Sleepless in Peckham Episode Review
Brief: The Trotter family will be evicted from their home in this possibly final episode (from never say never – John Sullivan). They face losing their home after being pursued by the taxman, originally mentioned in “If they could see us now”. Rodney also becomes a dad for the first time when wife Cassandra gives birth.
Transmitted: 25.12.2003
Duration: 70 minutes
Viewing Figures: 15.5 million
Episode Observations
- During the time when Rodney shows Cassandra the Jolly Boys Outing in 1960 photo in the restraunt, with a freeze frame – the photo Cassandra has in her hand isnt actually the one the camera shows of the individuals on the close ups. This is very apparent if you look at where her finger is between the camera changes , when she is filming it is just an old black and white photo but clearly not showing the characters such as Freddy Robdal etc
- On the grave of Joan Trotters grave it shows she died in 1964, however in the Yellow Peril episode first screened in 1982 Del says that the fibreglass grave has been standing for 17 years meaning Joan must have died in 1965 and not 1964 as shown in sleepless in Peckham!
- The first Jolly Boys Outing was from 1960 and Del was 15 at the time. The date of death of his Mother was 1964 thus making Del 19. However, he states that his dad left him and Rodney in the care of his Grandad when Del was 16. Thus meaning he left them in 1961.
- In the Frogs Legacy Del has no knowledge of Freddy Robdall yet in Sleepless in Peckham he claims to of knew him as a teenager and had to call him “Uncle Freddy”!
- In the opening scene where Del is talking about how skinny the baby will be he calls Cassandra, Cassandrea!
Sleepless in Peckham Script
Did You Know?
The Working title was “Plonkers don’t have to” before changing to Sleepless in Peckham.
Though Kenneth McDonald died in real life, his wishes are he lives on in the show as imprisoned for deforging the brewery. Again this is mentioned by Sid.
Rumours
BBC say it may be the last we see of the Trotters, John Sullivan says he is happy to write more, and most the actors say if they’re free they will do more.
We wait to see…
Just a quick question regarding the actor who portrayed Ziggy Sawdust in ‘Sleepless in Peckham’. Does anyone know who played this very brief character – or as I suspect was a cameo role for Damian Lewis?
It would be great to see what 30 Year Old Damien and 17 Year Old Joan were up to these days. Perhaps Damien could be a market trader following Del’s footsteps and Joan could be an artist selling her art in the market like Vicky was in a Royal Flush as Rodney is an artist Joan could follow in Rodney’s footsteps.
Roy
I just assumed it was an Aunty like a close friend Aunty. Loads of people I know call people Aunty and they aren’t blood relatives
This is probably the biggest mistake in the history of “Only Fools & Horses”
In “Sleepless In Peckham” Del Boy says “My Aunt Renee”
but in “The Frogs Legacy” she is known and introduced as Triggers Aunt Renee.
So, is it Triggers Aunt or Del’s Aunt?
Massive error that I am sure every fan has noticed, if they have watched the episodes in the correct order.
This is probably the biggest mistake in the history of “Only Fools & Horses”
In “Sleepless In Peckham” Del Boy says “My Aunt Renee”
but in “The Frogs Legacy” she is know as Triggers Aunt Renee.
So, is it Triggers Aunt or Del’s Aunt?
Massive error that I am sure every fan has spotted!
Take a moment to appreciate the relevance of recent sad events of David Bowie and his tribute band – Ziggy Sawdust. Especially Trig’s dance!
I really dont see how any more episodes could be made.
How can you when: Buster Merryfield (Albert) Roger Lloyd Pack (Trigger) Kenneth Mcdonald (Mike) and Roy Heather (Sid) have all sadly passed on?
and also, Boycie and Marlene now live in the country (green green grass) not Peckham.
and as if they are not huge obstacles to overcome as it is – John Sullivan himself, the scriptwriter died.
