S3E2 - Healthy Competition - Only Fools & Horses Podcast

Welcome to Long Live Hooky Street, the podcast where we rewatch and discuss every episode of Britain's most beloved TV comedy, Only Fools & Horses. We are Heather & Jenny, two sisters that grew up in the UK in the 80s and 90s, and now we live on opposite sides of the world. From this podcast you can expect detailed episode breakdowns and lots of fun facts and stories surrounding the production of our favourite TV show from our childhood. Thank you for listening! Today we are discussing Series 3 Episode 2 "Healthy Competition" - The partnership of the Trotter brothers is on shaky ground. Rodney wants to go it alone, but Del might not be as supportive as he hoped...

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
Hello and welcome to Long live Huggy St, the podcast where we
rewatch and discuss every episode of Britain's most
beloved TV comedy, Only Fools and Horses.
I'm Heather and I'm joined from Denver, Co for my my Co host and
sister Jenny. Say hello dude.
Hello. So today we're discussing Series
3, Episode 2, Healthy Competition.
So grab a Ruby Murray and let's get started.

(00:24):
This episode aired on the BBC at8:30 PM on Thursday, November
17th, 1983, continuing to air after Wildlife on One and then
followed by the 9:00 news Up Down Girl Was by Billy Joel was
enjoying its second week as the UK number one song, as well as
Never Say Never Again enjoying its second week as the UK #1 box

(00:45):
office movie viewing figures crept up slightly from last week
to 9.7 million. And we have a few little
interesting episode facts here. Many will remember this episode
as being the first appearance ofthe beloved character Mickey
Pierce, played by Patrick Murray.
After two whole series of mentions, we finally get to see
him in the flesh. The opening sequence in the

(01:07):
department store was filmed at Randall's store outside of
London in Uxbridge. The street to chase scenes were
filmed all around the streets ofthe back alleys of Ealing.
The auction scenes were filmed at Tarrant Hinton Village Hall
in Dorset, which was only 5 minutes away from I were in
Minster where the famous chandelier scenes were filmed.

(01:28):
Bit risky for the trotters to head down that way again.
They might have gotten caught bythe Ridgemeres.
Finally, and this is pretty cool, the Radio Times did a big
double page spread on Only Foolsand Horses in the early November
1983 edition, and the photographer took all of the
photos for that shoot on the scene on scene at the auction

(01:49):
house that day. So you would likely recognise a
lot of those iconic shots taken during this photo shoot I put
here. We'll try and use one as the
thumbnail for this episode, but we might be saving it for the
Series 3 summary. But if you had the VHS when you
were a kid, that was the do you remember that was the front
cover like. That the Dell in like the red
jumper. And the hat.

(02:10):
And Rodney in the great well, Ronnie wears the grey suit a
lot. Yeah, and they're like leaning
up all the industrial fences andlike, yeah, so that's a very
iconic photo shoot. The pictures are everywhere.
I looked on eBay. I was going to buy a copy of the
Radio Times so I could read it, but actually I was able to read
the article on the persons listing, which it's quite
interesting. Yeah.

(02:30):
Like the way that they they basically interview each
character, like they interview each actor about like how they
feel about this show so far. And it's really cool to read it.
It was a big promo that we were talking about in the Series 2
summary about how they got behind the show a little bit
more. A big double page spreads, a
second featurette in the radio time.

(02:51):
That's pretty huge. So yeah.
Radio Times was huge at the at the time.
Yeah, at the radio time, yeah, it has actually become kind of
part of people's lives, like using the Radio Times to plan
what they were going to watch. I remember those days.
Yeah, it's very iconic that they're actually in it, and that
means that they're part of people's lineup now, which is
really cool. So that's it for now.
As usual, I'll scatter the rest of the trivia throughout the

(03:13):
summary. So should we move on to the
episode ranking? Yeah, let's do that.
So if you are new here, we wouldlove for you to subscribe to the
podcast. We release a new episode every
Saturday, so each week we revealand compare our rankings for the
episode. So prior to recording the entire
podcast, we independently rankedall 64 episodes.
So I am really curious to hear what Jenny's ranking is for this

(03:35):
episode out of 64. What have you ranked?
Healthy competition, dude. Yeah, I make a prediction that
yours is going to be higher thanmine because I know this is one
of the ones that's like my ashesto ashes.
Like, I know that you love this episode, but yeah, mine, it's
reasonably high. My ranking is 33.
Yeah, so. Why did you rank it as 33?

(03:58):
I mean, that's quite up there for mine.
Again, like it's. One of your higher ones so far.
Yeah, that's true. I remember you loving this when
we were kids. It wasn't always my very
favourite because what The only thing I don't like about it is I
don't like any episode where Rodney is sad.
And I do feel like he's really sad and embarrassed in this

(04:18):
episode, Adele kind of making fun of him.
But he does like redeem himself obviously towards the end.
But I don't always love it when the Trotters aren't working
together, let's put it that way.But I think the episode is
really fun and different and cool and I love the fact that
we're starting to bring in the side characters with Mickey
Pierce. So yeah, I do think it's a very
strong episode and I think 33 isa pretty good number.

(04:38):
It's, I mean, it's halfway. So yeah.
What is your ranking dude? I don't think you'd be able to
predict what mine is, so I have ranked this as my fifth top
episode of 60. Four, it's in your top 10.
It's in my top 10. Oh my God. #5 out of 64 I You
are quite right. I love this episode.
I always watched it on repeat when I was younger.

(05:03):
I think the episode is again forme.
I think it was just something about this episode, the the
rivalry between Dell and Rodney in this episode, There's
something really compelling about that for me.
And I, I love the fact that Dellis so clever in this episode.
Rodney is so naive. There's just some wonderful
jokes. One of my most favourite jokes

(05:24):
in the whole of Only Fools and Horses is in this episode.
And yeah, I, I just think it's awonderful episode.
As you said, it's, it's different.
It's, it's got a different vibe.We already mentioned last week
that Series 3 is getting stronger, but yeah, this this
episode for me is right up there.
I really love this episode and Inever get sick of watching it on
repeat. So yeah, that's great.

(05:46):
Well, I'm glad you're doing the breakdown this week then.
I requested to do the breakdown this week because I love this
episode. I know you shunted all of them.
Yeah, so I was going to say thatthe IMDb ranking for this one is
26, so it's near to be mine. But yeah, it's obviously very
highly regarded and by fans as well to make it that high up for
being 1/2 an hour and being an older one.

(06:07):
People do remember this one. It's a great episode and we
can't wait to get into it. But yeah, I think you're right.
Like it's got stand out moments to stand out lines.
So OK, let's get into it. OK, so we begin with this
episode with Dell selling in what looks like a shop doorway.

(06:30):
So my first question is how is Dell allowed to stand there
without the shop getting mad? But then I noticed this is a
department store, so maybe they have other entrances and that's
maybe why he's not being asked to move.
But we have Dell selling these. I put robotic dog toys if you've
got a better way to describe them.
No, they are like the little robot dogs, aren't they?

(06:51):
I mean, they're like electronic dogs.
We used to have one of these. The flipper dogs, aren't they
these rather than robot dogs? Because I always think robot
dogs are the ones that you have like a wire and you make them
like walk and stuff. These ones just flip.
They just bark and flip right? I guess.
So yeah. Yeah.
But anyway, these toys are making a lot of noise, a lot of
barking noise. And this is the first time I

(07:11):
think we really get to see Dellsmarket patter in full.
I happen to know that little Prince William has one of these
little fluffy toys in his nursery and buck out.
Now I'll tell you how I know, shall I?
Because his dad gave me a bell last week and he said dill boy,
dill boy, he said. I mean, right lumber.
The enemy's doing her pieces. Because I've forgotten Spud's

(07:33):
birthday. So I think that's really
interesting because at this point we've seen Dell selling, I
think only in the last episode, really like really selling, you
know, giving the patter in the market with the oranges.
But this is really sort of whereDell's character goes in the
future. What we see in this episode
that, you know, standing on a street corner getting a huge
crowd in, I don't think we really see that.

(07:53):
There may be a little bit with the tights in Ashes to Ashes,
but this is I think the first time we really see that charm,
you know, That the the reason that we can believe Dell is
actually making his living this way, you know?
Yeah. I mean, like, yeah, we talked
about last week in Homesick starting off strong with market
scenes. This is the second episode in
Series 3 and we've got fly pitching already, so twice now.

