The Green Green Grass
Encyclopedia
The Green Green Grass is a British
sitcom
, created and initially written by John Sullivan
, produced by Shazam Productions for the BBC
. It is a spin-off of the long running sitcom Only Fools and Horses
and stars John Challis
, Sue Holderness
and Jack Doolan. Four series and three Christmas specials were originally broadcast on BBC One
between 2005 and 2009.
The series follows Boycie (John Challis
), his wife Marlene (Sue Holderness
) and their son Tyler after their sudden move from Peckham
to escape the London Mafia and their attempt to live in rural Shropshire
.
Sue Holderness
, who plays Marlene, stated in 2009 that the cast were praying that a fifth series would be commissioned as Sullivan might involve some characters from the original series. However, in May 2009 The Mirror reported the series had been shelved after the fourth series
was broadcast.
(played by John Challis
) is forced to flee Peckham
after providing crucial evidence against the infamous Driscoll Brothers regarding illegal immigrants. He is the lead witness (aka ‘supergrass’) in the case and finds himself in trouble when every single other witness changes their statement and the Driscoll Brothers walk free. In an attempt to live to old age, Boycie and his wife, Marlene (Sue Holderness
) and son Tyler (Jack Doolan) move overnight to the secluded town of Oakam in Shropshire. Upon arrival at Winterdown Farm, Boycie begins to realise that death was perhaps the easier option.
The situation focuses primarily on their futile attempts to run the farm efficiently through utilising the current staff consisting of Elgin (David Ross
), Bryan (Ivan Kaye
), Jed (Peter Heppelthwaite) and Imelda (Ella Kenion
) – the farm’s loyal, if a little eccentric staff. As the series progressed, Boycie and Marlene began to settle into their surroundings however, situations arose occasionally – usually involving their Welsh neighbour, Llewellyn. Tyler was soon sent to school to finish his GCSEs, something he really didn’t want to do but again problems arose as Tyler fell in love with his English teacher.
The snob in Boycie is often his downfall, as he found out when he attended the Agricultural Ball in 2005 where his photo was taken and published in a magazine that stated where he would be that Christmas
however, luck ensured that Boycie remained at home when he was snowed in and missed his plane thus not getting scammed by the con-men and not getting killed by the Driscoll Brothers who’d travelled to his desired destination to meet him.
As the series progressed further, Boycie started to use artificial fertiliser on his organic farm, applied to be mayor, fired a member of his staff only to rehire her and, to Marlene’s disgust, became infatuated with Tyler’s French exchange. He also ended up starkers in front of Tyler’s girlfriend through no fault of his own and took part in a pub quiz in which ten thousand pounds of his money was up for grabs.
In 2006, a whole year after they did a runner, Boycie allowed Marlene to invite her sister Pertunia up to stay, however she was followed by the Driscoll Brothers without anyone knowing. They attacked the farm’s staff and tied them up in the barn – including Boycie’s dog, Earl. When Boycie realised something was wrong he went to investigate the barn only to come face to face with two sawed-off shotguns.
Following the terrifying events of the Driscoll Brother’s visit, life on Winterdown Farm is calm. Marlene, Tyler and Boycie have settled down and are beginning to enjoy village life. However, they cannot return to Peckham due to a deal between the Driscoll Brothers and Boycie – he would allow them to bury something on his land and he must protect it. The events of 2006 still had repercussions in 2007 even though Farm Idol was accepting auditions and Earl was missing in the woods. Also, Boycie began to worry about his health after finding out about a genetic similarity between him and past generations (but still worrying about it after finding out that his biological father was a captured Nazi-German pilot). A death was about to hit the farm hard though, as Paxo the turkey passed over to the other side.
The departure of Lisa Diveney as Beth was then filled with the arrival of Samantha Sutherland who played Sara – Tyler’s new girlfriend. Boycie fell in fear of the Driscoll Brothers once more when they turned up at The Grange and machine gunned his front door down when he refused to answer it. Also, paranormal experts investigate the house, Boycie decides to take some old junk down to the Antiques Roadshow and Boycie and Marlene decide to renew their vows for their fortieth wedding anniversary.
The humour comes from several sources. The interaction between characters is essential and much is made of the character’s individual traits, such as Boycie’s rampant snobbery, Elgin’s facade of stupidity, Bryan and Jed’s general daftness, Imelda’s non-cleaning habits and Llewellyn’s constant underhand moves. There are also several running gag
s, including Boycie’s attempts to be a gentleman farmer and his want for respect which he never gets, Boycie’s fear of the Driscoll Brothers and Marlene’s supposed long-time affair with Del Boy
and the fact that Tyler is hinted to be Del’s son.
Writer John Sullivan
had the idea for a prequel to the sitcom Only Fools and Horses
in 1997; its commission was announced in 2003 and the premise for the series was established in the final Only Fools and Horses episode "Sleepless in Peckham
" in 2003. The prequel was shelved and spin-off
The Green Green Grass was then developed to follow secondary characters, Boycie, Marlene and their son Tyler as they escape the London Mafia and attempt to live in the countryside of Shropshire
.
The Green Green Grass was announced in June 2005, written by Sullivan and made by his production company Shazam Productions, its first series.
The series notably expanded on the characters, giving them greater depth and, particularly in the case of Boycie, more warmth and humanity then previously displayed in the parent series. The series introduced many new characters played by actors who are relatively unknown. Characters from Only Fools and Horses did not pass over to the spin-off, however there are four exceptions to this stated below.
Several cast members of Only Fools and Horses have made guest appearances. The first was Denzil (Paul Barber), who appeared in the debut episode
. The Driscoll Brothers have made three appearances since the show's debut. Sid (Roy Heather
) made a brief cameo appearance in the 2005 special
. Boycie has also made many veiled references to Del
, Rodney
and Uncle Albert
. John Sullivan made it clear from the beginning that no characters from Only Fools and Horses would make an appearance, as if one character appears then viewers would expect the rest to follow, damaging the ability to stand alone.
He indicated in February 2007, to the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society that "some old faces may appear over the next couple of series." A rumour that began circling before the first series was that David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Roger Lloyd-Pack would make an appearance.
Sue Holderness recently said that they would appear in series five, if it was commissioned, she was later backed up with a report in The Sun. Through his production company, Sullivan had planned to extend assistance in later series to include additional actors, directors and technicians alongside co-writers, however production of the series was shelved during 2009.
The prequel to Only Fools and Horses, Rock & Chips was announced in July 2009.
" in 2005. He also wrote the episode "Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce
" in series two however he co-wrote another three episodes of the second series. He wrote the 2006 Christmas special. He co-wrote the episode "Sweet Sorrow
" for the third series and co-wrote the 2007 Christmas special with Keith Lindsay. Sullivan has written three of the episodes in series four.
Jim Sullivan
, John Sullivan's son, wrote two episodes for series two and three episodes for series three. He has so far written two episodes for the fourth series. Derren Litten wrote the episodes "Bothered and Bewildered
" and "Brothers and Sisters
" in series two. He has not since written for The Green Green Grass. For the second series, James Windett wrote "Schoolboy French
" and Paul Alexander wrote the episode "More Questions Than Answers
".
