Only Fools and Horses: Season 5, Episode 5 Video Nasty

Mr Boyce, Prawn Balls.....

Jehan Ariyaratnam

Haven't seen this one for years 😂 Sounds like the sequel to Snakes On a Plane may have been found 👍

Oliver Prime

Your analysis of this episode was so accurate, especially when you said there was something lacking. It just didn't hit the mark, and I can't put my finger on why, especially as we associate these characters with quality laughs etc.

ElvisLee

Thanks bud!

After Work Reactions

Totally agree I think this episode could have been better probably one of the weakest episodes probably needed a longer the 30 minutes and maybe a better plotline they could have introduced the Drisco Brothers into this episode

Paul Hynes

I agree with Josh on this one. For me it didn't work because Rodney was thrust into the lead with a bad premise that would need a great script to pull off and it didn't have one. Unfortunately none of the others had great lines either there was just no saving grace. Even Dels rhino story felt inauthentic. :(

bex evans

A Jaffa is just type of orange with fewer seeds in it than other types. So we just call infertile dudes Jaffas no cockney rhyming slang here.

bex evans

Awesome man I am looking forward to it!

After Work Reactions

Thanks for the info bud.

After Work Reactions

Thanks for the info bud!

After Work Reactions

Agree with you on this episode. Video Nasty is always the meh episode for me that I skip. Can’t wait for you to get to Royal Flush and every episode after it. Golden.

A

I think the vampire rhino thing was a bit of a joke as David Jason (Del Boy) voiced a vegetarian vampire duck called, Count Duckula.

Christopher John Williams

"By Royal Appointment of Victoria Regina" If a company/product is given a Royal Appointment it means that they've provided goods or services to the British royal family. "Victoria Regina" refers to Queen Victoria (Regina meaning Queen in Latin) who died in 1901 so the typewriter is at least that old!

(Just) Steve

I honestly don’t understand the hate for this episode. Not every episode is gonna be a 5* classic. This hasn’t got a serious and thick storyline like other episodes but still has its funny moments about it. Plus with the standard set so high from other episodes such as Tea for Three, we have to expect some lighter episodes

Teddy Alison

As soon as Del started pitching his Rhino movie idea I said to myself 'I bet he's got access to a cheap rhino'. Not a great episode, but back then aburdism wasn't really a thing in sitcoms. The idea of something being funny just because it's so absurd...that was limited to Monty Python really. Young Ones came along later(later than Python) and that's about as absurd as sitcoms got in that era. But really sitcom scripts had to be grounded in reality back then. There wasn't really an understanding between the viewer and the writer for anything else at that point. Definitely not on mainstream BBC. So Josh's hope that the episode would be about Del pushing to make a film about a killer Rhino, and then we get to see them make it, a bit like Son Of Rambow, or one of Karl's film ideas...that kind of stuff didn't get done back then in sitcoms. There wasn't a cultural language for it. So as much as you might yearn for it to go in one direction, Only Fools is never going to go there. It's grounded in reality, for better or worse.

Saul

For me this episode is weak for the simple fact it should have been an hour long with more scenes explaining what Micky was actually doing with Boycie, Rodney's community film could have been more fleshed out too. The whole episode just felt flat and as funny as Rodney's reaction was to Dell's rhino novel it was not enough to save the episode.I preferred Cash and Curry over this episode it would be rock bottom if it weren't for one other I despise more so, fortunately 95% of the remaining episodes are classics.

Michael Ledger

Yeah agree this one they dont repeat often either, but there are plenty more gems to come :)

Mike Doel

I always found this episode to be just a filler and not really anything worth mentioning. Apart from the round table scene of ideas from Delboy & Albert there really isn't anything funny. Saying that though you could probably sell the idea of Delboys idea to Netflix as they put any ridiculous shit on there. A Jaffa is a seedless orange by the way.

NEXUS

I've always liked this episode and am a little surprised everyone doesn't like it as much as others. But I can see where you're coming from. Sure, fewer events happen but the writing and the jokes are still strong. 'By Royal Appointment of Victoria Regina' suggests that Del had got Rodney a typewriter that was around 100 years old and probably dirt cheap. I've always found that funny. IVF was a relatively new thing in 1986 when this was filmed and was topical at the time. As others have said a 'Jaffa' was among the first popular seedless oranges and 'Beejams' were a chain of stores that focused on selling frozen food. There were quite a few cultural references in this one. Perhaps John Sullivan did weave some of his struggles of coming up with good stories into Rodney. But I feel this episode has a firm place in the rest of this great series.

