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Thicker than Water (Only Fools and Horses)
Encyclopedia
"Thicker than Water" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the third Christmas special, and was first screened on 25 December 1983.
and Grandad
are watching television on Christmas Day, when a stranger appears at the door. The stranger turns out to be Del Boy
and Rodney's father (and Grandad's son) Reg, who had abandoned them 18 years earlier after the death of their mother. When Del learns of Reg's return he intends to throw him out, but Rodney and Grandad persuade Del to give him a chance. Reg tells his two sons and father that he has been living in Newcastle
, and has recently been diagnosed with a hereditary blood disorder.
Del and Rodney quickly take blood tests, which both turn out negative, but Grandad notices on their results that they have different blood types. Grandad explains that around the time that Rodney was born, Reg and their mother Joan were having frequent arguments, and Joan flirted with other men. Del and Grandad thus both assume that Rodney has a different father and tell him the news, with Del concluding that Rodney is a "whodunnit". However, when Reg returns having checked his own and Grandad's blood groups, he reveals that it is in fact Del who has the alien blood group.
Del drowns his sorrows at the Nag's Head, while Reg moves in permanently, wearing Del's clothes, spending time with Rodney and taunting Del for being a "lone ranger", at one point shouting "Hi-ho silver!" at him. Rodney reassures Del that children with the same parents can have different blood groups
and recommends that he visit Dr. Becker, the Trotter family's doctor, again to clarify the results.
The next evening, Reg is clearly outstaying his welcome at the flat, having spent all of Rodney and Grandad's money, drunk all their beer, and even written a bet on one of Rodney's GCE
certificates. Del Boy returns home and reveals that he took Rodney's advice and went to see Dr. Becker again, who confirmed that his blood type was actually 'A' and not 'AB', as recorded on the results, and that someone - Reg - had altered them in an attempt to isolate Del and take his place in Nelson Mandela House. Furthermore, Dr. Becker made some background checks, which found that Reg was actually a porter at the Newcastle infirmary, not a patient, and was on the run after stealing numerous items from the hospital, including a doctor's scooter. All but defeated, Reg decides to leave, and the Trotters are glad to see him go, although Del still gives him some money on his way out.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. It was the third Christmas special, and was first screened on 25 December 1983.
Synopsis
RodneyRodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
and Grandad
Grandad (Only Fools and Horses)
Edward Kitchener "Ted" Trotter better known simply as Grandad, was a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses from 1981-1984...
are watching television on Christmas Day, when a stranger appears at the door. The stranger turns out to be Del Boy
Del Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
and Rodney's father (and Grandad's son) Reg, who had abandoned them 18 years earlier after the death of their mother. When Del learns of Reg's return he intends to throw him out, but Rodney and Grandad persuade Del to give him a chance. Reg tells his two sons and father that he has been living in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, and has recently been diagnosed with a hereditary blood disorder.
Del and Rodney quickly take blood tests, which both turn out negative, but Grandad notices on their results that they have different blood types. Grandad explains that around the time that Rodney was born, Reg and their mother Joan were having frequent arguments, and Joan flirted with other men. Del and Grandad thus both assume that Rodney has a different father and tell him the news, with Del concluding that Rodney is a "whodunnit". However, when Reg returns having checked his own and Grandad's blood groups, he reveals that it is in fact Del who has the alien blood group.
Del drowns his sorrows at the Nag's Head, while Reg moves in permanently, wearing Del's clothes, spending time with Rodney and taunting Del for being a "lone ranger", at one point shouting "Hi-ho silver!" at him. Rodney reassures Del that children with the same parents can have different blood groups
Human blood group systems
The International Society of Blood Transfusion currently recognises 30 major blood group systems . Thus, in addition to the ABO antigens and Rhesus antigens, many other antigens are expressed on the red blood cell surface membrane...
and recommends that he visit Dr. Becker, the Trotter family's doctor, again to clarify the results.
The next evening, Reg is clearly outstaying his welcome at the flat, having spent all of Rodney and Grandad's money, drunk all their beer, and even written a bet on one of Rodney's GCE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
certificates. Del Boy returns home and reveals that he took Rodney's advice and went to see Dr. Becker again, who confirmed that his blood type was actually 'A' and not 'AB', as recorded on the results, and that someone - Reg - had altered them in an attempt to isolate Del and take his place in Nelson Mandela House. Furthermore, Dr. Becker made some background checks, which found that Reg was actually a porter at the Newcastle infirmary, not a patient, and was on the run after stealing numerous items from the hospital, including a doctor's scooter. All but defeated, Reg decides to leave, and the Trotters are glad to see him go, although Del still gives him some money on his way out.
Episode cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| David Jason David Jason Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack... |
Del Boy |
| Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Lyndhurst Nicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies... |
Rodney |
| Lennard Pearce Lennard Pearce Lennard Pearce was an English actor who worked mostly in the theatre, but also appeared in a number of British television programmes. He landed his most notable TV role during the final few years of his life, starring as Edward "Grandad" Trotter in the popular sitcom, Only Fools and Horses from... |
Grandad |
| Peter Woodthorpe Peter Woodthorpe Peter Woodthorpe was an English film, television and voice actor who is best known for supplying the voice of Gollum in the 1978 Bakshi version of The Lord of the Rings and BBC's 1981 radio serial... |
Reg Trotter |
| Michele Winstanley | Karen (barmaid) |
Story arc
- This episode hints that Del Boy and Rodney do not share the same father. The mystery continues in "The Frog's LegacyThe Frog's Legacy"The Frog's Legacy" is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It is the first episode of the series to introduce the unseen but pivotal character, Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal, later revealed to be Rodney Trotter's real, biological father...
", only this time the suggestion is that it is actually Rodney who was the product of an affair between their mother Joan and gangster Freddie Robdal (aka "Freddie the Frog"). This is confirmed in the final episode of the series "Sleepless in PeckhamSleepless in Peckham"Sleepless in Peckham" is an episode of BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the final episode of the entire series.-Synopsis:...
", and is the central plot of the first episode of the 2010 prequel series Rock & Chips in which Freddie (played by Nicholas Lyndhurst) has the affair with Joan before Rodney was born.
Production
- This is notably the only episode in which Reg Trotter is featured in Only Fools and Horses. He later becomes one of the main characters of Rock & Chips, but with a slimmer and more muscular physique.
- This episode marked the penultimate chronological appearance of Grandad (preceding "Licensed to DrillLicensed to Drill"Licensed to Drill" is an educational episode of the sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. Even though it was shown in various schools throughout the UK from 1984 onwards , it was never broadcast commercially and has only recently been rediscovered...
"). Lennard PearceLennard PearceLennard Pearce was an English actor who worked mostly in the theatre, but also appeared in a number of British television programmes. He landed his most notable TV role during the final few years of his life, starring as Edward "Grandad" Trotter in the popular sitcom, Only Fools and Horses from...
died during production of the subsequent series.