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Amazon.co.uk Review
If They Could See Us Now, originally broadcast on Christmas Day 2001, is the first in a trilogy of Only Fools and Horses specials. This one sees Delboy Trotter and family living the high life in the South of France, having become millionaires following the sale of a rare and valuable watch that had been knocking about in the Trotters' garage. However, Del manages to lose the entire family fortune following a crash in Central American stocks. Now the Trotters, including Rodney, wife Cassandra and Del's young son Damien are back on "Hooky Street", in the old flat in Nelson Mandela House, broke and owing £50,000 to the taxman.
Although this extended episode contains some funny business, particularly involving Rodney and Cassandra's efforts to reinvigorate their love life, it feels like a series extended too far beyond its natural life. Much of the fluency and chemistry between the ageing cast has evaporated in their lay-off. Writer John Sullivan's forte had been belly jokes which whooped up from nowhere in the plot, but here the humour is contrived and implausible. The business over the mix-up regarding Uncle Albert's funeral also strains credence, while the final scenario involving a TV quiz show is flatly predictable. Still, 20.3 million watched this show, a tribute to the enduring affection for the series. --David Stubbs
Special Features
English
Region 2
Region 2
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This episode is OK but not great. It was the first shown after a break of five years and saw the Trotter's loose the fortune they had got from selling an antique marine time keeping pocket watch in the last of the 1996 trilogy (time on our hands). I know that many die hard fans felt that this should never have been filmed, and I was among them at the time - although my view has changed a little since.
In this Xmas special of the actors seem a little out of touch with their characters after the long break. David Jason as always is fantastic and the story line is amusing if not a little weak. There are two more episodes to be screened this Christmas and I hope they are an improvement on If They Could See Us Now.
Having said all that, Only Fools and Horses is at best sheer brilliance, and at worst very entertaining. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who has watched and enjoyed previous series or Xmas OFAH's specials.
In this Xmas special of the actors seem a little out of touch with their characters after the long break. David Jason as always is fantastic and the story line is amusing if not a little weak. There are two more episodes to be screened this Christmas and I hope they are an improvement on If They Could See Us Now.
Having said all that, Only Fools and Horses is at best sheer brilliance, and at worst very entertaining. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who has watched and enjoyed previous series or Xmas OFAH's specials.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
I must admit, when I heard Only Fools and Horses was coming back, I was against the idea, because the original ended in such a good way that it would be hard to pick it up where it left off, but seeing this episode changed my mind. It brings the original series up-to-date in true Only Fools and Horses manner. This episode has some really funny parts and some terrific "one-liner" gags, I am a big fan of Only Fools and Horses (who isn't?) and this episode is well up there with the better ones from the original series. Well done John Sullivan!!
Del-Boy: "G-String?", "Its more like dental floss!!"
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Time on our Hands finished the Only Fools and Horses series perfectly. The Trotters had achieved their life-long ambition by becoming millionaires and walked off into the sunset. I can only assume John Sullivan was put under pressure by fans to write more OFAH, or that the BBC were strapped for new ideas. Though the series mainly revolved around Del and Rodney, it had always been concieved as a show about three men from different generations. Buster Merryfield had sadly passed away by 2001 so it was impossible for Albert to return, but maybe that should have persuaded the powers-that-be to let the show rest. The new 'final trilogy', though it contained the hilarious Stranger on the Shore, unfortunately started with what was quite frankly the worst Xmas OFAH special ever made. The storyline involves Del and Rodney losing their fortune and being forced to return to their old flat (which they, very conveniently, never sold). When I first watched this I was put in mind of the 1940s Laurel and Hardy films - the actors look physically tired and the characters somehow aren't right. Del's 'laddish' son is just irritating and obnoxious, the storyline is far too thin and the scenes involving Rodney and Cassandra dressing up are a feeble attempt to recapture the hilarity of the Batman & Robin scenes in Heroes and Villains. Whoever thought inserting Jonathon Ross into the show should be shot. Though Miami Twice featured a few brief cameos, OFAH never needed to resort to this kind of 'showbiz pals' stuff before. A one-legged turkey that should hobble away with Diamonds are for Heather.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great DVD
A great buy, have always loved Only Fools and Horses, great entertainment, never get tired of watching them, still makes me laugh.
Published 4 months ago by homeshopper
Old Friends
When I initially heard about the there being another 3 episodes of Only Fools and Horses I must admit I was quite excited. Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2010 by Mr. Jatinder S. Lall
They're back again.
Part of me really still wishes that they'd left them alone but given that they didn't, it's a good effort all round and a very enjoyable episode of OFAH.
Published on 27 Jan 2010 by F. Quinn
Brilliant
Brilliant as usual. Strongly recommend you buy the box set which contains the FULL series and the Christmas Specials - it's awsome!
Published on 3 April 2009 by S. Egan
So and So!!
As a fan and currently living outside the UK, I waited for more than a year to get this episode on video!! My expectations may have been higher than what I found... Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2003
John Sullivan does it again
It was always going to be difficult to follow the previous episode which saw the Trotters become millionaires. Sullivan was said to have wanted to end the series in this fashion. Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2003
the legend returns
A pleasing episode but lacks a certain something due to the absence of an elderly relative. Funniest moment occurs when they discover there at the wrong funeral. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2002 by skinz
Stunning!
Although the 1996 trilogy seemed like an unbeatable end to the series, the new one really put only fools back on the map. Read more
Published on 18 April 2002
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