and Albert are mistakenly apprehended as shoplifters by an overzealous security guard at the Top Buy Supermarket. And things get worse when they're taken to the manager's office and realise that they've lost their receipt for the goods. Shortly after, Tom the security guard brings a cocky shoplifter, Lennox Gilbey, into the manager's office, where he promptly pulls out a gun and demands money from the safe. Unluckily for Lennox the safe is on a time-lock and due to the dodgy watch he's wearing, he's 15 minutes later than he planned – and the safe doesn't open until 8am the next morning. After being held hostage throughout the night, Del realises that he sold the dodgy watch to Lennox, and that he also knew him as a kid. By preying on his guilty conscience, Del persuades Lennox to reveal that the plan was hatched by Tom and the supermarket manager to get at the £60,000 stored in the safe. The three accomplices beg Del not to go to the police, and instead, he arranges for Lennox to get a job as security guard at the supermarket after Tom's retirement, and then makes sure he wins a £1,000 prize as the millionth customer in the store. | ||||||
35 | "Tea for Three" | Ray Butt | Mandie Fletcher | 21 September 1986 | 16.5 million | 30 minutes |
Trigger's young niece, Lisa, is staying with him for a while, and the scruffy young girl that Del and Rodney remember has now become a stunning 25-year-old woman. Both Trotter brothers think they are in with a chance, and immediately begin competing for Lisa's affections. Despite almost coming to blows, Del and Rodney manage to invite Lisa round to the flat for tea, and she seems more than happy to accept. In preparation for their date with Lisa, Del goes out to get some more 'Smash' and Rodney spends half-an-hour on the sunbed. Just before Del leaves for the shops, he notices Rodney has dozed off and whacks up the heat on the bed. Much to Rodney's annoyance, he spends most of the evening nursing his bright red face, which has burnt under the ultra-violet rays, whilst Del and Lisa seem to be getting on really well. To get his revenge, Rodders picks up on the fact that Lisa mentions she was going hang-gliding, and as a surprise for his 46th birthday, he arranges for Del to have a go. After offering to give her a lift back home to Winchester, Del and Rodney head off to meet Lisa's friends for a spot of hang-gliding. Not wanting to lose face, Del reluctantly agrees to try it out, and after launching himself into the air, he disappears for over 12 hours. It's only later, after finding out Lisa is engaged to be married, that Del Boy is brought back from hospital after crashing into a television transmitter in Redhill. | ||||||
36 | "Video Nasty" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 28 September 1986 | 17.5 million | 30 minutes |
Rodney's Art Class is given a £10,000 grant to make a film spotlighting the local community, but first he has to avoid the scheming intentions of Mickey Pearce and Del Boy. Whilst Rodders suffers from writer's block, Del provides him with inspiration and a tale of a killer Rhino escaping from London Zoo and laying waste to innocent victims on the streets of the city. Rodney immediately points out the flaws in the logic behind the plot, and Del leaves him to it. But without telling Rodney, Del has already arranged for Mickey to head down to the town hall to film different couples' weddings at £50 a time – and he has also managed to persuade half the neighbourhood to pay £10 for the opportunity of becoming a movie extra. To make things worse, Mickey arranges for the lovely Amanda to pop round the Trotters' flat in her nurse's uniform and begin filming a 'blue movie' called Night Nurse, which is due for its premiere in the back room of The Nag's Head. | ||||||
37 | "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 5 October 1986 | 18.80 million | 30 minutes |
Del's old business partner from the 1960s, Jumbo Mills, returns to the UK shores to strike a deal with Boycie, and ends up rubbing everyone up the wrong way in The Nag's Head. Jumbo has made himself rich Down Under, after leaving rainy London for Australia with Del Boy's last £200. In an attempt to pay back this debt 'with interest', Jumbo asks Del to become the new face of his new import business – but it means a move to Australia for the Trotter family. After making sure Rodney and Albert have a place in Oz, Del Boy agrees to join Jumbo's firm, but things don't go as smoothly as that. Tired of wandering the globe, Albert decides he wants to end his days in Peckham, and it looks like Rodney's criminal record has put paid to his dream trip. Regardless of this, Del still seems keen to go, but when he picks up the phone to confirm the plan to Jumbo, he politely turns him down – reluctantly admitting that blood is thicker than water. |
Christmas Special (1986)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
