Time On Our Hands
Encyclopedia
"Time On Our Hands" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the final episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy, and was originally billed to be the last ever episode of the show, it was first screened on 29 December 1996. It attracted a television audience of 24.1 million, a record for a British sit-com.
planning the visit of her parents, James and Audrey, for dinner at the flat, and worrying about them meeting Del Boy
for the first time. Del and Albert
reassure her that they will help out. Del is still worried about Rodney
after he and Cassandra
had suffered a miscarriage two weeks previously, and Albert suggests that they come up with a "counter-worry" to take his mind off it, which leads to Del pretending to be ill, though Rodney barely notices.
Later that day, Del and Rodney are in the lift
when it breaks down. After being trapped in there for some time, the two brothers have a discussion about Rodney and Cassandra's miscarriage. Rodney admits that he's spent too much time feeling sorry for himself since Cassandra lost their baby. Del tells Rodney that it's just a dropped stitch in life's tapestry, which their late mother Joan used to say whenever things went wrong. Rodney agrees and is finally at peace with the whole thing, and Del suggests to Rodney to go home and have a heart-to-heart with Cassandra. Once the conversation is over, Del successfully fixes the lift himself, and gets it working again. Only then does Rodney realize that Del had in fact tampered with the controls, in order to force Rodney to talk. The Trotter brothers share a hearty laugh.
That evening, James and Audrey Turner, Raquel's parents, arrive for the meal, and all appears to be going well. However, whilst moving the coffee that Albert has prepared in the kitchen, Del realises that it is actually gravy, and thus Albert's "gravy" that they are pouring on their dinners is in fact coffee. The dinner ruined, all around the table politely mention that they are full up. When picking up his car from the Trotters' garage the following day, James – an antiques dealer – spots an old watch engraved "Harrison" on a gas stove. After closer examination, he suggests that it may be the work of John Harrison
, the man who designed and built the world's first successful maritime clock in the 18th century.
The watch is examined by experts, and all accept it to be the Harrison "lesser watch", a semi-mythical piece whose designs exist but it is unclear whether the watch was ever made. It goes to auction at Sotheby's
and after hearing the opening bid of £150,000, Del promptly faints. When Del recovers, he and Rodney rush back into the auction room, with the bidding still going on. The latest bid is revealed to be £4,000,000 and Rodney, too, faints. It emerges that the final bid was at £6,200,000. When Rodney re-reads the Sotheby's statement in the Reliant van, the two brothers begin whooping hysterically, rocking the van with their overjoyed lunacy.
Del and Rodney visit Boycie
's car showroom and, unaware of their new fortune, he teases them about having their photograph taken next to one of his Rolls Royces. Rodney, wanting to pay his older brother back for helping throughout his life (including getting over Cassandra's miscarriage), buys the car for Del, much to Boycie's horror. The Trotters then visit the Nag's Head and receive a round of applause and standing ovation from the regulars.
The final scenes, against a backdrop of "Our House
" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
(replaced with Helen Reddy
's version on VHS and DVD issues), show the Trotters enjoying their new wealth. Del and Raquel move into a mansion while Rodney and Cassandra buy a luxury riverside apartment and they buy Albert a boat, which he promptly crashes into a bridge on the Thames
.
Del returns to their now empty flat in Nelson Mandela House, and recalls the memories from the flat over the years, including quotes from their parents, and Grandad
. Rodney also returns, and Del reveals that he is already beginning to miss the old life as a market trader. Albert returns to the flat to get some of his belongings as well to have one last look, and the three leave, though not before Del has answered a call from Lenny Morris offering them 250 carpet
steamers. Del is initially keen, but a serious Rodney tells his older brother that they aren't in the business any-more. Del reluctantly tells Lenny that "Trotters Independent Traders has ceased trading."
In the last scene, Del Boy, Rodney, and Albert walk off into an animated sunrise, with Del arguing that they should invest their new money in the futures market (making one last claim that this was one of the many things his mother Joan said on her deathbed), with the closing refrain: "This time next year, we could be billionaires!"
Note: In the VHS and DVD versions, the track "Our House" is replaced by a cover version by Helen Reddy
.
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 final episode of the 1996 Christmas trilogy, and was originally billed to be the last ever episode of the show, it was first screened on 29 December 1996. It attracted a television audience of 24.1 million, a record for a British sit-com.
Synopsis
The episode opens with a nervous RaquelRaquel Turner
Rachel "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...
planning the visit of her parents, James and Audrey, for dinner at the flat, and worrying about them meeting 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...
for the first time. Del and 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...
reassure her that they will help out. Del is still worried about 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...
after he and Cassandra
Cassandra Trotter
Cassandra Louise Trotter is a fictional character from the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. She was portrayed by Gwyneth Strong.-Biography:...
had suffered a miscarriage two weeks previously, and Albert suggests that they come up with a "counter-worry" to take his mind off it, which leads to Del pretending to be ill, though Rodney barely notices.
Later that day, Del and Rodney are in the lift
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
when it breaks down. After being trapped in there for some time, the two brothers have a discussion about Rodney and Cassandra's miscarriage. Rodney admits that he's spent too much time feeling sorry for himself since Cassandra lost their baby. Del tells Rodney that it's just a dropped stitch in life's tapestry, which their late mother Joan used to say whenever things went wrong. Rodney agrees and is finally at peace with the whole thing, and Del suggests to Rodney to go home and have a heart-to-heart with Cassandra. Once the conversation is over, Del successfully fixes the lift himself, and gets it working again. Only then does Rodney realize that Del had in fact tampered with the controls, in order to force Rodney to talk. The Trotter brothers share a hearty laugh.
