"Homesick"

10th November 1983

Del is lumbered with a whole load of oranges… while Rodney makes a lemon of himself by accidentally becoming chairman of the Council Tenants Association

At the start of the episode, Del has pulled the girl at the local Pizza Palace by pretending he’s a "euro minister". We don’t meet her, though.

Ron Pember, the previous Chairman, was in "Slipback", Doctor Who’s first foray into radio drama

Doctor Becker is a local Doctor (although Del doesn’t know him, so he’s not the Trotter’s regular GP) and it’s implied he’s having an affair with Rita Aldridge, the local tart.

Rodney went to Trigger’s Nan’s funeral (see "Ashes to Ashes") . For the first (and last?) time Rodney questions why Trigger calls him "Dave" [although it’s by no means a common mistake at this point in the show’s history]; it’s a simple wrong assumption, but by the end of the scene Trigger still thinks Rodney is called Dave and so Rodney gives up!

The Trotter’s moved to their tower block home in 1962.

Grandad’s Grandad served in the Bohr War and left a cigarette case to him. Grandad has never had a garden, watches "Crossroads", and listens to "The Archers".

The two old ladies that individually visit Del’s stall in the market appeared together as Miss Tibbs and Miss Gatsby in "Fawlty Towers".

Grandad’s story is hilarious. It looks as though the cigarette case is going to turn out to have saved his Grandad’s life. Instead it "ricocheted up his nose and blew his brains out"!

Fine, as they go, and a heartbreaking episode from anyone watching from Rodney’s viewpoint. Once again, his less than scrupulous family ruin things for him in their search for an easy ride.