Strangers on the Shore

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Only Fools and Horses episode
"Strangers on the Shore"
Series	Christmas Special
Writer	John Sullivan
Director	Tony Dow
Producer	Gareth Gwenlan
Duration	75 minutes
Airdate	25 December 2002
Audience	16.3 million

Strangers on the Shore is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2002 as the second part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy.

1 Synopsis
2 Trivia
3 Errors/Plotholes
4 External links

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Because the Trotters lost their fortune due to investing in an embezzling Central American market, Del Boy has been driving for Boycie. As Boycie and Marlene prepare to head to a relative's wedding, Boycie tells Del about how he's gonna be an even bigger millionaire when he goes to France to sign a deal. When Boycie has another pop at him, Del plays a prank by putting onion puree in Boycie's hair gel.

Meanwhile, at Nelson Mandela House, Rodney is trying not to look at Damien. Then, as Del returns home, there's a letter for their late Uncle Albert, requesting his presence at a small village in France.

Sometime later at the Nag's Head, Raquel and a pregnant Cassandra join Del and Rodney in a conversation about how Albert's life journey and love life is similar to the story Captain Corelli's Mandolin, although Del doesn't have a clue about it. The Trotter brothers suggest that they go to France and respresent their late great uncle. But Del has other things in mind: such as asking Denzil and Trigger to head to a wine warehouse when they all get there.

A few days later, Del and Rodney scatter Albert's ashes to the sea before arriving in port. They set off in their van to the village and meet the only World War 2 soldier there. In a bar, the soldier tells the Trotter brothers about how much of a ladies' man Albert was. But Del and Rodney notice that all the men in the village have the same beard as Albert. As Rodney puts it, "It's like a geriatric version of Village of the Damned!"

Meanwhile, at the wine warehouse, Denzil and Trigger talk all about their love lives, and Trigger talks about how he pictures his dream girl.

Later, as the Trotter brothers leave the village and prepare to drive back to the ship, Rodney wonders if Albert was really that popular with the ladies because of the many Albert lookalikes they saw in that village. Del just says "Captain Corelli's Mandolin? More like Captain Birdseye's Banjo!" They then arrive at the warehouse and quickly help Denzil and Trigger stock up on French wine to take back to Britain and the Nag's Head with them.

That night, back at Nelson Mandela House, Denzil and Trigger find an illegal immigrant in the back of Denzil's lorry. The Trotter brothers head down to the garage and investigate. The immigrant's name is unknown to them, and he doesn't even speak English. Del and Rodney bring him up to the flat and introduce him to Raquel, Damien, and Cassandra as Gary, a friend who Rodney met at evening school (a different one from the one where Rodney and Cassandra first met). Boycie also shows up because a dodgy gas fire set his mansion alight! There were no injuries, and Marlene had taken Tyler and gone to stay at her mother's place, but Boycie has nowhere to sleep! The Trotters reluctantly agree to let him stay.

A few days later, Boycie is given the green light to go back into his mansion, and that he's heading to France right now. But also, Gary was captured when he was playing football with Damien and his friends.

As Boycie and the Trotters head to France, there is a news report featuring Gary, in which his real name is revealed as Rashid Mamoon. And he also says that the men who "captured" him are known only as the Gary Gang.

When Del, Rodney, and Boycie arrive in France, they meet with Boycie's Iranian business partner, who introduces them to his son. To their horror, they see that it is actually Rashid, who claims Boycie to be one of his kidnappers. Immediately assuming Boycie to have attempted a ransom demand, Rashid and his father call the police, and Del, Rodney, and Boycie are arrested for kidnapping.

[edit] Trivia

The pyjamas that Gary wears are the same ones that Del wore in "Sickness and Wealth" (the red pyjamas) and "Modern Men" (the lime green pyjamas).
Perry Agajenoffa, president of the OFAH Appreciation Society and founder of the OFAH Museum, appears in the background of the Nag's Head.
It is revealed that Marlene has a car.

[edit] Errors/Plotholes

Del seems to have no idea whatsoever what the Seaman's Mission is, yet in "Strained Relations", Del knew perfectly well what the Mission is ("No! There's a Seaman's Mission down at the dock! You go down there!"). He was also seen emerging from it when looking for Albert in "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle".
When Boycie comes to the flat, he claims that all he has are the clothes he's wearing. But at the market a few days later, Raquel tells Del that she is sick of Boycie putting on the hair gel that smells of onion (because of Del). It is completely unknown how Boycie could use the hair gel if it was still in his house (which was on fire at the time). However given his character he probably carried it around everywhere.