38 | "A Royal Flush" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 25 December 1986 | 18.8 million | 76 minutes |
Rodney meets Vicky, a seemingly impoverished artist who it transpires is the daughter of the Duke of Maylebury. Having obtained a pair of tickets to the sold-out production of Carmen, Rodney seems to have deeply impressed Vicky. She is less taken by the presence of Del and his peroxide blonde bird, June Snell. Especially when they open the crisps. Vicky then invites Rodney to a party at the Duke’s country home, and it seems romance may be on the cards. Then Del Boy turns up, hits the vino-plonko and ruins everything for his little brother. |
Christmas Special (1987)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
39 | "The Frog's Legacy" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 25 December 1987 | 14.5 million | 60 minutes |
Trotters Independent Trading is causing mayhem with their faulty RAJAH computers. Rodney gets a new job at a funeral directors, while Albert and Del hit the health market with their miracle cure body massagers. At the wedding of Trigger’s niece, the Trotters hear the tale of Freddy the Frog, a bank robber and close friend of the boys’ mother. He left everything in his will to their mum, including missing gold bullion. While Del hunts for treasure, Rodney puzzles over Freddy and his mother's ‘friendship’ – and a son who would by now be his own age. |
Christmas Special (1988)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 | "Dates" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1988 | 16.6 million | 80 minutes |
The Trotters have finally made some decent money: £2000 in the past month and, with Uncle Albert's birthday on the horizon, it seems like a good time to splash the cash. Del organises a birthday party for Albert at the Nags Head and arranges for a stripper-gram to surprise his uncle. The problem: the stripper is the woman Del's been dating for the past few days. Raquel Turner met Del when they both joined a dating agency and Raquel claimed to be an actress. However, Del signed up to the dating agency under a different surname and therefore Raquel didn't know that the party had been booked by the Trotters. Upset, Del attempts to drive away in the van but can't go anywhere because Rodney damaged the van whilst on a date with the barmaid "Nervous Nerys". Raquel finds Del and explains she is going on a tour in the Middle East. Del hopes to meet Raquel later in the day to say goodbye, but blows his chances when he assaults a policewoman, thinking she was a stripper-gram booked by Uncle Albert to get revenge for his birthday party. |
Series Six (1989)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
41 | "Yuppy Love" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 8 January 1989 | 13.9 million | 50 minutes |
Del has just seen the film Wall Street for about the fourth time and decided the upwardly-mobile lifestyle is for him. The camel-hair coat is out, and in comes a smart new image. Green mackintosh, mobile phone, filofax, aluminium briefcase, but the yellow van remains. Del even wants to buy the flat off the council and sell it for a fast buck. Rodney, meanwhile, has decided to complete a computing diploma course at the Adult Education Centre. It's there that he meets a beautiful posh sort called Cassandra, who returns his raincoat to him (Del wrote Rodney's name in the raincoat for a giggle). Del and Trig ditch The Nags Head in favour of propping up a wine bar. As Del accidentally falls through the bar hatch, Rodney and the boys head to a club, where Rodders amazes the others by dancing with Cassandra. She gives him a lift home, where he pretends to live in a big house in the posh King's Avenue. As they say goodbye, he is caught waving to the unknown occupants of the posh house. As he walks home, a rainstorm starts. | ||||||
42 | "Danger UXD" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 15 January 1989 | 16.1 million | 50 minutes |
Del continues to pursue the Yuppy lifestyle, and insists that Rodney follows suit by wearing... a suit. He convinces his young bruv that it will help him shift 50 video recorders he got off of Ronnie Nelson at the Advanced Electronics Research and Development Centre. Ever the opportunist, Del helps Denzil out by taking 50 dolls off his hands. Unfortunately the Trotters discover too late that they are inflatable sex dolls, filled with explosive propane gas. Del tries in vain to get rid of the dolls, but Dirty Barry won't take them, and they eventually resort to dressing two of them up in their mum's old clothes and taking them for a drive! Denzel soon finds out about the doll's explosive properties, and rushes to try to warn Del, who still doesn't know. Eventually, after being ditched, the dressed up dolls explode, and Del and Rodney run a mile. | ||||||
