54 Responses to “It’s in the detail: Rock & Chips”

  1. Breath says:

    Young cinema worker Raymond not liking the female attention. The great Raymondo perhaps??

  2. nathan redman says:

    the story of freddie the frog does not match up in the frogs legacy del had never heard of freddie robdol but in the least epsiode del says he was told to call him uncle fred when he was aboy as he was hes dads mate as a big ofah fan i find it poor and can not belive no one has picked up on this

    • Del says:

      What he actually says is “I was always told to call him uncle fred” – therefore he never knew his real name..and probably didn’t care…and knowing Del, it wouldn’t of made much sense anyway.

  3. Malcolm Hessing says:

    Beeen reading the comments regarding dates etc that don’t seem to match up. There is such a thing called ‘Poetic Licence’ and whilst their observations may be correct sometimes, they should just sink into the richness of the story-lines, enjoy the Writings of John Sullivan and stop being so trivial. 11/10

  4. Ian H says:

    Outstanding stuff, has there ever been a better writer on British TV than John Sullivan? The subtle links to OFAH were wonderful, and the script/casting brilliant. Most enjoyable! Note to John and the BBC; MORE PLEASE!!!!

  5. Michael says:

    one of the girls who invites boyce and del back to the house in rock and chips (del has to use the sink as a toilet so he doesnt wake up the nan) is called pamela, she also appears in the abortion clinic later. Pamela is the name of the mother of the girl rodney brings back to the flat and del thinks she is his daughter.

    • Pete says:

      “Pamela is the name of the mother of the girl rodney brings back to the flat and del thinks she is his daughter.”

      No it’s not. Her name is Debbie who works in the paper shop.

  6. Steve G says:

    When Reg brings Freddy back to the house, he wakes up Joan telling her to make some sandwiches and that Freddy wants ketchup on his. Made me smile as there’s a scene in OFAH when Cassandra throws Rodney out and tells him to take his ketchup with him!

  7. Steve G says:

    When Jelly Kelly is filling up the jag with petrol, Freddie screws up his release paper from Darmoor and kicks it away like it’s a football. Reminded me of the scene in Jolly Boys outing.

  8. Quoling says:

    Somethin’ don’t make sense.

    1. Rodney was born in 1960
    2. In Thicker than Water – Del says “their” Dad walked out on Rodney when he was 5
    3. We also know that Del was 16 on that day
    4. This means Del was 16 in 1965 which means he was born in 1949.
    5. This means Del must of been 11 in 1960…which he certainly was not in Rock N Chips.

    • Gena says:

      I noticed the mistake with the age too. It’s also on an app called Quiz Up about OFAH as it asked Dels age when Rodney was born, the oldest answer out of a choice of 4 was 15 which I chose and I was incorrect.

  9. Karl Cooper says:

    In Rock and Chips where Del Boy through the savoly out of a bus window and it turns out it hit his dad reminded me of The Jolly Boys Outing where Del throws the suitcase out of the window of Rachel and The great Raymondo’s flat and it comes to pass that it hits boycie on the head.

  10. John L says:

    When Freddie tells his joke about disposing of his relatives remains the locations he mentions are the same as Del and Rodney unsuccessfully try when disposing of Trigger’s granddads’ ashes in ‘Ashes to Ashes’

  11. Nigel says:

    First class entertainment!! Brilliant writing from the wonderful “Sir” John Sullivan…….(well, maybe not yet!). More of the same please!! Ring / email the BBC with requests for more!

  12. Glynn Ward says:

    Just to add more fine detail that John Sullivan knew what he was doing when he put it in. In one of the Only fools and Horses episodes which I think is ‘Yellow Peril’ Del describes to Rodney that their “mom was a wonderful lady” and “she had long blonde hair,sometimes”. So that is why there was a change of hair colour half way through, fantastic John. Please sir can i have some more!!

  13. Richie says:

    Well Done John Sullivan !!! Brilliant writing and attention to detail. As has been said before, the reason that Only Fools works so well, is that you laugh with the characters, and you cry with the characters. As a teenager in the 80’s I have grown up with Only Fools, and to watch the characters grow and mature feels like you are watching a family in reality. To now go back in time with Rock and Chips is like looking through an old family photo album, and stiring up fond old memories. To use so many familiar references from the storylines of Only Fools is a stroke of pure genius. Although Rock and Chips had its funny moments, it was also nice that the show was mainly drama based, showing us the exceptional writing talent that John Sullivan has to make us feel that we really know and understand the characters. Some of his best writing has been the more emotional scenes in Only Fools such as The birth of Damien, Del alone at Rodney and Casndra’s wedding reception, Del and Rodney in the lift after Casnadra’s Miscarriage, and the graveyard scene in Sleepless in Peckham, to name but a few. Please, Please, Please John write some more.

