DIAMONDS ARE FOR HEATHER- One of my least favorite episodes, I’ve probably only watched 2-3 times. Set up solely to show how good Del could possibly be with children, which is nice, but I can’t think of a single funny bit and too much of it’s taken up by people singing Ol' Shep.
THICKER THAN WATER - great episode and the only one with Del & Rodney’s father, who shows up for the first time after walking out on them decades earlier. Del’s cynicism about him being a changed man and Rodney’s optimism makes perfect sense, and in the end when Del Boy gives his father money while kicking him out of their lives forever is one of my favorite moments of the show. Ironically, Reg’s scam was to convince Del Boy he wasn’t his son….when we’d later find out the truth is that Rodney wasn’t.
TO HULL AND BACK - always on people’s Best-of lists, and I’ve never understood why. Sure it’s interesting because it’s a feature-length episode, but the first scene goes on forever, there’s no laugh track, and the whole thing is confusing. There’s no real lightness to it. Maybe I’ll give it a spin since so many people love it, but I have my doubts.
A ROYAL FLUSH - this is the one most fans hate, mainly because of how badly Del Boy is portrayed. Which I agree with, but some of the scenes are so funny (Del Boy shooting skeet!) that I like it more than most do. Also, while del's actions are deplorable they are, as usual, solely based on providing for the family.
THE FROG’S LEGACY - not much to this episode other than setting the stage for us to find out Freddie the Frog is Rodney’s real father, but worth it solely for Boycie delivering one of the greatest lines in the whole run:
"Your mini cab's arrived Albert" 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/bSIrc7Ovup— Only Fools & Horses (@OFAHCentral) February 9, 2019
DATES - important for introducing us to Raquel, who would eventually settle down with Del Boy - and it all started with this great Del Boy scene.
THE JOLLY BOYS OUTING - this is one of my favorites even tho it’s not even close to being the funniest. But there’s something really warm about it, probably due to the beano to Margate giving us an excuse to see so many of the characters together, which is always great.
RODNEY COME HOME - an episode in which nothing seems to happen, and is a big part of what eventually becomes “sure I understand why Rodney & Cassandra are having problems but nobody seems to know what those problems are and why they exist.” But this episode includes this scene which is a Top 5 for me.
MIAMI TWICE: THE AMERICAN DREAM - meh.
MIAMI TWICE: OH, TO BE IN ENGLAND - meh.
MOTHER NATURE’S SON - brilliant premise that years later would come to real life, but an average episode. Not great, not bad, just pretty solid.
FATAL EXTRACTION - perfectly forgettable, nothing happens and at the end you wonder why they bothered making it.
After this weak 4-special run, it’s astonishing John Sullivan came roaring back with the historic trilogy of 1996.
HEROES AND VILLAINS - a stone-cold classic, if for no other reason than the Batman and Robin scenes. This mugging one is great but I think when they show up at the costume party and it turns out to be a wake is even funnier...unfortunately there's no video available online. Grrr. Also great, this episode features the classic Trigger broom scene.
MODERN MEN - features a top 3 Only Fools scene, and the one that best showcases John Sullivan's talent for balancing the funny and the serious. Also fantastic is Rodney unwittingly applying for his own job and being stitched up by Del. Top 5 episode!
TIME ON OUR HANDS - the one that should've been the finale, this combines the thrilling high of the Trotters finally becoming the millionaires Del said they'd be, and the gut-wrenching moment of leaving their flat for the (supposed) last time and Del Boy having to say that Trotters Independent Traders is no longer in business. Was the perfect ending to the series, still holds the record for most-watched sitcom episode in the UK.
Also amazing is when they nervously arrive at the Nag's Head after the auction, wondering if their friends will still accept them, and even Boycie can only be happy for them.
That should have been the end but it wasn't, as popular demand drove Sullivan into writing three more Christmas specials. None of them are great but they're not bad either; certainly, I welcome the chance to watch three more hours of the greatest show ever.A wonderful moment when Del and Rodney walk in the pub after officially becoming millionaires pic.twitter.com/MlznnyvBIZ— Derek Trotter (@DelBoy_ofah) March 20, 2018
IF THEY COULD SEE US NOW - thoroughly solid episode, whose main function is to bring the Trotters back to their flat after Del Boy (of course) completely blowing their $6.2M fortune. Sullivan must deal with the death of Buster Merryfield (Uncle Albert), and does so perfectly by having them go to the wrong funeral.
STRANGERS ON THE SHORE - an good episode, best remembered for the classic bit about accidentally kidnapping an illegal immigrant whom they then pretend is an old friend of Rodney's named "Gary".
SLEEPLESS IN PECKHAM - episode whose main purpose is to finally reveal the truth about who really is Rodney's father. While doing so it gives us the last great, great moment in the series' history, wrapping everything up nicely:
Rodney: Del, can I ask you a question?
Del: What's that?Rodney: Other than looks, was he like me in any way?Del: Who?Rodney: You know who. Freddie Robdal.Del: (long pause) Freddie Robdal was a womaniser, a home-breaker, a con-man, a thief, a liar, and a cheat... So no Rodney, you're nothing like him.
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