(08:15):
So that's great. So I love it when even just a
little improvised moment, or youcan imagine it's an improvised
moment when Dell says. Yeah, they come completely
batteries. They're guaranteed fully our
strength. What?
Not that one isn't, Yeah. Just little moments like that.
Again, it's it's just so it's comedy gold, and it's also
really in keeping with the character.

(08:36):
And then we see Rodney leaning against the wall of the
department store looking very bored.
He looks completely disinterested in what Dell is
doing. And of course, we find out that
he is suddenly, we cut to a policeman walking through what I
assume is the market because there's a huge crowd of people
and we get the Jaws theme over the top.

(08:59):
Now, I'm going to pass it to Jenny here, because I'm pretty
sure she has something to say about this, because this is not
the music that is used in the DVD version of this episode,
right? No, right.
So all I put in my notes was I didn't know that it said in all
of the trivia I read that the originally the Jaws theme was
used and I had never heard this version.

(09:21):
So what's the version that we watch?
The actual Jaws theme? Because I'd never heard it with
this music, though, yeah. This is definitely not it's, I
mean it's similar what they play, but I don't think it's not
this exact music that we're listening to in what we believe
is the original broadcast we're watching so.
Yeah, that must be the actual music from Jaws then and the one

(09:43):
that we watched, because the onethat I've always seen is like it
says in the in the book that they use a similar sounding tune
on the DVD release or the futureepisode airings.
Yes, but not. Quite.
It's so similar that you can barely tell it's not Jaws.
It's not exactly the kind of thesame build up as the Jaws music,
but this airing that we just watched is the actual Jaws I

(10:05):
think and I've never heard it before until I watched this.
No, it suits so brilliantly because you really do sort of
see as the policeman's head almost as like a fin coming
through the market. There's a couple of all of great
lines here. There's even 1 here that I think
doesn't get a laugh when Dell says.
Now, I'm not going to mess aboutwith coppers.
Now that's a Freudian slip. I just think that's really

(10:26):
clever because again, younger me, I just want to check I'm
understanding the line because he's basically saying he doesn't
want you to give him coins, he wants notes.
Yeah. And then he's also referring to
Policeman when again, just really witty dialogue in this in
this episode. And then we keep cutting back
between the policeman sort of approaching and the Jaws music
and Dell selling. I do think it's interesting that

(10:48):
the policeman is actually not anywhere sort of insight until
the very end, because we're led to believe that Rodney's sort
of, you know, flaking on his duties here.
But actually you can't see the policeman until the very end
anyway. So it's just that last bit that
Rodney really should have seen him.
But of course we have Adele noticing the policeman behind
Rodney, and we get this wonderful facial expression from

(11:10):
David Jason where he gulps really hard and terrified.
Rodney still notices nothing. So he doesn't notice that Dell
stop selling, you know, he just doesn't care, I guess.
And then Dell says. Tell you what, I just
remembered. Be slightly in half an hour.
I just think it's really funny because he didn't need to say

(11:30):
anything. He could have just gone and like
run off. But I love that he takes the
time to make an excuse to all the people in the crowd and he
runs into the department store behind him.
Police officer pushes past Rodney.
Almost looks like he woke him up.
Actually, the way that Nick Lindhurst plays that it looks
like he was dozing against. Yeah, it does.
And then Dell runs through the department store having very

(11:51):
funny interactions with all of the stuff around him.
So the two that obviously are most noticeable, he runs through
a tablecloth, which is really funny and takes it with him.
And then he smashes, smashes some crockery.
And I put making funny Hugo noises.
Yeah. It's very, yeah, it's
cartoonish, isn't it? The whole running theory, Like
yeah, but it's great. Please.

(12:14):
It's just really, really funny. But yeah, David Jason's
hilarious when he, when he makesthose noises.
And even the way David Jason runs, I don't know, it's
something really funny about theway he runs.
Everything's just hilarious. I also put the guy holding the
crockery is very dramatic. Yeah, you go back and watch that
episode, look at his facial expression when the policeman
runs past him. Yeah, he was really going for it

(12:35):
that day. And then we have Dell exiting
through the loading Bay of the store.
So Dells gone through the back and he almost gets away from the
policeman when the policeman suddenly here's the dog toys
barking as though they weren't barking a moment ago and now
they suddenly are, which is a bit of a continuity issue.
I also said at this point Dell must have been quite far away
because the policeman even stopsand like, taps on the lorry

(12:57):
window and then suddenly out of nowhere he hears the barking.
And I didn't think those toys would be that loud, but yeah,
then Dell says to the to the dogtoys.
Shut up, we'll yell. And we see Dell running through
various alleyways, and then we've got these dogs.
This pack of dogs comes out of nowhere and starts chasing him.

(13:18):
Now, I'll mention a little bit more about the dogs later, but
yeah, that's quite funny. And then we have, as if by
magic, Rodney screeching up in the van at the end of this
alleyway, and I just put How on earth do you know where to go?
Yeah, I know. I mean, I think that's just a
very choreographed scene. You're right.
Like the fact that the policemansuddenly appears, even though it

(13:39):
seems impossible. It's just the way that chase
scenes are done, isn't it? And then Rodney knowing exactly
which alley to pull up in. It's still hilarious, but yeah,
very. Hilarious.
I love that that shot of the vanand the screech it makes and it
falls. I was just really funny.
But I mean, there is one possibility, because Dell
actually does hesitate and go back down one of the alleyways
at one point that maybe they've agreed on like an area to meet

(14:01):
if things go wrong. I don't know.
But that's the only thing I can think of as soon because that is
a very exact location. He doesn't even see Dell like
down the alley and sort of pull up looking down.
He just stops, like, right there.
So yeah, that's very interesting.
Then we have this hilarious moment where Dell gets into the
back of the van and he says onlyto release the clasp on the

(14:23):
suitcase and all the dog toys come spilling out into the
streets, which is just. It's like all that effort to get
away and carrying that suitcase,and then it's all for nothing.
Very reminiscent, actually, of the ending of A Touch of Of
Glass, only this time Dell's theone hanging out the back of the
van. Right.
Yeah, it is similar. Yeah, but very, very funny.

(14:45):
I love that. And they're driving away.
And then we get this lovely close up of the dog toys, sort
of almost making them look like they're talking to each other,
sort of getting closer to each other on the road.
And then we see the policeman run down the same alley as Dell
just did before he went in the van, only to be chased back out
of the alley by the dogs that were chasing Dell.
Now I just put about these dogs,dogs that some of these dogs

(15:06):
look very well looked after and I'm sure they were.
So they didn't like stray dogs. So where did all these dogs come
from? Is what I wrote.
Yeah, I don't know. I there was nothing about any
dogs or anything and any of the books and I couldn't find
anything about them. Obviously.
They just got like a bunch of ifit seems to me, like anytime you
bring animals onto a set, it's you adding a massive amount of
stress. So they must have just got like

(15:28):
a nice little dog training groupor something to do this because
they're all different as well. They're all like these different
breeds. They're clearly not stray dogs.
Yeah. That whole thing with the
running that after something andthen it's coming back and
chasing you. It goes all the way to time on
our hands. There's no.
And Rodney, like goes the after the guy and the guy chases
Rodney back. Yeah.

(15:49):
That is kind of a bit of a rehash error of this sequence,
you're right, except this time it's Rodney doing the running
and Del going after him. But does the suitcase, of course
still than time in our hands. So yeah, Oopsie, Daisy.
So yeah, I wonder if like, yeah,we'll get all the way to time in
our hands and I'm like thinking,did David Jason want to like
run, do all that running with the suitcase?

(16:09):
But yeah, running with the suitcase is a kind of a cool
thing that David, Jason just, hemakes it look so funny, like the
running away with the suitcase. I'm saying there's something
great about David Jason's body language when he runs.
I don't know if it's because thesuitcase that he has is always
so massive as well, so it just makes it really funny to watch.
Do you have any more notes on that scene?
Not much. I had just one thing and that
was that. Obviously the Prince William

(16:31):
thing is topical because Prince William was actually born on
June 21st, 1982, which we mentioned before.
I looked up to see if Spud was natural nickname that people
used and AI was really funny andso they were just like.
Spud does not appear to have anyconnection with the Prince
William. I think that's just what people
call babies, like little spud orsomething.
Yeah, it looks like a potato forbabies.

