Only Fools and Horses Cuts – Part 3
by Ronnie English
Last week Ronnie English looked at Series Two Three and Four of Only Fools and Horses. Particularly the way episodes have lost original scenes when released on DVD in the UK.
Today we turn our attention to Series 5 where one episode (my favorite episode in the series) gets dissected
Series Five
Tea for Three
In series five, the episode “Tea for Three” has been cut in various places. The first cut occurs in the bar with Del and Rodney at the beginning of the episode. This cut is due to the music track “I have nothing” by Joan Baxter. After Del and Rodney fight to sit down with Lisa, Uncle Albert’s singing has been cut. The cut occurs after the line “Why don’t we all have tea together, then we can all talk about old times”. After this line, the DVD cuts straight to the flat. The following lines have been lost:
Lisa: “Isn’t that your uncle?”
Del: “What’s that soppy old duffer up to?”
Albert: “I’d like to sing a very special song for a very special song for a very special lady who unfortunately ain’t with me tonight. I like to think this song was named after my dear sick wife. It is that beautiful ballad, “Ada”.”
Del: “Ada”?
Lisa: “Is there a song called “Ada”?”
Rodney: “Well there must be, he’s about to sing it.”
Albert: “Ada, you with the stars in your eyes, love never made a fool of you.”
Tea for Three received a few cuts
Tea for Three Uncle Albert Singing
The second cut to take place in this episode is in the scene showing Lisa in the Trotters flat. In the original version, we see Rodney offer her some cheese after the line “Only when I smile”. In the DVD version the following lines are lost:
Del: “It’s amazing how nature compensates”
Lisa “What you mean?”
Del: “Well with a face like that his got nothing to smile about as he”.
Rodney: “Here you are Lisa, We have a selection of cheeses, We got cheddar, that’s double gossiper and that one’s cracker barrel”
Del: “Shhhh”
Rodney: “Well, The P**i didn’t have a lot of choice, did he?, This aint really Lambswell territory.”
Lisa: “Oh I’m sorry Rodney I really couldn’t eat another thing, it was a lovely meal, thank you both.”
Del: “Oh that’s alright.”
The DVD version then starts here again with the line “Rodney, I wouldn’t stand about in that suit too long”. The DVD is then cut again after the line “Swan Vesta!”. The following lines are lost:
Del: “You’ve only got yourself to blame, haven’t you?”
Rodney: “I didn’t think the timer on that thing was faulty.”
Del: “yeah. Oh, yeah…”
Rodney: “I only wanted a 30-minute tone-up, Two and a half hours I was under there.”
Del: “It’ll al be right, be alright, Don’t worry about it Rodney, because in a couple days’ time it goes all flaky and scabby, then it falls off, and it’ll be gone, see?”
The DVD then starts here with the line “How’s your mum these days, Lisa?”
Got Your Cheese Rodders?
Cheeky Little Git
How is your mum these days, Lisa?
For more information you can visit my site at: http://www.onlyfoolsandhorsescuts.weebly.com/
Next week we will look at Only Fools and Horses Cuts for Series Six
Not forgetting that all the episodes of S5 ran to 35 minutes each and have never been shown in their original versions since 1985! So the cuts you refer to are the cuts of already cut episodes! I’m so glad I recorded S5 on it’s original broadcast and have the 35 minute versions to watch!!
Someone has set up a facebook group about DVD cuts. Not sure how to link to it, should come up in a search.
love it mate – brilliant article