David Cantor has written for both the third and fourth series. He wrote three episodes of the third series and the episode "Calendar Boys
" for the fourth. Meanwhile, Keith Lindsay co-wrote both the episode "Sweet Sorrow" and "The Special Relationship" for the third series/special. He also co-wrote the episode "Home Brew
" and wrote the episode "The Departed
" for the fourth series.
" in 2006. The series producer is Gareth Gwenlan, who also produced Only Fools and Horses from 1988 to 2003. The set designer is David Hitchcock who has worked on "The Green Green Grass". Chris Wadsworth, who has also worked on My Family, edits the series.
Most episodes are filmed in front of a live audience at Teddington Studios
(the 2005 special was recorded at Pinewood Studios
). There are three major sets; The Pub, Boycie's Front Room and Boycie's Kitchen. Other sets are irregularly used. Outdoor shots are constantly used for footage of on and around the farm. Footage of the local village is often used. Location shooting of Boyce's farm is recorded at John Challis's own home near Leintwardine
, on the Herefordshire
/Shropshire
border, and the surrounding area.
It is also the first multi-camera British television series to be shot in high definition and as a result is simulcast on the BBC HD
channel. Sitcoms such as Last of the Summer Wine
and Life of Riley
have followed suit and since been produced in high definition.
The pilot for the series was recorded on 24 November 2004 at Teddington Studios. The remainder of the series was shot over June–August 2005. A Christmas special was also filmed. The second series and 2006 special were filmed over the summer months of 2006 and the third series was filmed during the summer of 2007. The fourth series was filmed during the summer months of 2008 however the series did not begin to air until 8 January 2009.
. He wrote the lyrics to explain the title and why Boycie and his family were running away to the countryside. Music for sitcoms such as My Family and Last of the Summer Wine
have remained instrumental however John Sullivan wanted a theme tune that explained the obscure title (as with Only Fools and Horses) and reasons for the characters' sudden dash.
The song is performed by John Sullivan. There were rumours at one point, that Status Quo would be involved in the theme tune, but this was dismissed after the first episode aired. Status Quo performed the end credits for series four
episode, "Animal Instincts
". They are performing in a charity concert, set up by Tyler, however they are not seen. The theme tune does not feature in the concert.
The opening credits see the title, "The Green Green Grass by John Sullivan" appear on screen. However, from series two onwards, the on-screen credit states that the show is "created by John Sullivan". The only other text to appear during the opening credits is the name of the individual episodes such as "Keep on Running". Opening credits have never featured cast names. The show was always broadcast in the 16:9 ratio widescreen.
The closing credits for the programme varied episode by episode. Most of the first series episodes featured the standard rolling format however, some episodes featured a scrolling bar across the bottom of the screen. The series' end credits used a full length version of the opening theme tune as the credits appear on screen. The end credits occasionally appeared over continuing footage ("Home Brew
"), or a slideshow of photographs ("For Richer For Poorer
") or a shot of a river, forest or part of Winterdown Farm.
(John Challis
) – A shady ex-used car salesman turned gentleman farmer. He is a frightful snob and looks down at most of the people in Oakham. Boycie made sporadic appearances in Only Fools and Horses before becoming the central character in The Green Green Grass. Boycie used to be a Freemason
. He is very self-centred and likes to boast about his social status back in Peckham and his money. He used to be teased by Del Boy
due to his low sperm count. This is a joke that has continued into the spin-off series, along with the ongoing joke referring to an unseen affair between Marlene and Del. He was forced to leave Peckham due to an incident involving the Driscoll Brothers and illegal immigrants, which led to Boycie grassing on the brothers and getting them sent to prison.
Marlene (Sue Holderness
) – Marlene was initially just an unseen character in Only Fools and Horses. She is a cheerful, slightly daft, optimistic person who is speculated to have had an ongoing affair with Del which resulted in the birth Tyler. The ongoing joke continued into The Green Green Grass, as Jack Doolan, who plays Tyler, has looks similar to David Jason. The character has been expanded massively for the spin-off series but is still the same loving wife who Boycie married in 1968.
Tyler (Jack Doolan) –The character of Tyler made several appearances in Only Fools and Horses, although he was portrayed by different actors. His similarity in looks to Del Boy has led to a continuation of a running gag dating back to the late eighties. It has been speculated in both Only Fools and Horses and The Green Green Grass that Tyler might be the outcome of a fling between Marlene and Del.
One of his appearances in Only Fools and Horses was in the episode "The Jolly Boys’ Outing", in which Uncle Albert
told him one of his many war stories. Tyler made other appearances in the show (the last having been as a toddler in the 1991 'Miami Twice' double-bill), but didn’t really feature much until the beginning of The Green Green Grass. His introduction in the spin-off hyped the speculation that Tyler might have been a result of something between Marlene and Del.
Elgin (David Ross
) – Elgin Sparrowhawk is the farm manager of Winterdown Farm. He is a rather strange man, who likes to appear a bit thick to ensure his workload remains light, but likes to show people that he is capable of outsmarting Boycie any day. He always carries his briefcase with a string shoulder strap around with him, to help remind people that he is still farm manager, even though it looks empty on occasions. Elgin is married to his unseen wife, who apparently has a glass eye. He has said on occasions that she doesn’t really like him, and at one point he started to have his mail redirected to Boycie’s house just to ensure that she doesn’t find out that he is still living there. He has shown deep affection towards his wife on many occasions, although he obviously fancies Marlene. Whenever she has her back turned, he is copping an eyeful; on one occasion he went as far as to dive across to kitchen floor in an attempt to woo an unsuspecting Marlene.
Bryan (Ivan Kaye
) – Bryan is the farm’s herdsman. He again likes to appear a bit thick so that he can take advantage of Boycie’s ignorance. He has, on occasions, reduced his workload by bluffing to an out-of-his-depth Boycie. Bryan can be a little over the top on occasions, especially when thinking about his ex-girlfriend Myrtle. In one particular episode, he states that she chucked him seven times, and every time he found exactly the same wedding ring in a second-hand shop. It is sometimes hard to believe that Bryan’s stupidity is a put-up job. Little else is known about the character besides the fact that he lives alone in a caravan on the edge of Winterdown Farm.
Jed (Peter Heppelthwaite) – Jed is the farm’s ploughman. He again likes to think he’s appearing a bit thick, but, in reality, viewers are led to believe that Jed is genetically thick. He is renowned for having a family of five children. He is often the brunt of a joke, whereby he and his wife are ‘too lazy’ to use contraception.
Jed’s workload has also been known to expand from ploughman to various other areas of expertise, such as in the episode "Home Brew
" when he gets involved in Ye Potato Cyder business. He is also known for attempting to escape his wife, such as when he turns up unexpectedly in one particular episode, in the middle of the night, at Bryan’s caravan after having a blazing row with his wife. Bryan just accepts this as a usual occurrence and lets him in.
Mrs Cakeworthy (Ella Kenion
) – Mrs Cakeworthy is The Grange’s housecleaner. Various jokes have been made to her expense, referring to her non-cleaning and biscuit-eating habits. She has even on occasions been asked to lift her legs whilst Marlene does the hoovering. Boycie sacks her in the episode "Bothered and Bewildered
" after he catches her sitting around doing nothing. However, after some strange experiences he re-hires her. Mrs Cakeworthy has a husband who has been seen on occasions, most notably in the 2006 Christmas special "From Here to Paternity
". She has also been seen to hold seances within the house. Mrs Cakeworthy is also said to have a dust intolerance.
