"Big Brother"

8th September 1981

The very first episode. We meet Del Boy, Rodney and Grandad and learn a bit of background and a few interesting facts. The (as yet unnamed) family business is a partnership ("60:40, straight down the middle!" says Del) and the company transport is a three-wheeled van, which we also see for the first time. The Trotters' Mother (unnamed) was 39 when she gave birth to Rodney, and died six years later (we don't know how). Two months on from this, their Father walked out (Grandad was, at this time, "an out-of-work lamplighter waiting for gas to make a comeback!"). Later we learn that Rodney is 23, and that Del is 13 years older, so Del must be 36. Rodney is currently doing the firm’s accounts, which ties in with the "last" episode, "Time On Our Hands".

Rodney has two GCE’s (in Maths and Art) but was expelled from an Art College in Basingstoke when found with "a reefer and a Chinese tart". He received an 18 month suspended sentence, which is referred to in the present tense, so presumably he as given this less than 18 months ago.

We also meet Trigger for the first time, although he doesn’t yet call Rodney "Dave". He is called Trigger, according to Del, because he looks like a horse. "Joycie" is the first barmaid we see working at the Nag’s Head.

Rodney’s hair is very unstylish. Del wears a hideous brown cord waistcoat.

"S’ilvout Plais, what an enigma!" is in the very first scene. Also "Bonjour Triest!"

Del speaks to "Spearos" and "Dougy Sadler" on the telephone whilst trying to sell the briefcases.

We can hear an out-of-shot voice as Del first enters the Nag’s Head, saying "Hello Del!". It actually belongs to Tessa Peake-Jones, later to play Raquel.

The first line spoken in the series is "That Sydney Potter’s a good actor innee Rodney?" from Grandad.

We hear Grandad remark that "Your Dad always said Del would go far… then again, he always said that Millwall would win the cup!" which we would hear again, in flashback, many years later, in "Time On Our Hands".

Important characters we meet for the first time are Del, Rodney, Grandad and Trigger. And the three wheel van. Also a possible first (heard only) appearance from Raquel? (see above)

There are a number of nice lines that help establish the ‘feel’ of the series. Most notably this, from Del:

"We don’t pay V.A.T, we don’t pay income tax or national insurance. On the other hand, we don’t claim dole money, social security, supplementary benefit… the government don’t give us nothing, so we don’t give the government nothing!"

A simple, but good first episode, set entirely over two sets and a snippet of dialogue-less location work. The plot involving the reject briefcases helps disguise this, and the relationship between Del and Rodney is neatly established via their first blazing row. It’s interesting that the only other member of the future-supporting cast we meet in this first half-hour of the series is Trigger.