Top 5 Greatest Only Fools Episode
This has to be an impossible article to write. I’m even prepared to say that there may well be other articles to follow from you fans. But to decide on my top 5 Only Fools and Horses episode is one of the many things every fan must try sometime in there life.
So how do i start? Well ive put together a few main headings that i will take into account before bringing my verdict
The Episodes Plot
Well there are elements of Fools and Horses that work for me and those episodes that arent quite as good. Maybe there are an episode that connects a series for example “Rodney Come Home” seems to link events rather than stand out as a memorable episode. So its fair to say that some episodes were never written to be a classic in the first place. So the story or plot has a big impact on whether the episode.
The Characters
I love the characters included Dels mates, So this alone gives a lot of extra marks to episodes such as the “Jolly Boys Outing” and “Chain Gang”. Its not just the main characters, but having Trig, Boycie and Denzil along in the episode really adds a dimension. Every time i watch it i just wish i could join them down the Nags Head.
The Laughter
The episode needs to make me laugh. After all it is a sitcom. Only Fools has two types of comedy. The outwrite obvious, eg Tony Angelino with his Cwying – its funny the firstime and still provides a chuckle. But then there is the subtle ones that years later you suddenly get. Like the time when Del has become a millionaire in “Time on our Hands” , he kindly offers to leave his carpet behind in the flat, so subtle, it took my brother to point it out to me.
The Twist
John Sullivan knows how to write Comedy, Drama and add a twist or two. Who can forget the brilliance of “Strained Relations” when they throw the vicars hat into Grandads grave, or the clever plot in “Tea for Three” where the rivalry takes a bitter twist.
The Brotherly Love or Hate
As with all episodes, Del and Rodney show immense love for each other. Illustrated well in several episodes. Del is selfish and yet still shows his love to Rodney. Del is the first to worry about Rodney and the first to insult him. He really did take care of him, well on his own terms. No fifty fifty split was ever quite fair. Either way there rivalry also emphasized there love. Many episodes embrace both sides.
The Episode Length
I love the episodes with Grandad. Paricularly the “Ashes to Ashes” episode. Unfortunately they would of benefited from the 50 minutes or even longer specials that came in the Uncle Albert era. Even so it must be said that later episodes had an advantage in this area.
The Attention to Detail
As has been seen in recent times, The attention to detail comes out in John Sullivans scripts as was shown in Rock and Chips. These details and tie-ups have been peppered in each episode for years. For example we see Slater in a few episodes. On each occassion we catchup with how things have progressed. Certainly “The Frogs Lecacy” was the daddy of attention to detail. This episode was central to several other episodes write up to the last “Sleepless in Peckham”.
So there you have it my fellow fans.
Episodes that just missed out my top 5
It was really tough, but
- Ashes to Ashes
- Cash and Curry
- Heroes and Villians
- Who’s a Pretty Boy
were all very close to making it.
My top 5 will now follow in tomorrows article – so make sure you see who i have put as my all time Top 5 Greatest Only Fools Episode. Of course i’m sure you’ll want to reveal your own top 5 too at some point.
My most Favourite “Only Fools” episodes are:
A Touch Of Glass
To Hull & Back
Dates
A Royal Flush (1986 original un-edited version)
Chain Gang
The Unlucky Winner Is…
The Jolly Boys’ Outing
Miami Twice (Part 2)
Mother Nature’s Son
Heroes & Villains
Strangers On The Shore
Sleepless In Peckham
My least favourite episodes are:
Big Brother
The Russians Are Coming
Diamonds Are For Heather
No Greater Love
May The Force Be With You
Strained Relations
A Losing Streak
From Prussia With Love
Miami Twice (Part 1)
Fatal Extraction
Modern Men
If They Could See Us Now
2014 Sport Relief Sketch “Beckham In Peckham”
If I had to choose just ONE most Favourite episode it would have to be “To Hull & Back” and if I had to choose just ONE worse episode it would have to be “If They Could See Us Now”.
Easy to choose a Number One episode: ‘Ashes to Ashes’. However, ever time i watch every episode, I laugh as hard as the first time and OFAH is all I watch. I am in the states and television here is stupid. It is is hard to pick the rest in order of my favorites because they’re all brilliant. Sleeping Dogs, Friday the 14th, Jolly Boys are all easy second place ties.
