No Greater Love Episode Review
Brief: Rodney’s got himself a bird at last- Irene! Unfortunately, she’s no spring chicken, even too old for Grandad! Also her jailbird husband Tommy McKay is about to be released… and he doesn’t stand for any nonsense.
Transmitted: 11.11.1982
Duration: 30 minutes
Viewing Figures:8.6 million
Rodney falls for Irene Mackay – a woman twice his age – and Del Boy isn’t happy about it.
Not only is Irene a lot older than Rodders, but she’s married to a hard nut who’s doing time in Parkhurst prison – and is about to be released. Concerned for his brother’s welfare, Del convinces Irene to ditch Rodney. But when Rodney realises Del has been interfering with his personal life again, he goes loopy.
Soon after, Tommy Mackay gets out of prison – he soon finds out his missus has been cheating on him with a Trotter, and goes looking for revenge. Luckily for Rodney, Tommy finds Del Boy first, and the elder Trotter takes the punishment for him.
When a bruised and battered Del returns to the flat, he’s over the moon to find out that Rodney has moved onto someone new anyway, so there wasn’t really anything to worry about!
Locations include:
Irene’s road This is the location of Irene Mackay’s house 30 Brouncker Road, Acton
The police alleyway This is where the policeman walks before spotting Del in a fight (spot the cable on the wall, it is still there) Corner of Bedford/Witham Road, Ealing
Tommy Mackay This is where Del bumps into Tommy Mackay (Notice the Grill behind Del) Witham Road, Ealing
Coat Sold to Ahmed This is where Del sells the coat to Ahmed 14 Connaught Road, Ealing
Irene’s road This is the location of Irene Mackay’s house 30 Brouncker Road, Acton
The police alleyway This is where the policeman walks before spotting Del in a fight (spot the cable on the wall, it is still there) Corner of Bedford/Witham Road, Ealing
Tommy Mackay This is where Del bumps into Tommy Mackay (Notice the Grill behind Del) Witham Road, Ealing
Coat Sold to Ahmed This is where Del sells the coat to Ahmed 14 Connaught Road, Ealing
Episode Observations
- In No Greater Love, I have noted there has been some comment on about “Del getting beaten up in this episode”, for the sake of his brother Rodney and coming off worse for wear for his troubles in defending his brother from the released hardman Mackay.Although it is true he took a bit of a beating in this episode, he did actually win this particular fight (albeit not seen on screen) with the hard man Tommy Mackay, because he says that he has left the way clear for Rodney and Irene, and Mackay won’t bother them anymore.Before the fight starts, there is a scene where Del-boy, in preparation for his confrontation with Mackay, throws his new camel haired coat down, only to find that it has been ruined by a rain drenched gutter/pavement.Well we all know how Del-boy likes his image of smartness, so through sheer rage and anger attacks Mackay with slightly more aggression than the hardman anticipated.
- In No Greater Love, the photo of Tommy McKay is blatantly not of he same man who appears later in the episode.
- In No Greater Love, at the end, Del tells Rodney (AFTER he’s been beaten up by McKay)that he’s left the path clear for Rodney & Irene. Irene has already told Rodney that it’s over, and also, why would Del tell Rodney this, risking him going round to Irene’s where he would also have taken a beating from McKay.
- In No Greater Love, in tihs episode tommy mckay is played by the same persom who plays Harry in Boon.
- In No Greater Love, The first time Rodney and Irene meet, in her living room, watch closely as Rodney spits on his new bird as he says “Pleased to meet you Irene”. Not the best first impression!
- In No Greater Love, during the dinner scene Del tells Rodney: “Look a tart in here called Irene McKay – she’s had £17 worth of clothes off you. And you’re letting her pay you back at 25p a week. That means you gotta go round there every week for a year!” However, £0.25 multiplied by 52 weeks makes £13! I apologise for being so technical.
No Greater Love Script
The script will be downloadable from here
Did You Know?
The idea for the script was to demonstrate the love Del and Rodney had for each other, even willing to be given a beating for his brother.
In No Greater Love the scene in the Nags Head Rodney is a little upset as he and Irene have finished ,Deo acknowledges this ,yet at the end when comes in battered, he says to Ridney it opens the way for him and Irene ,Rodney then says it’s all right we’ve split anyway ? That was already established in Pub scene
Does David Daker play the policeman chasing del at the start of the episode healthy competition ?
Surely Mrs Singh would be a Sikh not a Hindu.
Surely Mrs Singh would be a Sikh not a Hindu. I also doubt she would move to Bangladesh.
This episode was pretty funny, as there were a couple of things that would be used in later episodes, such as the raincoats Rodney and Cassandra would swap in “Yuppy Love”, and the concept of Del getting beat up in order to protect Rodney in “Little Problems”.
David Baker also played Captain Rigg in the 1979 Dr Who story the Nightmare of Eden! Quite an all rounder as he was a completely different character to Tommy Mackay!
The actor playing Tommy Mackay is called David Daker who appeared in various comedies like Porridge, Minder and (as you said) Boon. He also had co-starring roles in Dick Turpin (with Richard O’Sullivan) and an excellent but seemingly forgotten comedy-drama called Give Us A Break (with Robert Lindsay and Paul McGann). Don’t know what he’s up to these days. He’s retired presumably as he must be in his 70’s.