Llewellyn (Alan David
) - Llewellyn is Boycie’s next-door neighbour. Boycie continually refers to him as a mad Welshman. He has been known to look after himself and puts his thoughts before others. In one episode, he grassed Boycie up for using Artificial Fertiliser on his Organic Farm. This could have put Boycie in prison for up to five years. Llewellyn has a daughter called Rhian, who is Tyler’s English teacher. Rhian has appeared in two episodes.
Beth (Lisa Diveney) – Beth is Tyler’s girlfriend until the end of the third series. She is clever, attractive and vegetarian. Over the three years she spent as Tyler’s girlfriend, she had her patience put to the test. First, Tyler showed no interest in supporting her horse racing protests, then he put meat before her, and, to top things off, she peers through the window to see Boycie completely naked, thanks to Earl, in Mother Earth.
Sara (Samantha Sutherland) – Sara is Tyler’s latest girlfriend. She is slightly weird in the sense that she is a fan of Tyler’s band, Puddle of Agony. Tyler eventually asked her out in the episode "Your Cheating Art
", after some help from his mum and Dora. Tyler even managed to get her to strip naked for a piece of artwork.
Ray (Nigel Harrison
) – Ray is Beth’s father and landlord of the local pub. Ray doesn’t particularly like Tyler, as he believes that his daughter could have done better. He first appeared in the episode "Testing Times" and appeared in another ten episodes since. He is known to lash out in extreme circumstances, such as the misunderstanding in "From Here to Paternity" in which he punches Boycie.
The Driscoll Brothers (Roy Marsden
& Christopher Ryan
) – First seen in Little Problems
in Only Fools and Horses, the brothers cause Boycie to make a rushed dash to the countryside in an attempt to escape from them. They appeared in the 2005 Christmas Special, One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
but they did not manage to catch him. They made their third ever appearance in Brothers and Sisters when they finally caught up with Boycie and made him a deal.
Dora (June Whitfield
) – Dora is Marlene’s mother. She is hated, as always in classic comedy, by Boycie, her son-in-law. She is reluctant to let him in her house and is always making uncalled for comments towards him. He became more tolerant of her as the series progressed. In an Only Fools and Horses episode, Dora wouldn’t allow Boycie to stay with her when his gas effect log fire gases them out thus he has to stay with Del Boy.
which saw Denzil (Paul Barber), an Only Fools and Horses regular, warn Boycie about the Driscoll Brothers’ release from prison and the fact that they know who grassed them up. There was one other character from the parent sitcom who made an appearance, this was Sid (Roy Heather
), who made a cameo appearance, on the set of The Nag’s Head, in the 2005 Christmas special.
Occasionally guest actors were essential to the plot such as when Tyler fell in love with his school teacher, Rhian (Karen Paullada) and four con men tried to get Boycie to invest in a fictional polo club. This included appearances from Sara Crowe
, Liz Robertson
, Roger Alborough
and Matthew Marsh
in the special, One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
. Other guest stars, essential to the plot included the Farm Inspector (David Cann
) in the episode Testing Times
, Simon (Ian Bonar
) in Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce
and Laurence (Beatriz Romilly) in Schoolboy French
. Further guest appearances in the series included Paul Bown
as Colin Cakeworthy, Lucy Briers
as the Doctor, Fiona Bruce
as herself in two separate episodes, Jeremy Clyde
as Tristram and the Animal Protestors, as played by Danny Morgan and Tony Bignell
. Also, Henry Sandon
appeared as himself as did Nick Ross
in series one. Stephen Evans
appeared as the Vicar in For Richer For Poorer
.
Well-known actors who appeared in the programme include Paula Wilcox
who played Pertunia, Marlene’s sister, in the episode Brothers and Sisters
, George Wendt
who played Cliff Cooper, a rich American soldier revisiting old haunts, in the 2007 Christmas special, The Special Relationship and June Whitfield
(details above) as Dora. All three well-known actors played important roles in their individual episodes, either as the person who led the Driscoll Brothers to Boycie, the father of one of Boycie’s staff or as a pain-in-the-backside mother-in-law.
Thirty-two episodes of The Green Green Grass, mostly written by John Sullivan, were broadcast on BBC1 between 9 September 2005 and 5 March 2009. The show aired in four series (2005–07; 2009) and also aired three Christmas special editions (2005–07). All of the regular series episodes had a running time of 30 minutes, and all subsequent specials had a running time ranging from 40 to 50 minutes. All the episodes were shot in front of a live audience, with an added laughter track.
The three extended length specials were aired at Christmas
. The first, aired 2005, was 50 minutes in length and featured a guest appearance from The Driscoll Brothers (Roy Marsden
and Christopher Ryan
). The second special, aired 2006, was 45 minutes in length and featured only the main and recurring cast members. The third, aired 2007, was 40 minutes in length and featured a guest appearance from George Wendt
All four series along with the 2005, 2006 and 2007 specials have been repeated on G.O.L.D. in the UK.
along with the three Christmas specials. Series one was released in 2006, series two in 2008 and series three in 2009. The fourth series has yet to be released.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sitcom
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
, created and initially written by John Sullivan
John Sullivan (writer)
John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several popular British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends....
, produced by Shazam Productions for the BBC
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...
. It is a spin-off of the long running 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...
and stars 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....
, Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:...
and Jack Doolan. Four series and three Christmas specials were originally broadcast on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
between 2005 and 2009.
The series follows Boycie (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....
), his wife Marlene (Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:...
) and their son Tyler after their sudden move from 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...
to escape the London Mafia and their attempt to live in rural Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
.
Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:...
, who plays Marlene, stated in 2009 that the cast were praying that a fifth series would be commissioned as Sullivan might involve some characters from the original series. However, in May 2009 The Mirror reported the series had been shelved after the fourth series
The Green Green Grass (series 4)
The Green Green Grass's fourth series originally aired between 8 January 2009 and 5 March 2009, beginning with the episode "The Path of True Love".-Outline:The series continued to feature the seven main characters that appeared in series one....
was broadcast.
Scenario
BoycieBoycie
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...
(played by 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....
) is forced to flee 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...
after providing crucial evidence against the infamous Driscoll Brothers regarding illegal immigrants. He is the lead witness (aka ‘supergrass’) in the case and finds himself in trouble when every single other witness changes their statement and the Driscoll Brothers walk free. In an attempt to live to old age, Boycie and his wife, Marlene (Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:...
) and son Tyler (Jack Doolan) move overnight to the secluded town of Oakam in Shropshire. Upon arrival at Winterdown Farm, Boycie begins to realise that death was perhaps the easier option.
The situation focuses primarily on their futile attempts to run the farm efficiently through utilising the current staff consisting of Elgin (David Ross
David Ross (actor)
David Ross is an English actor who has worked in theatre, cinema, and television.His best-known roles include playing the first appearance of Kryten and the voice of the Talkie Toaster on the science fiction comedy series Red Dwarf, Elgin on the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass, and as Mr...
), Bryan (Ivan Kaye
Ivan Kaye
Ivan Kaye is a British actor. He previously played Dr. Johnathon Leroy in a recurrent role in EastEnders, and he played Bryan in The Green Green Grass...
