This article is classified "Real"
Introduction
============
First transmitted in 1981, the programme follows the exploits of the
Trotter family, who live in a council-owned flat [1] in the London borough
of Peckham. Written by John Sullivan, who had previously written Just Good
Friends and Citizen Smith, the series officially ended in 1991. After
this, three subsequent Christmas specials were to appear until 1993. It
was not until Christmas 1996 that the next, and perhaps last, Christmas
special was transmitted [2].
Central Characters
==================
Derrick ("Del" or "Del Boy") Trotter; played by David Jason
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Del is the eldest of two brothers. His mother, Joan, died when he was
sixteen, and his father, Reg, ran off shortly afterwards. He was then left
to bring up his young brother, Rodney.
Del is an illegal market trader as he neither has permission to sell his
goods, nor does he sell completely legal merchandise. He tends to dominate
his younger brother, whilst remaining protective of him.
For most of the series he drives an out-of-MOT [3] yellow three-wheeled van
that habitually backfires and which he still retains right up to the
present day. He is famous for saying "This time next year we'll be
millionaires."
Rodney Charlton Trotter; played by Nicholas Lyndhurst
-----------------------------------------------------
Brought up by, and in the shadow of his brother, Rodney works for Del and
is continually conned by his older sibling. He does finally manage to
break free however, and get a proper job; not so easy if up until that
point he's never appeared on any other document, apart from a criminal
record for smoking an illegal substance at art college."
In the 1989 episode, "Yuppy Love", he meets his future wife, Cassandra,
while studying at an evening college for a computer diploma course. He is
offered a job with Cassandra's father, which he later quits after
miscalculating his usefulness with the firm. He then goes back to work for
his brother, Del. He marries Cassandra in the 1989 episode, "Little
Problems", in which his middle name, Charlton, is revealed to be named
after Charlton Athletic [4].
"Grandad" Trotter; played by Lennard Pearce
-------------------------------------------
Hardly ever leaving the flat, he spends most of his time watching two
television sets. He claims this is because the other one's being mended.
The character died in the 1985 season, and was replaced by his screen
brother, Uncle Albert.
Albert Trotter; played by Buster Merryfield
-------------------------------------------
To become well known for his long white beard, and the phrase "During the
war...", Albert joined the series in 1985 after the death of Grandad. He
basically takes over Grandad's role in the series, though with a little
more energy, and stupidity.
Formerly a member of both the Royal and Merchant Navy, it is said that
every ship he ever sailed in, has sunk.
Cassandra Trotter, nee Parry; played by Gwyneth Strong
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First appears in the 1989 episode "Yuppy Love", when she meets Rodney at an
evening college. She introduces herself, as she finds that Rodney has
taken her coat by accident; they both look very similar, but she knows
which is which, because Del has written Rodney's name into his.
Cassandra is later to marry Rodney, and for the last few years they have
been trying for a child, but without success.
Raquel Turner; played by Tessa Peak Jones
-----------------------------------------
Formerly married to ex-Detective Inspector Roy Slater, she first meets Del
in the 1988 Christmas Special, "Dates". They meet on a blind date beneath
the clock at Waterloo station. She claims to be an actress, but is later
revealed to be a stripper when she is unknowingly booked for Uncle Albert's
birthday celebration.
She returned to the series to stay in the 1989 Christmas Special, "The
Jolly Boy's Outing", as she is working with a magician in Margate, and has
since given birth to her and Del's son, Damien.
"Trigger"; played by Roger Lloyd-Pack
-------------------------------------
Trigger was introduced to the series in the first episode, where his
nickname was immediately explained; it is because he looks like a horse.
Throughout the series he always calls Rodney "Dave", because he still seems
to believe that is his name. This is despite the fact that he has been
corrected on numerous occasions.
Aubrey ("Boycie") Boyce; played by John Challis
-----------------------------------------------
Having formerly served a prison sentence, Boycie managed to build up a nice
little second-hand car business. Married to Marlene he has one son, Tyler,
who was born after many years of trying.
Story Development
=================
The story begins with general trading; buying and selling, and the
occasional run from the police. The first mark on the series is the
appearance of Roy Slater, in the 1983 episode, "May the Force be with You".
Roy, it turns out, is an old school colleague of Del's, though he never
managed to make friends with anyone. He arrives back in the area as a
Detective Inspector at the local police station, and is making enquiries
about a stolen microwave oven. Upon visiting the Trotter household, and a
few words, he discovers the oven and arrests Del, Rodney and Grandad.
