"The Second Time Around"

29th September 1981

This episode is centred around Pauline Baker nee Finch nee Harris, an old flame of Del’s who unexpectedly turns up with talk of marriage and life insurance…

Pauline was engaged to, and "screwed around" with Del when Rodney was a nipper. Grandad notes that the couple were "engaged within a week, split up within a month" when Pauline was unfaithful. Del says she simply "found someone with a bigger Vespa", dating it to the times of mod’s and rockers (taking previously given ages into account, this would all seem to have happened in about the early 1960’s). Pauline left to marry Bobby Finch, but instead he died and she went to San Francisco. She later re-married someone with the surname Baker, but he died as well.

The Trotter’s had an Aunty Rose who lived in Clacton, but she’s moved away. Grandad says she told them they could "come down anytime" in 1947. It’s implied that this was at the wedding of the Trotter’s parents – this ties in with Del’s assertion that he was at the wedding as "a nipper" (he would have been two). The Trotter’s were married in a Church in Peckham.

Grandad has three televisions, one of which is in for repair [everything has been replaced since being sold off in "Cash and Curry"]. There is the first allusion to Rodney’s penchant for younger women, Del noting that most of his dates "arrive by skateboard".

Pauline’s meal is "par de Calais!". Also "menaire d’etre!".

Del orders "blackcurrant and pernod" but unfortunately he doesn’t pronounce the ‘d’ of pernod silently.

How can we not mention Del’s early morning attire, a waist-length black geisha dressing gown with no trousers and pink fluffy slippers! [the slippers may belong to evil Pauline]

Pauline: "You never married yourself Del?"

Del: "Well, I never really fancied myself Pauline!"

Grandad says Del’s elegance to religion faded after his first encounter with Pauline: "He always gave the Church a few bob for their new roof. He said it was penance, seeing as what it was him what nicked the old one!"

There is a great twist to the scene set in Clacton, when after welcoming them in and cooking them a meal, the old lady says: "Do you mind if I ask a question… who are you?"

In a very British manner she "didn’t like to ask because you seemed to know me!"

Aside from some woeful drunk acting from David Jason, a beautifully played and scripted episode, and a perfect marriage of drama and comedy. A much longer story is packed economically into half an hour, meaning the dreadful Pauline only actually has two scenes. Interestingly, the ‘phone call suggesting she poisoned Bobby Finch is stated to be a set-up by Grandad and Rodney, so we never do find out if she was really trying to do away with Del.