Del Boy, Great...American???

Is Del Boy Trotter, a true British National Treasure of all British National Treasures, actually the most AMERICAN Britcom character of all time? He refuses to accept his own station in life, always pushing to make the climb to the next rung of social strata, and has a BOUNDLESS optimism that no tragedy life threw at him even dampened just a little bit, so....am I right? 🤔

a-HA! According to CHatGPT I am! 🤗🕺🇬🇧

Del Boy Trotter from Only Fools and Horses is not typically seen as the most “American” of classic British sitcom characters—he’s a proud South Londoner through and through—but he does embody some qualities that are stereotypically associated with American pop culture, especially the classic “self-made man” and the relentless hustler.

Why Del Boy could be seen as American:
• Entrepreneurial spirit: Del is constantly hustling, trying to make a fortune, and believes in the dream of striking it rich (“This time next year, we’ll be millionaires!”). That’s a very American motif—the idea that anyone can make it if they hustle hard enough.

• Optimism: No matter how many times he fails, Del stays positive and convinced that the next deal will be the big one. That resilient optimism is often seen as an “American” trait.

• Love of material success: Del’s dreams are about moving up in the world and enjoying the good life—another classic American sitcom theme.

• Swagger: Del Boy’s confidence, brashness, and charisma would fit well in American sitcoms, especially those with lovable schemers.

But, here’s why he’s still so British:

• Class awareness: Del’s world is rooted in British class dynamics, and his accent, slang, and references are so specifically London.

• Setting: The humor and struggles are embedded in the context of Thatcher-era Britain, with all its particular economic and social realities.

• Sentimentality: The show’s warmth, focus on family, and nostalgia is much more British in tone than most American sitcoms. 

In summary:

Del Boy is probably the closest thing to an “American-style” main character in classic British sitcoms, but he’s also deeply British in ways that would never fully translate to an American show. If anyone comes close, it’s him—or possibly Basil Fawlty for sheer audacity, though he’s less of a hustler and more of a misanthrope.