), Jed (Peter Heppelthwaite) and Imelda (Ella Kenion
Ella Kenion
Ella Kenion is an English comedy actress, known for her versatility in shows such as The Catherine Tate Show, Five's sketch show, Swinging and most recently in BBC4's Fear of Fanny. She's probably best known for her portrayal of Mrs Cakeworthy in The Green Green Grass. She played the role of Julie...
) – the farm’s loyal, if a little eccentric staff. As the series progressed, Boycie and Marlene began to settle into their surroundings however, situations arose occasionally – usually involving their Welsh neighbour, Llewellyn. Tyler was soon sent to school to finish his GCSEs, something he really didn’t want to do but again problems arose as Tyler fell in love with his English teacher.
The snob in Boycie is often his downfall, as he found out when he attended the Agricultural Ball in 2005 where his photo was taken and published in a magazine that stated where he would be that Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
however, luck ensured that Boycie remained at home when he was snowed in and missed his plane thus not getting scammed by the con-men and not getting killed by the Driscoll Brothers who’d travelled to his desired destination to meet him.
As the series progressed further, Boycie started to use artificial fertiliser on his organic farm, applied to be mayor, fired a member of his staff only to rehire her and, to Marlene’s disgust, became infatuated with Tyler’s French exchange. He also ended up starkers in front of Tyler’s girlfriend through no fault of his own and took part in a pub quiz in which ten thousand pounds of his money was up for grabs.
In 2006, a whole year after they did a runner, Boycie allowed Marlene to invite her sister Pertunia up to stay, however she was followed by the Driscoll Brothers without anyone knowing. They attacked the farm’s staff and tied them up in the barn – including Boycie’s dog, Earl. When Boycie realised something was wrong he went to investigate the barn only to come face to face with two sawed-off shotguns.
Following the terrifying events of the Driscoll Brother’s visit, life on Winterdown Farm is calm. Marlene, Tyler and Boycie have settled down and are beginning to enjoy village life. However, they cannot return to Peckham due to a deal between the Driscoll Brothers and Boycie – he would allow them to bury something on his land and he must protect it. The events of 2006 still had repercussions in 2007 even though Farm Idol was accepting auditions and Earl was missing in the woods. Also, Boycie began to worry about his health after finding out about a genetic similarity between him and past generations (but still worrying about it after finding out that his biological father was a captured Nazi-German pilot). A death was about to hit the farm hard though, as Paxo the turkey passed over to the other side.
The departure of Lisa Diveney as Beth was then filled with the arrival of Samantha Sutherland who played Sara – Tyler’s new girlfriend. Boycie fell in fear of the Driscoll Brothers once more when they turned up at The Grange and machine gunned his front door down when he refused to answer it. Also, paranormal experts investigate the house, Boycie decides to take some old junk down to the Antiques Roadshow and Boycie and Marlene decide to renew their vows for their fortieth wedding anniversary.
The humour comes from several sources. The interaction between characters is essential and much is made of the character’s individual traits, such as Boycie’s rampant snobbery, Elgin’s facade of stupidity, Bryan and Jed’s general daftness, Imelda’s non-cleaning habits and Llewellyn’s constant underhand moves. There are also several running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
s, including Boycie’s attempts to be a gentleman farmer and his want for respect which he never gets, Boycie’s fear of the Driscoll Brothers and Marlene’s supposed long-time affair with 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...
and the fact that Tyler is hinted to be Del’s son.
Background
John Sullivan (writer)
John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several popular British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends....
had the idea for a prequel to the 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...
in 1997; its commission was announced in 2003 and the premise for the series was established in the final Only Fools and Horses episode "Sleepless in Peckham
Sleepless in Peckham
"Sleepless in Peckham" is an episode of BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the final episode of the entire series.-Synopsis:...
" in 2003. The prequel was shelved and spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
The Green Green Grass was then developed to follow secondary characters, Boycie, Marlene and their son Tyler as they escape the London Mafia and attempt to live in the countryside of Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
.
The Green Green Grass was announced in June 2005, written by Sullivan and made by his production company Shazam Productions, its first series.
The series notably expanded on the characters, giving them greater depth and, particularly in the case of Boycie, more warmth and humanity then previously displayed in the parent series. The series introduced many new characters played by actors who are relatively unknown. Characters from Only Fools and Horses did not pass over to the spin-off, however there are four exceptions to this stated below.
Several cast members of Only Fools and Horses have made guest appearances. The first was Denzil (Paul Barber), who appeared in the debut episode
Keep On Running (The Green Green Grass)
"Keep On Running" is an episode of the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 9 September 2005, as the first episode of series one.-Synopsis:...
. The Driscoll Brothers have made three appearances since the show's debut. Sid (Roy Heather
Roy Heather
Roy Heather is an English actor. He began as an amateur actor when he was spotted by David Tudor who gave him his first professional job in Repertory. For David he played many leading roles including Frank in "Winter Journey", Reg in "The Norman Conquests" and co-starred in the world premiere of...
) made a brief cameo appearance in the 2005 special
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 25 December 2005, as the 2005 Christmas Special. -Synopsis:...
. Boycie has also made many veiled references to Del
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...
, 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...
and Uncle Albert
Uncle Albert
Albert Gladstone Trotter is a fictional character from the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was introduced during the fourth season as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the death of actor Lennard Pearce...
. John Sullivan made it clear from the beginning that no characters from Only Fools and Horses would make an appearance, as if one character appears then viewers would expect the rest to follow, damaging the ability to stand alone.
He indicated in February 2007, to the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society that "some old faces may appear over the next couple of series." A rumour that began circling before the first series was that David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Roger Lloyd-Pack would make an appearance.
Sue Holderness recently said that they would appear in series five, if it was commissioned, she was later backed up with a report in The Sun. Through his production company, Sullivan had planned to extend assistance in later series to include additional actors, directors and technicians alongside co-writers, however production of the series was shelved during 2009.
The prequel to Only Fools and Horses, Rock & Chips was announced in July 2009.
Writers
The main writer of The Green Green Grass is John Sullivan. He wrote all six episodes of the first series and the extended length special, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo ClockOne Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 25 December 2005, as the 2005 Christmas Special. -Synopsis:...
" in 2005. He also wrote the episode "Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce
Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce
Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 22 September 2006, as the second episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
" in series two however he co-wrote another three episodes of the second series. He wrote the 2006 Christmas special. He co-wrote the episode "Sweet Sorrow
Sweet Sorrow
Sweet Sorrow is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 30 November 2007, as the fourth episode of series three. -Synopsis:...
" for the third series and co-wrote the 2007 Christmas special with Keith Lindsay. Sullivan has written three of the episodes in series four.
Jim Sullivan
Jim Sullivan (writer)
James Sullivan is an English television screenwriter. He is a son of John Sullivan writer of a number of British sitcoms, but most notably Only Fools and Horses, it's spin-off The Green Green Grass and prequel Rock & Chips.-Career:...
