If They could See Us Now, 2001
The story so far. Only Fools And Horses remains one of our best loved sitcoms, having started in 1981 it ran as a regular series until 1991. After ten years it ran as an annual festive special that became the must see TV event of the festive period.
After a break of three years Del and Rodney returned for a trilogy of episodes in 1996. All three broadcast over the festive period we were told were told this was the Trotters farewell.
Fast forward five years and the Trotters are back with another trilogy. This time we are told it will be the last. With Buster Merryfield and Kenneth MacDonald both now no longer with us it seemed the right time to bring it to an end.
The specials were broadcast over three years starting with If They Could See Us Now, in 2001.
As we approach Christmas we will be looking at those final three specials.
Summary
Losing their riches in a bad investment in the Central American Markets, Del is declared bankrupt. The Trotters return to Peckham, and their Mandela House flat. To add to their woes they suffer a major blow when Uncle Albert (who has ben living with Elsie Partridge) dies and they end up at the wrong funeral.
Finding their love life is a little flat Cassandra and Rodney decide to spice it up by role-playing their fantasies. Cassandra becomes Rodney’s police woman, and Rodney does not quite look right as Gladiator.
Del appears on the game show ‘Goldrush’ in a last-ditch attempt to win their fortune back, but looses on an important question after taking Rodney’s advice.
He later receives a phone call from the TV company saying that he had in fact won a badly written final question, Del mistakenly believes it is prankster Mickey Pearce and tells them to give the fortune to charity.
Meanwhile, back at the Nag’s Head Sid has taken over now that Mike is in prison, and Damien seems to be growing up fast.
Cast
David Jason – Del Trotter
Nicholas Lyndhurst – Rodney Trotter
Tessa Peake-Jones – Cassandra Turner
Gwyneth Strong – Cassandra Trotter
John Challis – Boycie
Sue Holderness – Marlene
Roger Lloyd Pack – Trigger
Paul Barber – Denzil
Roy Heather – Sid
Patrick Murray – Mickey Pearce
Details
Channel: BBC1
Written By: John Sullivan
Original Transmission Date: December 25th 2001