John Sullivan was a genius. I am in love with a fictional character – Derek Trotter! My legal first name is Della and I am thinking that when I get my car plates renewed, I may go ‘Del 1’!
My top 5 favorite rare episodes are :
5 – Comic relief
4 – Robin flies…
3 – Sports relief
2 – Christmas trees
1 – Licence to drill
Specials –
1-To Hull and back.
2-The frog’s legacy.
3-Dates.
4-Mother nature’s son.
5-Jolly boys outing.
Series –
1-Who’s a pretty boy.
2-As one door closes.
3-Danger UXD.
4-The unlucky winner is.
5-Healthy competition.
Video Nasty
Friday the 14th
Tea for Three
To Hull and Back
Jolly Boys Outing
Did anyone see the onlyfools top 40 moments presented by john challis and sue holderness that was aired on gold a few years ago? I have wanted to see it for ages and just wondered if anyone managed to record it?
MY TOP THREE EPISODES IN MY FAVOURITE SERIES ORDER.
SERIES 6.
1.DANGER UXD.
2.CHAIN GANG.
3.LITTLE PROBLEMS.
SERIES 7.
1.STAGE FRIGHT.
2.HE AINT HEAVY HES MY UNCLE.
3.THREE MEN A WOMAN AND A BABY.
SERIES 4.
1.SLEEPING DOGS LIE.
2.WATCHING THE GIRLS GO BY.
3.AS ONE DOOR CLOSES.
SERIES 3.
1.MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU.
2.WANTED.
3.WHOS A PRETTY BOY.
SERIES 2.
1.A LOSING STREAK.
2.NO GREATER LOVE.
3.A TOUCH OF GLASS.
SERIES 1.
1.GO WEST YOUNG MAN.
2.THE SECOND TIME AROUND.
3.THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING.
SERIES 5.
1.THE MIRACLE OF PECKHAM.
2.THE LONGEST NIGHT.
3.WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE.
MY TOP FIVE CHRISTMAS SPECIALS IN ORDER.
1.TO HULL AND BACK.
2.THE JOLLY BOYS OUTING.
3.MIAMI TWICE.
4.DATES.
5.THE FROGS LEGACY.
MY FIRST EMAIL IS RIGHT STILL BUT MY OTHER TWO HAVE BEEN DONE WRONG.THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE MY FAVOURITE EPISODES MY TOP THREE PER SERIES.MY SERIES LIST IS MY PERSONAL FAVOURITE SERIES FROM ONE TO SEVEN AND I HAVE PUT IN MY TOP 5 CHRISTMAS EPISODES IN ORDER TOO.I WOULD LIKE TO DELETE MY LAST TWO EMAILS BUT I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO ANY ADVICE PLEASE LET ME KNOW THANKS BONJOUR FOR NOW.
It’s very hard for me to pick a favourite only fools and horses episode – because lets face it, every episode is fantastic.
but I suppose if I absolutely had to pick 1 – I guess it would be the jolly boys outing, because I live about 60 minutes away from Margate, I can get to the place in 1 hour – I always go there once a year for a visit, and everytime I go, it always reminds me of Trigger wearing the ‘kiss me quick’ hat and holding his dolphin.
can I just suggest, anyone who has never been to Margate, and they intend on going at some point, please do indeed go – you’ll have a real fun day out, its awesome.
I’m narrowing it down to a top 10 ‘Best of’. A difficult task and probably controversial but these are the the 10 on my OFAH Best Of DVD (Uncut episodes of course)-
Cash and Curry
A Slow Bus to Chingford
The Long Legs Of the Law
Homesick
Healthy Competition
Happy Returns
From Prussia With Love
Yuppy Love
Rodney Come Home
Stage Fright
MY TOP 3 SERIES ARE AS FOLLOWS IN ORDER.
SERIES 6 1989.
SERIES 7 1991.
SERIES 4 1985.
MY TOP 5 CHRISTMAS SPECIALS ARE AS FOLLOWS IN ORDER.
TO HULL AND BACK 1985.
THE JOLLY BOYS OUTING 1989.
MIAMI TWICE 1991.
DATES 1988.
THE FROG’S LEGACY 1987.
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED EVERY SINGLE EPISODE FROM THE VERY FIRST BIG BROTHER TO THE VERY LAST SLEEPLESS IN PECKHAM.BUT THESE ARE MY FAVOURITES BOTH SERIES AND SPECIALS.