43 | "Chain Gang" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 22 January 1989 | 16.3 million | 50 minutes |
At the One Eleven Club Rodney introduces Cassandra to Del, who is meeting Arnie, a retired jeweller who likes to do the occasional deal now and again. Arnie says that Del may be interested in something. After disrupting a romantic moment between Cassandra and Rodney, Del drags his younger brother to Arnie's car to talk about the deal. Arnie has 250 18 carat gold chains, which he was due to sell to a gangster named Mr. Maxi Stavros. However, Stavros hasn't made contact for a long time and Arnie is being forced to sell the chains at half the price. Del Boy buys the chains from Arnie and forms a consortium consisting of himself, Rodney, Uncle Albert, Trigger, Boycie and Mike. Back at the flat, having paid Arnie £12,500, the lads are happy, as they know they should be able to double their money. But just moments later Arnie calls his wife Patricia, who reveals that Stavros has been in touch: he wants the chains and believes that they are rightfully his anyway, having done a deal. Del then comes up with a clever solution: the consortium will sell the chains to Stavros on Arnie's behalf, Arnie will get £2000 and the consortium will receive £10,500. At an Italian restaurant Arnie, with his briefcase containing his chains attached to his hand via lock and chain, sits down and waits for Stavros. Del and Boycie are in the restaurant, Trigger and Mike are watching in Mike’s car and Rodney and Albert are also keeping a close eye on things in the Trotter van. Then something disastrous happens: Arnie collapses and suffers from a heart attack. The ambulance arrives and picks Arnie up. Rodney and Albert follow in the van. Back at Nelson Mandela House, after waiting a while, the lads finally meet Rodney and Albert, who explain that they lost the ambulance when it went through red lights. Then Del Boy receives a phone call from an Indian doctor, who tells Del that Arnie sadly died due to his heart attack and that his wife took all of his possessions. It looks like there is no way to get the chains back. A few days later, whilst picking Cassandra up from the airport (after she had been on a training course to Guernsey), Rodney spots something nasty: Arnie collapsing in another restaurant. At the Nags Head Del Boy and the rest of the consortium realise that Arnie is a con-man, who fakes a heart attack and then waits for his two sons to drive an old ambulance around to his location to pick him up. The ambulance can go much faster than other vehicles with its siren and can legally go through red lights. The “Indian doctor” who phoned Del in the flat was just one of Arnie’s sons. The lads then learn that Denzil and his brother are about to become the latest victims of Arnie’s scheme… or so it seems. At the restaurant Arnie does indeed collapse and gets loaded into the ambulance. However, he is actually loaded into the ambulance belonging to Del, who is sitting with Rodney, Albert, Mike, Trigger and Boycie who want their revenge… | ||||||
44 | "The Unlucky Winner Is..." | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 29 January 1989 | 17 million | 50 minutes |
Del has entered every competition on the market, trying to win as many freebies as possible. Rodney has unknowingly been entered for an art competition, and won it. It's only when he arrives at the 5 star hotel in Mallorca that he learns he was a schoolboy when he composed the winning painting, and has won the under-15 category. While Del and Cassie enjoy playing mum and dad, Rodders has to endure the Fun Bus, chaotic children, and becoming a lifelong member of The Groovy Gang. He has the last laugh, however, as Del's tinkering with his passport makes them ineligible to claim Rodney's winning ticket on the Spanish lottery. | ||||||
45 | "Sickness and Wealth" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 5 February 1989 | 18.2 million | 50 minutes |
Del is having stomach pains. It could be his new fast-paced Yuppy lifestyle, or it could be the eviction notice demanding three months worth of unpaid rent up front. TITCO hasn't been successful and the pressure's on to raise the cash. The solution presents itself in the shape of Uncle Albert's lady-friend Elsie Partridge, a medium who lives off payments for her amazing predictions. Del thinks it's a load of mumbo-jumbo, but sets up a séance room in The Nags Head. Albert, worried for Del's health, tells Elsie to say his Mum has contacted her asking him to go to the doctor. When Marlene falls pregnant, just as Elsie foresaw, Del takes heed and is diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. When he gets home Rodney has another shock for him: He and Cassie are engaged. | ||||||
46 | "Little Problems" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 12 February 1989 | 18.9 million | 50 minutes |
