Did Only Fools And Horses have a weak episode?

fawltytowers93 · 18/05/12 - 20:50

I made a similar thread with the classic sit-com Fawlty Towers the other day, so now I thought I'd do the same with another classic British sit-com

Discuss, people!

steveh31 · 18/05/12 - 20:57

Yes anything after they decided to let Del and Rodney get married the show for me was about a dodgy street dealer and his young brother for me it was ruined when they let them get married.

I was a big fan of Grandad so his death is really where I went off it.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 20:57

Yes, it had quite a few tbh

g-bhxu · 18/05/12 - 20:58

Most of them

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 20:58

Comedies that have longer runs are bound to have more weak episodes but the one that springs to mind (as we were discussing it on another thread) was one of the first feature length episodes - Royal Flush. Both Del and Rodney were total embarrassments.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 21:02

steveh31 wrote: »

Yes anything after they decided to let Del and Rodney get married the show for me was about a dodgy street dealer and his young brother for me it was ruined when they let them get married.

I was a big fan of Grandad so his death is really where I went off it.

Yes Grandad was a much stronger character than Uncle Albert but Strained Relations (the one they did in tribute to Leonard Pearce when he died) was one of (if not the) best as was Time on our Hands (which featured Buster Merryfield not Leonard Pearce).

steven1977 · 18/05/12 - 22:20

Yeah every episode after they won the millions. Should of left well enough alone.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 22:24

The final 3
Royal Flush
Miami Twice

Mr Teacake · 18/05/12 - 22:28

Some/most of the later episodes were pretty poor. I much prefer the grandad era - it felt more authentic and fresh, the plots and twists were at their best e.g. the 2nd hand lawnmowers, benidorm...

As Rodney aged he lost his youthful dopey look.

The wives ruined the earlier family dynamic.

Miami was a bit silly.

Cantona07 · 18/05/12 - 22:29

Anything after they were millionaires.

When they went on holiday to Spain with Grandad.

Royal flush (good storyline potential - total cock up)

Mr Teacake · 18/05/12 - 22:32

Cantona07 wrote: »

Anything after they were millionaires.

When they went on holiday to Spain with Grandad.

Royal flush (good storyline potential - total cock up)

That's one of my favourites, especially the scenes in the cell.

Grandad: They were the most barbaric ruthless killing goons you'd ever see
Del: Well, did you join?
Grandad: We tried but They wouldn't have us.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 22:54

Something Fawlty Towers never achieved were scenes that brought tears to the eyes - like Del picking up the groom from the cake when Rodney got married or when Grandad died and Del gave his 'zebedee' speech, when Grandad gave his homes fit for heroes speech or when Rodney was stuck in the lift and grieved for the loss of his unborn child. Granted sometimes you did get the impression that they were milking the sentimentality factor a bit (especially when Albert died) but in the instances mentioned it was done extremely well. Fawlty Towers was a sitcom with elements of farce whereas Only Fools and Horses was more a comedy drama.

Cantona07 · 18/05/12 - 22:58

ilovecorrie2 wrote: »

Something Fawlty Towers never achieved were scenes that brought tears to the eyes - like Del picking up the groom from the cake when Rodney got married or when Grandad died and Del gave his 'zebedee' speech, or when Grandad gave his homes fit for heroes monologue or when Rodney was stuck in the lift and grieved for the loss of his unborn child. Granted sometimes you did get the impression that they were milking the sentimentality factor a bit too much but in the instances mentioned it was done extremely well. Fawlty Towers was a sitcom with elements of farce whereas Only Fools and Horses was more a comedy drama.

I TOTALLY agree with all you have said.

I don't want to put a "negative" in the post cos i do really stand behind what you have said but do you judge a comedy on its darkest moments? Fawlty Towers was never meant to play on emotions?

Again, i hate saying this cos I'm totally in agreement with your post in itself.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 23:02

Funniest episode has to be Friday the 14th where they've gone fishing and there's an escaped madman on the prowl. Grandad and Rodney are assured by Del that he's probably gone further afield, down London way maybe

Grandad "I hope he don't find our flat!":D

Cantona07 · 18/05/12 - 23:04

"What you got, a wendy house?"

Nuff said.

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 23:07

Cantona07 wrote: »

I TOTALLY agree with all you have said.

I don't want to put a "negative" in the post cos i do really stand behind what you have said but do you judge a comedy on its darkest moments? Fawlty Towers was never meant to play on emotions?

Again, i hate saying this cos I'm totally in agreement with your post in itself.

Life is about light and shade. I think comedies are better when they have an element of both. Fawlty Towers never did. It was, in the main farce and the main source of humour was in insulting people. That said it's still a funny programme 40 years on (well some of the episodes are).

Cantona07 · 18/05/12 - 23:10

ilovecorrie2 wrote: »

Life is about light and shade. I think comedies are better when they have an element of both. Fawlty Towers never did. It was, in the main farce and the main source of humour was in insulting people. That said it's still a funny programme 40 years on (well some of the episodes are).

Im not sure that you judge light and shade by being contained within the same 30 mins?

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 23:11

Cantona07 wrote: »

Im not sure that you judge light and shade by being contained within the same 30 mins?

It's possible.

Compton_scatter · 18/05/12 - 23:13

Slow bus to Chingford and Friday the 14th were both bad I thought. Obviously the final trilogy was bad as was the 1993 xmas special fatal extraction, otherwise a pretty good sitcom.

Cantona07 · 18/05/12 - 23:18

ilovecorrie2 wrote: »

It's possible.

Its not a benchmark though.

Certainly not for "comedy"

dazza89 · 18/05/12 - 23:22

There were a few, The Royal Flush, Miami Twice and the three feature lengths after its natural end were all quite weak. As for the series I thought The Russians are coming was quite boring but apart from that there are none. Series 6 for example is one of the finest TV Series of all time, it cannot ever be beaten!

[Deleted User] · 18/05/12 - 23:22

"Is your name Rodney?"
"Well it is when Trigger ain't around"

Flukie · 18/05/12 - 23:29

supernovadragon wrote: »

The final 3
Royal Flush
Miami Twice

Of the original episodes (it was never the same when he came back without Albert) the only episode I never watch is Royal Flush. It's not funny, it's awful, and almost too embarrassing too watch the way Del behaved in most of it.

I loved Miami Twice, though! Specially the one IN Miami.

Mr Teacake · 18/05/12 - 23:31

The school reunion episode was pretty bad.

dazza89 · 18/05/12 - 23:33

''For god's sake Marlene I might be able to con people into buying my cars,
i might be able to convice them that you conceived and gave birth in seven days flat
but how the hell am I gonna convince them that my grandad was Louis Armstrong''

:D:D

dazza89 · 18/05/12 - 23:34

Mr Teacake wrote: »

The school reunion episode was pretty bad.

Loved that one

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Did Only Fools And Horses have a weak episode?

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