It is time that Americans got to have this syndicated! This is the funniest sitcom I have ever seen. Thank goodness for the trips to the UK when I can sit around with my friends and watch it. I am a Rodney fan. My favorite episodes are the Chandelier episode, the Batman and Robin one, and Del and Trig in the bar where he falls down. This is top notch comedy. I recommend it to anyone who wants a good laugh! I want to buy the DVD set of this if I can get it in American format. It's a shame other Americans have not seen this. I have not met one person here in the States that has seen it. All I can say is they are missing out on the world's best sitcom. American sitcoms are boring, British rock! God Bless Hooky Street!
Add a Review
-
jennisopretty10 August 2008
-
HollywoodMusic20 July 2006It is the British who know how to write for television! Only Fools and Horse ranks at the top right along with Fawlty Towers, The Office, Keeping up Appearances etc. etc. It doesn't really get much better than this! Only Fools and Horses sadly never really made it to the TV screens in USA, but I highly recommend everyone to see it out on DVD which has recently been released in USA. David Jason (who also start in the fantastic British crime series: A Touch of Frost) has to be one of the greatest British actors of all time. Del Boy and Rodney no doubt became major icons of UK television during the 1980s and 1990s and they even returned a few times during the past couple of years for occasional specials! Bravo all the time on this one!
-
saleemkalhoro24 April 2012Only Fools and Horses is of best comedy sitcom ever aired.This shows has every thing from quality comedy to romance love, feeling of responsibly,family. this show is very addicting once you watch you are going to feel that you are part of show.This show has been ranked as British top No.1 sitcom ever aired.David Jason performs the role of Delboy perfectly.Rodney Granddad,Uncle Albert,Trigger all are awesome.Its been a long time since the watched the series but the Dialogue still rings in my ears.He Who Dares Wins still Inspire me.I salute John Sullivan for creating this master piece. I hope if they could continue this series with all original characters and we can have all the fun and entertainment
-
r-panting21 April 2005This truly is the greatest comedy to hit the screens in the UK. Some of moments of comic genius written by creator John Sullivan are on a completely different level to anything else seen on British TV. Yes, you can talk about Del falling through the bar, and yes you can talk about the blow up sex dolls. They are classic moments, but there are so many hugely funny scenes that are so advanced, it really is amazing how JS thought of them. For example, my personal favourite is in the episode Heroes and Villains when Del Boy and Rodney go to a publican's ball dressed as Batman and Robin - a good idea for a fancy dress party. But then comes a catalogue of comic brilliance. Firstly, (already dressed in their outfits) the van breaks down in the middle of Peckham. DB and R do a runner and scamper through Peckham only to confront a group of muggers. The muggers leave their intended victim convinced it's the real Batman and Robin! Then comes Rodney's wonderful clench fist (ala Robin) before shouting to Del "Let's go" - in my opinion it's the perfect line and one of British comedy's greatest moments. And to top it off, they finally get to the ball only to find the landlord has 24 hours earlier died. Everyone is dressed in their funeral outfits except for our 'caped crusaders' who stand out like a sore thumb.
John Sullivan's achievements of rattling up 25m viewers is fully justified. Not only does he produce perfect comedy, but he couples that with real drama such as the death of Grandad, Cassie's miscarriage, and Rodney's wedding.
We have grown up with the Trotters - and we have died with them in some cases. But the true brilliance of David Jason, Nick Lyndhurst, Buster Merryfield and of course John Sullivan will live on.
Can I give it 11/10? -
mf281213 September 2020First of all, Guyhayders review is absolutely Americana all over. Thick as s##t and an idiot. Take your Coke and drown in it.
This is comedy and more. This program is a British institution and will never be beaten. -
jjvvvtribe13 May 2011This is a remarkable body of work and I am so glad that I took the chance and bought it! It started in 1981 and ended in 2003, but unlike American series it didn't drown the watcher and the last three episodes were a year apart! There was even one 3 year gap between 1993 and 1996 and one 5 year gap between 1996 and 2001 before they took up the series again. Never have I seen such continuity in story lines. It is amazing to me that the same actors kept coming back year after year to create this wonderful body of work. It deserved every award and accolade it ever got and those were many.
