Time on Our Hands
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| "Time on Our Hands" | |
|---|---|
| Only Fools and Horses episode | |
| Episode no. | Episode 15 (Christmas Special) |
| Directed by | Tony Dow |
| Written by | John Sullivan |
| Original air date | 29 December 1996 |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
"Time on Our Hands" is an episode of the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. First screened on 29 December 1996, it was the final episode of that year's Christmas trilogy and the fifteenth Christmas special overall. It attracted a television audience of 24.3 million, a record for a British sitcom. In the episode, the Trotters finally become millionaires. It had initially been intended to be the series finale, but creator John Sullivan wrote three more specials that were screened annually between 2001 and 2003, starting with "If They Could See Us Now".
Synopsis
[edit]Raquel nervously organises a dinner for her parents, James and Audrey, at her flat. She is worried about their first meeting with Del Boy. Del and Albert try to reassure her. However, Del is concerned about Rodney, especially after his and Cassandra's miscarriage two weeks prior. Albert suggests a way to counter their worries, and Del pretends to be ill, but Rodney hardly notices. Later, while cataloguing stock in the Trotters' garage, Rodney hopes something good will happen. Del tells him that life isn't like that, using an old pocket watch as a metaphor for their life prospects before tossing it onto a gas cooker.
When Del and Rodney return to their tower block, the lift fails, leaving them trapped inside. They discuss Rodney and Cassandra's miscarriage, and a distressed Rodney admits he has been feeling sorry for himself since the loss. Del comforts him, referring to it as "a dropped stitch in life's tapestry," a phrase their late mother, Joan, used when things went wrong. He reassures Rodney that things will improve, and eventually, Rodney finds peace. Del then encourages him to go home and have an open conversation with Cassandra. After their talk, Del fixes the lift, and Rodney realises Del had manipulated the controls to encourage him to open up. They share a good laugh.
That evening, Raquel's parents, James and Audrey Turner, arrive for dinner, and everything seems to be going well. However, while moving the coffee Albert prepared in the kitchen, Del discovers it is actually gravy. As a result, the guests pour coffee onto their meals instead of gravy, spoiling the dinner. Everyone around the table politely claims they're full except for young Damien, who bluntly exclaims, "This is horrible!"
The next day, when James picks up his car from the Trotters' garage, he notices an old pocket watch engraved with "Harrison." Upon closer inspection, he suggests it could be the work of John Harrison, the 18th-century inventor of the first successful maritime clock. Experts examine the watch and refer to it as the Harrison "lesser watch," a semi-mythical piece with existing designs but no evidence it was ever made. During an auction at Sotheby's, Del and Rodney faint as they hear the high bidding prices, and the watch ultimately sells for £6.2 million. The Trotter brothers rejoice, finally realising their dream of wealth. A montage shows them enjoying their new lives: Del and Raquel move into a mansion, Rodney and Cassandra buy a luxury apartment on the Thames, and the Trotters even purchase Uncle Albert an expensive yacht, which he promptly crashes into a bridge.
Del eventually returns to their now-empty flat in Nelson Mandela House, reflecting on the memories from their time there. Rodney also returns, and Del reveals he is already beginning to miss their old life as market traders. Albert returns to collect some of his belongings for one last look, and the three of them leave. Before they go, Del answers a call from Lenny Norris, who offers them 250 carpet steamers. Initially eager, Rodney reminds Del that they are no longer in the business. Del poignantly tells Lenny that "Trotters Independent Traders has ceased trading."
The three men walk to a local Chinese restaurant for a meal. As they set off, Del declares that rather than it being the end, this is only the beginning, as they should now invest their newfound money in the futures market, quoting one last thing his mother Joan said on her deathbed. They continue to playfully argue as they walk off into an animated sunrise. Del proclaims that it is their "big chance," ending with the hopeful refrain: "This time next year, we could be billionaires!"
Viewing figures
[edit]This was initially billed as the series finale of Only Fools and Horses and was watched by 24.3 million viewers, nearly half the population of the country at the time and the highest recorded viewing figure for a comedy in the United Kingdom.
Episode cast
[edit]
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Music
[edit]- Boyzone: "Together"
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: "Our House"
- Vince Hill: "Take Me to Your Heart Again"
- Showaddywaddy: "Under the Moon of Love"
- Showaddywaddy: "I Wonder Why"
Note: In the VHS and DVD versions, the track "Our House" is replaced by a cover version by Helen Reddy.