(16:53):
Yeah, perhaps. Yeah, that's all I had.
OK, cool. So then we cut to to Nelson
Mandela. So we're in the flat.
We have this hilarious sequence of Dell coming in.
He opens the door with force. He shuts the door, slams it and
he throws this huge, all the albeit empty suitcase into the
into the rooms, into the corridor where the rooms are,

(17:14):
you know, clearly furious. And then granddad says.
I had a good die, Dell. So Dell explains what happened
to Granddad just as Rodney is walking in the flat, he says.
I've been chased by a gendarm, attacked by Pussycat William and
almost caught rabies and it's all this dipsticks fault.
We're done off exaggerate. Yeah, I mean, it's it, it is an

(17:36):
exaggeration, but at the same time, you can imagine why Dell
would be so upset at this point,all he's just been through.
And on top of everything else, he lost the stock as well.
Yeah, trying. To sell right?
So Ronnies cost them money on ontop of everything else.
So Dell is furious with Rodney and Rodney claims he didn't see
the policeman. Which leads to this excellent
sarcastic line from Granddad where he says.

(17:58):
I mean they are difficult to spot with their size 18 boots
and their pointy gates. Which again made me think of
Jaws, the pointed heads reference, because I just think
of like the policeman's head as like a shark fin going through
the crowd coming towards. Yeah, and I'd never made that
connection before, but maybe that's why he chose the Jaws
theme, because the top of the policeman's hat looks like a
shark's fin. So Dell points out another

(18:18):
incident from the previous week where Rodney also claims he
didn't see a police car. And we get this wonderful line
here that I always thought of when I saw police cars when Dell
says. You must have been a tiny bit
suspicious when this ginormous great big jam sandwich pulled up
next to you. Because he also mentions the

(18:38):
other reference to the toothpaste.
With a red stripe running through it like a tuba signal.
And I didn't know what that was either, but I looked it up and
that was toothpaste that had like a red stripe through the
middle of it. Oh, thanks for that.
A bit of context there. Rodney tells him that he has an
important announcement. He's been thinking about
something for a while. It's been on his mind.
And Rodney says basically that he has got some qualifications,

(19:01):
adult education. And what is he?
I'm a lookout. No, Rodney, you're wrong.
You're not just a lookout, you're a bad lookout.
So, yeah, I, I can understand Rodney's frustration with this.
And this is also the first time that we kind of get it declared
that Rodney is not selling as part of the business, as part of

(19:22):
the partnership. He is the lookout.
This is the first time we get that officially stated because
it's, it's kind of implied a little bit.
Maybe sometimes we see Rodney doing sort of the, the dog's
body stuff, like in the last episode, he was, you know, Dell
made him clean up the stall and everything.
But this is sort of Rodney's first time being given a, a job
title, if you like. The long and short of the

(19:44):
conversation is that he wants toleave the partnership.
And granddad and Dell look at each other like they're really
shocked by this announcement. And then Dell says.
What partnership? But Dell is very dismissive of
all of this, this idea, you know, he says, oh, you don't
want to leave. You know, everything's fine.
Why would you want to do that? And then?
What Rodney says. I'm going it alone.

(20:05):
Who with Mickey Pierce. Mickey.
So I thought it was quite funny that Dell already assumed when
Rodney said he was going it alone that he wasn't actually
going to be. Alone.
Yeah, because I guess you can't do it alone, right?
Well, I mean Dell can. I mean this is the.
Thing so I just. I just thought it was really
interesting. Yeah.
But that Rodney didn't even hesitate.
You know, he wasn't even like, oh, you just assume I'm not

(20:28):
strong enough to go alone. He was like who with Mickey
Pierce, like straight away. It is really.
So yeah, but we obviously we're gonna meet Mickey Pierce soon,
which is great. I love this lion.
Granddad describes Mickey Piercebecause I guess granddads met
Mickey Pierce. We haven't yet.
Robbies, our grandmother. He would.
Oh, don't be stupid, granddad. And that was never proved.

(20:51):
Though everything we've heard about Mickey Pierce to this
point is is bad, I don't think we've ever heard anything good
about him. So I don't really understand why
Rodney wants to go into business.
I mean, he says Mickey's a shrewd businessman, but what
evidence he has of that, I don'tknow.
Yeah, because we certainly don'tsee that in this episode.
No, I mean he's mentioned MickeyPierce in Go West Young man,
right? And then he mentions him in what

(21:13):
other episode is it No Greater love?
Yeah, there is definitely another episode he's mentioned.
Oh, he's yeah, he's on the phone, he says.
Right, He says he's talking to Mickey.
He's. Talking to Mickey Pierce, Yeah.
Yeah. Oh, and he also mentions him in
Christmas Crackers because that's who he got the book off
of. That's right.
Yeah. So we've had a few mentions.
So, but again, we've we've not heard anything good about Mickey
Pierce at this point. And Dell asks where Rodney's

(21:36):
going to get the money to investin sort of this partnership
because he says that Rodney saysthat Mickey Pierce is putting
money in. And then Rodney looks at Dell
and says. I've got my offer, the
partnership. And the look that Rodney gives
in that moment is I've, it's always stuck with me because he
looks so guilty and sad. We just get this, this tiny shot

(21:57):
of, of Nick Lynehurst in that moment when he looks at Dell.
And I think I, one of the other reasons I love this episode so
much is because I, I really do relate a lot to, to Rodney.
And I think my independence and being independent is something
that I've, I've always wanted. Like, even when I was younger, I
think I really wanted to sort ofhave my independence and, and

(22:18):
always wanted to sort of, you know, show people that I could
stand alone and I was strong andI could do things.
And I'm still that way now. So I think that I really do
relate a lot to what Rodney's trying to do, But I also
understand sort of Rodney's, Rodney's feelings about letting
down people because I'm also a people pleaser.
And, you know, Rodney is clearlylike that too, and he cares

(22:41):
about other people. And yeah, I just think there's
there's something really powerful about that look.
It's always sort of stuck with me that he gives in that moment.
And of course, we've got this long silence that goes with that
look where sort of Dell is taking it in, and he looks quite
offended by what Rodney's just said as well, that he's asking
for the money from the partnership.
Yeah, I just wanted to highlightthat look 'cause I think it's

(23:01):
wonderful. Great acting.
And then we have Rodney and Dellcome straight back from that,
both very defiant and stubborn. And Dell reads in the right act
about what going alone really means.
It actually means you're on yourown.
And I don't think Rodney really understands this because even
later in the episode, you know, there's a a few times when he's
like, oh, I'm paying for that aswell, am I?
Yeah. So I don't think he really

(23:22):
understands just how much Dell sort of pays for and how much
Dell supports him. He does give Rodney some of the
money, but Rodney's not happy with the amount.
I feel like this is a a moment we see where Dell sort of, and
we see another time when Dell sort of counts out two piles of
money and then gives the smallest one to Rodney or he
does it with someone else. I'm sure we see that again.

(23:45):
Yeah, that's one of his tricks, isn't it?
Yeah, so he makes a big point ofit.
Like we see him really going through all the notes, like
counting it out while he's lecturing Rodney, and then he
goes, here you go then. And he gives him the smallest
files, So. And Rodney obviously is very
upset about that. Dell mentions that completely
contradicting what he's just said earlier, that actually
things aren't great and he hasn't got any money and he's

(24:06):
just bought some stock off Alfieflowers, which will become
relevant later on. Rodney is once again determined
to show Dell that he can stand on his own 2 feet.
We have seen this in earlier episodes.
I think Big brother's the first example.
I mean, Rodney, you know, very defiantly sort of leaves home
and comes back with his tail between his legs.
There's multiple examples. Can you can you think of any
more dude? I mean, yeah, he does it a lot,

(24:28):
doesn't he? Longlitz of the lorry does it.
When he goes, he goes out and then he comes back and Dell
gives. You mean immediately comes back?
Yes. Yeah.
Well, no, I mean or any other time.
I mean, there are later examplesof Rodney leaving fully.
Yeah, I mean, it's just part of his character, isn't it?
Because he's always getting angry at Dell and trying to
prove a point by storming off orsaying, I'm washing my hands
with this. And then immediately he's like,

(24:50):
oh, I feel bad now. And he comes back because it
shows that there's that like completely like strong bond that
they can never really break between them.
He could never abandoned Dell. They'll could never abandoned
Rodney, so it's like it's very well done in that.
Regard. I completely agree.
And then just just the last notefrom me on this scene, Dell
immediately decides to show Rodney's immaturity or naivety.

