"Class of ‘62"

Raquel seems finally about to get a divorce from her estranged husband, meanwhile somebody has arranged a school reunion at the Nags Head… it’s Roy Slater!

The re-union with Slater is a Continuity Fest! Del, Boycie, Denzil and Trigger (and Monkey Harris!) all left the Martin Luther King Comprehensive School (formerly Dockside Secondary Modern) in 1962 [according to "The Yellow Peril" Del was born in 1945, so he left school aged 17… which is reasonable, though contradicted by other episodes. Other continuity is sketchy about everyone here having been at school together, but not completely contradictory]. They were all in Class 4C and had a headmaster who they left with one ear and a scar. Denzil was a latecomer, joining the school aged 13 when his parents moved to London.

Raquel and Roy were married for four years, but have been "apart" for 8 years ["Stage Fright" says she hasn’t seen him for 7… so she was in contact with him for a year after they split]. Oddly, Denzil has now split up with Corrine again [they were together as recently as "Danger UXD". Perhaps she got wind of the blow-up dolls affair?].

Roy has been in Parkhurst for "three and a half years" but won parole 6 months previously [which doesn’t account for the six year gap since "To Hull and Back" when Roy was last seen, so perhaps it took two years to convict him? Or he spent two years in a different jail!]

Roy has "tucked up" each of the gang previously, having Del, Boycie and Denzil charged with possession of stolen goods (which they bought from Roy!), Rodney for speeding at 70mph in a built-up area (even though the van can’t go that fast!) and planting stamps on Trigger, earning him 18 months in a young offenders institution [none of these events have ever been seen on screen, but the latter suggests it was a long time ago].

Trigger used to find himself attracted to Julie Christie. Rodney watches "Home and Away". Del used to play in midfield during football at school, and sported a Roger Daltrey haircut.

The day is saved by Del’s Futufax ‘Reject’ Fax Machine – well, it would have been if it worked, but don’t tell Roy Slater that…

Why is Raquel auditioning at the start of the episode when heavily pregnant, when it was stated in "Stage Fright" that she’d put her career on hold (gigs with Tony Angelino withstanding)?. Come to think of it, where has Tony gone anyway? Slater mentions "sorting out the money with the governor" before leaving the pub, but Mike says earlier that he’s already paid cash. How could Del have a "Roger Daltrey" haircut if he was in the class of ’62 (The Who’s first hit was in 1965)? [the phrase is being coined with hindsight]. I’m not convinced by Del’s blackmail threat – how does he know the ten diamonds aren’t among the 78 Roy was convicted of stealing? Why would the report mention ten missing diamonds if they were missing anyway?

Del trying to pay Raquel a compliment:

"You and he are the best thing that ever happened to me… since my Mum died"

Trigger misses the point at the reunion:

"I’ve been standing in your dancehall for the last hour… I thought we was all going to jump out and shout surprise"

"We had Denzil in goal, we had Monkey Harris at left back. We had… camaraderie"
"Was he the Italian boy?"

The scene where Roy and Raquel meet again in the flat is wonderful. Seeing her bump, Roy looks between Del and Albert and asks "Well? Which one?"

And then there’s Uncle Albert, hair all over the place and not knowing what’s going on, and continually asking "Who’s Rachel?". Merryfield plays it superbly.

The return of Roy Slater is inspired, and this is a thoroughly enjoyable episode. It has a lovely plot, drawing on many previous episodes, not least "To Hull and Back", and dropping an ingenious bombshell about Raquel’s past. Eminently rewatchable.