Comedy that follows two brothers from London's rough Peckham estate as they wheel and deal through a number of dodgy deals and search for the big score that'll make them millionaires.
Things aren't too good at Nelson Mandela house. Raquel's parents are due to visit for dinner and will be meeting Del for the first time, causing her to panic. Dinner is ultimately ruined after Albert...
Arnie, a jeweller who retired early on health grounds, sells Del and his mates some gold chains but then says he wants them back for a previous customer. However he will ensure that he gets double ...
Traders and brothers, Rodney and Derek "Del Boy" Trotter, work from the streets of London buying what they can from the auctions and flogging it down at the market, always saying "This time next year, we'll be millionaires". Their Granddad and, later in the series, Uncle Albert also live in their council flat as the wise old man saying their next scheme won't work and offering in their jokes.
When Buster Merryfield tried out for Uncle Albert, he turned up for the audition wearing a blazer, gray flannel trousers, a shirt and a neatly knotted tie. He read from an old script for the show confidently and very well. After the reading, he got the part, which led to many happy years, according to David Jason. See more »
Goofs
In the first episode Del says he's 12 years Rodney's senior. Yet in series 4 (1985), it's 21 years as Rodney's 24 and says "it's Del's 46th birthday in a few weeks," suggesting Del was born in 1939. In the final episode, Sid's got a picture of Del taken in 1960 when he was 15, now he's born 1944-45. See more »
Quotes
Rodney:
[talking about how to get a date with a beautiful woman]
Just be yourself.
Del Boy:
Oh, leave it out, Rodney; I wanna be in with at least half a chance!
See more »
Alternate Versions
The very first episode, 'Big Brother', originally had a different theme tune, a saxophone theme by Ronnie Hazlehurst. Some later showings have replaced this score with the regular opening and closing songs. (On either version, a variation on Hazlehurst's original score can still be heard in the middle of the episode, as Del-Boy tries to sell the load of dodgy suitcases). See more »
This truly is the greatest comedy to hit the screens in the UK. Some of moments of comic genius written by creator John Sullivan are on a completely different level to anything else seen on British TV. Yes, you can talk about Del falling through the bar, and yes you can talk about the blow up sex dolls. They are classic moments, but there are so many hugely funny scenes that are so advanced, it really is amazing how JS thought of them. For example, my personal favourite is in the episode Heroes and Villains when Del Boy and Rodney go to a publican's ball dressed as Batman and Robin - a good idea for a fancy dress party. But then comes a catalogue of comic brilliance. Firstly, (already dressed in their outfits) the van breaks down in the middle of Peckham. DB and R do a runner and scamper through Peckham only to confront a group of muggers. The muggers leave their intended victim convinced it's the real Batman and Robin! Then comes Rodney's wonderful clench fist (ala Robin) before shouting to Del "Let's go" - in my opinion it's the perfect line and one of British comedy's greatest moments. And to top it off, they finally get to the ball only to find the landlord has 24 hours earlier died. Everyone is dressed in their funeral outfits except for our 'caped crusaders' who stand out like a sore thumb.
John Sullivan's achievements of rattling up 25m viewers is fully justified. Not only does he produce perfect comedy, but he couples that with real drama such as the death of Grandad, Cassie's miscarriage, and Rodney's wedding.
We have grown up with the Trotters - and we have died with them in some cases. But the true brilliance of David Jason, Nick Lyndhurst, Buster Merryfield and of course John Sullivan will live on.
Can I give it 11/10?
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This truly is the greatest comedy to hit the screens in the UK. Some of moments of comic genius written by creator John Sullivan are on a completely different level to anything else seen on British TV. Yes, you can talk about Del falling through the bar, and yes you can talk about the blow up sex dolls. They are classic moments, but there are so many hugely funny scenes that are so advanced, it really is amazing how JS thought of them. For example, my personal favourite is in the episode Heroes and Villains when Del Boy and Rodney go to a publican's ball dressed as Batman and Robin - a good idea for a fancy dress party. But then comes a catalogue of comic brilliance. Firstly, (already dressed in their outfits) the van breaks down in the middle of Peckham. DB and R do a runner and scamper through Peckham only to confront a group of muggers. The muggers leave their intended victim convinced it's the real Batman and Robin! Then comes Rodney's wonderful clench fist (ala Robin) before shouting to Del "Let's go" - in my opinion it's the perfect line and one of British comedy's greatest moments. And to top it off, they finally get to the ball only to find the landlord has 24 hours earlier died. Everyone is dressed in their funeral outfits except for our 'caped crusaders' who stand out like a sore thumb.
John Sullivan's achievements of rattling up 25m viewers is fully justified. Not only does he produce perfect comedy, but he couples that with real drama such as the death of Grandad, Cassie's miscarriage, and Rodney's wedding.
We have grown up with the Trotters - and we have died with them in some cases. But the true brilliance of David Jason, Nick Lyndhurst, Buster Merryfield and of course John Sullivan will live on.
Can I give it 11/10?