(25:11):
I'm not sure which one you want to say when he he says I'll see
you down the auction tomorrow and Dell says.
How will I recognise you? And Ronnie straight away comes
back and describing what he's going to wear and it's just like
already Rodney's trapped. He's just not.
He's just not on it like Dell is.
He doesn't have that. That quick, that quick
wittedness. He's not shrewd.
Well, I know that. I know this is irrelevant, but

(25:33):
Rodney says he's gonna wear a stripy tie and he doesn't wear a
stripy tie. That does not.
It's not relevant. I.
Didn't even notice that. Oh that's interesting.
Maybe decided not to, just to. Yeah, just to prove Doll so Doll
wouldn't recognise him. Yeah, yeah.
That must be it. I'll just wear the same suit I
always wear, is what you should have said.
Because. I don't even know if he has a
stripey tie. Have you ever seen Although does
he wear stripey tie and go wear string man?

(25:54):
I don't know. Okay, never mind, we can't the.
Only one I can think he wears A stripey tie is watching the
girls go by when he's dressed like a negative.
Oh, yeah, right. Yeah.
But do you have any more notes on that on that scene?
Nothing huge I just had two notes 1 was gendarm is actually
the correct use French because it's means policeman and French
speaking countries. And I know Dell does actually

(26:16):
say gendarm in other episodes like he he says it in the future
because I remember him saying it.
And then I don't remember what line this is from, but I wrote
here Pussycat William was a glove puppet that would make an
appearance occasionally on a children's show called Small
Time. They they talk about Pussycat
William in the scene, but I can't think of the line right
now. Attacked by Pussycat William.

(26:37):
Dell actually makes a lot of references to children's TV
shows, so it would kind of make you think he watches a lot of
kids TV. Well, it must be granddad
watching next. Granddad's the one in charge of
the TV's and then Dell just watches with him.
Yeah, maybe. Children's TV is great.
Who used to be Not anymore, but it used to be OK, so now we're
going to go to the auction house.

(26:57):
We see that the auction is already in progress and the 1st
lot that's mentioned or the first lot that we see being sold
are these smoke damage fire alarms and I actually even this
joke is funny and when he says. Well, we've written evidence
from the night Watchmen to say they all went off when the
factory went up. So again, I think it's hilarious
that this is the sort of stuff that, you know, Dell and Rodney

(27:19):
are buying all the time. Is these really?
Ridiculous. Yeah.
Is this the first auction? Is this the first auction that
we've seen actually in the show?Actual auction, yeah, because I
don't even think we ever really see another auction apart from
from when Miranda's selling the painting or Time in Her Hands.
I don't think we do see any moreactual auctions.
We see them coming out of the auctions a few times, so in A

(27:41):
Touch of Glass we saw them leaving the auction.
But I think this is the first time we actually see an auction
in progress. Yes.
So we see Mickey Pierce. We meet Mickey Pierce for the
first time and he's wearing the same hat that he wears
throughout the entire series, which I love that he kept that
the entire time. Mickey, I said immediately comes
across as an over excited child when he says.

(28:05):
Go on big for. Him and Rodney's the one who
shoots him down and shows some maturity and reason.
The first line we have of MickeyPierce is this over excited,
childlike nature. And then Dell comes over,
already trolling them. He's got his troll face on, and
we can see that Dell is not taking Rodney seriously at all.
And Rodney is still very bitter,probably about all the stuff

(28:27):
that was said the day before. And Dell winds up Mickey by
saying. You've got to be very careful
what you do with your hands in aplace like this, ladies and
gentlemen. I mean, I know you didn't
realise it Mickey, but just now you put in a £40 bid for an
electric generator when you scratched your bum.
And then Mickey stupidly believes him, which is just,

(28:48):
again, Mickey Pierce. We only see him for this one
scene, but I feel like we get somuch about him.
So yeah, obviously Dell. Dell was making fun of Mickey
and Rodney realises it but Mickey didn't and Dell I think
sources out here that he can getsome information from Mickey
that Rodney wouldn't give him. So he asks Mickey what they're

(29:09):
after at the auction and Mickey starts to tell him about the cut
glass goblets and Rodney jumps in immediately saying.
No, no way. But I thought you said no, no,
we're not after nothing in particular.
And Dell is clearly way ahead ofthem here because he decides to
warn them about Lot 37. So he obviously knew that this
reverse psychology would work onRodney.

(29:31):
So he tells them that Lot 37's load of old rubbish, you know,
don't bid on it. Rodney and Mickey, of course,
suddenly become very interested in Lot 37 and they decide
they're going to bid for it. Now I do have a question here.
Wouldn't they have seen Dell bidding for the goblets?
Yeah, I wrote that in my notes, Yeah.
Oh, you wrote in your yeah. Because so basically, obviously

(29:54):
we don't find out till the next scene that Dell's bought the
goblets. But we get to the goblets first,
which is lot, I want to say 35 or 36, something like that.
It's obviously before lot 37 because they haven't bid on the
lot 37 yet. The glass goblets would were
being actively bid on while Mickey and Rodney were having
this conversation about if they should buy lot 37 or not.

(30:16):
And Rodney's talking about Dell,and he's looking at Dell when
he's saying. Dell's after Lot 37 and I.
You can see that that's where his eyes are going.
So yeah, wouldn't they have seenDell being like I bid for the
glass goblets? Well, yeah.
So like there's two things that don't wouldn't make sense.
I mean, I'm not like going to pull it apart too much, but they

(30:36):
say that they aren't interested in the goblets, but they're all
going to be in the same auction.So there's no point lying.
I mean, there is actually a tactic in auctions to act like
you're not interested till the last minute.
Let everybody else kind of bid to the price that you know
they're going to go up to, and then if you're happy, you can
wait and only throw in your bid at the last minute to throw
everybody off. There's not actually any way

(30:57):
that Rodney could have like secretly bought the goblets that
Dell knowing. But then there's also no way in
the next scene that Mickey and Rodney wouldn't know that Dell
got the goblets unless they walked away to prove that they
weren't interested in the goblets.
Because they changed their mind,didn't they?
They were not going to go for the goblets now.
So maybe they left the auction house.
But yeah, it isn't really believable, but it's hilarious.

(31:17):
Yeah, Yeah, of course, of course.
Yeah, that's just something that, yeah, a little continuity
thing there. At the end of the scene, we get
this great transition, which I always quote Jenny and I always
quote this. So we get the optimism and
enthusiasm from Rodney and Mickey when they say I should
have. Got to look 37 in.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

(31:39):
We switch on the second, Yeah, to this pile of junk on the
floor outside the auction house,which shows what they actually
bought with all their enthusiasm.
So I just think that transition is is massively done.
It's so funny when you've got this, though.
I don't know why they decided todo that and have, like, the
dialogue overlap into the next scene, maybe.

(32:00):
I don't know if you do, dude. I don't know but it seems like a
ray but edit to me. Like a really funny like Ray,
but cleverly put together shot where where their enthusiasm
immediately cuts to the punch line, which is the junk pile.
Yeah. And as we know, whenever they do
a location scenes, they edit it so the audience sees it that

(32:20):
way. So that's how the audience saw
it. And you hear them laugh when
they see the big pile of lawnmower engines.
So. Yeah.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah.
I just think that's brilliant. And so we've got Nikki and
Rodney are a bit upset about their purchase that's standing
over it looking pretty miserable.
And Dell walks past laughing at them.
We do have the guy, I guess he runs the auction, also laughing

(32:42):
with Dell, Rodney says to Dell. This stuff is a load of rubbish.
Dell delights in the fact that he tricked Rodney and he puts
the blame on to Rodney by saying.
The trouble with you is, Rodney,that you will insist on
thinking. But he knew he would, didn't he?
He knew he would. Yeah.
So Dell knows his brother. And ironically, Rodney doesn't
seem to know Dell that well, because I think he doesn't, I

(33:05):
think he doesn't give Dell his his credit for being as clever
as Dell actually is. It's a double bluff, yeah.
Yeah, Dell. Dell is actually very smart
about these sorts of cons. I think Rodney needs to needs to
remember that a bit more. We find out here that Dell got
the goblets. So the cut glass goblets were
bought by Dell. Mickey asks what they have
bought and Dell says. They are lawn mower engines.