, John Sullivan's son, wrote two episodes for series two and three episodes for series three. He has so far written two episodes for the fourth series. Derren Litten wrote the episodes "Bothered and Bewildered
Bothered and Bewildered
Bothered and Bewildered is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 29 September 2006, as the third episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
" and "Brothers and Sisters
Brothers and Sisters (The Green Green Grass)
Brothers and Sisters is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 27 October 2006, as the seventh episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
" in series two. He has not since written for The Green Green Grass. For the second series, James Windett wrote "Schoolboy French
Schoolboy French
"Schoolboy French" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 13 October 2006, as the fifth episode of series two.-Synopsis:...
" and Paul Alexander wrote the episode "More Questions Than Answers
More Questions Than Answers
More Questions Than Answers is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 20 October 2006, as the sixth episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
".
David Cantor has written for both the third and fourth series. He wrote three episodes of the third series and the episode "Calendar Boys
Calendar Boys
Calendar Boys is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 22 January 2009, as the third episode of the fourth series. -Synopsis:...
" for the fourth. Meanwhile, Keith Lindsay co-wrote both the episode "Sweet Sorrow" and "The Special Relationship" for the third series/special. He also co-wrote the episode "Home Brew
Home Brew
"Home Brew" is an episode of the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 15 January 2009, as the second episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
" and wrote the episode "The Departed
The Departed (The Green Green Grass)
The Departed is an episode of the BBC Sit-com, The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 12 February 2009, as the sixth episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
" for the fourth series.
Crew
The first series of The Green Green Grass was directed by Tony Dow. He also directed the special, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock". In total, he directed seven episodes, all from 2005. In 2006, Dewi Humphreys took over the position. He is best known for directing My Family. He has directed all episodes since "Testing TimesTesting Times
Testing Times is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 15 September 2006, as the first episode of series two...
" in 2006. The series producer is Gareth Gwenlan, who also produced Only Fools and Horses from 1988 to 2003. The set designer is David Hitchcock who has worked on "The Green Green Grass". Chris Wadsworth, who has also worked on My Family, edits the series.
Filming
Teddington Studios
Teddington Studios is a large British television studio complex located in Teddington, South-West London, providing studio facilities for programmes airing on BBC television, ITV, and Channel 4 along with others...
(the 2005 special was recorded at Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios
Pinewood Studios is a major British film studio situated in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, approximately west of central London. The studios have played host to many productions over the years from huge blockbuster films to television shows to commercials to pop promos.The purchase of Shepperton...
). There are three major sets; The Pub, Boycie's Front Room and Boycie's Kitchen. Other sets are irregularly used. Outdoor shots are constantly used for footage of on and around the farm. Footage of the local village is often used. Location shooting of Boyce's farm is recorded at John Challis's own home near Leintwardine
Leintwardine
Leintwardine is a large village and civil parish in north Herefordshire, England, close to the border with Shropshire.- Roman Leintwardine :...
, on the Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
/Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
border, and the surrounding area.
It is also the first multi-camera British television series to be shot in high definition and as a result is simulcast on the BBC HD
BBC HD
BBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007...
channel. Sitcoms such as Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine is a British sitcom written by Roy Clarke that was broadcast on BBC One. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse on 4 January 1973 and the first series of episodes followed on 12 November 1973. From 1983 to 2010, Alan J. W. Bell produced and...
and Life of Riley
Life of Riley (TV series)
Life of Riley is a British comedy television series, shown on BBC One & BBC HD. The show stars Caroline Quentin and Neil Dudgeon, who are recently married, and is set around their dysfunctional family. The show also features the couples four children, Danny, , Katy , Ted and Rosie...
have followed suit and since been produced in high definition.
The pilot for the series was recorded on 24 November 2004 at Teddington Studios. The remainder of the series was shot over June–August 2005. A Christmas special was also filmed. The second series and 2006 special were filmed over the summer months of 2006 and the third series was filmed during the summer of 2007. The fourth series was filmed during the summer months of 2008 however the series did not begin to air until 8 January 2009.
Theme music and titles
Sullivan wrote the theme music for The Green Green Grass when he wrote the first seriesThe Green Green Grass (series 1)
The Green Green Grass's first series originally aired between 9 September 2005 and 14 October 2005, beginning with the episode "Keep on Running". A Christmas special aired on 25 December 2005.-Outline:...
. He wrote the lyrics to explain the title and why Boycie and his family were running away to the countryside. Music for sitcoms such as My Family and Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine is a British sitcom written by Roy Clarke that was broadcast on BBC One. Last of the Summer Wine premiered as an episode of Comedy Playhouse on 4 January 1973 and the first series of episodes followed on 12 November 1973. From 1983 to 2010, Alan J. W. Bell produced and...
have remained instrumental however John Sullivan wanted a theme tune that explained the obscure title (as with Only Fools and Horses) and reasons for the characters' sudden dash.
The song is performed by John Sullivan. There were rumours at one point, that Status Quo would be involved in the theme tune, but this was dismissed after the first episode aired. Status Quo performed the end credits for series four
The Green Green Grass (series 4)
The Green Green Grass's fourth series originally aired between 8 January 2009 and 5 March 2009, beginning with the episode "The Path of True Love".-Outline:The series continued to feature the seven main characters that appeared in series one....
episode, "Animal Instincts
Animal Instincts
Animal Instincts is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 29 January 2009, as the fourth episode of the fourth series. -Synopsis:Oakam village is under attack from animal rights activists...
". They are performing in a charity concert, set up by Tyler, however they are not seen. The theme tune does not feature in the concert.
The opening credits see the title, "The Green Green Grass by John Sullivan" appear on screen. However, from series two onwards, the on-screen credit states that the show is "created by John Sullivan". The only other text to appear during the opening credits is the name of the individual episodes such as "Keep on Running". Opening credits have never featured cast names. The show was always broadcast in the 16:9 ratio widescreen.
The closing credits for the programme varied episode by episode. Most of the first series episodes featured the standard rolling format however, some episodes featured a scrolling bar across the bottom of the screen. The series' end credits used a full length version of the opening theme tune as the credits appear on screen. The end credits occasionally appeared over continuing footage ("Home Brew
Home Brew
"Home Brew" is an episode of the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 15 January 2009, as the second episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
"), or a slideshow of photographs ("For Richer For Poorer
For Richer For Poorer
For Richer For Poorer is an episode of the BBC Sit-com, The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 5 March 2009, as the last episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
") or a shot of a river, forest or part of Winterdown Farm.