The first few seasons were half hour comedies and are hilarious, but you soon get to know these characters and become emotionally invested in their stories especially when they expand to full hour shows. By season 4 I was not just laughing, but crying. "Only Fools and Horses" succeeded in being both hilarious and extremely endearing. We are so lucky that we get to watch their stories unfold completely without having to wait 22 years. Best of all it answers the big questions and ties it all together by the final episodes. I can't imagine how invested people must have been who waited 22 years to get their answers. I know not everyone will like this series. My husband didn't like "To Hull and Back" and I do admit I didn't care much for "Miami Twice", but even these offerings are worth watching for the comedy and irony. A great show well worth your money and your time. This is indeed the best Brit-com ever made!!! -
Joelmeldrew25 October 2006I have been a British telly fan for about ten years.Being American our TV(with very few exceptions)is horrible at best.So I watch mainly UK programs.I have to say that OFAH is television at its absolutes best!!I have only recently discovered this series through DVD release,but I had first heard about it years ago.
The fact that this show has achieved such legendary status in its homeland is no surprise.David Jasons a wonderful actor and Debby is no doubt his masterpiece.I don't believe a show this good will ever come along again.Im just glad it came along once!!The best thing about it is the fact that Derek and Rodney are so different,but they have an unbreakable bond.The show dealt with some serious subjects but never in an abysmal manner.They weathered all sorts of problems but always managed to survive.I truly adore this show as i'm sure millions of others around the world do.All I can say is thank you Mr.John Sulliven for creating a masterpiece that will surely stand the test of time forever!!Besides The Beatles, OFAH is the most important, entertaining,timeless,culturally significant piece of entertainment,to emerge from the British Isles.One of the greatest(perhaps the greatest)body's of work of the 20th century!! -
fibreoptic21 June 2004Only Fools & Horses has never really been one of my favourites but for over 20 years i have enjoyed it when it has been on television and has gave me many a laugh. My life at the moment isn't actually what you would call sweet so a lot of the time i mope around like a miserable git and laugh at few things. Couple of weeks ago i decided to sit down and watch Only Fools & Horses on UK Gold and you know what? I haven't laughed so much in years! I was laughing so much my sides were splitting which not even top comedies like Fawlty Towers or Red Dwarf could do. Now the episodes i've been watching were the ones from the eighties which are by far the best of the bunch and the last time i seen them i was a kid so i didn't fully appreciate the humour but now i'm in my late twenties it's like ten times more funnier! The episode where Del wins Rodney a holiday and Rodney has to pretend to be 14 is absolutely priceless. That cheered me up no end. I would never ever buy Only Fools & Horses on DVD for the main reason that comedies of this calibre shouldn't be watched over and over again. I'll catch the episodes in another few years time so i can laugh just as hard once again. I never thought that Only Fools & Horses was this good but me uncontrollably laughing proves otherwise. HAHAHA Rodney's expressions when Del does something he doesn't like! Man, you all have to watch this brilliant British comedy. By the way, Trigger ROCKS!!!
-
Howlin Wolf3 June 2007Two people who wind one another up - it's a staple of situation comedy, from "Red Dwarf" to "Blackadder" to "Only Fools & Horses". It's the sibling rivalry perfectly conveyed by the actors and scripts that makes "Fools" so warm and special, though.
David Jason has inhabited the role written on the page so completely that he is now the true original, and any Cockney wide boys armed with braces and Filofax are just copycats aping their hero. Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst, is the gawky younger brother used as a stooge by his crafty go-getter relative. The family unit was rounded off by two older house-guests, and longtime series fans can be divided into two camps over whether they prefer Lennard Pierce's Grandad or Merryfield's Uncle Albert. I'm a Buster man myself - probably due to my age and the fact that the brothers were less inhibited about making fun of him more.