(33:28):
Lawn mower engines listen. They're not ordinary lawn mower
engine no be a broken lawnmower.And again, just the delivery by
David Jason is so funny there, the way that he says that.
And Rodney approaches him, approaches Dell, telling him
that he and Mickey don't have any transport, and he wonders if
he can put some of the lawn mowers in the back of Dell's van

(33:50):
to take them away. Back in my van.
You must be joking, I've only just cleared them out of the
van. So we find out at this point
that what Dell mentioned earlier, the stock he bought
from Alfie Flowers was actually these broken lawnmower engines.
And obviously Rodney is even more upset at this point.

(34:12):
So Dell's not only tricked him into buying this rubbish, but
he's also tricked him into buying this rubbish from Dell.
Which again, I, I honestly, I think I'd feel more sorry for
Rodney here if he hadn't made such stupid decisions.
And also the way that Nick Lynhurst plays in the scene is
not like that. Look I mentioned earlier where

(34:33):
you really feel for him. It's done in a childish, kind of
annoyed way, which makes it too funny to for me to feel sorry
for him. I'm sorry.
Yeah, Rodney says. What are we supposed to do with
them? Oh, why don't you do what I did?
Find yourself a couple of right little plonkers.
We have cash on the ear. And there we get a really
childish moment where Rodney mouths.

(34:54):
I believe it's piss off. That's what it looks like.
Yeah, and again, it's, it's so childish and grumpy, the way
that Nick Lindhurst plays this and Dell obviously delighting in
it. His laugh is so funny and his
smugness is so funny. I I can't feel sorry for Rodney.
I just find it really funny. Rodney and Mickey Pierce are
left alone and they are considering what to do with the

(35:16):
engines. They think about leaving them,
you know, and, and running away and Rodney says.
No, we can't do that. He's got my address.
Yeah, well, he ain't got mine. Ohh.
Thanks partner. So here again, we see the
dynamic between Rodney and Mickey Pierce brought to life
here. Mickey Pierce is clearly a
douche. I mean, I can't for the life of

(35:38):
me understand what possessed Rodney to get involved with him
and start a business with him. I just don't see.
I mean, where's this shrewd businessman that Rodney
mentioned in the first scene that Mickey Pierce is?
Because I, I don't see it at all.
Everything that Mickey Pierce has done in these two scenes
that he's in has been childish, naive, stupid and selfish.

(36:00):
There's no other way to describe.
It. I mean, yeah.
Is it natural, obviously, for Rodney to look up to people who
aren't necessarily got his best interests at heart?
He's always been kind of a childwithout too much guidance, The
only, like, person he's had to look up to his Dell, and he's
always fighting with Dell. So it's natural that he's
looking for another person to lead him and guide him.

(36:21):
And calling Mickey a shrewd businessman is interesting
because, yeah, he only just means he's a schemer the same
way that he means Dell is. Like, he's clever, but Rodney
doesn't approve of scheming. But.
I don't even see him as clever, though.
From there, I mean, like, let's just run away.
Like, of course this stuff is not clever.
Not like Dell's clever SO. But you can see them hanging out
on the pub together and like Mickey telling Rodney has

(36:43):
schemes and Rodney getting all involved after a couple of
pints. Like you can see that happening.
Well, I mean, I don't want to jump ahead, but I can't.
Even when we see Mickey Pierce sort of in the next couple of
series, he's always horrible to Rodney.
I just don't understand why they're friends.
It just doesn't make a lot senseto me.
You. Know well, let me just do this
little bit of trivia on Patrick Murray then, because one of the
last parts that he said about the character of Mickey might be

(37:06):
relevant here. So Patrick Murray was actually
picked out by Ray, but from being in a TV advert for Pizza
Hut and I guess he was playing acharacter that's kind of like
Mickey. He's like failing failing to
chat up a couple of girls. I couldn't find the advert.
I tried. If anyone has a way for me to
watch it, I would love to watch it.
But it says here that the the TVadvert was actually pulled

(37:28):
because the acting was so like funny to the audience that
people were ignoring the fact that it was about pizza and only
focusing on the character. But luckily Ray but saw it in
time and he picked out Patrick Murray from this commercial.
Patrick Murray had never seen any Fools and Horses but it
sounds like the casting happenedreally fast.
So he got offered the job on a Monday and by Wednesday he was

(37:48):
down in Bournemouth filming the auction scenes.
And it says here that he struck up an immediate rapport with
Nicole and Hurst. So because they were both kind
of young kids, yeah. They look like a double act.
Yeah, they absolutely look the part of each other.
I mean, obviously no comment at all on his acting.
His acting is fabulous and yeah,he absolutely is Mickey Pierce.
But from from the characters perspective of Rodney, I can't

(38:10):
for the life me understand why you keep someone like this as a
friend. Yeah, So Mickey, sorry, Patrick
Murray said of the character of Mickey that he kind of seems
like the sort of younger brotherthat been more suited to being
Dells brother, because he would have taken like a lot more of
that stuff and been kind of the business partner.
He probably would have tried to dress up a little bit more

(38:31):
suavely and be more like Dell than Rodney did.
He also wouldn't have minded breaking the rules as much as.
Rodney, Yeah, exactly. He doesn't have the ethics that
Rodney has. So but in the same way as as
Adele, Mickey is a schemer, but the schemes always fall apart.
So so Mickey is more of another Dell and there's no way that so
again, what I was saying about Rodney being drawn to another

(38:51):
strong, confident character likeMickey, it's natural for Rodney
to look for a replacement for Adele.
There's no way he was going to be confident enough to just go
out on his own, right? So.
Yeah, well, yeah, that's that's what I mean.
I think again, Dell knowing straight away that he wasn't
going to be alone when he said he was is already an indication
of the sort of, you know, guy that Rodney is.
He does need that person to support him and he wants to be

(39:14):
independent desperately. But he just, he needs that
safety net, which I, I can definitely, again, absolutely
relate to because I was the sameway when I was younger.
I I desperately wanted my independence, but I did need, I
needed to know there was someonewho had my back if I did mess
up. And yeah, I think even now I
really appreciate my friends in my life for that reason.

(39:34):
But of course, I'm not friends with anyone like Mickey Pierce.
No, the only other note on the scene, because I assume you
probably want to move on now. Harry, the Foreman guy, the one
that comes over, he was played by actor Rex Robinson and he
actually appears in another episode in series 5.
Do you know what it is? I do recognise him.

(39:56):
Oh my God, he's not. It's another episode with Mickey
and he actually says Mickey one of his lines.
Oh, he's he. He's the reverend in Pretty
nasty. That's right.
Yes, he is. There we go.
Yeah, I know. I get it.
Would you have got it without myclue?
Is the question. Probably not.
We'll never know. For the for a second when you
when you said series five, I waslike, is that the guy who rents

(40:18):
the boat out to them and to holdthem back?
And I was like, Oh no, that's not series 5, that's the end of
series 4. So yeah, I just.
I just wanted to say to end thatscene.
Dell is a bit mean to Rodney here, but I and understand the
point he's trying to make. He's trying to help Rodney
understand that he does need Dell.
Basically that's what all this is about.
Yeah. OK, so then we go back to the
flat and Dell comes in with somestrawberries.

(40:39):
He gives them to granddad as a treat and granddad says.
Yeah, I ain't very big, are they?
What do? You mean I ain't very big?
You wouldn't like one of those up your nose for a walk, would
you? Which again, I think is just
those little lines. I feel like we we get more of
them, but now than we used to. Those little moments, moments of
comedy that have nothing to do with the storyline or the plot.
I think that's little comments like that, just that interaction

(41:01):
between Dell and Granddad. I just, I love these little
moments and this episode is fullof them.
And then we find out that Dell has had a great week and he's
been raking in the money. Obviously Rodney's not here at
this point. So this is just between Dell and
Granddad. And we see for the first time I
think we see him give Granddad the housekeeping money.
So we've spoken a little bit before about how the finances of

(41:22):
the flat work and sort of Dell paying for everything and what
goes on. So here we actually see him give
granddad the money to to get thefood in.
Presumably here he also gives granddad £10 as a little bonus.
And granddad says. Now.
Now I'll invest it wisely. While marking down a bet in the
paper, I think even when I was akid I understood what Granddad
was doing there. So making a bet with the money

(41:45):
and then Granddad and Dell discuss how badly that Rodney is
doing and we find out that Rodney hasn't sold the lawn
mower engines yet. I'm not sure how much time is
supposed to have passed here because in the last scene Rodney
says he hasn't had a pint all week, so it's only been one week
and else is that a blinding week?
I think it's supposed to have been about a week.
Yeah, because he mentions days of the week about one day the

(42:09):
lawn mower engines were stolen and the next they were put back.
So a couple of days at least, but probably a week.
I mean, that's that's so funny that all this really is supposed
to take place in a week. I mean, Rodney like completely
gave up within a week of being on his own.
But of course, we find out latersome of the reasons why that
might be. So we get a very funny story
here, which he just mentioned about the lawn mowers.

