May The Force Be With You (Only Fools and Horses)
Encyclopedia
"May the Force Be with You" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the fifth episode of series 3, and was first screened on 8 December, 1983. The title of the episode comes from the famous quote from Star Wars
: May the Force be with you
.
, the corrupt police officer and much-reviled ex-schoolmate of Del Boy
, has returned to Peckham
. He meets Trigger
and Boycie
– both horrified by his return – in the Nag's Head, and announces that he has recently been promoted to Detective Inspector. He also enquires after the whereabouts of Del Boy, particularly in connection with a stolen microwave
, and begins talking to Rodney
, who isn't aware that Slater is a police officer, telling him that he's an old friend of Del's. Trigger and Boycie quickly make excuses and leave, and Trigger unsuccessfully attempts to warn Rodney of Slater's real identity. Rodney invites Slater back to their flat and, at Slater's insistence, decides not to call Del in advance and instead surprise him.
Back at the flat, Del is left dumbfounded when Slater walks in, and quickly makes Rodney aware that Slater is not an old friend. He also reveals that Slater, in his career as a policeman, became an immoral and cold-hearted man; he once arrested his own father for having a defective rear light on his bicycle. Del also tells Rodney that Slater is well-known in both the police and criminal communities for having a vast network of informants, all of whom are threatened to work with Slater in case he reveals their betrayal to the criminal underworld. After spotting a suspicious microwave in the Trotters' flat, Slater arrests Del, Rodney and Grandad
.
At the police station, Slater quizzes the trio about where, and from whom, they acquired the microwave. In an improvised yarn, they state that it belonged to an unidentified deaf man in the market who dropped it. Rodney and Grandad are taken to separate rooms to give a description of the "phantom of the market", leaving Del and Slater alone in the interview room. They briefly argue about their time as schoolboy adversaries, with Slater complaining about the refusal to let him into Del's group – particularly when they played pirates (Slater, who wanted to be Bluebeard
since Del played as Dan Tempest
, and Trigger as Long John Silver
, would always have to walk the plank
; made worse by the fact they played on a park pond) – and Del countering that Slater's snide nature made him impossible to like. For example, Del once stopped a gang of school bullies from harassing Slater. Shortly after this, Slater found Del behind the bicycle sheds with his sister, and repaid Del's favour by snitching to the headmaster.
Del, Rodney, and Grandad are interviewed simultaneously, but give vastly differing accounts of the man in the market.
When Slater briefly leaves for the canteen, PC Terry Hoskins (whose mother, it emerges, has recently bought a gas fire from Del), advises Del to tell Slater the truth about the microwave, since he'll find out eventually in any case. He also informs Del that Slater is without scruples and will pin an entire filing cabinet
of unsolved crimes onto the offender. This, as Hoskins explains, will allow Slater a chance at further promotion (for having apparently "solved" so many crimes in such a short space of time), a CBE
for the Commander, and helping to calm the general public. Del realises Slater will probably be very determined to find the culprit.
Slater returns with Del alone in the interview room. He also has with him a case file, which turns out to be Rodney's criminal file for possession of cannabis
, and hypothetically considers what would happen if Rodney were to be searched and found with more drugs, implying that some may be planted on him, meaning both he and Del would go to prison, leaving Grandad alone on the estate. Slater then further threatens Del with the notion that without his grandsons looking after him, Grandad would be in severe danger living by himself (implying that Slater could have him assaulted). This leads to one of the most poignant parts of the episode and shows one of the rare serious moments that the show was renowned for delivering extremely well. Del fixes Slater with a stare, and makes his feelings perfectly obvious, saying:
"Now listen to me, Slater. I know a lot of coppers and they're all good blokes. I mean, I don't like them, but they play a fair game. Then there's you!"
Del is cautioned from having "abusive language" added to his list of charges. Despite Slater's best efforts, Del nonetheless still refuses to give the name of the person who stole the microwave on that grounds that becoming an informant
is against all he stands for. But as Slater prepares to have the charge sheets typed up, Del offers a deal: he'll give up the name of the thief, provided he, Rodney, and Grandad are all released without charge, with their immunity from prosecution guaranteed in writing; Slater readily agrees, as having someone as well-connected as Del Boy as his informant would give him a great hand in solving crimes.