Rodney's down in the dumps. Despite getting engaged, he thinks he's failed his Diploma in Computer Science, which could cost him a good job at Cassandra's father's company. On top of that, he can't come up with his share of the dosh for the new flat he and Cassandra plan to buy. His only relief is that the diploma arrives in the post. Del comes to the rescue, promising to call in all his favours to raise the money Rodney needs. Trouble is, the Driscoll brothers are calling in their debts, and those who can't pay get bruised. Managing to buy precious time, Del cons Boycie into paying for some dodgy video recorders and can cover the Trotter's debts. Meanwhile, Uncle Albert has Del sussed, and asks him how much Rodney's diploma cost. Not all goes to plan in the end, and Del fulfils the duties as a battered and bruised Best Man. After some words of Trotter wisdom, Rodders and Cassie journey to Rimini for their honeymoon. |
Christmas Special (1989)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
47 | "The Jolly Boys' Outing" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1989 | 20.12 million | 85 minutes |
Cassandra organises a dinner party, inviting her ‘yuppie’ boss and his wife in the hope of getting a promotion. Del and Uncle Albert soon arrive to put their feet firmly in their mouths and ruin the chances of that. Despite it being Rodney and Cassandra’s first wedding anniversary, Rodders agrees to go on the annual Jolly Boys Outing to Margate. The outing goes as well as can be expected considering the driver gets high on the fumes from the radio, Rodney gets arrested, and the radio bought from Trotters Independent Traders blows up the coach. Forced to stay the night by this twist of fate. They stay at an old scary bed and breakfast and Rodney is still concerned that cassandras boss is staying with her while he is away so they got out for a drink where Del encounters his lost love Raquel, who is now working as magician’s assistant. As one Trotter rekindles his love life, the other returns to find Cassandra entertaining her boss at home. Punching first, and asking questions later, Rodney blows it. |
Christmas Special (1990)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
48 | "Rodney Come Home" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1990 | 18 million | 75 minutes |
Rodney seems to have it all, a beautiful wife, a cushy job at the father-in-law’s printing company, and a lovely home. Del is very happy too, Raquel has agreed to live with him having returned from a theatre tour of America’s east coast. All is not well between Rodney and Cassandra, however. Cassie has become a workaholic, and Rodney cannot understand why she wants to attend work functions instead of cooking his tea. Del, worried for his brother’s happiness (and the loss of cheap printing perks through Rodney’s job) plays cupid. Rodney consequently finds himself homeless for the third time in 18 months. |
Series Seven (1990-1991)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
49 | "The Sky's the Limit" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 30 December 1990 | 15 million | 50 minutes |
Raquel has moved in with Del, as has the newly separated Rodney. When Rodders isn't asleep on the couch he's drinking too much, or nursing hangovers. While Cassandra and her mother travel to Spain for a holiday, Alan Parry – Cassie's Dad and Rodney's boss – visits Del Boy and confides he was hoping to leave his business to the couple. They hatch a plot to arrange a second honeymoon for them. Rodney pays £250 for their trip, and waits for Cassandra to arrive at Gatwick airport. However, when Cassandra's flight lands in Manchester, he is furious. When he learns the real reason behind her flight being diverted, Del has some serious explaining to do. | ||||||
50 | "The Chance of a Lunchtime" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 6 January 1991 | 16.6 million | 50 minutes |
Raquel wants to revive her theatrical passions and audition for Shakespeare's As You Like It. Naturellement, Derek volunteers to help her rehearse. Rodney and Cassandra meet for a meal both thinking that the other made the first move, and without realising Del has set them up. Things seem to be going well, until Rodney clambers out of the Nag's head with Del's ex-fiancé Trudy to see her to a cab ... just as Cassie arrives on the scene leaping to the wrong conclusion. Raquel tells Derek she won't be taking the part in the play as Shakespeare doesn't mention anywhere that Rosalind is pregnant! | ||||||
51 | "Stage Fright" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 13 January 1991 | 16.6 million | 50 minutes |
