A Royal Flush
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| Only Fools and Horses episode | |
| "A Royal Flush" | |
| Series | Christmas Special |
|---|---|
| Writer | John Sullivan |
| Director | Ray Butt |
| Producer | Ray Butt |
| Duration | 80 minutes |
| Airdate | 25 December 1986 |
| Audience | 18.8 million |
A Royal Flush is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1986. It was the second feature-length edition of the show, and the fifth Christmas special.
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[edit] Synopsis
As Del Boy flogs cutlery to the local market crowd, Rodney spots an attractive woman, and abandons his lookout position to talk to her. But Trigger is there to help Del get away from the police. At Sid's cafe, the woman introduces herself to Rodney as Lady Victoria Marsham Hales. She also mentions that she lives in Covington House, Upper Stanameer, Berkshire, and that her mother died in a skiing accident nine years ago when Victoria was only 12. Once Victoria leaves, Rodney decides to go the library to find out more about Victoria's family.
Later, back at Nelson Mandela House, Rodney is reading a book when Del and Albert come in. Rodney tells them all about Victoria, and her father, Sir Henry Marsham, 14th Duke of Maylebury. This makes him a second cousin to the Queen. Del thinks that if Rodney marries Victoria, then the Trotters will finally become millionaires. He also helps Rodney get tickets for the opera Carmen.
On the night of the opera, Rodney and Victoria arrive, only to see that Del has also shown up, along with June Snell, mother of one of Rodney's many ex-girlfriends, Debbie, from "Happy Returns". Del and June ruin the night by stuffing their faces with orange juice, liquirice allsorts, crisps, peanuts, ice-cream, bothering the other audience members, and Del whistling along to the music, which distracts the performers. Rodney and Victoria leave abruptly, while Del convinces himself that he made a good impression.
The next day, in order to help Rodney make a good impression when he stays at Covington House for the weekend, Del and Albert take him to a fancy tailor to get him some formal clothing to make him the perfect country gentleman.
But on Saturday, while everyone else at Convington House is dressed casually, Rodney is dressed like a real wally! He has a go at the clay pigeon shooting, but gets distracted when Del and Albert show up. Del also gives the clay pigeon shoot a try with Iggy Higgins' single barrel pump-action shotgun, leaving a good impression. Victoria's father, Lord Henry, offers Del something to eat. Del thinks it's an invitation, and accepts.
That night, Rodney asks Del to behave like a gentleman. Del promises that, and keeps talking to Lord Henry about Leonardo Da Vinci. Meanwhile in the kitchen, Albert is getting along well with the kitchen staff, and tells another one of his boring stories, about how his grandmother's brother was the safety officer on the RMS Titanic, to the young footman. At the dinner table, Del Boy gets himself so drunk, he even tells everyone about Rodney's suspended drug sentence, and a joke about an Irish bloke on a skiing holiday. Lord Henry has finally had enough and tells Del that Rodney and Victoria, who will be leaving for America, are not getting married. Del discusses with Lord Henry on how to get Rodney and Victoria to break up in Lord Henry's study.
Later that night, back at the flat, Rodney is in the lounge alone, just staring out the window, when Del Boy comes in very hung over. A furious Rodney then relates to Del how he feels and how he has felt for many years as Del has always tried to use his younger brother as a way of making money, never caring about Rodney and never willing to even invest properly in his ventures. Rodney then tells Del that Lord Henry offered him £1000 to leave Victoria but he refused. Del reveals that he knew about this as he suggested it, and admits that his over-inappropriate behaviour (such as at the opera) was deliberate in an attempt to strain Rodney and Victoria's relationship. In the end Del manages to convince Rodney to forgive him, and the Trotter brothers make up on a handshake.
[edit] Episode cast
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[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- As revealed in Steve Clark's book, The Only Fools and Horses Story, John Sullivan was not happy with this episode, feeling that it seemed to show Del Boy in a negative light. Whereas Del was always seen to be a lovable rogue, in this episode, there were some scenes where he came over as boorish and offensive.
- This episode was originally broadcast with no studio laughter. A subsequent repeated version exists with an added laughter track, but was heavily edited for future DVD and TV broadcasts. However, the episode is possibly the least repeated on the BBC, although it is shown fairly regularly on UK TV Gold and has been released by the BBC in DVD format.
- In this episode, Del and June appear to be on a "date" when they accompany Rodney to the opera. However, Del and June parted company under unpleasant circumstances in the episode Happy Returns, when they found out they had cheated on each other as teenagers leading inadvertently to the death of Del's best friend. There is no explanation as to how or why Del and June got back together, nor is June ever seen again after this episode.
[edit] Quotes
- Man at the market: ...they can't be top quality, they're too cheap
- Del: Too cheap, how can they be too cheap you wally?
- Man at the market: here, I'm not a wally
- Del: No? What are you doing then, an impression?
Shortly after, originating from the background as the scene focuses on Rodney and Victoria
- Same annoying man: ...yeah but do you get a guarantree?
- Del: You do, yeah you do get a guarantee, I'll guarantees you get a smack in the mooey if you keep on pal, just go away and annoy someone else...
Lord Henry after Del tells him that he is related to the Surrey Trotters
- Lord Henry: I don't care if you are related to the Surrey Trotters, the Berkshire Trotters, or the Harlem bloody Globetrotters!
[edit] Errors
- The Trotters' return to London from Berkshire is implausible as Del and Rodney both had been drinking, Del particularly so, and Albert wouldn't have been able to drive the van because he's not insured, as mentioned in "Danger UXD".
- When the Trotters return to their flat at the end of the episode, Rodney moans to Del that he told the joke about the Irish man and the skiing holiday. But Del never told the joke, Lord Henry interrupted him before he was able to tell it.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Who Wants to be a Millionaire |
Only Fools and Horses 25 December 1986 |
Succeeded by The Frog's Legacy |