  14. Adam says:

    Would love to see a full series of this. Still so many storylines to be explored. Freddie/ Joan/ Albie’s deaths, Jumbo going to Aussie, etc. This episode proved it has the potential to be a success with quality acting and writing. Although Phil Daniels looked more like an old Mickey Pearce rather than a younger version of Grandad!

  15. Barry Steven Hellier says:

    Im sure someones already mentioned this but, Reg was singing an adam faith song (poor me ?) This was mentioned in at least two episodes.

  16. Glen Harrison says:

    I’ve been a fools and horses fan all my life, but I have to say I thought the last three episodes were very average, nor was I a fan of the green, green grass. However, I though rock n chips was BRILLIANT. This is Jon Sullivan back on form and what the fans, general public and the BBC have been waiting for. PLEASE MAKE A SERIES!! also (and I don’t think this has been mentioned yet) I was very pleased to be able to watch in High Definition :-)

  17. yvonne says:

    Amazin better than i could of ever imagined ,didnt think it would work when i read about it after all only fools is the best comedy ever THANK YOU JOHN BRILLIANT.

  18. [Blocked by CFC] dylan says:

    i thought rock n chips was great, and i really hope they make a series…would be amazing!
    one thing that i notice though was that in ”thicker than water” del boy says that reg is a ‘jack the lad, with the flashy shirts and gold cufflinks’ but in rock n chips reggie is just a scruffy git

  19. chris allen says:

    when the lads got the carpets from the docks,, denzel says were gonn a need a bigger lorry to carry them instead of the small van… and in only fools denzel drives a lorry

  20. Glynn Ward says:

    I thourght Rock and Chips was really excellent, well put together, alot of thourght went into it and what a fantastic ending with the balcony scene! Well done John Sullivan yet again!! ‘Homesick’ was the episode Dr Becker was in but also mentioned in ‘Thicker than Water’. Please, please can we have more of Rock and Chips??!! Thankyou John for the great entertainment you bring to the BBC!!

  21. Hannah Moore says:

    My family absolutely loved Rock and Chips. Congratulations to John Sullivan! My teenage son fell in love with Kathleen Cook in the doctor’s scene. (or Miss Cock as she was called!!) He must have watched that two second bit twenty times! She has a fan there!

  22. John L says:

    Joan explains Rodney’s conception to Reg by saying he was celebrating Millwall winning something. Reg’s love of Millwall is referenced as far back as ‘Big Brother’. It was also well acted that when Joan claims to not know anything about football she clearly does, being a keen Charlton supporter (at that time Charlton were very good)

  23. Stainsy says:

    As far as i Know, no one has Mentioned the fact that Blossom is Credited as a character. (think she might have been in the Cinema with Albie)

    • admin says:

      Well spotted I think your right
      as blossom was the nutter who later accussed rodney of assault
      Though it appears she wasn’t seen in the screened version

  24. dale says:

    didnt del say there was only 13 years difference between him and rodney in big brother? …there again this could be del being modest about his age

  25. Margaret Arnold says:

    One more thing- he is a clever writer.

  26. Rob says:

    Great observations! Spotted most of them but small details like Renee mentioning Walter Raleigh House in The Frogs Legacy were just inspired.

    One detail – there are hints in Rock And Chips that Joan would like a telephone, and of course young Del gets her their first phone when they move into the flat – so remember in A Losing Streak when Del removes the money that Joan left the boys from the telephone? Just a little nod to that detail there.

    Loved the show, 10/10, great stuff John Sullivan!

    • admin says:

      Some great observations Rob – i’ll include those too

    • Gena says:

      Has there ever been an explanation as to why the flats were called Sir Walter Raleigh House when built yet the name changed to Nelson Mandela House? Yes there were changing times in South Africa but surely a whole High Rise with hundreds of residents wouldn’t be renamed in honour of Mandela? Could understand a name change if originally Gary Glitter House or Jimmy Savile House but Sir Walter Raleigh was inoffensive. This is really bugging me as to WHY!

  27. John L says:

    I’m sure that either Jumbo or June or even Reene asks Del if he is still living in Walter Raleigh House in Only Fools, the name on the sign as they move in.