At the Nag's Head, Del Boy tells Rodney how badly in life he's doing but Rodney tells Del to be quiet as he has just received a letter saying that his court case has been brought forward to the following morning. Albert also points out to Rodney that, with Raquel 3 months pregnant, Rodney will have to find a place of his own soon. Rodney then reveals that the council have a LDA for him to go and view that afternoon. At the bar, Trigger tells Del about a man from his depot, Tony Angelino, who will be singing at the Down by the Riverside Club later that evening. Del then heads off to the Starlight Rooms to meet his friend Eric, who needs a singer for a show that's happening the following night. Del signs a contract that states Raquel will perform and get £600 in return. Back at Nelson Mandela House, Raquel isn't happy that Del promised Eric that she would be able to sing. After talking things over, Raquel agrees to sing if she has someone else performing with her. Rodney then enters the flat and is not happy. It turns out that LDA stands for Low Demand Accommodation, places which no-one else wants to buy. Del then takes Rodney down to the Down by the Riverside Club, where Tony is performing for the local WI. Del tells Tony that he will become his manager and give him £100 if he agrees to sing with Raquel. The next day, Mike and Boycie tell Del and Rodney a lie and say that local villain, Eugene McCarthy, bought Eric out of the Starlight Rooms a little while ago. If Eugene doesn't like the entertainment, he takes it out on the agents, which makes the Trotters very worried. That evening, Del still hasn't returned from court and Raquel is worried because Tony has a problem. When Del does eventually arrive, he bumps into Eugene, who has organised a birthday party for his mum, who is now 82. Del reassures Eugene that Raquel and Tony will be brilliant. Del watches as Raquel comes onto the stage. Tony then joins in but it turns out that he is unable able to pronounce his "Rs" properly, which is a bit of a problem because the duo are singing "Crying", which Tony is pronouncing "Cwying". Horrified, Del rushes back to Nelson Mandela House. Back at the flat, Raquel is furious and explains how much she enjoyed singing "Please Welease Me", "Congwatulations" and "The Gween, Gween, Gwass of Home". Tony then walks in and demands his money, along with Raquel and Rodney, who completed his "Road Manager" duties. After Tony has left, Del receives a phone call from Eugene. It turns out that his mother has never laughed so much in her life and wants to sign the pair onto a 5 week contract. Del Boy shouts down to Tony and says that if Tony sticks with him, he will become "wich". | ||||||
52 | "The Class of '62" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 20 January 1991 | 16.2 million | 50 minutes |
Del receives an invitation to a school reunion, at the Nag's Head for the pupils of Class 4C who left the Martin Luther King Comprehensive in 1962. At the pub, Del Boy, Rodney, Trigger, Boycie and Denzil are all waiting for the reunion's host. To their shock, it turns out to be ex-policeman and old school enemy Roy Slater. Slater explains that he was released from Pankhurst Prison 6 months ago, following the diamond smuggling caper. After apolgising for all the things he's done in the past, Del invites Slater and the others back to the flat. Once Trigger, Boycie and Denzil have left, Raquel returns home is horrified to see Slater sleeping on the sofa. It turns out that Slater is Raquel's husband. Slater's solicitors had contacted him to say that divorce proceedings have started. Del and Rodney try to keep that fact Raquel is living with the Trotters a secret but Albert then opens his mouth. An argument follows and Del realises that he has to let Slater sleep at the flat as he now has a hold over him. During the night, the Trotters find Slater's wallet and discover the real reason why he came back to Peckham: he wants Raquel to waive her rights to all his money. Although Slater is broke, he is due to receive an inheritance, which turns out to be ten diamonds which the police never found. At the Nags Head the following day, Del Boy and Rodney tell Slater that they used their fax machine (which also has a photocopier) to make several copies of the letter from the Bond Street diamond merchant, which talks about Slater's inheritance. Del Boy tells Slater that if he never comes back to Peckham and gives Raquel her divorce, the police won't hear about the diamonds. Slater leaves and the Trotters have more than one reason to celebrate: when Slater divorces Raquel, Raquel will be legally entitled to 50% of everything. Mike then tells Del that the photocopier on the fax machine, that Del flogged him, doesn't work. Del says that's funny as his doesn't work either. | ||||||
53 | "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 27 January 1991 | 17.2 million | 50 minutes |
