Rock and Chips

[Deleted]

Has anybody seen the new Only Fools and Horses prequel called Rock and Chips yet? I've just finished watching it and, although the BBC claims its a comedy drama it has very little comedy in it. Saying that though, it does work quite well as a drama and tells of the story of the Trotters in 1960. Most of the 90 minute episode takes place in the twelve months before Rodney is born and very little stuff is told that I wanted to be told. It does tell how Del Boy's mother met Freddie the Frog and at the end it shows the Trotters moving into the (then new) council flat that became synonymous with Only Fools and Horses but other than that its largely a new story. It also lends itself to a sequel episode but its highly unlikely that something like that will happen.

[blueshift]

Comedy Drama seems to be the label applied to comedies that are discovered too late to not actually be funny.

[Andy Turnbull]

I couldn't be bothered watching it. An unnecessary prequel I felt.

Andy

[Deleted]

It was okay but it never actually answered all of the things I hoped it would. It never covered the deaths of Freddie the Frog (as mentioned in two Only Fools episodes) and Del Boy's mother. It also never covered the business that Del Boy and Jumbo Mills had in the 60's (which was mentioned also in a couple of Only Fools episodes) and also it never covered the point where Del's father walked out on the family. This is why I said it lends itself to a sequel because there is still too much uncovered ground.

[blueshift]

On this subject, here is the little known and ATROCIOUS original theme for Only Fools, which was only used on the first run of series 1. Thank god.



It can still be heard in the first episode as incidental music.

[Deleted]

UK Gold (or G.O.L.D as they now prefer to be called) still shows series 1 with that original theme tune which was actually composed by Ronnie Hazlehurst (who has made more well known theme tunes in the past). Unfortunately*, the DVD releases have the more well known theme tune played over series one.

*I say unfortunately because, even though I'm not fond fond of the theme tune I do like programmes to be shown in their original format rather than them being butchered to suit todays nanny state.

[blueshift]

Well, the second theme was how the show was originally intended to be, the first theme was due to BBC pressure. So I don't mind that much. Also it is terrible

[Nigel]

I didn't watch it. Aside from clashing with Being Human, it actually held little interest for me. I'm of the mind that a line should have been drawn under Only Fools when the Trotters walked off into the sunset and I didn't want them to make the later specials (which weren't very funny, so I was probably right). I also find Green, Green Grass barely funny and mostly pointless.

[primenova]

Jan 25, 2010 11:40:37 GMT @zudobug said:

It was okay but it never actually answered all of the things I hoped it would. It never covered the deaths of Freddie the Frog (as mentioned in two Only Fools episodes) and Del Boy's mother. It also never covered the business that Del Boy and Jumbo Mills had in the 60's (which was mentioned also in a couple of Only Fools episodes) and also it never covered the point where Del's father walked out on the family. This is why I said it lends itself to a sequel because there is still too much uncovered ground.

Didn't this happen when Rodders was just a bit older - but before the selling electric fires to gas houses.

[Deleted]

Yes it did but I half expected this prequel to cover everything that had been mentioned in previous episodes but they weren't. Most of the stuff in this prequel was meaningless for me and full of cliche driven stuff. Probably the worst of this cliche driven stuff was the slimy cinema boss which seems to be a popular character whenever people make dramas or comedies set in the sixties.

I also agree with Nigel in that the story of Only Fools and Horses should have finished with the episode where they were made millionaires. John Sullivan actually said at the time that if he was ever given the chance to write a final story for OFAH he would make them millionaires so quite why he continued and made a further three episodes that weren't all that funny and were full of plot holes puzzles me. I also think that the Green, Green Grass isn't all that funny. Putting a rich snobby car salesman like Boycie in a country setting was like putting Chuckles the Clown in an office! The almost total lack of jokes in that spin-off was the final nail in the coffin for me as well.

[Hero]

Caught the recent episode last Thursday. Probably the weakest of the 3 so far although it had its moments.

Sullivan was said to have planned 6 episodes. It could be possible that 3 more R&C may have been written before his passing.

===KEN

[sf1378]

I expect Sullivan wanted to portray the prequels in 6 parts. I liked them. It was different seeing a 'full' Trotter household with Del's Family there - and moving knowing how Nan would die, Dad would walk out, Mum would die and Del would basically have to sacrifice his own life to bring up Rodney on his own....He had many chances to better himself properly as mentioned in the classic series but he couldn't leave Rodney could he?

I also think it was touching seeing his Mums love affair with Freddie The Frog, it wasn't as callous as Del made out it to be - but then, there are two sides to all stories and thats what Sullivan portrayed. It was nice seeing Del as a young man, his mates and the fun they had. I think Sullivan made the right choice to not show the 'whole story' in a 90 mins one off prequel - how can you flesh out a central character to the show mythos - that of Del and Rodney's Mum having never seen her in the original show, not even in flashbacks say when in the actual 90 mins prequel you need to introduce the characters to a whole new audience as well...We know the story, but theres a hell of a lot of new viewers that wouldn't know the whole backstory...Sullivan did the right thing. I'd like to see the story progress and show how the events that leave Del, Rodders and Grand Dad alone in Nelson Mandela House eventually but this means creating more prequels. As Sullivan has sadly passed away the quality may be bad, or if he did write 3 more, they may be good, but then the BBC may want to make a full series and this may drag things on too much....that said, they are okay so far to watch....