(42:31):
And I'll say, do you? Know what happened last Tuesday
night? Somebody broke into their shed
and nicked 2 of them engines. No, that's rotten on here.
I feel sorry for young Rodney. No, no, no, it's all right,
because Wednesday night they broke in again and put them.
Back. Yeah, it's nice to see granddad
giving sympathy and like, worrying about Rodney.
Oh yeah, I said Granddad is definitely feeling sorry for

(42:52):
Rodney at this point, because when we hear the door go and
Rodney's coming in, Granddad asks Adele not to mention the
lawnmower engines and said that Rodney's starting to feel a bit
embarrassed. Which, yeah, you can see Grand
Granddad is absolutely, you know, the care, the caring
grandpa, he always takes this role.
And it's lovely to see that Rodney comes in looking
defeated. I said sort of dragging his feet

(43:14):
a bit. I think the other reason I start
to not feel sorry for Rodney is because of all the bluster and
the, you know, the bullshit. It's like, oh, just tell him
that you're struggling, like, and you want to and you want the
help and he just can't do it. So I say Ronnie continues to
bullshit. Oh.
Fine, could not be better. His sole is hanging, half
hanging off his shoe, which he quickly hides.
I thought that's such a wonderful way to show that

(43:36):
Rodney is is not doing well. Like he's still got the suit.
Everything's fine. But they chose to sort of make a
shoe break, which is so it's an interesting choice, but it
really works for this episode and later on, of course, for
another joke. And then Dell immediately does
what granddad asked him not to do when he says.
So those lawnmower engines yet? And Granddad gives Dell a sort

(43:57):
of shut up luck, which again we see a few times Granddad doing
that and Rodney pretends he can't even remember about the.
As if he has so much inventory. Yeah, so much things.
So many things going on he doesn't even remember and he
says. We've had lots of enquiries
obviously, but we're hanging on for the right price.
And Dell goes along with it. It it's almost like a a game of

(44:19):
cards or a game of chess. Oh, sorry, not cards.
Chess between these two, becausethey both know they're full of
shits, like Dell's sort of making out.
Oh, really? Like he believes Rodney when he
clearly doesn't, and Rodney's bullshitting and saying
everything's fine when he's clearly not telling the truth.
So it's really interesting that they decided to both go along
with that. It's sort of seeing who will

(44:40):
crack first. Rodney picks up two strawberries
and looks at them and then asks.Now that reminds me, did the
paperboy bring my son this morning?
So clearly strawberries remind Rodney of breasts.
Not sure why, but I'm not sure what else they could have had
him pick up really to remind himof that.
I don't know, but that moment isnot in.
That's not in the script I looked.
Oh, they must. That must have been something on

(45:01):
the spot that they decided to dothen, because of the way Nick
Lynehurst was holding the strawberries.
Maybe, Maybe it's a good joke. It's a good joke.
So Dell and Granddad tell Rodneythat they've had to cancel his
paper because he hasn't paid hisbill.
And this is where Rodney is is quite upset and Dell reminds
him. Yeah, well, you're on your own
now, remember? Granddad goes to make Rodney

(45:22):
some egg and chips at Rodney's request after lying about having
a hefty lunch with a client, andDell stops him because he knows
Rodney hasn't paid the housekeeping money and Rodney
says. Well, I've got a bit of a cash
flow problem at the moment. And Dell basically tells him
that you can't have anything until he's paid the money.
So this is this is quite harsh. But again, I understand why

(45:42):
Dell's doing it. He's making a point.
Granddad questions Rodney's cashflow problem, saying can.
You have a cash flow problem, Rodney.
I thought you had nearly £200 left out of your share?
Yeah, yeah, that's right. But Mickey's holding the money.
And we see Dell and Granddad give each other a, a look that
Rodney feels the need to justifya little bit more about what

(46:05):
Mickey's doing. And we find out that Mickey is
out of town and Rodney clearly doesn't know where Mickey Pierce
is. I mean, you can see that from
the body language, from the toneof voice and everything.
And then Rodney suddenly goes back to the bullshit.
This happens a few times in the scene where he kind of drops the
pretence for a moment and then he goes, oh, shit.
And then goes back to him. But everything's fine.
Everything's fine. It's all good.

(46:26):
Rodney says that Mickey's doing a big deal at the moment and
that's why he's gone away. And Dell is, of course, as
always through this episode, a step ahead of him, because Dell
already knows that Mickey Pierceis in Benidorm because he bumped
into Mickey Pierce's mum. So he tells Rodney this news,
and Rodney clearly did not know that Mickey Pierce was in
Benidorm because of the facial expressions that he pulls again.

(46:48):
He feels that he needs to keep up the pretence.
And he says, Oh yeah, you know, I knew.
I knew that's where he was going.
And Dell asks what Mickey's doing in Spain and Rodney thinks
fast, if you can call it that, saying that they're going into
the self catering holiday trade,but they're starting in a small
way. And this is, I think a lot of

(47:09):
people will probably love this line as much as I do, but this
is probably one of my favourite lines in the whole of any Fools
and Horses where Granddad says. Well, you've got a windy ass.
There is no time I have watched this episode, no matter how many
times I watch it, that that linedoesn't make me laugh out loud.
And I think it's just the delivery of the line, the line
itself, and also the fact that David, Jason and Linda Pierce

(47:30):
get to laugh at that line so hysterically because a lot of
the time when they tell a joke, the actors don't get to laugh.
But in this is instance, they get to really crack up.
And I've got to say, props to Nicholas Lyndhurst for not
laughing, because I would have been roaring laughter if I'd
have been him. Well, yeah.
Do you know about how like legendary that line is?
Like, you know, the the facts about it?

(47:52):
I'm not sure if you do, but like, it's I don't.
Yeah. So the that line is they called
every line after this episode ifit was gotten a massive laugh or
if it was expected to get a massive laugh, they called the
Lion a Wendy. So it was actually legendary.
Yeah. So first of all, it was filmed
live. So Nicholas Lyndhurst keeping a
straight face and doing that like reaction that he does is is

(48:14):
amazing because it brought the house down.
And David Jason and Nick Lyndhurst commented afterwards
that like they've been trying the their whole careers to get
laughs as high as that. And London PS just sails in,
says 1 little thing and everyonebreak like.
But yeah, the way that they laugh at it is obviously very
genuine. But yeah, even as far forward as
I remember seeing an interview with Tessa Peake Jones, who said

(48:36):
she didn't understand what they meant, but everybody on the set
would say would call lions Wendy's and she didn't know what
that meant. She found out later.
So yeah, obviously a very legendary line.
Oh, it's brilliant. I mean, we had a Wendy house.
You remember one of our holidaysthat we went on the the caravan
holidays we went on and the campsite had a Wendy house.

(48:57):
So obviously I knew what a Wendyhouse was even as a kid the
first time I watched this episode.
And yeah, it just, it's just absolutely brilliant.
Like picturing that they've bought this little Wendy house,
they're going to try and rent itout.
It's just, it's so ridiculous, but it's so funny.
I absolutely adore that line. Rodney, though, is is so
defeated by this point. And maybe that's the reason that
Nick Lenhurst was able to keep his character because he's so

(49:19):
into this, like, you know, defeated, kind of beaten down
Rodney at this point in the scene that he didn't even find
it funny. And Dell says that he's going to
go out for a drink and a Curry. And Rodney let's the truth slip
a little bit here when Dell askshim to come.
And he says, and Dell leans right in to look at Rodney and

(49:40):
says what? And sort of just checking to see
if he's going to spill and he's going to break.
And Rodney straight back to the bullshit again, saying he's got
to stay in and do the company accounts I suppose.
And granddad says. Oh, here they are, piece of
paper passes. Over this very sorry looking
couple of papers with like a pinthrough them or something.

