Only Fools mistakes Page 4

In "Big Brother" (S1E1) Rodney asks Del why Trigger is called Trigger: "Is he carrying a gun?". I thought Trigger is an old schoolmate of Del's, so Rodney should have known better.
One thing I find terribly annoying is that the writers of "The Green Green Grass" don't seem to treat the "OFAH" legacy with the respect it deserves. In one episode of "TGGG" they use the sequence of the "OFAH" episode "Strangers On The Shore" where Del Boy is boasting on the telephone about how he put onion puree into Boycie's hairgel. It's not actually a mistake but in the original episode it seems clear that Del is talking to Monkey Harris (although Del Boy leaves the room during the scene and I admit it could be possible for him to have made another phone call). In the "TGGG" episode they pretend Del Boy is talking to Marlene. Like I said: it could be possible but it's not really plausible; and I'm sure it wasn't initially intended that way by John Sullivan. In other episodes they show several (funny) scenes of "OFAH" but they don't help the actual plot and seem only to serve as a bait for "OFAH" fans.
I wonder ho much control Sullivan had over "TGGG" after series one.

Quote: Jack Massey @ January 13 2007, 12:45 AM GMT

Remember the episode "The Frog's Legacy", well Del Boy hears of Freddie the Frog for the first time. In the final episode "Sleepless in Peckham", where you find out Freddie the Frog is Rodney's father, you find out Del knew him when he was 15.

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Del seems to have problems with his memory...in one episode he talks about an old romance. He says that she suddenly dumped him without explaining why but he couldn't remember her name. Later in that episode we learn that the girl was marlene...and she left Del because she met Boycie. I would remember something like that. I know...Sullivan built up this constellation to create a funny situation (with Boycie not knowing that Marlene and Del were a couple). But there were sometimes parts in Sullivan's writing that were either lazy, "cheap" or predictable. Nevertheless, Sullivan was a great writer and OFAH was his masterpiece.

I'd say Dear John.... was his masterpiece - although I'm not yet familiar with a few other titles, like Just Good Friends.

I wouldn't personally take too much stock of that Marlene moment though: Del's always portrayed as a serial (wannabe) womaniser with more ex-fiancées than a bigamist. I don't recall the specific example you're citing off-hand but it often feels that he's never really that attached to the girlfriends even when they were engaged - explanation, perhaps?

Quote: Aaron @ August 13 2012, 4:06 PM BST

I'd say Dear John.... was his masterpiece - although I'm not yet familiar with a few other titles, like Just Good Friends.

I wouldn't personally take too much stock of that Marlene moment though: Del's always portrayed as a serial (wannabe) womaniser with more ex-fiancées than a bigamist. I don't recall the specific example you're citing off-hand but it often feels that he's never really that attached to the girlfriends even when they were engaged - explanation, perhaps?

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Could be an explanation. But on the other hand Del is often portrayed as a man who cares for other people even he wants others to believe he's a shallow womanizer and opportunist...as for example he went on the funeral of Roy Slater's dad and helped the Driscoll family when their father died (at least he tells us he went to those funerals) So even if for him a girlfriend is a status symbol as his tacky jewelry I'd think he'd remember them as human beings.

Good point - potentially a character inconsistency even higher up the tree!

Quote: Aaron @ August 13 2012, 4:06 PM BST

I don't recall the specific example you're citing off-hand

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I believe it was in "Fatal Extraction"

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ August 13 2012, 4:19 PM BST

I believe it was in "Fatal Extraction"

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I think you're right. The first scene where he couldn't remember her name was in Sid's cafe then later in the episode in the Nag's Head. Boycie says he wishes he'd never walked into that betting shop in Lewisham Grove and Del remembers.

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ May 12 2012, 2:13 AM BST

I've got one.
That time they stood under the wrong Chandelier.

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And that time the barman extra left the bar flap up! David Jason fell on his arse. I can't believe they left that in.

Quote: Raymond Terrific @ August 18 2012, 10:32 PM BST

And that time the barman extra left the bar flap up! David Jason fell on his arse. I can't believe they left that in.

