Only Fools and Horses (TV Series) The Russians Are Coming (1981) User Reviews

Funny, topical and serious

[snoozejonc · 8/10 · 8 September 2020]

Del gets hold of a DIY nuclear fallout shelter and he, Rodney and Granddad prepare for potential holocaust.

Written at the height of the Cold War and this is an early example of John Sullivan tackling some pretty big themes with not just comedy but also a touch of seriousness.

It has a plot that is essentially one long set up to a punchline delivered in the final image of the episode, however the material we are given in between is excellent. The jokes and banter a plentiful and delivered with the usual timing and charisma of the central three characters.

The highlight of the show for once isn't a comedy sequence, it is a monologue delivered by Leonard Pearce about the devastation of the First World War. The episode has an anti-war theme which culminates in Granddad setting Del straight on the realities of it all.

This episode for me showcased Sullivan's ability to inject drama into comedic plots in the right circumstance and is one of the highlights of the early seasons.

For me it's a 7.5 but I like to round upwards.

Granddad's speech steals the cake

[TheEnglishChap · 10/10 · 8 August 2020]

Watching this almost thirty years after being aired, it still makes me laugh. The premise has been described by others, which involves Del buying a pile of bricks witch happens to have boxes of lead under them. Cut into the episode to find our lovable trio nested in their nuclear fallout shelter and Del going on about how the glory of going to war will be obsolete. Cue Granddad's monologue speech about the truth of the First World War. You have to remember, when this was aired, there were still WW1 survivors alive, which makes this all the more poignant. A slap of harsh reality in a comedic scenario is the genius of John Sullivan. It is speeches like this that ought to be highlighted and pondered on. Well done, Granddad.

Protect & Survive

[ShadeGrenade · 10/10 · 29 December 2009]

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 provoked outrage in the West, leading many to believe that an all-out nuclear war was on the cards. Both Thatcher and Reagan exploited the fear for their own ends, the latter famously denouncing the U.S.S.R. as the 'evil empire'.

It was in this climate that this wonderful episode of the first season of 'Only Fools & Horses' came to be made. Del has bought a lot of lead, and Rodney finds out it was intended to comprise a home-made nuclear fallout shelter. They decide to build it on Grandad's allotment. There is just one problem - it cannot be reached within the required four minutes.

Having erected it somewhere else ( we do not find out where until the end ), the Trotters prepare to spend a night there...

This provided the first signs of the show turning from just another funny sitcom into something special. Grandad's 'Heroes fit for homes' speech is emotionally affecting, beautifully written by John Sullivan and delivered immaculately by Lennard Pearce.

Funniest moment - Rodney declaring that he would not wear a uniform on principle. "What principle?" asks Del. "In case the Russians tried to shoot at it!", he says.

Fantastic

[carkicos · 17 October 2011]

The streak has really started. "The Russians are Coming" is a brilliant, hilarious and ingenious episode. It's also clever, full of brilliant anti- war comments and hilarious one-liners. The story goes: Del Boy finds a make-it-yourself bomb-shelter and they build it on top of the building. The rest of the episode is an amazing batch of one-liners, clever dialog's.

"The Russians are Coming" is one of the greatest episodes ever and it is a proud member of the golden collection of BBC. I have to compliment John Sullivan's brilliant development of writing dialog's and one-liners. The performances of the three leads are brilliant and unforgettable twist at the very end is a clever, well-directed long shot revealing the position of the bomb-shelter.

We'll Be Safe as Houses...

[Lunerar · 5/10 · 10 June 2020]

Like many of the episodes in the first series there is one big joke that the entire episode is designed around and builds towards. Not knowing what to expect can likely result in a better viewing experience but having watched all of these episodes before and knowing what to expect I feel myself viewing these episodes without really taking the endings into consideration.

There are some good moments and the first half is decent but the second half drags a bit. Good but not the best in the first series, let alone the entire show.

The Russians Are Coming

[studioAT · 4/10 · 19 July 2020]

As with lots of these 1st series episodes, there are some nice moments here, but it still feels very much like a work in progress.

Granddads speech is the highlight.