With all the paperwork drawn up and signed by the Superintendent
, Rodney and Grandad are led back into the interview room to see a desperate-looking Del as he prepares to sign it. He tells them of his predicament, and that he has no choice but to tell. He signs it and is asked three times by Slater: "Who nicked the microwave?" After further reassurances of his immunity from prosecution, Del tells him that he himself was the thief. Slater laughs triumphantly, but Del turns the tables by showing him his immunity document with a gleeful smile.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. It was the fifth episode of series 3, and was first screened on 8 December, 1983. The title of the episode comes from the famous quote from Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
: May the Force be with you
May the Force be with you
The expression "May the Force be with you" has achieved cult status and is symbolic of the Star Wars legacy. The line has been said by at least one character in each of the Star Wars movies...
.
Synopsis
Roy SlaterDCI Roy Slater
Detective Chief Inspector Roy Slater is a recurring character in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by Jim Broadbent and, in the prequel Rock and Chips, by Calum MacNab.-Background:...
, the corrupt police officer and much-reviled ex-schoolmate of Del Boy
Del Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
, has returned to Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
. He meets Trigger
Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)
Trigger is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by actor Roger Lloyd Pack....
and Boycie
Boycie
Terrance Aubrey Boyce best known as Boycie is a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by John Challis. His story is continued in the spin off series The Green Green Grass, which began filming in June 2005, in which Boycie and family have fled from a gang of...
– both horrified by his return – in the Nag's Head, and announces that he has recently been promoted to Detective Inspector. He also enquires after the whereabouts of Del Boy, particularly in connection with a stolen microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
, and begins talking to Rodney
Rodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
, who isn't aware that Slater is a police officer, telling him that he's an old friend of Del's. Trigger and Boycie quickly make excuses and leave, and Trigger unsuccessfully attempts to warn Rodney of Slater's real identity. Rodney invites Slater back to their flat and, at Slater's insistence, decides not to call Del in advance and instead surprise him.
Back at the flat, Del is left dumbfounded when Slater walks in, and quickly makes Rodney aware that Slater is not an old friend. He also reveals that Slater, in his career as a policeman, became an immoral and cold-hearted man; he once arrested his own father for having a defective rear light on his bicycle. Del also tells Rodney that Slater is well-known in both the police and criminal communities for having a vast network of informants, all of whom are threatened to work with Slater in case he reveals their betrayal to the criminal underworld. After spotting a suspicious microwave in the Trotters' flat, Slater arrests Del, Rodney and Grandad
Grandad (Only Fools and Horses)
Edward Kitchener "Ted" Trotter better known simply as Grandad, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses from 1981-1984...
.
At the police station, Slater quizzes the trio about where, and from whom, they acquired the microwave. In an improvised yarn, they state that it belonged to an unidentified deaf man in the market who dropped it. Rodney and Grandad are taken to separate rooms to give a description of the "phantom of the market", leaving Del and Slater alone in the interview room. They briefly argue about their time as schoolboy adversaries, with Slater complaining about the refusal to let him into Del's group – particularly when they played pirates (Slater, who wanted to be Bluebeard
Bluebeard
"Bluebeard" is a French literary folktale written by Charles Perrault and is one of eight tales by the author first published by Barbin in Paris in January 1697 in Histoires ou Contes du temps passé. The tale tells the story of a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives and the...
since Del played as Dan Tempest
The Buccaneers (TV series)
The Buccaneers was a 1956 Sapphire Films television drama series for ITC Entertainment, networked by CBS in the US and shown on ATV and selected ITV companies in the UK....
, and Trigger as Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
, would always have to walk the plank
Walking the plank
Walking the plank was a form of murder or torture thought to have been practiced by pirates, mutineers and other rogue seafarers. The victim was forced to walk off the end of a wooden plank or beam, the final six feet of which extended over the side of a ship...
; made worse by the fact they played on a park pond) – and Del countering that Slater's snide nature made him impossible to like. For example, Del once stopped a gang of school bullies from harassing Slater. Shortly after this, Slater found Del behind the bicycle sheds with his sister, and repaid Del's favour by snitching to the headmaster.
Del, Rodney, and Grandad are interviewed simultaneously, but give vastly differing accounts of the man in the market.
When Slater briefly leaves for the canteen, PC Terry Hoskins (whose mother, it emerges, has recently bought a gas fire from Del), advises Del to tell Slater the truth about the microwave, since he'll find out eventually in any case. He also informs Del that Slater is without scruples and will pin an entire filing cabinet
Filing cabinet
A filing cabinet is a piece of office furniture usually used to store paper documents in file folders. In the most simple sense, it is an enclosure for drawers in which items are stored. The two most common forms of filing cabinets are blocky files and diagonal files...
of unsolved crimes onto the offender. This, as Hoskins explains, will allow Slater a chance at further promotion (for having apparently "solved" so many crimes in such a short space of time), a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for the Commander, and helping to calm the general public. Del realises Slater will probably be very determined to find the culprit.