These were characters most people from a working class family could relate to, and we shared their own feelings about their numerous setbacks and occasional triumphs. It was truly a joyous moment when they finally got what they had spent years hustling for, and perhaps that's how these larger-than-life tradesmen should best be remembered. Familiarity made it good to see them back in the one-off specials, but deep down they will always be a pair of opportunists who somehow managed to steal our hearts when we weren't quite paying attention, and there's only so many ups and downs a streetwise life can take! Only Fools and Horses will go down in the history books as perhaps the most unpretentious and genuinely affectionate serial of its type that's ever been made. -
mikeridge18 June 2010The funniest thing I have ever watched only fools is a real laugh the jokes are thick and funny and the characters shine! the thing about only fools is that it starts off really well and ends on a low note , the true only fools years in my eyes are the grand dad era and Albert. When the women come along it loses its way my personal opinion being that Sullivan should have only introduced Cassandra as Del changes when Raquel comes along and turns a little nasty in places and cant be a man all the time. The glory years in my opinion is just Del Rodders Grandad and then Albert.As well the fabulous acting we also see a window which now seems years and years ago the early 80s 90s and finally the early 2000s but the characters have to move on , I guess they cant stay in the 80s and 90s all their lives.We see their ups and downs over the years and there is plenty of them! I love all of the episodes they are fantastic I still cry at the ending to time on our hands with Del in the dark flat with the ghosts of the past and episode when Cassandra miscarried and Rodders got married brings me to a crying wreck it had the power to make people laugh and cry. Well done!. The last three episodes were horrific in my opinion and cannot be classed as only fools
-
Only Fools & Horses provided both myself and my family with years of incomparable viewing pleasure and entertainment. As a child growing up in England I spent many an evening with my family watching OFAH both on BBC One and on Gold, and despite all the years of repetitive viewing I still find OFAH just as entertaining as the very first time I watched it all those years ago. To say that Only Fools & Horses is timeless is a serious understatement, in my mind it is an all time great! which will never be shelved nor forgotten.
For me Only Fools & Horses is not purely a comedy or a drama but a crucial part of British culture that has provided a backbone to British Family life for the last 30 or so years as Families up and down the United Kingdom continue to enjoy the nations greatest sitcom, together. In my opinion OFAH is one of the few comedies around that can genuinely provide an entire family unit with hours of entertainment without the fear of sexual content/references, bad language or violence, all of which seem to be increasingly finding there ways into so called modern 'comedies' (which are no where near as funny as this old gem!).
I should also commend the late John Sullivan for the incredible story lines and imaginative plots and of course the brilliant actors: Sir David Jason (Del boy), Nicholas Lyndhurst (Rodders) and all the other cast members for their brilliant transformations into some of the most demanding and challenging roles ever to be seen in a sitcom, all delivered with perfection!!
Only Fools & Horses, you win the Gold for pure comedy genius! -
markbak764 October 2005Classic comedy is a term which is often overused but it fits Only Fools & Horses perfectly. In particular series 1-4 are absolutely brilliant. John Sullivan made you fall in love with the characters so that you could laugh and share in their experiences down through the years as if you actually knew them. The creation of Del Boy as a character was inspired and played faultlessly by David Jason. I felt the later episodes and specials were vastly inferior to the earlier ones but were still well worth a watch.
My favourite programme ever ..............
10/10 -
rjstephen4 December 2017This is often considered to be Britain's greatest ever sitcom, although Fawlty Towers often is as well. If i'm honest i'd say there was a time when i was a big OFAH fan but these days i'd rather watch the superior One Foot In The Grave over this. That's not to say that i don't think think this is good, i think it can be very very good in parts. But i think its overrated and really its very hit and miss. Series 1 was really not very good, there were a number of boring episodes in that. From Series 2 it got better, but there were always one or two bad episodes in every series, the quality is not consistent.
The only Series i can think of where i liked every single episode is Series 6 (and even than the Sickness and Wealth episode didn't need to be as long as it was really) I was surprised that the writer John Sullivan was able to knock out such a superior series as late in the run as that, its fairly unusual for a later series to be so much better than the earlier ones. Unfortunately he couldn't sustain the quality of the longer 50 min episodes over two series, as series 7 returned to the hit and miss that is present in every other series other than Series 6. There were only two episodes i thought sustained the 50 minute length well in Series 7 (the cwying episode and the birth of Damian), the other four were far too long and full of filler (especially The Chance Of A Lunchtime)
I kind of like how the series evolves, with them eventually settling down with wives and having kids. This is something a lot of fans do not seem to like at all and they prefer the earlier years with Grandad.But for me i can appreciate the Grandad years and the later years, both are very different but there is no reason not to like both and enjoy both. I think it was good that they grew up and settled down a bit as they got older, i do think perhaps the problem was that the two women playing Cassandra and Raquel were not particularly funny or warm. If they had been funnier then i think people would have warmed to them more.