(50:01):
Rodney again here looks like a Moody teenager.
I said all the way through this.It's Moody teenager Rodney and
Dell walks behind Rodney towardsGranddad and points at him and
gives a little laugh towards Granddad showing the audience
that he's he's taking the piss out of Rodney.
Then Dell says. You don't really think I'm that
hard, do you, Rodney? Implying that Rodney can now

(50:22):
come out and have a Curry with him and Rodney gets her full
happy ready to go. And then Dell leans in and says.
Granddad doing their Megan chips, will you?
This whole scene is is fantasticin my opinion.
Just a wonderful entertaining, great lines everything.
Any notes on that scene? Just a couple of things.
So yeah, like Rodney's company accounts, like is is funny

(50:45):
because he does always do that. Like even when he was working
for Dell, he's always trying to keep actual paperwork and notes
and receipts, which we know endsup coming back and saving the
trotters at the very end. So they need both trotters to be
successful. Dells David Jason does the
facial expression for Dell when he finds out that mickey's
holding the money you can see definitely a hint of protective

(51:06):
side Dell coming out he's angry because he's like Oh yeah that
little shit bag like he's took the money and gone even though
he knew that already he. Knew that already I was going
to. Say, but then he does look as if
like he's like, OK, this is a moment where I'm like I'm the
brother and I'm going to protectRodney, but he obviously keeps
the pretence going. He doesn't show he.
Has to, doesn't he? Has to let Rodney get what?
Is it just enough rope to hang yourself?

(51:27):
Yeah, that's the same exactly. But if we go all the way back to
the beginning of the scene, Dellwalks in all affluent with the
strawberries and the Financial Times.
We actually see that Dell is doing well and he doesn't have
Rodney. But so like, what exactly are we
seeing here? Why doesn't Dell just go off and
do well on his own? So then as an audience, we know
he needs Rodney on an emotional level.

(51:49):
It's not actually because he needs a bad lookout, he actually
needs like Rodney to be around and just part of his life.
So. Oh, absolutely.
Yeah, I completely agree with you.
I mean, yeah, that that's the case sort of throughout the
series, I think even when like Rodney leaves home.
I know Dell like makes a lot of sort of jokes about it and
everything, but you can see. I mean, obviously we'll get to

(52:09):
it in the in the episode little problems.
But the scene where Dell sort offinally realises that Rodney's
left when he's listening to the Simply Red Song, which I won't
play because we got done for copyright last time.
Yeah. I mean, that is one of the most
emotional moments in the whole of Only Fools and Horses.
And it is, as you say, it's, it's, it's strange because Dell
talks on a number of occasions about how he'd do better if he'd

(52:31):
put Rodney in care. If he'd gotten rid of Rodney,
he'd be, he'd be this, he'd be that.
But even with that sort of maybethose feelings, sometimes he
still wants Rodney in his life. And he doesn't just want him in
his life. He wants him as a constant, sort
of like a constant presence in his life.
He doesn't want him gone even for like a little bit.
Yeah, because even all the way back in rock and chips, dull

(52:53):
schemes and working by himself or with his friends back then,
like Jumbo, he's always very he does well, like he makes money.
He doesn't need Rodney to make money.
He just needs Rodney to give himan emotional stability.
Yeah, that's all it is. And he family, I mean, he, you
know, Rodney's is his, his brother.
And even though we find out later he's his half brother, but
he's, he's still, it's, it's allhe's ever known.

(53:14):
And you know, same for Rodney. He's got this, you know, he
insults Dell and the second someone else jumps in and does
it, he gets very protective. Yeah.
So, yeah, it's it's lovely. It's a lovely relationship they
have. And that's why we watch them all
these years. And we still love the show as
much as we do. Any more notes on that scene?
No, that's all I have. Yeah, we can move on to the.
Star of Bengal, yes, after the Star of Bengal.

(53:34):
So I would say this is sort of where the episode starts to wind
down a little bit from its like its highlights.
I said that that last scene for me is the peak of like comedy,
Only Fools and horses writing. I just love that whole scene.
But then we have Dell eating alone in the Star of Bengal, and
he finds out that young Taza is in now.
I don't think we ever see young towers again.

(53:56):
We don't hear about young towersagain, do we?
Have to. I don't remember if he's ever
mentioned again. Yeah, honestly, I can't think of
a natural mentioning of him, butyeah, this is the one and only.
Do you? Have any idea on the origins of
the name Young Towers? Because he isn't young, is he?
Well, he's it would indicate that he's the younger of two
towers or more towers. Yeah, because like he would.

(54:16):
Because I always wondered why hewas called Young Towers when he
came over. He's the same age as Dell.
But I noted that he looks so much like Dell.
If you look at the costume and everything and all the different
features of this guy, he's like a Dell.
Another Dell. Yeah, true.
So he's obviously supposed to bepart of the same circle.
He's got the hat, he's got the jewel, He's got the same sort of
sweater and everything. Yeah, he's like, he's like a

(54:37):
Dell twin. So he calls Towser over to the
table, offers him a drink and heconvinces Towser to offer Rodney
£200 for the lawn mower engines.So I said it's really nice thing
for Dell to do here for Rodney. It's like he he understands that
this is the way it has to kind of end.
And there's this lovely line here that Dell says why he's

(54:58):
doing it. And he says.
But I want him to think but he'sbeen successful.
I want him to believe that he's proved me wrong.
It's important, tells UP. Which I just think is it sums up
Dells entire sort of attitude towards Rodney.
Even though we've seen the entire episode, Dell taking the
Mickey, he does know that this has to end in this way, that

(55:20):
Rodney's feels that he's had a success and he's willing to take
a bullet if you like, for himself and his own pride in
order to let Rodney win. Even though, of course, it's
Dell pulling the strings behind.But you know, he wants that win
for Rodney, and I think that's lovely.
Dell keeps stopping towers from drinking.
Yeah, every time, towers. Yeah, and finally, Dell actually

(55:41):
downs Tauser's drink when he goes to leave as well.
So Tauser doesn't get any of hisdrink even though Dell offered
it to him. I also put there's quite a lot
of food still left on the table when Dell goes to leave.
I don't know if Dell was rushingout there because he gave Tauser
some money and he wanted to do what he does in the scene where
he gives him the £20 and then hesays.
I wouldn't pay that bill if I were you.
He. Takes the money off Tauser and

(56:01):
puts it to pay the bill and I just wondered why would Tauser
still do it? He dealt up the money he was
paying for him to do it. I.
Don't know. Yeah, but you find that out,
don't you? Because he does still do it, but
he takes a cut. Yeah.
So. More Yeah, he takes his wife
Grid instead of 20. I don't know why Del didn't see
that coming. I mean, it's obvious that Towers
is a very similar character and he's not going to do it just for

(56:23):
free. I also put a note here that is
that that thing where Dale keepsputting his hand and stopping
Tausa from drinking? It's in another episode but I
can't think what it is. I thought they use that in
something else, but I'll have tolike circle back and remember.
I don't. The only thing I can think of is
an episode of Sooty which I believe is tap time where Connie

(56:45):
keeps going to drink and Matthewkeeps stopping us.
Right. That might be what I'm thinking
of. So like, it might have been like
a common kind of joke in that time.
Like maybe a few other shows didit because it's very clever,
because it requires a lot of misdirection and not looking,
but like just moving your hand at the right time because you
can see that that towels are like looks dull.
And he's like, I'm going to drink now.
He tries to drink really quickly.

(57:05):
And then, just as he does it, Dell turns around and goes.
Don't let him know. Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Yeah, it's, it's, yeah, it's, it's a, it's a, it's a comedy
timing thing, right. Which again, is always just
perfectly. But yeah, 'cause when people do
that joke, as you say, they theylift up and they sort of take a
big breath like they're about todrink and they're really excited
about it. Obviously when you drink in real
life, you don't drink like that.So yeah, I think it's definitely

(57:28):
an episode of Sutti. For those of you that are Sutti
fans called Tap Time I. Believe in that episode.
That's probably what I'm thinking of then.
Yeah. OK yeah.
And then the only other note I had, which is something that we
did mention in Diamonds of Heather, which is the Dev Sagu
plays the same waiter in the Curry house.
So we're assuming that's the same Curry house that he
proposed to Heather in. We'll move on to our last scene

(57:48):
of the episode. So we're back in the Nags Head
and Rodney's sitting at a table looking miserable.
Doesn't have a drink. We're not back.
We haven't been in the Nags Head.
Oh God, we haven't. Sorry, we are.
When I say back in the Nags Head, I mean.
What in general? I knew that.
I mean, I knew I was just sayingwe're back in the Nags Head.
Sorry, I'm doing Adele. So yeah, we're going to the Nags
Head. There we go.