I don’t agree with Del Boys statement at the end when Rodney says other than looks was he like me in any way totally wrong because in Rock and chips he does not come across as all those things yes his a safe thief but he wasnt disloyal to his friends he was actually quite charming and i never got the impression he was that bad really just a mild con man he liked Joan i think poor scriptwriting here again like when Del says to Cassandra he might have known her dad and that description of Alan Parry being brown eye walked with a limp we see is not true odd really…….
You keep talking shit about ‘poor script writing’.
You’re entitled to your opinion but come on – think what you’re saying.
Stand by what i say you dnt like it dont reply yes thate my opinion andi will stay with it
sleepless in peckham was very poor i think they ruined the show by bringing it back for those 3 xmas specials-the Freddy the Frog, i felt the show lost direction , at least there was a happy ending with Joan for Dad Rodney
I wasn’t keen on those last 3 episodes that were made around 2001.
don’t get me wrong, there were a few laughs, and it was slightly funny in places, but there seemed to be so much anger in the script, Del biting Rodneys head off just because he didn’t win the goldrush quiz show, everyone having a pop at Marlene just because she wanted breast enlargements, when it’s upto her what she wants, Del accusing his best mate of murdering his wife and burying her in the garden. Raquel not overstruck on letting ‘Gary’ stay over, when the old Racquel from the 1990’s was really loveable and friendly.
maybe it’s just me, but I felt these last 3 episodes were so cold and icy with very little warmth, the characters were so distant with each other, there was no connection.
I understand what you mean, but there’s been plenty of frosty moments in OFAH during it’s stronger years. Moments such as Raquel learning that Del was going to date a receptionist. Del ruining Rodney’s chance with Vicky. Rodney and Cassandra’s fall-outs.
I don’t think everyone was having a pop at Marlene, just Raquel and Cassandra getting a bit jealous I think!
Hi everyone, This is really random, but what is del trying to smoke, about 12 mins in, just before he asks rodney about the creative writing. He almost sets fire to himslef, i just wondered what it was and why youd do that?
I think it’s the last bit of a cigar that has been smoked previously.
It’s trying to show how bad their money problems are that he’s having to rummage around for old left over bits of cigar to smoke.
Because the left over cigar is so short, when he tries to light it the flame is directly under his nose, burning it in the process.
All is quiet now and I think the series could come back with a 2 or 3 part finale and it could be like Rocky Balboa making up for Rocky V in this case for the underated 2000’s episodes heres how I’m not the writer but I think first of all Damian can be a dodgy dealer (like Del) and can be awkward (like Rodney) and maybe Reg can be the old man then we’re off first should be Dels Birthday then the second could be some sort of old school OFAH episode then the third Del and Rodneys legacy they find the Gold and Del pops the question and it could be his stag and wedding.
This latest episode is now a decade old and if Trigger’s reading this that means the episode is ten years old.Merry Christmas Everyone!!!. – Jimmy
I really wish they had made Del boys 65th birthday could have been a proper ending instead of one (no offence) that was a mixture of different episodes crammed together which go nowhere in the end.
Dito! All the more frustrating when you hear David Jason say they were definitely going to do another OFAH and the cast were all ready to make it! It was certainly 100 per cent going to happen, I was hoping we would hear that John Sullivans family had found the finished script and then they could go ahead and make it but unfortunetly it appears he had just outlined the idea and plan dels 65th birthday.
You never know this time next year…… they might find it in John’s attic, I doubt it but never say never. I found it abit odd that he hadn’t wrote more Rock and chips also, I was sure that he must have wrote more scripts for this before his tragic death? But apparently not???
I agree Rob fingers crossed they find the script. I thought there was lots of Rock and Chips wrote too there’s still lots of storylines and bits to use Trigger hitting his head off the MIND YOUR HEAD sign, Boycie meeting Marlene and inheriting his business from Alberto,Grandad tricked into thinking he won the lottery, Joan’s last words on her deathbed Freddy and the gold bullion Rodney selling Gas conversion kits there are so many.
It looks like you were both right about the special I just hope that Sir David gives the thumbs up and they can go ahead and make it.
I wonder if this is the script for the new episode in March……..?