Cast
| Actor | Character | Duration | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.... |
Terrence Aubrey Boyce (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... |
2005–09 | 32 |
| Sue Holderness Sue Holderness Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:... |
Marlene Boyce | 2005–09 | 32 |
| Jack Doolan Jack Doolan (actor) Jack Doolan is an English actor. He is best known for portraying Tyler Boyce in the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass alongside John Challis and Sue Holderness... |
Tyler Boyce | 2005–09 | 30 |
| David Ross David Ross (actor) David Ross is an English actor who has worked in theatre, cinema, and television.His best-known roles include playing the first appearance of Kryten and the voice of the Talkie Toaster on the science fiction comedy series Red Dwarf, Elgin on the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass, and as Mr... |
Elgin Sparrowhawk | 2005–09 | 31 |
| Ivan Kaye Ivan Kaye Ivan Kaye is a British actor. He previously played Dr. Johnathon Leroy in a recurrent role in EastEnders, and he played Bryan in The Green Green Grass... |
Bryan | 2005–09 | 30 |
| Ella Kenion Ella Kenion Ella Kenion is an English comedy actress, known for her versatility in shows such as The Catherine Tate Show, Five's sketch show, Swinging and most recently in BBC4's Fear of Fanny. She's probably best known for her portrayal of Mrs Cakeworthy in The Green Green Grass. She played the role of Julie... |
Imelda Cakeworthy | 2005–09 | 30 |
| Peter Heppelthwaite | Jed | 2005–09 | 30 |
| Alan David Alan David Alan David is a Welsh television actor. Living in London, he is married with two sons.David was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan. He has had many television credits ranging from Coronation Street in 1973 to Virtual Murder , Honey for Tea and "The Unquiet Dead", an episode of Doctor Who in 2005... |
Llewellyn | 2005–09 | 15 |
| Lisa Diveney Lisa Diveney Lisa Diveney is a British actress. She played the role of Beth in The Green Green Grass.-Career:Before graduating, Diveney was cast as Molly in Gompers directed by Roisin McBrinn at the Arcola Theatre... |
Beth | 2005–07 | 15 |
| Nigel Harrison Nigel Harrison Nigel Harrison is an English musician, and best known as the bass player of the rock band Blondie.... |
Ray | 2006–09 | 12 |
| Samantha Sutherland | Sara | 2009 | 2 |
Guest appearances
| Actor | Character | Year(s) | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Barber | Denzil | 2005 | 1 |
| Roy Heather Roy Heather Roy Heather is an English actor. He began as an amateur actor when he was spotted by David Tudor who gave him his first professional job in Repertory. For David he played many leading roles including Frank in "Winter Journey", Reg in "The Norman Conquests" and co-starred in the world premiere of... |
Sid | 2005 | 1 |
| Roy Marsden Roy Marsden Roy Marsden is an English actor, who is probably best known for his portrayal of Adam Dalgliesh in the Anglia Television dramatisations of P. D. James's detective novels.- Education :... |
Danny Driscoll | 2005, 2006, 2009 | 3 |
| Christopher Ryan Christopher Ryan Christopher Ryan is an English actor. Ryan is perhaps best known for his role as Mike "The Cool Person" in the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.-Early life:... |
Tony Driscoll | 2005, 2006, 2009 | 3 |
| Paul Bown Paul Bown Paul Bown is an English actor. He is best known as one of the leading roles of the Granada Television comedy Watching . Bown has also appeared in various plays and shows, including an advert for Toffee Crisp in the 1980s and more recently as Philip Reid in BBC's Holby City... |
Colin Cakeworthy | 2006, 2007 | 2 |
| June Whitfield June Whitfield June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series.... |
Dora, Marlene's mother | 2007, 2009 | 4 |
| Karen Paullada | Rhian | 2007 | 2 |
| Michael Usher Michael Usher Michael Usher is an Australian reporter for 60 Minutes.He has previously presented Nightline and was the news presenter on Sunday alongside Ellen Fanning and Stephanie Brantz.Usher graduated from All Saints' College in Perth in 1987... |
Footballer | 2007 | 1 |
| Ricky Hatton Ricky Hatton Richard John Hatton MBE, more commonly known as Ricky "the Hitman" Hatton, , is a former British professional boxer, and currently a promoter.... |
Himself | 2007 | 1 |
| George Wendt George Wendt George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:... |
Cliff Cooper | 2007 | 1 |
| Paula Wilcox Paula Wilcox Paula Wilcox is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Chrissy in the British comedy Man About the House .-Early sitcom fame:... |
Pertunia | 2006 | 1 |
| 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 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... |
2009 (Flashback) | 1 |
| 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 Trotter 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... |
2009 (Flashback) | 1 |
Regular characters
BoycieBoycie
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...
(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....
) – A shady ex-used car salesman turned gentleman farmer. He is a frightful snob and looks down at most of the people in Oakham. Boycie made sporadic appearances in Only Fools and Horses before becoming the central character in The Green Green Grass. Boycie used to be a Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. He is very self-centred and likes to boast about his social status back in Peckham and his money. He used to be teased by 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...
due to his low sperm count. This is a joke that has continued into the spin-off series, along with the ongoing joke referring to an unseen affair between Marlene and Del. He was forced to leave Peckham due to an incident involving the Driscoll Brothers and illegal immigrants, which led to Boycie grassing on the brothers and getting them sent to prison.
Sue Holderness
Sue Holderness is an English actress. Since 1985 she has played the role of Marlene Boyce in the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses and its spin-off The Green Green Grass .-Career:...
) – Marlene was initially just an unseen character in Only Fools and Horses. She is a cheerful, slightly daft, optimistic person who is speculated to have had an ongoing affair with Del which resulted in the birth Tyler. The ongoing joke continued into The Green Green Grass, as Jack Doolan, who plays Tyler, has looks similar to David Jason. The character has been expanded massively for the spin-off series but is still the same loving wife who Boycie married in 1968.
Tyler (Jack Doolan) –The character of Tyler made several appearances in Only Fools and Horses, although he was portrayed by different actors. His similarity in looks to Del Boy has led to a continuation of a running gag dating back to the late eighties. It has been speculated in both Only Fools and Horses and The Green Green Grass that Tyler might be the outcome of a fling between Marlene and Del.
One of his appearances in Only Fools and Horses was in the episode "The Jolly Boys’ Outing", in which Uncle Albert
Uncle Albert
Albert Gladstone Trotter is a fictional character from the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was introduced during the fourth season as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the death of actor Lennard Pearce...
told him one of his many war stories. Tyler made other appearances in the show (the last having been as a toddler in the 1991 'Miami Twice' double-bill), but didn’t really feature much until the beginning of The Green Green Grass. His introduction in the spin-off hyped the speculation that Tyler might have been a result of something between Marlene and Del.
Elgin (David Ross
David Ross (actor)
David Ross is an English actor who has worked in theatre, cinema, and television.His best-known roles include playing the first appearance of Kryten and the voice of the Talkie Toaster on the science fiction comedy series Red Dwarf, Elgin on the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass, and as Mr...
) – Elgin Sparrowhawk is the farm manager of Winterdown Farm. He is a rather strange man, who likes to appear a bit thick to ensure his workload remains light, but likes to show people that he is capable of outsmarting Boycie any day. He always carries his briefcase with a string shoulder strap around with him, to help remind people that he is still farm manager, even though it looks empty on occasions. Elgin is married to his unseen wife, who apparently has a glass eye. He has said on occasions that she doesn’t really like him, and at one point he started to have his mail redirected to Boycie’s house just to ensure that she doesn’t find out that he is still living there. He has shown deep affection towards his wife on many occasions, although he obviously fancies Marlene. Whenever she has her back turned, he is copping an eyeful; on one occasion he went as far as to dive across to kitchen floor in an attempt to woo an unsuspecting Marlene.
Bryan (Ivan Kaye
Ivan Kaye
Ivan Kaye is a British actor. He previously played Dr. Johnathon Leroy in a recurrent role in EastEnders, and he played Bryan in The Green Green Grass...