BONJOUR FOR NOW.
MY TOP SERIES EPISODES ARE AS FOLLOWS.
SERIES 6
1.YUPPY LOVE
2.DANGER UXD
3.CHAIN GANG
4.LITTLE PROBLEMS
SERIES 7
1.THE SKY’S THE LIMIT
2.STAGE FRIGHT
3.HE AINT HEAVY HE’S MY UNCLE
4.THREE MEN A WOMAN AND A BABY
SERIES 4
1.SLEEPING DOG’S LIE
2.WATCHING THE GIRL’S GO BY
3.AS ONE DOOR CLOSES
SERIES 3
1.MAY BE WITH YOU
2.WANTED
3.WHOS A PRETTY BOY
SERIES 2
1.A LOSING STREAK
2.NO GREATER LOVE
3.A TOUCH OF GLASS
SERIES 1
1.GO WEST YOUNG MAN
2.THE SECOND TIME AROUND
SERIES 5
1.WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONARE
NOT EASY AT ALL TO DO THIS BECAUSE AS I SAID EARLIER I LOVE EVERY SINGLE EPISODE BUT ON MY LIST I HAVE STATED MY BEST SERIES IN ORDER FROM ONE TO SEVEN AND THESE ARE MY BEST 20 SERIES EPISODES
BONJOUR FOR NOW.
Hello again please note series 7 is wrong the order is as follows.
1.STAGE FRIGHT
2.THE CLASS OF 62
3.HE AINT HEAVY HES MY UNCLE
4.THREE MEN A WOMAN AND A BABY.
I do not know why I put THE SKYS THE LIMIT IN although it is a great episode,these are my favourite episodes of series 7.And series 7 is still my second best series.
My Top 5 are:
1.Yuppy Love
2.Cash and Curry
3.Wanted
4.A Royal Flush
5.Class of ’62
Good choices.. Yuppy love is a very good episode, just outside of my top 5.. cant say im that keen on A Royal Flush though, didnt feel like any of the others for me..
Very hard to come up with 5 but mine would be: 1) The Jolly boys outing 2) Dates 3) Class of 62 4) Healthy competition 5) Whos a pretty boy. Any comments are welcome.. Would be interesting to hear which series everyone likes the most – for me it has got to be series 3.
“Yuppy Love” has to be my favourite. Do you have – or know anyone that has the uncut version.. The scene with Rodney, Mickey Pearce and Jevon?
I dont sorry mate ive seen quite a few cuts from various episodes but not this cut – i really wish the BBC would release an actual complete OFAH box set with no cuts, i can guaruntee they would make their money back and more if they did.
Agreed!
“Yuppy Love” has to be my favourite. Do you have – or know anyone that has the uncut version.. The scene with Rodney, Mickey Pearce and Jevon?
The best series was series 3 a lot of funny eposiodes were made in series 3. Best special is fatal attraction I have never laughter so much. Worst series was 7 great length eposiodes but not that funny.
Hard but if i had to choose my favorite two episodes(but i love them all) will have to be friday the 14th & jolly boys outing.
1/ Chain Gang
2/ Groovy Gang
3/ Yuppy Love
4/ Healthy Competition
5/ A Losing Streak
Of the specials I love Peckham Spring & Time On Our Hands, oh and Jolly Boys Outing, Miami Twice…
If I’m being honest, the only one I didn’t really like was the one when Rodders is accused of harassing the weirdo woman & goes into hiding. Is that Rodney Come Home?
That episode’s called Wanted. I always got those two episode names confused too.
Non-specials top 5:
1-The Class of ’62
2-Danger UXD
3-Yuppy Love
4-Chain Gang
5-Little Problems
None of my top 5 involve Grandad, but, it’s a fact for me that OFAH improved with age. Which means, the episodes became funnier and had better storylines. I absolutely loved Grandad but it’s not his fault that programmes like OFAH evolve greatly.
So, as a special mention, here is my top 5 pre-Buster Merryfield list:
1-The Russians Are Coming
2-Cash and Curry
3-A Losing Streak
4-Ashes to Ashes
5-No Greater Love
Top 5 Specials:
1-The Jolly Boy’s Outing
2-Miami Twice
3-To Hull and Back
4-Mother Nature’s Son
5-The Frog’s Legacy
1) Chain gang
2) Tea for three
3) A touch of glass.