Slater returns with Del alone in the interview room. He also has with him a case file, which turns out to be Rodney's criminal file for possession of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
, and hypothetically considers what would happen if Rodney were to be searched and found with more drugs, implying that some may be planted on him, meaning both he and Del would go to prison, leaving Grandad alone on the estate. Slater then further threatens Del with the notion that without his grandsons looking after him, Grandad would be in severe danger living by himself (implying that Slater could have him assaulted). This leads to one of the most poignant parts of the episode and shows one of the rare serious moments that the show was renowned for delivering extremely well. Del fixes Slater with a stare, and makes his feelings perfectly obvious, saying:
"Now listen to me, Slater. I know a lot of coppers and they're all good blokes. I mean, I don't like them, but they play a fair game. Then there's you!"
Del is cautioned from having "abusive language" added to his list of charges. Despite Slater's best efforts, Del nonetheless still refuses to give the name of the person who stole the microwave on that grounds that becoming an informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
is against all he stands for. But as Slater prepares to have the charge sheets typed up, Del offers a deal: he'll give up the name of the thief, provided he, Rodney, and Grandad are all released without charge, with their immunity from prosecution guaranteed in writing; Slater readily agrees, as having someone as well-connected as Del Boy as his informant would give him a great hand in solving crimes.
With all the paperwork drawn up and signed by the Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
, Rodney and Grandad are led back into the interview room to see a desperate-looking Del as he prepares to sign it. He tells them of his predicament, and that he has no choice but to tell. He signs it and is asked three times by Slater: "Who nicked the microwave?" After further reassurances of his immunity from prosecution, Del tells him that he himself was the thief. Slater laughs triumphantly, but Del turns the tables by showing him his immunity document with a gleeful smile.
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason David Jason Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack... |
Del Boy |
| Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies... |
Rodney |
| Lennard Pearce Lennard Pearce Lennard Pearce was an English actor who worked mostly in the theatre, but also appeared in a number of British television programmes. He landed his most notable TV role during the final few years of his life, starring as Edward "Grandad" Trotter in the popular sitcom, Only Fools and Horses from... |
Grandad |
| Roger Lloyd Pack Roger Lloyd Pack Roger Lloyd-Pack is an English actor known for his roles in the TV shows The Vicar of Dibley, Only Fools and Horses and The Old Guys.-Career:... |
Trigger |
| Jim Broadbent Jim Broadbent James "Jim" Broadbent is an English theatre, film, and television actor. He is known for his roles in Iris, Moulin Rouge!, Topsy-Turvy, Hot Fuzz, and Bridget Jones' Diary... |
Roy Slater |
| John Challis John Challis John Challis is an English actor.-Career:He is probably best known for his role as Terrance Aubrey "Boycie" Boyce in the long running comedy show Only Fools and Horses, and its 2005 spin-off, The Green Green Grass.... |
Boycie |
| Christopher Mitchell Christopher Mitchell Christopher Mitchell was a British actor most notable for his role in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum as Gunner Nigel 'Parky' Parkins.... |
PC Terry Hoskins |
| Michele Winstanley | Karen (barmaid) |
Story arc
- Slater's wife (who is revealed to be RaquelRaquel TurnerRachel "Raquel" Turner is a fictional character from the BBC television sit-com Only Fools and Horses, in which she was Del Boy's longtime girlfriend...
) is mentioned here, but does not appear until "DatesDates (Only Fools and Horses)"Dates" is the seventh Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1988.-Synopsis:The Trotters have been earning a lot of money recently, and Albert's birthday is coming up, though Del Boy and Rodney pretend to have forgotten...
". Slater and Hoskins both re-appear in "To Hull and BackTo Hull and Back"To Hull and Back" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1985. It was the first feature-length edition of the show, and the fourth Christmas special. The title of the special is derived from the movie To Hell and Back. Parts of the special were shot...
", and Slater makes a third and final appearance in "The Class of '62".
Errors
- In the opening scene at the Nag's Head, Slater tells Boycie "Give my love to Marlene, everyone else used to." indicating that Boycie, Slater, Del, Denzil, and Trigger all knew Marlene when they were in school, but in "Fatal ExtractionFatal Extraction"Fatal Extraction" is the twelfth Christmas special episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 1993.-Synopsis:...
", Del and Boycie both seem to remember Marlene as the girl who worked in a betting shop down Lewisham Grove..