) – Bryan is the farm’s herdsman. He again likes to appear a bit thick so that he can take advantage of Boycie’s ignorance. He has, on occasions, reduced his workload by bluffing to an out-of-his-depth Boycie. Bryan can be a little over the top on occasions, especially when thinking about his ex-girlfriend Myrtle. In one particular episode, he states that she chucked him seven times, and every time he found exactly the same wedding ring in a second-hand shop. It is sometimes hard to believe that Bryan’s stupidity is a put-up job. Little else is known about the character besides the fact that he lives alone in a caravan on the edge of Winterdown Farm.
Jed (Peter Heppelthwaite) – Jed is the farm’s ploughman. He again likes to think he’s appearing a bit thick, but, in reality, viewers are led to believe that Jed is genetically thick. He is renowned for having a family of five children. He is often the brunt of a joke, whereby he and his wife are ‘too lazy’ to use contraception.
Jed’s workload has also been known to expand from ploughman to various other areas of expertise, such as in the episode "Home Brew
Home Brew
"Home Brew" is an episode of the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 15 January 2009, as the second episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
" when he gets involved in Ye Potato Cyder business. He is also known for attempting to escape his wife, such as when he turns up unexpectedly in one particular episode, in the middle of the night, at Bryan’s caravan after having a blazing row with his wife. Bryan just accepts this as a usual occurrence and lets him in.
Mrs Cakeworthy (Ella Kenion
Ella Kenion
Ella Kenion is an English comedy actress, known for her versatility in shows such as The Catherine Tate Show, Five's sketch show, Swinging and most recently in BBC4's Fear of Fanny. She's probably best known for her portrayal of Mrs Cakeworthy in The Green Green Grass. She played the role of Julie...
) – Mrs Cakeworthy is The Grange’s housecleaner. Various jokes have been made to her expense, referring to her non-cleaning and biscuit-eating habits. She has even on occasions been asked to lift her legs whilst Marlene does the hoovering. Boycie sacks her in the episode "Bothered and Bewildered
Bothered and Bewildered
Bothered and Bewildered is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 29 September 2006, as the third episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
" after he catches her sitting around doing nothing. However, after some strange experiences he re-hires her. Mrs Cakeworthy has a husband who has been seen on occasions, most notably in the 2006 Christmas special "From Here to Paternity
From Here to Paternity
From Here to Paternity is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 25 December 2006, as the 2006 Christmas Special. -Synopsis:...
". She has also been seen to hold seances within the house. Mrs Cakeworthy is also said to have a dust intolerance.
Llewellyn (Alan David
Alan David
Alan David is a Welsh television actor. Living in London, he is married with two sons.David was born in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan. He has had many television credits ranging from Coronation Street in 1973 to Virtual Murder , Honey for Tea and "The Unquiet Dead", an episode of Doctor Who in 2005...
) - Llewellyn is Boycie’s next-door neighbour. Boycie continually refers to him as a mad Welshman. He has been known to look after himself and puts his thoughts before others. In one episode, he grassed Boycie up for using Artificial Fertiliser on his Organic Farm. This could have put Boycie in prison for up to five years. Llewellyn has a daughter called Rhian, who is Tyler’s English teacher. Rhian has appeared in two episodes.
Beth (Lisa Diveney) – Beth is Tyler’s girlfriend until the end of the third series. She is clever, attractive and vegetarian. Over the three years she spent as Tyler’s girlfriend, she had her patience put to the test. First, Tyler showed no interest in supporting her horse racing protests, then he put meat before her, and, to top things off, she peers through the window to see Boycie completely naked, thanks to Earl, in Mother Earth.
Sara (Samantha Sutherland) – Sara is Tyler’s latest girlfriend. She is slightly weird in the sense that she is a fan of Tyler’s band, Puddle of Agony. Tyler eventually asked her out in the episode "Your Cheating Art
Your Cheating Art
Your Cheating Art is an episode of the BBC Sit-com, The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 5 February 2009, as the fifth episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
", after some help from his mum and Dora. Tyler even managed to get her to strip naked for a piece of artwork.
Ray (Nigel Harrison
Nigel Harrison
Nigel Harrison is an English musician, and best known as the bass player of the rock band Blondie....
) – Ray is Beth’s father and landlord of the local pub. Ray doesn’t particularly like Tyler, as he believes that his daughter could have done better. He first appeared in the episode "Testing Times" and appeared in another ten episodes since. He is known to lash out in extreme circumstances, such as the misunderstanding in "From Here to Paternity" in which he punches Boycie.
The Driscoll Brothers (Roy Marsden
Roy Marsden
Roy Marsden is an English actor, who is probably best known for his portrayal of Adam Dalgliesh in the Anglia Television dramatisations of P. D. James's detective novels.- Education :...
& Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan is an English actor. Ryan is perhaps best known for his role as Mike "The Cool Person" in the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.-Early life:...
) – First seen in Little Problems
Little Problems
"Little Problems" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 6, and was first screened on 12 February, 1989...
in Only Fools and Horses, the brothers cause Boycie to make a rushed dash to the countryside in an attempt to escape from them. They appeared in the 2005 Christmas Special, One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 25 December 2005, as the 2005 Christmas Special. -Synopsis:...
but they did not manage to catch him. They made their third ever appearance in Brothers and Sisters when they finally caught up with Boycie and made him a deal.
Dora (June Whitfield
June Whitfield
June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....
) – Dora is Marlene’s mother. She is hated, as always in classic comedy, by Boycie, her son-in-law. She is reluctant to let him in her house and is always making uncalled for comments towards him. He became more tolerant of her as the series progressed. In an Only Fools and Horses episode, Dora wouldn’t allow Boycie to stay with her when his gas effect log fire gases them out thus he has to stay with Del Boy.
Other characters
Guest actors were brought into The Green Green Grass on an infrequent basis however, there were a few guests stars over the thirty-two episodes of the sitcom. The first guest star was in the very first episode, Keep on RunningKeep On Running (The Green Green Grass)
"Keep On Running" is an episode of the BBC sitcom The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 9 September 2005, as the first episode of series one.-Synopsis:...
which saw Denzil (Paul Barber), an Only Fools and Horses regular, warn Boycie about the Driscoll Brothers’ release from prison and the fact that they know who grassed them up. There was one other character from the parent sitcom who made an appearance, this was Sid (Roy Heather
Roy Heather
Roy Heather is an English actor. He began as an amateur actor when he was spotted by David Tudor who gave him his first professional job in Repertory. For David he played many leading roles including Frank in "Winter Journey", Reg in "The Norman Conquests" and co-starred in the world premiere of...
), who made a cameo appearance, on the set of The Nag’s Head, in the 2005 Christmas special.
Occasionally guest actors were essential to the plot such as when Tyler fell in love with his school teacher, Rhian (Karen Paullada) and four con men tried to get Boycie to invest in a fictional polo club. This included appearances from Sara Crowe
Sara Crowe
Sara Crowe , also known as Sara K. Crowe, is a Scottish film and stage actress, who mainly plays comedy roles.-Career:...
, Liz Robertson
Liz Robertson
Liz Robertson is an English actress and singer. She is the widow of Playwright and lyricist Alan Jay Lerner.Robertson began training at the Finch Stage School at the age of three. Her first professional employment was as a cabaret dancer at London's Savoy Hotel at the age of sixteen...
