Rodney Come Home

"Rodney Come Home" is the ninth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1990.

Unlike the other Christmas specials, this episode is not a one-off story, but sets up story arcs that run throughout the following series. As such, it could be regarded as the conclusion of the sixth series and the prelude to the seventh series.

Synopsis

At the Broadwalk Shopping Centre, Albert and Del Boy sell children's dolls that sing Chinese lullabies.

Meanwhile, at Parry Print Ltd, a hungry Rodney discovers that Cassandra made him a very meagre sandwich for lunch, and his new secretary refuses to go out and buy him a hamburger during the lunch break because an important client is due to see him. But when he spots Raquel with shopping bags full of delicious food, Rodney invites her into his office, and they chat about the tour that Raquel has been on since the events of "The Jolly Boys' Outing", and how Rodney's marriage with Cassandra is faring.

That evening, Rodney returns home to his flat, only to find that Cassandra hasn't prepared dinner for him and is instead going out to play badminton. They argue, and Cassandra accuses Rodney of being childish if he expects her to cook for him like a servant from the 1930s. Shocked and hurt by this, Rodney storms out in a huff. Meanwhile, at Nelson Mandela House, Del and Raquel are enjoying a romantic dinner and, just as Del is about to proposition Raquel, Rodney bursts in and tells everyone that his marriage is over. Rodney decides to sleep in his old bedroom, but Del tells him that Raquel is sleeping there - so Rodney will be sleeping on the sofa.

A week later, at a nightclub, as Del and Raquel dance, Rodney is getting drunk with his friends Mickey Pearce and Chris, which leaves Del concerned. Del tries to make Rodney see sense but Rodney refuses to listen.

The next evening, back at the flat, Del Boy tells Albert that when Rodney took the Trotter van down to the Peckham Exhaust Centre earlier that morning to get it fixed, he foolishly arranged a date with an attractive receptionist named Tanya, following Mickey Pearce's advice to make Cassandra jealous. When Rodney tells Del, Raquel, and Albert that he's going to see Honey, I Shrunk the Kids with Tanya, they try to talk him out of his date, but Rodney ignores them and heads off. Del goes over to Cassandra's flat and sadly breaks the bad news to her that Rodney is taking Tanya to the cinema to try to make her jealous. Cassandra cries, and Del tells her that Raquel will phone later and help cheer her up.

Later, back at the flat at midnight, as Del tries to remove the voiceboxes from the Chinese dolls, he gets a telephone call from Rodney, who took Del Boy's advice, cancelled his date, and has decided to wait at his flat for Cassandra, so they can reconcile. Before Del can warn him about what he just did, Rodney just hangs up the phone. Del admits to Raquel and Albert that he told Cassandra, and then quickly drives over to Rodney and Cassandra's flat. Cassandra returns home, only to be greeted by a smiling Rodney, but the reunion is short-lived as Cassandra kicks Rodney out of their flat. Del arrives too late, and Rodney berates him for ruining his night. But however, Rodney has been locked out of his own home, so he has no choice but to go back to Nelson Mandela House with his brother.

Mistakes and Errors

• The wall outside Del's room is there in this episode, however, in "Ashes to Ashes", it has vanished.

Music

• Magnum : Reckless Man
• Magnum : Born to Be King
• Feargal Sharkey : Let Me Be
• Spandau Ballet : True
• Bass-O-Matic : Fascinating Rhythm
• Loose Ends : Don't Be a Fool
• Lisa Stansfield : This Is the Right Time
• Billy Idol : Rebel Yell
• Julia Fordham: Did I Happen to Mention
• Julia Fordham: Your Lovely Face
• Joan Armatrading : Somebody Who Loves You

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Rodney Come Home

• "Rodney Come Home" at TV.com
• "Rodney Come Home" at BBC Online
• "Rodney Come Home" at the Internet Movie Database