(58:08):
And Rodney's sitting there miserable.
Dell has got a drink and he onceagain teases Rodney.
He comes towards him with his drink as though he's going to
give it to Rodney, and then he takes it away at the last moment
and has a drink, a big sip, and does so.
Dell is carrying a stack of money and I put not very safe.
I wouldn't have thought he's gota proper word of cash on him

(58:29):
openly holding it in the pub. And we find out later from He
Ain't Heavy is my uncle that that is a bad idea snowball for
Dora. Yeah.
Carrying the money. Large snowball.
Large snowball for Dora. Sorry, my bad.
And then the skinheads look at him.
But maybe there's no skinheads in the pub on this particular
day. Dell goads Rodney again about

(58:50):
the lawnmower engines. But obviously we know he's doing
it for a reason here. He wants Rodney to tell him
about what happened and Rodney is very smug when he says.
For your information, Derek, this morning I successfully
negotiated the sale of them engines to young Touser.
Dell acts surprised but of course he is just humouring
Rodney because this was all Dells idea and Rodney is finally

(59:14):
honest about Mickey Pierce here and he says they're no longer
partners. We don't really know exactly
what transpired, but we can surmise from the earlier
episode, the earlier episode, the earlier scene that Rodney
has decided to completely cut Mickey Pierce out of his life
now. But again that doesn't last very
long because he's back in it again.
In a later episode. Dell tricks Rodney into thinking

(59:35):
that it's his idea to be partners again.
They're actually both thinking the same thing, but he makes
Rodney be the 1:00 to say it, ifyou like.
It looks like it might backfire on Dell when Rodney says.
And now I've got experience in buying and selling myself.
Yeah, that could be invaluable, Rogers.
I feel like this is a similar conversation when they're
talking about the I think it's in modern men.

(59:57):
Is it when they go bye bye bye? Yeah, so so.
So yeah, just shows pretty much the entire time the entire run
of Only Fools and Horses. Rodney never learnt how to sell,
not really. Yeah.
And isn't Modern Men a little bit like a call back to this
episode because Rodney wants to leave and then he ends up coming
full circle and then he stays? Yeah.
Yeah, and he gets he gets trolled by Dell and.

(01:00:18):
The phone call, it's very similar.
It's a similar kind of premise, yeah.
Similar premise. Yeah, that part of the episode,
definitely. And so Dell decides that they
should pull all their money backtogether.
And he asks how much Rodney got for the lawnmower engines.
And he says a. 165 lbs. And we find out in that moment,
of course, that Tauser has ripped Dell off about for 35

(01:00:40):
lbs, so £15 more than he was dueto have.
I don't blame Tauser though, to be honest.
Dell, because he took the money and I didn't give him any
payment for what he did. So yeah.
Exactly. I wonder in the situation.
Obviously we never find out, butI wonder what Dell will do to
young towers or when he sees them because he's found out
about this. I can't imagine Dell letting
something like this go, but it'sactually something that Dell

(01:01:01):
would do so. I was going to say, I think they
just do these kinds of little things to each other.
It's like the Boise and Dell relationship.
It's a friendship, but they alsoRIP each other off and they get
their own back and stuff. I don't think it's like a
serious thing. He's not going to be a.
True, a true friend wouldn't have to pay you £20 to do this
for you. You just.
Do it. So it's just kind of part of the
nature of the business that they're in.

(01:01:21):
Yeah. But of course then we have the
reveal where Rodney says. I went down to Alfie Flowers,
y'all got us another load of lawnmower and jeans.
And this gets a huge laugh. Now, in my opinion, that's where
the episode should have ended. Yeah, I think that would have
been a great ending, that Lion Dell's face and the.
Good products. Kicking.
I think that would have been great because that's that gets

(01:01:42):
such a huge laugh and it's a great reveal.
It sort of brings everything back full circle, shows that
Dell's scheme backfired on him. But it's not where the episode
ends, so we get a little bit more dialogue.
So Rodney asks Dell for help andhe explains all the hardships
he's gone through over the past week.
He says. I had a pint all week.
All I've had to eat his granddad's cooking and look, the

(01:02:03):
soul's coming off me. Best Gucci look?
Yeah, I'll help you out, Rogers.Put that round your Gucci or
stop the soul coming off. That's the last line we get,
which is a bit anticlimactic. I really think they should have
ended the episode earlier, but it still doesn't ruin the
episode for me. I still think this episode is

(01:02:24):
genius. Yeah, that's the only note I put
on the whole scene is that they're they've chose the wrong
line to end it on. They should have just ended it
with I went down to Alfie Flowers lot and got another load
of lawn mower engines and then they could have just let that
end. Yeah, that in my opinion that
would have been a perfect ending.
But let us know in the comments if you think the same or if you
think it should have ended when it did, or maybe a different

(01:02:44):
line you think it it should haveended or a different way it
should have ended. Yeah.
But yeah, that's all I have for this fantastic episode in my top
five. So let's move on to our awards
segment. And guess what?
He's only one. OK, let's do that.
So, as always, we have three awards to announce this week.
We'll start with Plonker of the Week.

(01:03:05):
Don't be a plonker. For Plonker of the Week, we each
nominate A plonker and then discuss and decide who wins.
So, Heather, who is your Plonkerof the Week?
Well, for me, I know Rodney actsa bit silly and naive in this
episode, but I do think I understand why he's doing it.
So I can't give it to Rodney. I am giving it to Mickey Pierce.
Yeah, I just forgot who I nominated.

(01:03:26):
I looked and I've nominated Rodney.
But actually, I'll nominate Rodney.
I actually think I want to choose a Mickey Pierce.
Yeah, Rodney. Rodney's just like, you know,
finding his feet in life. And he does some stupid things,
but he tries to double bluff with Dell.
He's not stupid or anything. The only thing he probably did
that was stupid, which is rush off and buy more lawnmower

(01:03:46):
engines. That is pretty stupid.
But that's. Pretty stupid, but at the same
time from his perspective. Yeah, so he just found out that
he thought that they were worth a tonne of money and that the
guy can't get enough of them engines.
So yeah, like I would say he's not really the plonker.
Let's give it to Mickey Pierce. Yeah, Mickey Pierce is a
terrible business partner and a terrible friend.
That's what I wrote. Yeah.
And Rodney didn't stand a chancewith him as his business

(01:04:08):
partner. That's what I said.
OK, Mickey Pierce, Plunker of the Week.
It's good, isn't it? So this week Heather will award
the best line of the episode andI will award the best moment of
the episode. So dude, what have you chosen
for your? Extremely.
Obvious best line. This is kind of like when I got
the best moment in the Chandelier episode.
So. So what's your best line of the
episode, dude? Obviously it's well, you got a

(01:04:28):
windy ass. Yeah, that's an infamous best
line. So it's kind of it goes without
saying. Brilliant line.
And what about the best moment? Yeah, so I thought a little bit
about it, but I do think the best moment of the episode is
when Dell is in the back of the van and he opens the suitcase
and all the dogs fall out when the van pulls away.
I think that's probably the best.
It's at least the most comedy slapstick moment.

(01:04:49):
There's lots of great emotional moments.
But yeah, I'm just going to giveit to that.
Yeah, the montage overall, but that little clip is.
Yeah, the chase sequence is verygood.
Yeah. It's a really strong start to
the episode. It really hooks you in.
Yeah. And it sets up everything that
happens in the episode. I agree with you.
I think that is that is a great moment in the episode, the
entire chase sequence, but especially the dogs falling out.

(01:05:10):
Yeah, honourable mentions is thecut to the lawnmower engines
from the auction scene and yeah,that would yeah, yeah.
I also love the way they followed that out with Have you
bought this son? Yeah.
Rodney's little. Yeah.
Just really funny. Yeah, yeah, a great episode.

(01:05:33):
I really enjoyed reviewing this one.
OK, drink up, drink up. We're leaving.
So that about wraps it up for this week.
Please consider giving us a likeor a follow.
We love to read your comments and emails, so hang on until the
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(01:06:04):
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