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Ha ha, yes poor editing that. Just been catching up with some old episodes on Gold and it really does amaze me how many good visual scenes Sullivan packed into OFAH. They just keep coming, some minor, but no opportunity is missed to illustrate something with some visual comedy. An absolutely brilliant visual writer that guy was.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 19 2012, 2:01 PM BST

Just been catching up with some old episodes on Gold and it really does amaze me how many good visual scenes Sullivan packed into OFAH. They just keep coming, some minor, but no opportunity is missed to illustrate something with some visual comedy. An absolutely brilliant visual writer that guy was.

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Like in "The Longest Night" when they spent the night in the supermarket and Del rolls back the paper towel in the morning as if it was a sleeping bag! Or when after visiting a gay disco by mistake Del puts the blame on Rodney gesticulating with the little pink (!!!) umbrella of his exotic drink. Such visual gags are very subtle but funny if you catch them.
But Sullivan was a real master in creating serious emotional moments that can put tears in your eyes.

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ August 20 2012, 6:21 PM BST

Like in "The Longest Night" when they spent the night in the supermarket and Del rolls back the paper towel in the morning as if it was a sleeping bag!

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Yeah and there's a classic visual in that episode too with Rodney and the gun/packet of fags. 'You plonker, Rodney.' OFAH is fantastic to rewatch years later I'm finding, because there are so many good things I missed from the first viewing. I think it's one sitcom I really took for granted when it was on and didn't appreciate it as much as I should've.

I always liked the 'visuals' where Sullivan placed Del in front of the camera so only we can see his facial reactions while he teases Rodney. He did this a few times probably after realising it was a great comical scenario.
Like; When Rodney thinks he is being hunted for attempted rape and Del realises it's the local nutty woman.
And to a degree when Rodney telephones to apply for a new job that Del has advertised. Not knowing that he is speaking to Del and the job he wants is his own.
Great dialouge but even greater visuals.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ August 21 2012, 7:33 AM BST

Yeah and there's a classic visual in that episode too with Rodney and the gun/packet of fags. 'You plonker, Rodney.' OFAH is fantastic to rewatch years later I'm finding, because there are so many good things I missed from the first viewing. I think it's one sitcom I really took for granted when it was on and didn't appreciate it as much as I should've.

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The funny thing is that the title of this thread is "Only Fools Mistakes" which sounds negative at first. But I think nearly everyone who contributed to this thread at least likes the show. Multiple viewing of the episodes makes you realise the (technical) mistakes in this show but also gives you the chance to get the many visual jokes.

Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ August 21 2012, 8:55 AM BST

I always liked the 'visuals' where Sullivan placed Del in front of the camera so only we can see his facial reactions while he teases Rodney. He did this a few times probably after realising it was a great comical scenario.
Like; When Rodney thinks he is being hunted for attempted rape and Del realises it's the local nutty woman.
And to a degree when Rodney telephones to apply for a new job that Del has advertised. Not knowing that he is speaking to Del and the job he wants is his own.
Great dialouge but even greater visuals.

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I love it when Del looks annoyed. As for example when Rodney dates the policewoman and takes her home. Del tries to hide the hooky gear but Rodney makes one cock up after another. So when they seem run out of gin Rodney states that they have another three cases of import gin...Del puts on one of his annoyed looks and says: "I don't believe him, what a plonker, what a plonker". This face is worth millions.

I also like his "being-surprised-face". For example when the boys realise that the canary was already dead in the morning. Or when Del and Rodney realise that Albert drank Cassandra's urine sample...

in Watching the girls go by,At the start of the episode, Mickey Pearce is playing darts in the pub by Boycie. On the 3rd dart, he actually aims for the floor behind Boycie to make it seem like the dart bounced off the board.
in The Unlucky Winner Is
When Rodney and Del are sitting on the balcony and Cassandra has gone to get Rodney a drink, if you look in the glass door, you can see Cassandra's reflection with the drink waiting for her cue to come in.

In the episode Homesick, when the kid steals the orange look how the orange is conveniently placed higher than the rest to make it easier for him to pick up.

In the episode Who's A Pretty Boy Then, when Denzil's wife storms out of the room and slams the door behind her, you can see that the wall to the right of the door lurches forward under the pressure of the closing door.