After claiming that they had found the microwave and three completely
conflicting descriptions of the man they claimed had dropped it, Slater
mounts up the charges on Del, and eventually makes him tell him who stole
the oven in exchange for his immunity from prosecution. As Del reluctantly
signs the agreement he informs Slater that he stole it, himself.
The 1983 Christmas special sees the appearance of Del and Rodney's Father,
Reg, who claims to be suffering from a hereditary blood disorder. After
trying to make Del think he isn't his real son, as his blood group is
different, he departs once more.
In the 1985 episode, "Happy Returns", it is revealed that Grandad is in
hospital, though we don't see him again. In the following episode,
"Strained Relations", his funeral is performed and we are introduced to his
brother, Albert.
Christmas 1985 saw the return of, now Chief Inspector, Slater, in the
episode, "To Hull and Back". His is investigating a diamond smuggling
operation, which Del and Rodney get wound up in. The Trotters are required
to travel to Amsterdam, and meet with a man called Van Cleef, while
avoiding the police at the stations and ports, so after Del is accidentally
trapped in a lorry travelling to Hull, they eventually decide to sail a
boat, themselves.
In the end they are caught, and it turns out that Slater is one of the
brains behind the operation. Slater is arrested and sent to prison.
During a brief curtailment of the series between Christmas 1986 and 1989,
several Christmas specials were shown, the last of which was "Dates" in
1988, in which Del signs up with a dating agency, and meets Raquel. They
are parted later after a disagreement, Raquel's departure for an acting
tour, and Del's brief arrest.
In 1989, the series moved from the standard 30-minute episodes to 50-minute
episodes. These began with "Yuppy Love", in which Rodney met Cassandra,
and Del became a yuppy.
It was not until the 1989 Christmas special, "The Jolly Boy's Outing", that
Del met up with Raquel once more. This time, it was during an outing with
Rodney, Albert, and friends, and while they were stranded in Margate, after
their coach exploded. Raquel is found to be working with a magician, the
Great Raymondo, but leaves with Del in the end.
Slater returns once more, in the 1991 episode, "Class of 62". He initial
appears to be trying to make friends with everyone, after the way he's
treated them in the past, but it turns out that he's only back in the area
to see his wife, Raquel. He leaves in disgust, as she is now pregnant by
Del.
Their child, Damien, is born in the 1991 episode, "Three Men, a Woman, and
a Baby". He was named Damien, after Rodney suggested it, having privately
joked with Cassandra, that the baby will become the anti-Christ. This is a
theme that is carried through afterwards. This is the last proper episode
to date.
The series continued through several Christmas specials, the first of which
was the two-part "Miami Twice" in 1991, when Del and Rodney go on holiday
to Miami, and get wound up in the Mafia, a drugs operation, and finally a
chase through the everglades.
The following year Del discovers that there is money to be made out of
nature, and fakes a spring in his newly-discovered allotment. This leads
to the sale of "Peckham Spring" water, which brings in a nice amount of
money. With their new-found wealth, they decide to go on holiday to
Brighton, but their plans are ruined when it turns out that barrels of
waste that Del cleared from the allotment, and his friends Trigger and
Denzil subsequently dumped in the river, have polluted the water. The
episode ends as Del switches the light out and a bottle of Peckham Spring,
at their bedside, glows.
Another Christmas special in 1993, was followed by two full years with no
episodes, until finally, in 1996, what are thought to be the final three
hour-long episodes, were shown. They begin with Rodney's nightmare vision
of the future, where Damien is the boss of the Trotter business, while he
is merely a messenger, which he feels reflects the current situation with
his brother.
The story follows Cassandra's announcement of her pregnancy, her subsequent
miscarriage, and concludes in final episode, with the discovery of an old
watch in the Trotter's garage, which turns out to be worth over six-million
pounds. In the final scene, the Trotters are seen to walk off into the
sunset, with Del claiming that this time next year, they will be
billionaires.
The Future
==========
There are currently rumours flying about that there might be a Christmas
special in 1999. The leading cast members are said to be happy to continue
with the series.
Availability
============
Most of the episodes are now available on video tape in the UK; the first,
second, and third series are available on double-videos, each containing
seven or eight episodes, four "The Very Best of" episodes are available
featuring eleven mixed fifty-minute episodes, and four of the Christmas
specials are available. Availability outside the UK is unknown, and is
perhaps unlikely.
[1] Or "Apartment" to Americans. It should also be noted that they
eventually buy their flat, as many did at the time.
[2] An eleven-minute special was recorded for transmission as part of the
quasi-annual charity fund-raising event, "Comic Relief". It was shown
sometime in March 1997.
[3] In the UK, a compulsory annual test for vehicles over a certain
age, to ascertain whether they are road-worthy.
[4] A British football (soccer) team, based in London.