After Series 7 there are a number of Christmas specials that (in my opinion) are really poor and not funny at all. Fatal Extraction is a dull episode particularly and even the 1996 ''final'' episodes could have been done in two parts rather than three. The ''Modern Men;; episode is more like a filler episode, with some editing they could have got that down to two parts/two hours. The last three episodes aired between 2001-2003 shouldn't have been made, although the ''Gary!'' stuff is fairly amusing.
Supporting cast are fine but mostly underused and underdeveloped. Trigger is quite amusing but in all honesty the whole ''Dave'' thing is only funny the first few times you see it, after that it wears a bit thin. David Jason of course plays his character very well and so does Nick Lyndhurst.
Overall a pleasant series to watch, but overrated and inconsistent quality throughout its run. Best series is Series 6 by far, worst Series 1. There are other sitcoms i think are superior and which i would choose to watch over this (and if i did want to watch it i know that Gold will be playing an episode anytime i fancy it) -
mharrison-176277 April 2020Too many repetitive and unfunny jokes ruin this sitcom. People watched it because there were only a few channels then. The series is supposed to be set in Peckham in the 1980s yet virtually all the characters are white. Whole episodes and jokes are literally copied from "Steptoe & Son".
-
I'm a Yank who loves OFAH. The characters are charming, the dialogue hilarious & there's usually a nice twist at the end. The way writer Sullivan weaves call-backs into the stories is impressive. A must see for any fan of great British sitcoms. Be wary of the post-domesticated years, however. As much as Del & Rodney deserved steady girlfriends, it changed the dynamic of the show for the worse & diminished its off the wall appeal. The longer episodes also diluted the sharp, compact punch of earlier seasons. Start with the "holy Trinity" years (Grandad & Uncle Albert are both great) to appreciate OFAH at its finest. Cushty!
-
TheLittleSongbird8 January 2010I adore Only Fools and Horses, along with Last of the Summer Wine and Blackadder it is one of my favourite comedy series ever. It is original, it is well written and acted and more importantly it is funny! The scripts are absolutely hilarious, I have lost count of the amount of times I have cried laughing in one episode alone, and how many times I have quoted something from the show. The story lines are great fun and original, maybe the situations have been seen before but how it is handled and acted out is exceedingly clever no matter how extremely silly it gets. But there have been times when it has been suitably serious, Uncle Albert's death and Cassie's miscarriage especially were effectively done.
The performances are astounding. I am a massive David Jason fan, and he is fantastic as DelBoy, a naughty but a nevertheless lovable character. Nicolas Lyndhurst does a great job as Rodney. Then there is Grandad (Leonard Pearce), later replaced by Uncle Albert(Buster Mayfield), the oft-source of DelBoy's pranks; with either character you're bound to have a good time, though if I had a slight preference I have to say Grandad. Pearce's delivery of hilarious lines was priceless, though I'd have to say the same for Albert's war stories. Roger Lloyd Pack proves he is great at comedy as Trigger as well. The theme tune is fun and memorable. Favourite episode? That is such a hard question, I don't think I can answer that, though the one with Del and Rodney dressing up as Batman and Robin was a scream. In conclusion, comedy at its greatest. If you want some top notch comedy, just put Only Fools and Horses on. 10/10 Bethany Cox -
sasazg-128 June 2009Over the years there were many great comedies out there, but Only Fools And Horses tops them all. There are so many things you love about this show its amazing. Every single episode is funny, and when I say funny, it's really understatement. I've watched hundreds of different shows during the last 20 years, and I can honestly say that this show is in the whole new world from the rest of them. It is really amazing that after all these years this show is still funny. It is just original, the cast is unbelievable, Del Boy, Rodney and their friends, their roles, this show will live forever.