To improve his financial situation, Del employs Rodney as TITCO's new Director of Commercial Development. Del meanwhile is arranging to buy their flat in Nelson Mandela House. Uncle Albert is going to the Over-Sixties Club on the estate and is chatting up a lady called Dora Lane. One night, he arrives at the flat, bruised and shaken. He tells Del and Rodney he's been mugged. Despite being home, something is not right. Uncle Albert disappears. After much thought, the boys find him, but a visit from Knock Knock reveals the truth about the black eye. | ||||||
54 | "Three Men, a Woman and a Baby" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 3 February 1991 | 18.9 million | 50 minutes |
Del is trying to flog wigs for men to a bunch of 'old tarts' at The Nags Head. Cassandra gives Rodders the push for lacking ambition and not being part of the marriage. Rodney has also turned vegetarian, much to the mockery of the rest of the Trotter clan. When he receives a call from Cassie asking him to visit her, he plays it cool. She is unimpressed at the attachable ponytail he wears to impress her when he arrives. In no time they are back together, and very much in love. Their embrace is interrupted by a phone call. Raquel has gone into labour. |
Christmas Specials (1991)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
55 | "Miami Twice (The American Dream)" | Gareth Gwenlan | Gareth Gwenlan | 24 December 1991 | 14.90 million | 50 minutes |
At Damien's christening, Del strikes a cushy deal with the Vicar to sell pre-blessed wine around the country. Rodney is living with Del and Albert on week days, and with Cassandra at weekends, on the advice of a Relate councillor. Del organises a 'two for one' holiday for the Trotter clan, knowing full well that Cassandra will not be able to make it - and that he can go in her place. | ||||||
56 | "Miami Twice (Oh to Be in England)" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1991 | 17.70 million | 95 minutes |
When Del and Rodney arrive in Miami, the family of Mafioso boss Vincenzo Ochetti are drawn to Del – who bears a striking resemblance to their Don, who is facing trial, and the possibility of life imprisonment, so they come up with a plan to kill Del so that they can escape a sentencing. Soon realising they are not simply being shown American hospitality, Del and Rodney flee... aided and abetted by Boycie, Marlene and their baby Tyler who are also in the States. Upon a safe return to Peckham, they find dozens of crates of wine, which were deemed unfit for Holy Communion. |
Christmas Special (1992)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
57 | "Mother Nature's Son" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1992 | 20.14 million | 65 minutes |
Del Boy pays Denzil and Trigger to clean out some mysterious yellow gunge that has been dumped in Grandad's allotment, which Del has been lumbered with following his purchase of his flat. After learning about a man called Myles who sells health foods and natural fertilizer and has become a millionaire in two and a half years, Del tricks him into believing that there is a natural spring at the allotment. When the water passes the relevant tests, Del sells it (tap water) as bottled water called Peckham Spring. Soon hundreds of pounds are winging their way to Del's wallet and he, Raquel, Damien, Rodney and Cassandra go for a weekend away at the Grand Hotel, Brighton. As they settle down, the Trotters are unaware that there is a news article being shown on the TV which explains that Peckham's water supply has become toxic, thanks to the yellow gunge that Denzil and Trigger "deposed" of a few days before. As Del falls asleep, a bottle of Peckham Spring on his bedside table glows yellow. |
Christmas Special (1993)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
58 | "Fatal Extraction" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1993 | 19.60 million | 85 minutes |
Raquel is worried that Del will be too busy down the 121 Club getting drunk, to provide Damien with any Christmas presents. Rodney raises the problem with Del, who explains he is brokering a deal to get hold of some Russian ex-military Camcorders to make ends meet over Christmas. Rodney’s marriage is going so well that he and Cassandra have decided to try to have a baby. So much so he’s getting phone calls from Cassie at work, telling him to come home. Raquel leaves Del, staying at Rodney and Cassandra’s. Del does what any man would: Organises a date with Beverly, his dentist’s receptionist. But he cancels it after much persistence from Rodney and Uncle Albert. A changed man, he invites Raquel back. Whilst celebrating, he drunkenly starts a riot on the estate and sells the Russian gear to both the cops and the robbers. All seems calm, but Beverly seems to be stalking Del. |
Christmas Trilogy (1996)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
59 | "Heroes and Villains" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 1996 | 21.3 million | 60 minutes |