Cant wait for new episode, wonder if its like an ending or trilogy of episodes very intrigued what the story will be and what will happen. Hope its early march when shown on tv.
I’m very optimistic about the new special I think since it’s from one of John’s many ideas and wrote by a new Sullivan family member that it could be really fresh, witty and funny with a great plot and there now could be two wheeler dealers in the family including Damien. Also word has it that James Buckley is a popular suggestion to play Damien I hope so he was traffic in Rock and Chips.
what was cassandra’s cravings? can someone tell me please
Bacon Burger and rolos together
Cassandra said she was craving Bacon, she had Bacon and Rolos together but she was only craving Bacon at the time.
what was cassandra’s cravings?
I loved this episode was hillarious in all ways it had alot going on I think with Rodney finding out about his paternal dad Freddie and finds out he left instructions in his will to the exact location in the sea of the gold bullion to his paternal son and they find it and are millionaires again that would of made it the best episode.
Looking back, I sincerely believe that the 2000 trilogy was made for a good reason. Anyone who’s not a real OFAH fan just takes the lazy way out and says, “Oh they should have left it at them as millionaires”, but there’s a real deep meaning here, and the final scene with Del and Rodney at the graveyard has helped me see it.
It’s about the love of two brothers and their family, it doesn’t matter how much money they’ve got as long as they’re both healthy and happy.
The last scene in the graveyard proved that. The Trotters would easily give up 10 million quid to be a happy family and be all together.
The reason why Only Fools and Horses is the best comedy is because it’s emotional. These are very true characters that make us laugh and cry. Bad comedies show no personality or love between the characters. This just goes to show you that Johnny Sullivan preferred to write OFAH as funny drama instead of cheap sitcom.
You can be a fan and still be honest on the quality of this episode. The final scene was great but there was a lot of rubbish in this episode. I love OFAH but the final three episodes weren’t great.
Yeah, i do agree with you, i’m a huge fan of the show but this episode was probably my least favorite, i didn’t like the story so much with Marlene and Boycie, and Del thinking Boycie had buried Marlene, and then the nastiness between Raquel and Marlene was totally out of character, i know they had money problems and all but Raquel was a bitch for the whole episode, the whole scene with Trigger and the blinking was just bad, the whole chop sticks story wasn’t funny, at least to me, it seemed as though trigger was maybe too dumb, all in all i didn’t like the final episode but that’s just me. I loved the 2nd episode with Gary, and the first one was alright, it had to have a downbeat opening because of the stock market crash, Albert’s funeral etc etc, but the final episode just felt like they’d stretched the series too far, although the ending was nice.
Agree. The final scene in the graveyard was beautifully acted and poignant as was the birth very emotional up to usual Ofah standard, where comedy turns to drama. However the episode was very strange at times and lost direction I felt it was all over the place at times. This is why people prefer Time on our hands 1996 ending as it was the perfect balance of comedy and drama and felt right as a whole trilogy it was perfection.
However Sleepless in Peckham had touching moments like I said a nice ending, I would happily watch it again however it wouldn’t be the first OFAH I would want to watch again.
I just feel one more episode which more time and focus had gone into making it 100 per cent right would make for a better end to the entire series.
I agree with everything you say here.
OFAH was a comedy-drama. Emphasis on drama!
Any comeback of a film or TV series is never the same, because TV moves on quickly and the audience taste moves on quickly. It’s natural.
I love only fools, and i really wish they could make more episodes, but unfortuantly, they wouldnt be the same :'( you can have to much of a good thing. It would be funny to see what Joan would look like when shes older, and Damien could be either exactly likeDel Boy or the polar opposite.
It would be great to see Damien aged 22 and little Joan aged 7! Del would still be scraping by and Rodney would be a busy man bringing up his girl. Maybe Damien takes over his father’s business and Boycie and Marlene have come back to Peckham as The Green Green Grass has finished…
I hope there are more episodes. I have the box set and whenever I watch the final episode I often wonder what all the characters could be up to now and what scrapes Del Boy and Rodney could be getting themselves into!