Only Fools And Horses is so amazing especially when you see the rest of the cast, not counting DelBoy and Rodney. Boycie, Trigger and the rest of the gang they all make this show the greatest comedy ever written and produced. Well done! -
psgifford27 April 2007As good as comedy gets- Whereas the earlier series were good- the show matures- and so do the characterizations. By the time we get Uncle instead of granddad the show is in its full stride (It was sad loss however that brought about the cast change.) I urge all who have not seen this show to give it a chance- you will not be disappointed. The show demonstrates changing views over the last twenty years- It is amazing just how much the world has changed. Do not let the culture differences between British and American Humor worry you- whereas i am admittedly a transplanted Brit here in the States- the show has gained many a fan by my American family, friends and neighbors. In fact my American wife is about as big a fan of the show as you can get.
-
naseby2 July 2008What can you say about OFaH? A bright spot on the telly whenever on, it never failed to shine. There's just too much to mention on situations, favourite episodes/lines/moments etc. Del Boy (the comic genius, David Jason), Rodney (Able Nick Lyndhurst) Grandad (Lennard Pearce) and of course, Albert (Buster Merryfield) gave us the best comedy ever. Ducking and diving, wheeler-dealing Del, not successfully of course had all manner of scrapes. Dipstick 'Rodders' and Grandad and Albert, who replaced the latter in the family on Mr Pearce's demise provided great support. Although the likes of Raquel and Cassandra were the stable ladies at the helm for the duo, they still helped provide great moments - as did tarty Marlene, boastful shady but successful husband, Boycie, dim Trigger, manipulated Denzil and Mike the pub landlord. Mickey 'the fish' Pearce often gave us a chuckle. Dodgy French, overwhelming cocktails, leopard skin beds, rings/jewellery were Del's forte as was his un-worldwise uncultured views. On Rodney trying to discuss the sensitivity of condoms in a magazine advert: Del: "...don't worry, they aren't really THAT size!" Rodney carries on: "I know that! It's not that, it's just, well, there's a 'stigma' attached to this sort of thing." "Nah..." says Del, "That's just a bit silver foil on it!" COSMIC!!!!
-
One of the funniest series ever made.
Great humor, great atmosphere and a bunch of fun characters are what make this series so fun and memorable.
A real example of how to make an interesting and fun series with characters that are funny, interesting and likable. Del Boy and Rodney are perfect examples of such characters. With all their flaws and nonsense they do, they get into the craziest and funniest situations.
I've watched the whole show from older DVDs, there's no point in watching the censored versions, it's just not the same show. If you plan to watch the series, be sure to watch it from older DVDs.
There are really a lot of fun characters here, and the actors embodied them perfectly. Unforgettable characters and their adventures in a world that is so funny, but also touching at times.
This is not just a comedy, there is also drama mixed with emotions and jokes. Comedy could still be made back then. The writers tried to entertain the viewer, and this show certainly succeeds in that.
A true product of its time and definitely a television classic. -
iainsmith-180613 February 2021The best British comedy ever. It was a shame that the writer John Sullivan died suddenly as the show would have carried on but 64 episodes were made and we can be thankful for that .
-
Ibuk23 January 2008I love Only fools. To be honest I didn't watch it much until it ended, I have been catching the reruns. David Jason and Nicolas Lyndhurst were fabulous as Del Boy and Rodney. There are so many iconic moments, for instance the episode with the chandelier. My favourite episode is the one in which Rodney pretends to be teenager when Del Boy,Rodney and Cassandra go on holiday. Another favourite of mine is the one in which Del Boy and Rodney dress up as Batman and Robin.
The catchphrases are just as iconic as the characters,for instance lovely jubbly or he who dares win. For a comedy show it is also quite emotional. How they dealt with Grandad's funeral was outstanding. All the credit goes the writer John Sullivan. He made us laugh at the Trotter brothers for an outstanding 22 years. Sullivan also gave us some memorable 'side characters', for instance Trigger. Sullivan created an comedy gem that can be enjoyed by all ages and will never age. -
STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter (David Jason) is a brash, loud mouthed South London 'wide-boy' who lives in Nelson Mandela House, a council flat or, as he lovingly calls it, 'a lego set built by the council', along with his grand-father and his much younger brother Rodney (Nicolas Lyndhurst) an idealistic, well-meaning young man who has sadly become rather bitter and cynical at being out of work despite having three GCEs and at the immorality and hopelessness of his older brother's frequent get rich quick ideas. Despite his cocky bravado, though, Del does seem genuinely motivated to do well in business so he can provide a better life for him and his family, always trying to stir hope up within his ranks with his frequent, but never kept, promise that 'this time next year we'll be millionaires...'