4) heros and villains
5) the unlucky winner is…
6) the sky’s limit
7) Friday the 13th
8)
tough but:
1. Miami Twice (2nd part)
2. Chain Gang
3. The Yolly Boys Outing
4. A Touch of Glass
5. To Hull and Back
Too sad I couldn’t put these into my list: Fatal Extraction, Strangers on the Shore, The Unlucky Winner is, Danger UXD, Miami Twice 1st part, Friday the 14th, A Losing Streak, Sleepless in Peckham, Who’s a Pretty Boy, If They Could See Us Now.
Rodney come home
Yuppie love
Three men a woman and a baby
Miami twice
Modern men (sad but funny)
Wow Rodney Come home at number 1
What was it about that episode that made you laugh?
It wasnt particularly memorable for me
My list wasn’t in order but Rodney come home is one of my top favourites.
The bit where Albert needs to look horrified at Rodney for taking a girl to the pictures, and Albert does it all wrong. Well funny
What are your top 5 episodes
For me, ‘Dates’ had a depressing touch to it. Despite it having many hilarious moments in it, there is something about the feel of this episode that I have never liked.
No Yellow Peril? What about The Longest Night?
I watched the frogs legacy last night and that is a well funny one, didn’t realise how funny it was. Albert doing the 3rd act from singing in the rain. He mentioned your CV, a nice little citeron, I think he meant my curriculum vitae, that doesn’t matter there’s no heavy lifting involved. Hahaha
Rodney come home? Probably the worst episode of all!
I don’t know how anyone can put episodes with granddad in their top 5(except the one I included)…pleasant enough, but only really had one big joke per episode.
Top 5 (in no order);
Where Rodney meets Cassandra
Groovy Gang
Miami 2nd episode
Friday 14th
Jolly boys outing
my fav episodes are —
1 – miami twice
2 – danger uxd
3 – stage fright
4 – the unlucky winner is
5 – friday 13th
as much as a love grandad you cant beat uncle albert this is the only comedy to get better with age as most get worse as they run out of ideas!
Miami twice the best episode!?!?!?
What are you on about?
THIS IS A RESPECTABLE TOP 5
1: JOLLY BOYS OUTING
2: YUPPY LOVE
3: THE UNLUCKY WINNER IS
4: WHOS A PRETTY BOY
5: A LOSING STREAK
STICK THAT IN YER PIPE!
Unlucky winner seems so outdated and kind of cringeworthy. Especially the scenes filmed in the hotel suite. The actress playing Cassadra was awful!
Hi All, my husband and I are having a disagreement about certain characters who have appeared in OFAH. What we need to know are the names of two actors – the actor who played Tony Angelino – everyone remembers CWYING!!! and the name of the actor who played the detective Roy Slater. They both look similar and it’s driving us nuts! Hope someone can help. Thanks
Hi. I don’t know if you still need the answer but the actors are:
Jim Broadbent – Roy Slater
and
Phillip Pope – Tony Angelino
My top 5 episodes are:
5. Royal Flush
4. Rodney come home
3. A slow bus to Chingford
2. A touch of glass
1. Healthy competition
OFAH fan!
My favourite episodes are:
1. Jolly boys outing
2. Rodney come home
3. Chain gang
4. Danger UXD
5. To hull and back
Hello i am having a surprise only fools and horses party for my partners 50th birthday .Any ideas how i can make it as specail as the programme would be really appreciated .
Thank you xx
@Julie francis, you have to get him a gold bracelet engraved with copper plate writing!
A Losing Streak (Poker Game = 4 Aces)
Yuppy Love (The Bar Fall)
Jolly Boys Outing (Trip to Margate)
Tea for Three (Del Goes Handgliding)
As One door Closes (Del goes Butterfly Hunting)
YOU AINT GOT A CLUE!!!!
It’s a good job John Sullivan died when he did cause that would’ve killed him!
Top 5
Not an easy one at all
– looking forward to this set of articles
Another top thread, well put together here are my episdoes that just missed out my top 5, mind you I always change my mind about the order.
Who’s a Pretty Boy
Rodney Come Home
Wanted
Friday the 13th
Danger Uxd
if you want an episode for absolute comedy you could choose The Gary Episode, i think it was called strangers on the shore.
My favourite episode however is Jolly boys outing.