, Roger Alborough
Roger Alborough
Roger Alborough is a British actor who has starred in a number of West End musicals, including Buddy, Jailhouse Rock and Annie Get Your Gun....
and Matthew Marsh
Matthew Marsh (actor)
Matthew Marsh is an English actor. Matthew Marsh is the older brother of Jon Marsh of English dance band The Beloved. He has appeared in the films Alambrado, Spy Game, An American Haunting, Hawking and Bad Company, and guest-starred in the sixth series of the spy drama Spooks in 2007 and the...
in the special, One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock
One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 25 December 2005, as the 2005 Christmas Special. -Synopsis:...
. Other guest stars, essential to the plot included the Farm Inspector (David Cann
David Cann
David Cann is a British actor who has had many roles in theatre and television.He graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1973 and spent many years working in theatre, including various Shakespeare plays before eventually branching out into television, including roles in the BBC...
) in the episode Testing Times
Testing Times
Testing Times is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 15 September 2006, as the first episode of series two...
, Simon (Ian Bonar
Ian Bonar
Ian Bonar is a British actor, most famous for playing the role of Dave Wiltshire in the BBC television series Hotel Babylon. He trained at The Bristol Old Vic and has also appeared in New Tricks...
) in Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce
Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce
Here’s to You, Mrs Boyce is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 22 September 2006, as the second episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
and Laurence (Beatriz Romilly) in Schoolboy French
Schoolboy French
"Schoolboy French" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 13 October 2006, as the fifth episode of series two.-Synopsis:...
. Further guest appearances in the series included Paul Bown
Paul Bown
Paul Bown is an English actor. He is best known as one of the leading roles of the Granada Television comedy Watching . Bown has also appeared in various plays and shows, including an advert for Toffee Crisp in the 1980s and more recently as Philip Reid in BBC's Holby City...
as Colin Cakeworthy, Lucy Briers
Lucy Briers
Lucy Briers is an English actress. She has received critical praise for her many film, television, and stage roles, including the premiere of Best Friends & Butterflies.-Personal life:...
as the Doctor, Fiona Bruce
Fiona Bruce
Fiona Elizabeth Bruce is a British journalist, newsreader and television presenter. Since joining the BBC in 1989, she has gone on to present many flagship programmes for the corporation including the BBC News at Six, BBC News at Ten, Crimewatch, Call My Bluff and, most recently, Antiques Roadshow...
as herself in two separate episodes, Jeremy Clyde
Jeremy Clyde
Michael Thomas Jeremy Clyde is an English actor and musician. The son of Lady Elizabeth Wellesley, he made his first public appearance as a pageboy at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1953...
as Tristram and the Animal Protestors, as played by Danny Morgan and Tony Bignell
Tony Bignell
Tony Bignell is an English actor and singer, best known for playing Matt in BBC Three sitcom Coming of Age.-Career:...
. Also, Henry Sandon
Henry Sandon
Henry Sandon MBE is a notable authority on Royal Worcester porcelain. He was curator of the Dyson Perrins Museum for many years.Born in the east end of London, Sandon was evacuated during the war and finished his schooling at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe...
appeared as himself as did Nick Ross
Nick Ross
Nick Ross is a British radio and television presenter across a wide range of factual programmes and during the 1980s and 90s he was one of the most ubiquitous of British broadcasters, but he is best known for his long-running co-hosting of the BBC TV show Crimewatch which he left on 2 July 2007...
in series one. Stephen Evans
Stephen Evans
Stephen Evans is a British actor and comedy writer in theater, film, radio and television. He graduated with a BA degree in Theatre at Dartington College of Arts in Devon ....
appeared as the Vicar in For Richer For Poorer
For Richer For Poorer
For Richer For Poorer is an episode of the BBC Sit-com, The Green Green Grass. It was screened on 5 March 2009, as the last episode of the fourth series.-Synopsis:...
.
Well-known actors who appeared in the programme include Paula Wilcox
Paula Wilcox
Paula Wilcox is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Chrissy in the British comedy Man About the House .-Early sitcom fame:...
who played Pertunia, Marlene’s sister, in the episode Brothers and Sisters
Brothers and Sisters (The Green Green Grass)
Brothers and Sisters is an episode of the BBC sitcom, The Green Green Grass. It was first screened on 27 October 2006, as the seventh episode of series two. -Synopsis:...
, George Wendt
George Wendt
George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
who played Cliff Cooper, a rich American soldier revisiting old haunts, in the 2007 Christmas special, The Special Relationship and June Whitfield
June Whitfield
June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....
(details above) as Dora. All three well-known actors played important roles in their individual episodes, either as the person who led the Driscoll Brothers to Boycie, the father of one of Boycie’s staff or as a pain-in-the-backside mother-in-law.
Episodes
The three extended length specials were aired at Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. The first, aired 2005, was 50 minutes in length and featured a guest appearance from The Driscoll Brothers (Roy Marsden
Roy Marsden
Roy Marsden is an English actor, who is probably best known for his portrayal of Adam Dalgliesh in the Anglia Television dramatisations of P. D. James's detective novels.- Education :...
and Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan
Christopher Ryan is an English actor. Ryan is perhaps best known for his role as Mike "The Cool Person" in the BBC comedy series The Young Ones.-Early life:...
). The second special, aired 2006, was 45 minutes in length and featured only the main and recurring cast members. The third, aired 2007, was 40 minutes in length and featured a guest appearance from George Wendt
George Wendt
George Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
Reception
The first episode of The Green Green Grass attracted an average of 8.88 million viewers, giving the channel a 41.7% audience share. Viewership had slipped considerably by 2009 when the debut episode for the fourth series attracted 4.07 million viewers (16.5% share), with the series closing to 4.38 million (18.8% share).All four series along with the 2005, 2006 and 2007 specials have been repeated on G.O.L.D. in the UK.
DVD releases
The first three series have been released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
along with the three Christmas specials. Series one was released in 2006, series two in 2008 and series three in 2009. The fourth series has yet to be released.
| Series | UK release date | Special features |
|---|---|---|
| One The Green Green Grass (series 1) The Green Green Grass's first series originally aired between 9 September 2005 and 14 October 2005, beginning with the episode "Keep on Running". A Christmas special aired on 25 December 2005.-Outline:... |
23 October 2006 | Audio Commentary, 2005 Christmas Special, Grass Roots, Outtakes, Rocky |
| Two The Green Green Grass (series 2) The Green Green Grass's second series originally aired between 15 September 2006 and 27 October 2006, beginning with the episode "Testing Times". A Christmas special aired on 25 December 2006.-Outline:... |
7 April 2008 | 2006 Christmas Special, The Making of Series 2 |
| Three The Green Green Grass (series 3) The Green Green Grass's third series originally aired between 2 November 2007 and 21 December 2007, beginning with the episode "But is it Art?". A Christmas special aired on 30 December 2007.-Outline:... |
8 June 2009 | 2007 Christmas Special |
| Four The Green Green Grass (series 4) The Green Green Grass's fourth series originally aired between 8 January 2009 and 5 March 2009, beginning with the episode "The Path of True Love".-Outline:The series continued to feature the seven main characters that appeared in series one.... |
TBA 2012 |
External links
- The Green Green Grass Official website
- The Green Green Grass at British TV Comedy