Luke

Had a feeling you wouldn't care for this one. Honestly not one that's on many 'favourite' lists, as much as the running joke about the rhino is amazing. But that's literally the only part people remember.

ALW

I like this episode purely for the Rhino Loose in the City scene and that's it. A very funny exchange but the episode as a whole is so below par. As you said Josh, it lacked passion, lacked confidence, substance, story. It was meandering and flat simultaneously. Next week's is great IMHO, and series 5 is very strong all told but it is as if John Sullivan had 5 great ideas and 6 episodes to make here. The episode is in part about lacking inspiration but the show is so generally excellent that you don't expect an uninspired episode; even if it was self-referential, it should be meta, not ironic. That said, I forgive the show its occasional misfire as its batting average is so high.

Ash Jeffries

Have a great weekend everyone - pressing play in the next few seconds

Justyn

I've always thought the acting was a bit off in this one, like they were recording the rehearsal and they were reading from scrips. Also, the scenery was kind of wierd too. For example the pub looked really big and open, not small, crowded and pokey like usual. You could tell it was a set, whereas usually you can't and the settings are believable. This is my least favourite episode.

Steve Small

Del’s movie pitch is a classic scene but I agree this is a weak episode. The narrative is all over the place. The next three episodes are good and then from ‘Dates’ onwards you’re into the golden era of the show. Series 6 is on a different level to everything that’s gone before.

Leon Tallis

Even though this episode is not the best, the show has such brilliant episodes to come. 'Peckham Spring', 'Time On Our Hands' and so many more are fantastic. The hour long episodes are soooooo funny. Ithink Josh over analysed this episode. British comedy is different to American comedy. Every episode doesn't have to have a blockbuster ending. The show is now starting to be a more continuous storyline now rather than the earlier episodes. The other characters are now starting to be involved more. And all of them are superb. And the dialogue is getting better and better. This show is amazing.

James Ryan

Who stole my 'e'? i clearly remember typing an 'e' on the end of the word 'one'. Come on...who took it?

Hannah

Not every episode is going to be A+. Gotta take the rough with the smooth. I've always liked the terrible movie idea Del comes up with in this episode though. The conversation around that dinner table is completely ridiculous lol. "A rhinoceros has escaped from the zoo! There are 300 dead bodies covered in rhinoceros footprints! There's a lock-up garage 2-and-half-foot deep in rhinoceros crap; and Charlton Heston suspects the butler!" Has me rolling everytime.

Katie Woodward

Spoilers! Not as bad as the guy above, but still!

antlermagick

What??? Series 6 and 7 are the best series along with the specials around them!!

Daniel French

Ross Elliott

The episodes go down hill fast from this point .They get really naff and cheesy.

Adam Davies

'Jaffa' is a type of orange without seeds.. hence they were calling Boycie seedless 😂😂🤣

Austin Stratton

Rodney said "The T and the A are missing!" Prime moment for Del to reply, "You can't say fairer than that then can ya!?"

Austin Stratton

Really? I'd say the next episode is definitely better than A Royal Flush (which has the lowest rating on IMDb, tied with the first episode of season 9)

Manly Stump

I’m glad you have the patience to sit through the slow burn episodes, you have a lot more classic only fools and horses episodes and moments coming up including the feature length “Dates” episode at the end of this season.

Lee

Agreed, could have been much better but I guess we are looking through a modern lens - we take for granted that we can take 4K videos on our phones whereas back then it was obviously very different - there's no porn on demand, people find their lifestyle not interesting enough to film....so what happens, you try and make a bluey.

Jon Johnson

Marleeeeeene!

Hannah

That one WAS quite poor. It felt wrong from the start to be honest. Oh well...onwards.... I wonder if there are any fave OFAH lists/polls. I'm sure this on would be at the bottom!

Hannah

Yes so many brilliant episodes to come, can't wait:)

BelladonnicHazeyJaneII

I agree with you and the others here, this is definitely one of the weaker episodes. The next episode is also a bit meh. But the three extended episodes after it are all great.

Luke Barron

Fair assessment Josh. That Rhino story cracked me up the first time I saw it, but as a whole the episode is a bit of a comedown after "Tea for Three". I just had a look at the ratings for individual episodes on IMDb and it's one of the few to score less than 8 with 7.8. For comparison, "Tea for Three" has a score of 8.9. David Jason complained that they had to leave out a lot of funny stuff, because of the half hour running time and that is when it was agreed they could go to 50 minutes for series 6. Every episode bar one of series 6 scores over 9.

