You should all definitely watch Only Fools and Horses!
Itâs a British classic, itâs hilarious, even though a lot of itâs from the eighties itâs aged pretty well, and of course, itâs a cultural touchstone.
The show focuses on working-class family the Trotters, brothers Derek (âDel Boyâ) and Rodney, and their granddad/uncle (the actor who played Granddad passed away during the series, so he was replaced by another man who played the boysâ Uncle Albert) as they make their money selling knock-off or stolen goods or doing odd jobs badly all while aiming for greatness. In Delâs own words, âThis time next year [theyâll] be millionairesâ. Of course, it doesnât quite work that way, and the boys find themselves often pretty much penniless as the series goes on.
In the 22 years that it ran for, Only Fools and Horses was a masterpiece of classic British humour and amazing physical comedy, with enough hijinks to maintain the quality of the show throughout. Itâs an amazingly funny take on Britainâs class structure and really shows how a lot of poorer people lived during that time. Itâs honestly timeless, and every episode will get a laugh or two out of you, even if you donât particularly like that one.
The humour varies, with a lot of the funniest moments having such a great setup that youâll rewatch and still laugh just as hard.
(Plus, the physical comedy is just sublime)
When youâve watched Only Fools and Horses, you should really watch the prequel series Rock and Chips.
Itâs about the Trotters back when mum Joan and Granddad were alive, Del was a teenager, and Rodney was not born yet/a baby. Itâs definitely more of a drama than a comedy, although there are some funny moments and itâs a great nostalgia trip for any fans of Only Fools & Horses, especially because Nicholas Lyndhurst (Rodney in Only Fools) plays Rodneyâs illegitimate father, Freddie âThe Frogâ Robdal, who everybody says Rodney looks just like.
Thereâs a really good contrast between the scenes of Joan and Freddieâs tragic romance (tragic partly because they cannot be together and partly because they both die a couple of years later) and the young Del Boyâs antics with the gang that grow up to be part of the Only Fools crew - Boycie, Trigger, and Denzil are all there, and itâs a wicked casting.
The contrast is interesting, and it represents Del Boy and Rodneyâs differences quite well, imo. Delâs scenes are all filled with the âcheeky chappieâ energy prevalent in the original series that Del embodies, happily at home in the Nagâs Head with a bacon sandwich, while the scenes surrounding Rodneyâs birth and parentage are handled more delicately, with an air of refinement and highbrow energy that Rodney strives for as an adult, born a different breed than his brother and always dreaming of bigger and better things.
Really though, the series isnât about Del or baby Rodney - itâs about this lady.
Joan Trotter, Del and Rodneyâs mum, is the centre of the events of the show, and itâs all about her - her sons, her affair, her failed marriage to an asshole, her job at a cinema where she has to work for the creepiest man in existence (who gets his comeuppance at the end itâs great I would honestly watch it just for that scene bc itâs amazing), and how sheâs a different breed than those around her, which is evident from the way that she acts, dresses, and thinks. Joanâs story is told, not through the rose-tinted memories of Del Boy or a throwaway comment by Granddad, but through her own perspective and itâs great.
Plus, even if you havenât seen every episode of Only Fools and Horses, itâs a perfectly decent standalone drama (although really the feels if youâve seen the show are so great) and there are some very funny parts that are very âOnly Fools-likeâ.