Big Brother (8 Sep. 1981)

Del employs younger brother Rodney as a member of Trotters' Independent Traders, despite warnings from his business colleagues. When Rodney decides to become the Trotters' financial adviser... See full summary »

Director:

Martin Shardlow

Writer:

John Sullivan

Stars:

David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Lennard Pearce

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
David Jason	...	Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter
Nicholas Lyndhurst	...	Rodney Trotter
Lennard Pearce	...	Grandad
Peta Bernard	...	Joyce the Barmaid
Roger Lloyd-Pack	...	Trigger (as Roger Lloyd Pack)

Storyline

Del employs younger brother Rodney as a member of Trotters' Independent Traders, despite warnings from his business colleagues. When Rodney decides to become the Trotters' financial adviser - monitoring the accounts and keeping Del's dodgy dealings in check - Del has second thoughts about their partnership. Cracks show in the partnership when Rodney inadvertently bungles a deal with Trigger. But despite Del's anger, it turns out that Rodder's advice would have prevented the purchase of 25 briefcases that are locked with the serial number inside. Del and Rodney have yet another row and 'Little Bruv' plans a career change. Desperate to make his mark on the world, Rodney decides to leave for Hong Kong - a great plan, if only he'd remembered his passport.

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Plot Keywords:

passport | briefcase | leaving home

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 September 1981 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Grandad is trying to play draughts on the talking chess game, the voice on the game talks before he presses the button.

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Quotes

Rodney: Come on, Del, let's have it. Just how do you see our respective roles in this partnership?
Del Boy: I see it as a combination of my business acumen and salesmanship, and your ability to drive a three-wheeled van. Badly. Or did you see yourself in a different position?
Rodney: Well, yes I did, actually! With my qualifications and experience, I saw myself more in the role of a financial advisor!
Del Boy: Financial advisor? Listen to this, Grandad. This morning, I had just clinched a deal to buy twenty five briefcases for ...

User Reviews

Doesn't pull up any trees but a decent enough start

There were a number of classic episodes in the opening series of arguably Britain's most popular ever sitcom but although this isn't one of them, things do get off to a fine start with the emphasis here as much on character-fleshing as laugh-out-loud comedy moments. Del Boy is soon established as a fast-talking eternal optimist with a penchant for diving into deals ( one-legged turkeys and reject briefcases ) without, and invariably with subsequent regret, asking too many questions first. No exotic cocktails yet, just halves of lager. Rodney's already doing plenty of whining and moaning and wastes no time in having a big fall-out with Del ( in which they both declared that the other had been an embarrassment to them ) before attempting to leave home ( albeit for 6 days ). Grandad is lazy, work-shy ( a lamplighters waiting for gas to make a comeback ), none-too-bright ( tries to play draughts on a computer chess game ), stubborn ( it's Sidney Potter ) but, most of all, lovable. Trigger's negotiations with Del about the briefcases leaves no-one in any doubt that he's not the sharpest tool in the box and don't blink or you'll miss an uncredited cameo by Tessa-Peake Jones who, of course, went on to play Raquel, though not in this episode.

No classic comedy moments to speak of but the Trotters saga was off and running.