Although any night of the week I am practically guaranteed to run into an episode on UKTV Gold, having just brought series 1-7 of what is easily one of my favourite sitcoms ever in a sale for £39 (nearly a hundred quid in HMV!) has brought what made it all a success racing back to me. But then, it's a testament to how great it is that it's done so well and that, well, I can tune into an episode any night of the week.
Del is the main character here, the guy the show pretty much revolves around and it's quite clear to see why. Lyndhurst's Rodney is a vital part as Del's fall guy, and grand-dad was always a good character to have around, until Lennard Pearce's death in around 1985 had him replaced by Buster Merryfield as the livelier Uncle Albert. But Del is the guy who really keeps the boat floating, the self assured, wise cracking wide boy with his frequent catch-phrase's, including the afore-mentioned '...we'll be millionaires', as well as trying to stir up more hope by frequently using the SAS's motto 'he who dares wins' and not to mention taking his exaggerated gift of the gab a bit too far by trying to pronounce sentences in languages he doesn't know the first thing about (...'borsch sprung dung technik!!!') But he can also show his darker side with it, often trying to play on Rodney's emotions by using the memory of his dead mother to force him into helping him with his latest zany scheme, telling him 'you know what the last thing your mother said to me on her death-bed?...'
Rodney's the character it's easiest to have the most empathy with, an intelligent, conscientious young man who suffers constant embarrassment at his older brother's lack of tact and knowledge, but who somehow always finds the courage to answer him back and stand up for himself. You can sense him wasting all his passion and intelligence away due to his lack of employment history and, unfortunately, a criminal record for smoking cannabis. Both Jason and Lyndhurst sound a lot more posh and elocuted in real life, so it's harder to relate to them as true South Londoners but they play their parts so well you can put it to one side. There's a host of lively supporting character's to choose from too, including Boycie (John Challis), the second hand car salesman, constantly sneering down at what he sees as the inferior Trotters and who Del secretly probably wishes he was like, and Trigger (Roger Lloyd Pack) the blank faced (and blank minded) road sweeper who can't seem to get over the fact that Rodney's name is Rodney and not Dave. He lives in a world of his own but seems to have his own weird logic to things that gets him by in life.
A product of Thatcher-esquire Britain, a time when everyone no doubt needed a good laugh and which John Sullivan delivered perfectly. It probably went on a little too long, and the cracks were definitely showing by the last episode, but the timeless overall result leaves it a classic still. ***** -
paulchip6031 October 2007OFAH is a show that didn't exactly hit me in the face and bowl me over bruv. In fact I had trouble getting through the entire first series. Once I did get through it I appreciated it's charm. It is not exactly laugh aloud fall off my chair kind of stuff but the chemistry between the actors is great and the story lines have appeal. It took me to be a little inebriated to catch on to this show otherwise I never had the patience to get through an entire show but once I did I was on a roll. As for it being voted the best British comedy well....that's another matter bruv. I had a little trouble accepting the obvious differences in appearance between David jason and nicholas lyndhurst but once I found myself overcoming this obvious but insignificant little hurdle, I accepted it for what it is.
-
alleywayambush30 November 2020As much as I'm a big fan of BBC Comedy (particularly the aforementioned titles), sorry mediocre telly addicts, I'm not buying this one !
For a start, 2 blokes selling dodgy stock on market is a bit of a random and unstable theme and setting, unlike other BBC sitcoms hat have more GENERAL themes (historical figures, average UK family, fashion industry narcissism, etc).
Comedy content? WHAT COMEDY CONTENT ?? All right, so the episode where they pass off Rodney as a 15-year-old to get the 3-for-2 offer at the holiday camp was quite funny, but otherwise what's so witty about this show? Drunken Delboy falling sideways on the pub floor; REALLY ? All completely mediocre !
Incidentally, I don't believe I'm alone here ! I think many select BBC Comedy fans like myself also consider this quite mediocre. I think much of its following was a merely CULT one; what you watched to be 'in' !
I'll give in a meager 3/10 for at least having the odd funny moment, or otherwise Un-PC moment; sure, you'd never get away with referring to the 2 mixed race blow-up dolls as 'Pepsi & Shirlie' nowadays !