Only Fools and Horses - A popular and successful British sitcom
Only Fools and Horses was very successful long-running British comedy that begin in 1981 about two brothers: Del (Derek) and Rodney Trotter. The best way to describe Del and Rodney is that they were lovable and harmless traders on the black market. They’d buy and try to sell almost anything that they could and many of the episodes were based on something faulty that was bought by Del. In the beginning of the series, Only Fools and Horses, Del and his brother Rodney lived with their Grandad in a high-rise in south London. Del was the owner of “Trotter’s Independent Traders.” He was a fast talking wheeler-dealer who was always looking to make a quick buck. One of Del’s famous lines in the series was “This time next year, we’ll be millionaires.” He was always trying to be the eternal optimist. This series won many awards and was always on top with its ratings.
Only Fools and Horses was written by John Sullivan and broadcast on BBC TV in the UK. There were seven seasons that were broadcast between 1981 and 1991 and there were a few episodes broadcast afterwards up until 2003. Only Fools and Horses was voted as Britain’s Best Sitcom in 2004.
Only Fools and Horses wasn’t very popular when it first began but the BBC kept it alive and the audience steadily grew and began to like it. It’s very sudden popularity led to Sullivan making an annual Christmas special for a few years. The viewings of the final episodes were amazing – over 21 million people viewed each of the first two final and there were 24.35 million that tuned in to view the very final one.
Many fans of the show would agree that Only Fools and Horses made many memorable moments, three of which top the list. The first was when Del and Rodney were renovating their house and they accidentally smashed a crystal chandelier on the floor. The second involved Del and Trigger in a wine bar. They were eyeing up some women and Del went to lean on the bar flap which he didn’t realize was raised. The final and what some say is the most significant, was the ancient yellow Reliant Robin vehicle that was the Trotter’s transportation.
The theme music of Only Fools and Horses was actually performed by John Sullivan, himself. There is a line in the theme song that says “Why do only fools and horses work” which is somewhat explanatory of the title of the sitcom. This very line provided an answer to many questions that were presented during the first season of the series.
As you’ve read on this page, this was an excellent series and fans were sad when it no longer ran. But, you can still find all episodes of Only Fools and Horses (with the exception of a small few) on VHS and DVD. You can find them in your favorite video/movie store or by even doing a search online.