Rodney’s fertility schedule is wearing him down. Such is Cassandra’s need to have a baby, he buys her a rabbit, Roger, to care for until a little one arrives. Del has a shipment of Latvian alarm clocks he can’t shift and his home improvement grant has been rejected. It’s Rodders’ birthday, and Del buys him a cheap gold bracelet inscribed ‘Rooney’. Finding themselves on a rare boys' night out, they dress up as Batman and Robin for a fancy dress party held for a local publican. En route, they prevent Councillor Murray from being mugged. They arrive at the party, to discover it’s actually a wake as the host (Harry Malcolm), had died the day before. The following day Del is awarded a bravery medal for tackling another mugger, and Cassandra has good news: She's pregnant. | ||||||
60 | "Modern Men" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 27 December 1996 | 21.3 million | 60 minutes |
Del is reading a book called ‘Modern Man’. Despite being convinced he is the dictionary definition of debonair masculinity, the book is making him behave irrationally and rashly. Rodney is concerned about this. Cassandra is expecting, and he wants more responsibility and a better job to provide for his family. He unwittingly replies for a job advertisement, posted by Del to alleviate Rodney’s workload. Del, meanwhile, has decided to take his manhood into his own hands and get a vasectomy. Doctor Singh is hounding him regarding dodgy paint, and the nightmare of him getting revenge on Del’s crown jewels puts him off the idea. Cassandra is rushed into hospital, suffering a miscarriage. Rodney breaks down, and it’s Del who tells him he has to be strong for his wife. Del then blubs his eyes out, as Rodney supports his wife. | ||||||
61 | "Time on Our Hands" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 29 December 1996 | 24.3 million | 60 minutes |
Rodney is bottling up his emotions following the loss of his baby. Del, realising Cassandra needs his support, wants to help Rodney adjust. Raquel’s estranged parents arrive for a meal, and to meet their daughter’s new man. He does little to impress, and Uncle Albert mixes the coffee with the gravy by accident. The next day, Raquel’s father meets Rodney and Del as they clear their garage. Being an antiques dealer, he spots a long-lost 18th Century Harrison marine watch, which he recommends getting valued. When the watch is sold for auction at Sotheby’s, the highest bid is for £6.2 million pounds. After 15 years of poverty the Trotters finally make it rich! (This is the final appearance of Uncle Albert in a full episode.) |
Christmas Special (2001)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
62 | "If They Could See Us Now" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 2001 | 21.3 million | 71 minutes |
Del and Rodney lose their riches in a bad investment in the Central American Markets, and are declared bankrupt. They return to Peckham, and their Mandela House flat, and to make matters a lot worse, they suffer a major blow when Uncle Albert dies and they end up at the wrong funeral. Cassandra and Rodney are finding their love life is a little flat, so they spice it up by role playing their fantasies. Cassie becomes Rodney's police woman, and Rodney doesn't quite look right as Gladiator. Del appears on the game show 'Goldrush' in a last-ditch attempt to win their fortune back. Despite a phone call saying Del won a badly written final question, Del mistakenly believes it's prankster Mickey Pearce and tells them to give the fortune to charity. Meanwhile, Sid has taken over at the Nag's Head now that Mike is in prison, and Damien seems to be growing up fast. |
Christmas Special (2002)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
63 | "Strangers on the Shore" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 2002 | 17.4 million | 75 minutes |
Del and Rodney embark on a trip to France, agreeing to visit Uncle Albert's Navy memorial ceremony in his honour. Upon their arrival at the village, they learn that Uncle Albert was hounded out of the country by the Resistance, due to his randy ways. Del and Rodney notice all the villagers seem to have mariner's beards. Coincidence? Del, Trig, and Denzil pre-arranged a dodgy booze scam at Duty Free using Denzil's empty van... much to Rodney's annoyance. When they arrive they discover an illegal immigrant has seemingly stowed away in their van. Naming him Gary, they house him, only to find he has escaped. Sadly the connection between Boycie's important business deal with a millionaire, and his missing son, isn't made. They wind up in Les Nick, arrested as The Gary Gang! |
Christmas Special (2003)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
64 | "Sleepless in Peckham" | Gareth Gwenlan | Tony Dow | 25 December 2003 | 16.37 million | 75 minutes |