Keith Pratt

This is definitely one of the weakest episodes, especially compared to last week’s. Rodney’s storyline of having writers block, may have mirrored the writer John Sullivan’s struggle with the end of this season after learning the next episode (6), in effect, was going to be the final OFAH. David Jason (Del) was planning on leaving. I think that was a bit of a bombshell that may have messed up his plans for the show. As a result, John was planning to write a spin off show called Hot Rod which involved Rodney and Mickey Pierce setting up a business on their own. This may be the reason there’s a lot of Rodney on his own in this episode. The next Special (in 2 weeks) “A Royal Flush” is also very Rodney centric, and a bit of a weaker episode IMO. It’s ok, but the character dynamic between Del and Rodney seems a bit off. Some people like that one, but I’m not a fan. The good news is David Jason changed his mind, and decided to stay, mostly because he felt guilty leaving such a successful show, and the many people involved that could lose their jobs. Next weeks episode is much better. with a very funny section in it, which includes one of my favourite lines ever in a sitcom. Season 5 ends in 1986, and apart from a few Christmas Specials the show has a three year break, starting Season 6 in 1989. But it does get better again. 🙂 By the way, a Jaffa, is a brand of orange you get in the UK that doesn’t have any seeds in them (which was Del’s reference to Boycie’s low sperm count). And I’ll also mention a syrup is a Wig or hair piece. That may be referred to in next weeks show. Keep up the good work ! 🙂

Gary Tamblyn

Completely forgot about this episode, which says it all really. This isn’t one fans ever mention, like you said even the best shows can’t have a gem each time

Joe S

Don’t worry Josh, after next weeks episode “Who wants to be a Millionaire?”, you have the 3 feature specials for the end of this series! And then we’re onto series 6 where in my opinion every episode is a 5 star classic!

AWR93

I don't think this a bad episode necessarily but it definitely isn't on par with the usual standard you might come to expect by this point. The Rhino loose in the city pitch is definitely the best part and the only reason why I don't skip it during a rewatch marathon.

Daryl

Got to say i agree man,this is probably my least favourite episode of the entire show...i have always wondered myself what it is about this episode...you are right, the whole storyline has the potential to make it a classic episode but just seems to drift into a very pointless story in the end👍

Ganjawarrior 365

This episode isn't a great one but the next is a classic Josh u will enjoy it more

Stu 79

Del’s Rhino movie pitch is hilarious. The, “And Charlton Heston suspects the butler.” Line from Rodney cracks me up every time.

Lee

A "Jaffa" is a type of seedless orange, hence Boycie is "seedless", not a reference to him being gay.....on that note Jaffa Cakes are a delicious brand of Biscuit Cakes

Steve King

The rhino story part is very funny but like Josh and some other commenters I think this is a pretty weak episode.

Christopher Horner

This felt like a filler episode and just felt very flat. It didn't quite work.

BigChanChan

this must be one of the weaker episodes that they made, still funny in parts

Chris F

This episode is a little like Fawlty Towers Waldorf Salad for me, it just doesn't 'feel' right amongst everything else. I think the bar being so high doesn't help our perception of it either. You've got two more episodes and then we're truly into what I consider the golden era of consistent top-tier writing. Also, to note: Jaffa is a type of orange that has few/no seeds.

BertFredStan

Love the rhino scene!

Teddy Alison

I do love this episode

Teddy Alison

Spot on assessment Josh. There are a few episodes I never rewatch, this is one of them.

Kevin Liversage

I think a chunk of the budget was used on the last episode so the scope was a bit limited by that. Could definitely have been more tightly plotted definitely. Do love the rhino loose in the city premise though.

Kieran B

One of my least favourite episodes to be honest although I love the rhino in the city bit 😂 that part still cracks me up. David Jason was actually going to leave OFAH at the end of this series but he decided to stay (thankfully!) and there are so many classic episodes to come :)

BelladonnicHazeyJaneII

I actually agree with you, the rhino/writing scene is hilarious but the rest of the episode doesn’t really go anywhere. I don’t think this one is on the same level as the rest in the series, some people love this one and some don’t care for it. I still enjoyed the reaction nonetheless!

Sam Owen

Only fools Friday!!

AWR93

>Hope everyone his having a great Friday!!! We are now!

Dale S