The Jewel in the Beebs Crown (Only Fools and Horses)

Member Name: blackfire71

Product:	Only Fools and Horses
Date:	30/07/02 (188 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Everything

Disadvantages: It's got to end

Only Fools and Horses started on 8th September 1981. And surprisingly it failed to make any impact, with lukewarm critical reception and decent, but not great, audience figures. Whilst the BBC were pleased with a reasonable success, they weren't exactly shouting about it. It wasn't until 1983, when the second series was repeated in the summertime, that Only Fools started to gather momentum. In December 1984, Lennard Pearce, who played Grandad, died. Rather than replace him, Buster Merryfield, also now dead, came in as Del and Rodney's long-lost uncle. By 1988 it was achieving audience figures of nearly 20 million per show, and the episodes increased from 30 minutes to 50 minutes. The show went from strength to strength, and by 1996 it was causing power surges when viewers boiled their kettles after each show. The official figure for "Time on our Hands", supposedly the last ever episode was 24.9 million, but the figure veered from 23.2 to 29.7 million.

The basic outline of Only Fools is thus. Del Trotter (David Jason) was left to raise his younger brother (Rodney), following the death of their mother. They live in a tatty council flat in Peckham, South London, with their grandfather and later their great uncle Albert. Del and Rodney strive to make a success of Trotter's Independent Traders (infamous for the Robin Reliant company vehicle) whilst trying to make their love-lives work. Both eventually settle, Rodney with ambitious bank-clerk Cassandra (Gwyneth Strong) and Del with would-be actress Raquel (Tessa Peake-Jones).

Right from the first episode it is transparent that all the ingredients of a good comedy are there. Believable characters, credible situations, excellent script, flawless acting, etc. These strengths developed through time, and what little weakness there was has been rectified.

The thing that really does it with me, and so many other people, and what sets this program apart, are t
he characters. Watch any modern situation comedy, "My Family" for example, and you will see a bunch of cardboard cut-outs walking around the screen being "funny". In Only Fools we have a broad spectrum of REAL people. Del with all his perfectly human ways, Rodney with his very real doubts and regrets about his own life (summed up thus: "if there is such a thing as reincarnation, knowing my luck I'll come back as me!") and his marital problems with ambitious Cassandra, sarcastic, snobby Boycie, good ol' Mike. Boycie's playful wife Marlene is also a hoot. Jokes in sit-coms just cannot carry any weight if the people making them are incredulous or implausible. The excellent script contributes highly to the success of the characters.

Only Fools is not one of those "My Family"'s where the jokes are machine gunned at the viewers, with every line trying to provoke some sort of reaction. In Only Fools and Horses the jokes are structured into the events, and there is no shortage of serious, heart-warming or tragic moments. The writer, John Sullivan, displayed his capability in the scene depicting Grandad's funeral. Sadness and heartache of the characters, with whom we could really sympathise, blended seamlessly with appropriate and light jokes to lift the mood slightly. Compare that to the indignity of the funeral episode in "My Family".

Each episode does not stand entirely alone, as in many other comedies. The deterioration of Rodney and Cassandra's marriage ran over an entire series, and even when they were back together it was made clear that they were still making a real effort to make sure it worked out. Cassandra's miscarriage was perhaps the most touching moment in the history of comedy.

And then there's the jokes. Surpisingly, for a comedy show, it would still be a success without them! In some episodes they don't even need to be there b
ecause the situations are hilarious enough by themselves. Smuggling out some blunderingly purchased life-size inflatable dolls (of the XXX variety). Winning a competition for a holiday and mistakenly being put into the under 15 category, therefore having to pretend to be 14 and subsequently being enrolled in the "Groovy-Gang". "Chain Gang" stands out as having the most complex and enjoyable storyline however.

And then there's the verbal jokes; priceless. My personal favourite came from Grandad when Rodney commented that he was expanding his "business" to holiday homes abroad - "what you got? A wendyhouse?"

The stronger episodes of the series are, as with most comedies, the later ones. The first few series' did have their gems however. The Yellow Peril, Homesick, Friday the 14th, Sleeping Dogs Lie and Who's a Pretty Boy are amongst the most memorable. Who's a Pretty Boy, in 1983, contains the sole performance of Corrine, wife of Denzil, who would have developed into a very strong character. Sadly actress, Eva Mottley died on Saint Valentine's Day 1985.

Moving onto the 50-minute episodes, Yuppy Love, The Unlucky Winner is..., Danger UXD, Chain Gang, Stage Fright, The Sky's the Limit, Little Problems and Three Men, a Woman and a Baby are classics. Not to forget the feature length specials, The Frog's Legacy, The Jolly Boy's Outing, Rodney Come Home, Mother Nature's Son, Fatal Extraction and the 1996 trilogy are also outstanding.

There are some weaker episodes. Miami Twice, first shown in 1991 in two parts and later as a feature length special is not a good example of this show at its best. Despite the fact it contained an interesting premise with good jokes, it was too experimental and strayed away from what made Only Fools. Class of 62, He Aint Heavy he's my Uncle, Christmas Crackers (1981), A Royal Flush, and To Hull and Back, are also
below par. The two latter episodes were already at disadvantages because they lacked laughter tracks and spoiled the feel of the shows.

Although Only Fools and Horses returned at Christmas 2001, with promises for more episodes to come, Only Fools is on its deathbed. The show continued despite Lennard Pearce and Eva Mottley's sudden deaths but recent losses of Buster Merryfield in 1999 and Kenneth MacDonald (Mike), in August 2001 aged just 50, have taken away two central characters. Delboy is now in his 60's and, inevitably, the crisp youth-feel to it has faded. The show was essentially about striving to achieve ambitions - but when the characters are in their 50s and 60s this theme inevitably fades. Despite this, the excellent writing and acting will surely shine through in any future episodes. Although the original situation and setting are dated the show itself will never ever go mouldy.

Only Fools is undoubtedly the best of the best but there are several other programs which are equally enjoyable. "Fawlty Towers" (1975 and 1979), "The Good Life" (1975-1978), the first series of "Absolutely Fabulous" (1992), and certain episodes of "One Foot in the Grave" (1989) and (early) "Birds of a Feather" are excellent. Although I generally don't like it, "My Family" does show good qualities from time to time, same applies to "2point4 Children". For sheer slapstick watch "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em" (1973). Also worthy of a mention is "the Vicar of Dibley", although it was at its best before it went dramatically over-the-top. Shows like "Blackadder", "Dad's Army", "Last of the Summer Wine" and other supposed classics don't appeal to me - not to say they're bad - just my personal taste.

This one's a legend, and so it deserves to be. Forget all the trash that gets trumpeted about l
ately - this is the one and only.

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