Del and the family have only two weeks to find the cash to pay the Inland Revenue, or they will be evicted from their home in Nelson Mandela House. After 41 years in the flat, it could be goodbye, something Del and Rodney are determined will not happen. But memories of the past, particularly of the infamous Freddie Robdal and the romance he shared with their beloved mother, Joan, threatens to divide the brothers. Meanwhile, Marlene has disappeared and everyone is convinced that Boycie has murdered her; even his best friends are certain of his guilt. Elsewhere, Trigger has become fascinated by science fiction and is enthralled by programmes such as The X-Files, which leads to some bizarre moments from him – who it could be said lives on a planet all of his own anyway – whilst Sid has big plans for the future of the Nag's Head. Rodney's daughter Joan is born and they live lovely-jubbly ever after! |
Miscellaneous (1982 – 2014)
# | Original title | Producer | Director | Original airdate | Original TV audience | Running time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TBA | "Christmas Trees" | Ray Butt | Ray Butt | 27 December 1982 | 7.2 million | 8 mins |
Mini-episode produced for the 1982 Christmas show The Funny Side of Christmas, presented by Frank Muir, which also featured mini-episodes of The Fall And Rise of Reginald Perrin, Yes Minister, Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours. It sees Del trying to sell Christmas trees at the local market. | ||||||
TBA | "Licensed to Drill" | Malcolm Taylor | Malcolm Taylor | 1984 | N/A | 19 mins |
Educational episode made in 1984 and only shown in schools/colleges. Del, Rodney and Grandad discuss oil drilling and fossil fuels. Notable as the last appearance of Grandad. | ||||||
TBA | "Radio Times" | TBA | TBA | December 1985 | N/A | 2 mins |
In this BBC1 promo for the Radio Times Christmas edition, this specially filmed sequence features Del Boy, Rodney, and "Santa Albert" sitting in the flat reading the Radio Times and getting ready for Christmas TV.[8] | ||||||
TBA | "White Mice" | TBA | TBA | 24 December 1985 | N/A | 3 mins |
In a spoof documentary, Del is investigated by a BBC consumer expert. Shown on BBC Breakfast Time in 1985. | ||||||
TBA | "Royal Variety Show" | TBA | TBA | 29 November 1986 | N/A | 4 mins |
Whilst delivering some dodgy goods, Del, Rodney and Uncle Albert inadvertently walk into the Royal Variety Show. | ||||||
TBA | "The Robin Flies at Dawn" | Gareth Gwenlan | TBA | 1 December 1990 | N/A | 5 mins |
Del, Rodney and Uncle Albert deliver a goodwill message to British troops serving in the 1990–91 Gulf War. | ||||||
TBA | "Comic Relief Special" | TBA | TBA | 14 March 1997 | 10.6 million | 6 mins |
A short scene, based entirely in the flat, featuring a young Damien Trotter. The first half features Del and Rodney slipping in references to other TV shows featuring David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst (e.g. A Touch of Frost, Goodnight Sweetheart) before the duo come out of character and make an appeal to camera for donations for Comic Relief. This is Albert's last appearance in Only Fools and Horses. | ||||||
TBA | "Sport Relief Special" "Beckham in Peckham" | Clyde Holcroft | Tony Dow | 21 March 2014 | 9.53 million | 10 mins |
David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst returned for a 2014 Sport Relief special 11 years after the sitcom finished. The sketch saw David Beckham head to Peckham to join Del Boy and Rodney in a greasy spoon café. They attempted to sell Beckham's underpants.[9] |
Related broadcasts
"The Story of Only Fools and Horses" (2002)
Original title | Original airdate | Synopsis | Running time |
---|---|---|---|
Behind-the-scenes documentary featuring cast and crew interviews. |
"Only Fools and Horses: The Favourites" (2015)
Original title | Original airdate | Synopsis | Running time |
---|---|---|---|
David Jason presents a count down of the top 20 Only Fools and Horses episodes as voted for by the viewers to celebrate the nation’s favourite comedy. |
See also
Notes
- ^ "Big Brother". BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ Clark (1998), pp. 146–158
- ^ Webber (2003), p. 5
- ^ "Sleepless in Peckham". BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ a b "Licensed to Drill". ofah.net. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ a b "Robin Flies At Dawn". ofah.net. Retrieved 7 January 2007.
- ^ "White Mice". ofah.net. Retrieved 8 January 2007.
- ^ "Radio Times 1985 Advert". TV Ark. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ "BBC News - David Beckham to appear in Only Fools and Horses". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
References
- Clark, Steve (1998). The Only Fools and Horses Story. BBC Books. ISBN 0-563-38445-X.
- Webber, Richard (2003). The Complete A-Z of Only Fools and Horses. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-6025-9.
- Full Scripts of all Episodes