That evening, James and Audrey Turner, Raquel's parents, arrive for the meal, and all appears to be going well. However, whilst moving the coffee that Albert has prepared in the kitchen, Del realises that it is actually gravy, and thus Albert's "gravy" that they are pouring on their dinners is in fact coffee. The dinner ruined, all around the table politely mention that they are full up. When picking up his car from the Trotters' garage the following day, James – an antiques dealer – spots an old watch engraved "Harrison" on a gas stove. After closer examination, he suggests that it may be the work of John Harrison
John Harrison
John Harrison was a self-educated English clockmaker. He invented the marine chronometer, a long-sought device in solving the problem of establishing the East-West position or longitude of a ship at sea, thus revolutionising and extending the possibility of safe long distance sea travel in the Age...
, the man who designed and built the world's first successful maritime clock in the 18th century.
The watch is examined by experts, and all accept it to be the Harrison "lesser watch", a semi-mythical piece whose designs exist but it is unclear whether the watch was ever made. It goes to auction at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
and after hearing the opening bid of £150,000, Del promptly faints. When Del recovers, he and Rodney rush back into the auction room, with the bidding still going on. The latest bid is revealed to be £4,000,000 and Rodney, too, faints. It emerges that the final bid was at £6,200,000. When Rodney re-reads the Sotheby's statement in the Reliant van, the two brothers begin whooping hysterically, rocking the van with their overjoyed lunacy.
Del and Rodney visit 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...
's car showroom and, unaware of their new fortune, he teases them about having their photograph taken next to one of his Rolls Royces. Rodney, wanting to pay his older brother back for helping throughout his life (including getting over Cassandra's miscarriage), buys the car for Del, much to Boycie's horror. The Trotters then visit the Nag's Head and receive a round of applause and standing ovation from the regulars.
The final scenes, against a backdrop of "Our House
Our House (CSNY song)
"Our House" is a song written by British singer-songwriter Graham Nash, most famously recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 1970 album Déjà Vu. It reached #30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song refers to Nash's brief affair with Joni Mitchell at the time Crosby, Stills Nash and...
" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young)
Crosby, Stills & Nash is a folk rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, also known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when joined by occasional fourth member Neil Young...
(replaced with Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
's version on VHS and DVD issues), show the Trotters enjoying their new wealth. Del and Raquel move into a mansion while Rodney and Cassandra buy a luxury riverside apartment and they buy Albert a boat, which he promptly crashes into a bridge on the Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
Del returns to their now empty flat in Nelson Mandela House, and recalls the memories from the flat over the years, including quotes from their parents, 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...
. Rodney also returns, and Del reveals that he is already beginning to miss the old life as a market trader. Albert returns to the flat to get some of his belongings as well to have one last look, and the three leave, though not before Del has answered a call from Lenny Morris offering them 250 carpet
Carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...
steamers. Del is initially keen, but a serious Rodney tells his older brother that they aren't in the business any-more. Del reluctantly tells Lenny that "Trotters Independent Traders has ceased trading."
In the last scene, Del Boy, Rodney, and Albert walk off into an animated sunrise, with Del arguing that they should invest their new money in the futures market (making one last claim that this was one of the many things his mother Joan said on her deathbed), with the closing refrain: "This time next year, we could be billionaires!"
Public viewing
Only Fools and Horses reached a viewing record of 24.3 viewers, the highest viewing record ever for a comedy in the UK.Episode cast
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Music
- BoyzoneBoyzoneBoyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
: "TogetherSaid and DoneSaid and Done is the debut album by Irish band Boyzone. The pop album was released on 21 November 1994 by Polygram International. It topped the UK charts at #1 for the week of September 2, 1995. Five singles were released from the album: "Love Me for a Reason", "Key to My Life", "So Good", "Father...
" - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: "Our House"
- Vince HillVince HillVince Hill is an English traditional pop music singer, songwriter and record producer.-Biography:...
: "Take Me to Your Heart AgainLa vie en rose"La Vie en Rose" was the signature song of French singer Édith Piaf.-Signature song of Édith Piaf:Édith Piaf first popularized La Vie en Rose in 1946. The lyrics were written by Piaf and the melody of the song by "Louiguy" . Initially, Piaf's peers and her songwriting team did not think the song...
" - ShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddyShowaddywaddy are a 1970s pop group from Leicester, England. They specialised in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s, and dressed as Teddy Boys.-History:...
: "Under the Moon of LoveUnder the Moon of Love"Under the Moon of Love" was a popular hit single by Showaddywaddy.Written by Tommy Boyce and Curtis Lee and produced by Phil Spector in 1961 for Curtis Lee, "Under the Moon of Love" was a minor hit in the U.S. reaching #46 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.Fifteen years later the song was...
" - Showaddywaddy: "I Wonder WhyI Wonder Why"I Wonder Why" is a doo-wop song, written by Melvin Anderson and Ricardo Weeks, and first recorded by Dion and the Belmonts in 1958. It is sung from the point of view of a man telling to his girlfriend that he neither knows nor ultimately cares to know the reasons for his love for said other...
"
Note: In the VHS and DVD versions, the track "Our House" is replaced by a cover version by Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy , often referred to as "The Queen of 70s Pop", is an Australian-American singer and actress. In the 1970s, she enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed fifteen singles in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of those 15 songs made the Top 10...
.