Yuppy Love
Encyclopedia
"Yuppy Love" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the first episode of series 6, and was first screened on 8 January, 1989. With a running time of 50 minutes, it was also the first regular episode of the time to be longer than 30 minutes.
, Del Boy
has decided to adopt a new "yuppy" image, donning a striped shirt and red braces
, and carrying a filofax
and a silver briefcase
. Rodney
in turn has joined an evening computer class, where he meets Cassandra Parry
. He later meets her again at a nightclub, where she offers to give him a lift home. She first drives to her house and Rodney feels upstaged by Cassandra's luxurious lifestyle. Embarrassed at the thought of Cassandra seeing their council flat in Nelson Mandela
House, Rodney instead leads her to The King's Avenue, an expensive and very up-market road, implying that he lives there. Despite soon finding out that he actually doesn't Cassandra still phones and agrees to meet Rodney again.
The episode also features a now-famous British comedy scene; Del
, leaning against a bar flap in a local bistro, moves away from it and then leans back again, unaware that the bartender has just lifted it up, and he promptly falls straight down, and Trigger does a double-take when he looks around and Del has "disappeared". On 21 December 2006, this scene was nominated in the UKTV Gold Top 40 Greatest Only Fools Moments, and subsequently voted the most popular scene of the entire programme. It was also named 7th Greatest Television Moment of all time in a 1999 Channel 4 poll, beating the likes of JFK's assassination, the Queen's coronation and Winston Churchill's funeral. In 2008, Empire
placed Only Fools and Horses 42nd their list of "The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time" and cited "Yuppy Love" as the show's best episode.
Note: "The Spell! (Get Down With The Genie)" and "Enchanted Lady" are removed on the VHS, DVD and iTunes versions and over-dubbed with generic music, leading the some scenes of dialogue being removed.
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 first episode of series 6, and was first screened on 8 January, 1989. With a running time of 50 minutes, it was also the first regular episode of the time to be longer than 30 minutes.
Synopsis
Having seen and been strongly influenced by the film Wall Street, especially its lead character, the ruthless corporate high-flyer Gordon GekkoGordon Gekko
Gordon Gekko is the main antagonist of the 1987 film Wall Street and the antihero of the 2010 film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, both by director Oliver Stone...
, Del Boy
Del Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
has decided to adopt a new "yuppy" image, donning a striped shirt and red braces
Suspenders
Suspenders or braces are fabric or leather straps worn over the shoulders to hold up trousers. Straps may be elasticated, either entirely or only at attachment ends and most straps are of woven cloth forming an X or Y shape at the back. Braces are typically attached to trousers with buttons...
, and carrying a filofax
Filofax
Filofax is a company based in the UK that produces a range of well known personal organizer wallets. The organizers are traditionally leather bound and have a six-ring loose-leaf binder system. The design originated at Lefax, a United States company based in Philadelphia who exported products into...
and a silver briefcase
Briefcase
A briefcase is a narrow box-shaped bag or case used mainly for carrying papers and other documents and equipped with a handle. Lawyers commonly use briefcases to carry briefs to present to a court, hence the name...
. 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...
in turn has joined an evening computer class, where he meets Cassandra Parry
Cassandra Trotter
Cassandra Louise Trotter is a fictional character from the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. She was portrayed by Gwyneth Strong.-Biography:...
. He later meets her again at a nightclub, where she offers to give him a lift home. She first drives to her house and Rodney feels upstaged by Cassandra's luxurious lifestyle. Embarrassed at the thought of Cassandra seeing their council flat in Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
House, Rodney instead leads her to The King's Avenue, an expensive and very up-market road, implying that he lives there. Despite soon finding out that he actually doesn't Cassandra still phones and agrees to meet Rodney again.
The episode also features a now-famous British comedy scene; 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...
, leaning against a bar flap in a local bistro, moves away from it and then leans back again, unaware that the bartender has just lifted it up, and he promptly falls straight down, and Trigger does a double-take when he looks around and Del has "disappeared". On 21 December 2006, this scene was nominated in the UKTV Gold Top 40 Greatest Only Fools Moments, and subsequently voted the most popular scene of the entire programme. It was also named 7th Greatest Television Moment of all time in a 1999 Channel 4 poll, beating the likes of JFK's assassination, the Queen's coronation and Winston Churchill's funeral. In 2008, Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
placed Only Fools and Horses 42nd their list of "The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time" and cited "Yuppy Love" as the show's best episode.
Episode cast
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Episode concept
- The new image for Del Boy was based on Gordon GekkoGordon GekkoGordon Gekko is the main antagonist of the 1987 film Wall Street and the antihero of the 2010 film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, both by director Oliver Stone...
from the movie Wall StreetWall Street (film)Wall Street is a 1987 American drama film released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Oliver Stone and stars Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, and Daryl Hannah. The screenplay was written by Stanley Weiser and Stone...
(Rodney mentions that his brother saw the film six times), as part of the yuppy movement that was popular at the time. The episode also introduces Cassandra into the series.
Errors
- When Rodney is going to his evening class, he is wearing a black suit. Rodney attends class, then tells Del that he isn't going back to the flat ("Not with Albert there.") But when Rodney goes to the disco instead, dances with Cassandra, gets dropped off at the King's Avenue in the rain, then comes home, he is wearing a grey suit.
Music
- The Funky WormThe Funky WormThe Funky Worm was a British dance music studio project, assembled by a record producer, Mark Brydon. The group took its name from the hit Ohio Players song, "Funky Worm"....
: The Spell! (Get Down With The Genie) - Errol BrownErrol BrownErrol Brown MBE is a singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman of Hot Chocolate. He has British citizenship by marriage to Ginette and they live in The Bahamas...
: Love Goes Up And Down - The PasadenasThe PasadenasThe Pasadenas were a R&B / pop group from the United Kingdom, best known for their hit songs, "Tribute " and "I'm Doing Fine Now".-Career:...
: Enchanted Lady - Chris de BurghChris de BurghChris de Burgh is a British/Irish singer-songwriter. He is most famous for his 1986 love song "The Lady in Red".-Early life:...
: Lady In Red
Note: "The Spell! (Get Down With The Genie)" and "Enchanted Lady" are removed on the VHS, DVD and iTunes versions and over-dubbed with generic music, leading the some scenes of dialogue being removed.