  28. Justjac says:

    I loved the way that Joanie used the foreign words much like Delboy, e.g. Freddie mentions c’est la vie’, she tries it out later when referring to ‘well its Tel Avive’. I also noticed she may not understand the jokes first up nor recognised the music referring to ‘I will drink anything’. You can see who Delboy takes after from the wonderful and talented JS. Thank you thank you thank you for writing the programme.

  29. Oliver says:

    re: 11. Dr Becker It was not the episode “It never rains” that it was revealed Dr Becker wrote the letter for the Trotters to get the flat. It was “Homesick” Series 3 episode 1.

    • Quoling says:

      Didn’t Del Boy also say when on the phone to Dr Becker – that he (Dr Becker) did not know Del…..

      If he was the family doctor surely he would of known who Del was…especially as it was revealed that he got him into the flat….

      • Gena says:

        Ah yes he did, because he told the doctor he knew his wife and one would assume…his mistress so as to get the doctor to make a home visit.

  30. wewantmore says:

    enjoyed this episode? want more? call the bbc. in fact the number given on here is incorrect. if you want a full series commissoned call the bbc and show your appreciation the number you need is the bbc info office who deal with comments aswell as complaints. 03700 100 222 its a local rate call and open 24/7. i work for the bbc hint hint

  31. Paul Adamson says:

    I really hope John Sullivan decides to make a series of Rock and Chips. Last night’s episode was pure class. Everything about it was brilliant. My personal favourite moment was the Balcony scene with Joan slowly nodding her head – it’s this type of scene which Sullivan writes so well, understated, subtle, yet very powerful and moving. Superb.

  32. John L says:

    I wonder if Freddie driving a Jag was a nod to Rodney driving one at the end of ‘Time on our Hands’.
    In the scene where Freddie asked the Ted to play Johnny Rae (was that Albie?) A kid in the background with sandy hair walks with a definite limp. I couldn’t tell you if his eye were mismatched but it might have been a nod to Alan Parry “Little bloke one blue eye one brown walks with stammer talks with a limp” as Del remembered him in ‘Chain Gang’. It might have been an extra who has stubbed his toe.

  33. Andy says:

    A superb piece of writing from John Sullivan, a programme both humourous and touching. Well done everyone involved, let’s hope there’s more to come.

    One more link that may not have been intentional (but knowing JS probably was!), the cream and green kitchen cabinet in the Trotters’ Orchard Street kitchen appeared to be the same one that would occupy the kitchen at Nelson Mandela House for the entire run of OFAH.

  34. Clever Trevor says:

    I thought it was heartbeat .

    Loved it i’m going to watch it again tonight :)

  35. Quoling says:

    Didn’t Denzil say in the “Class of 62” that his parents came from Brum? – so why was he from Liverpool in Rock and Chips – and also if they all left school in 1960 – how could there have been a reunion in 62?

  36. Big Geoff says:

    Rock and Chips was brilliant,Kellie Bright as Joanie Trotter was excellent casting,she was truly mesmerising and has a natural beauty,it was great to see the trotters from a new angle,the storyline potential is infinite here,John Sullivan must be commisioned to pen a new series,if he hasnt already.?This is what OFAH fans have been waiting for,all along.!!

  37. Peter Jennings says:

    near the beginning of the programme the cost of petrol was 4/6, but i believe this to be wrong. I think it was less than that in 1960. It was only about 3/5 in 1962. Sorry to be picky!

  38. Gareth sheridan says:

    there was also reference to dels mate jumbo mills who was a character in rock and chips but later apeared in an episode of ofah asking del to move and set up in partnership with him in australia

  39. PAUL JAFFA says:

    I really enjoyed this. Being such a devoted and loyal fan since I was 11, this was great writing again from JS.
    I was extremelly touched when they moved in to the flat at the end. I thought Joan was great and I’m glad the focus was on her and Freddie and not Del Boy, because the early years is not supposed to be about Del.
    I would love to see more from John.This is more creative and intelligent writing from him and much better and original than the last 3 Only Fools.

  40. Del says:

    That’s good to hear Perry – perhaps putting the number up will persuade more people to request a series ;O) 0208 743 8000

  41. Simon Walker says:

    Well done to all. Rock and Chips was excellent. And i was certainley able to link most of the top ten details. Hope there’s more to follow.

  42. Perry says:

    Just to let everyone know that John Sullivan appreciates all your comments – and has told me he has lots more stories to tell of the early years of the Trotters. So if you want to see more join the rest of us and CALL THE BBC and tell them, perhaps they can then persuade John to do more.

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