This classic episode showcases how far Del’s imagination and innovation can stretch. His ultimate goal is to set up a tour of ‘ethnic’ London, based on his insight that “your average tourist gets fed up, doesn’t he, of seeing the same old places like: the Houses of Parliament, Buck House, the National Gallery” and that “out there is a new, vibrant, exciting London waiting to be discovered” . This is part of a wider “immaculate scheme” to source a bus via hiring Rodney out as a nightwatchman Nocturnal Security Officer, never mind Rodney needing any sleep, nor his budding romance with Janice.
John Sullivan recalls a story of how he was inspired to write the episode by an encounter he had with a hippy in an ancient pub’s toilet who, after John commented on the state of the place, replied ‘this is ethnic English’. These are two words that aren’t often out together but it was thought provoking enough to take the idea further in this episode.
The absurdity of the episode’s plot affords it some cracking scenes, jokes and dialogue. Some of my favourites were:
Rodney trying on his uniform...
Del - Look at that fit! Oh yeah, deja vu - it’s like it’s made to measure isn’t it?!
Janice - Yeah, for somebody else!
Rodney - I look like a Traffic Warden who ain’t been well!
Grandad recounting his story as a security officer:
Grandad - There was this fella who used to work there, he used to arrive every morning in a big Wolseley car, he wore a camel-hair overcoat, kid gloves and he always carried a brand-new leather attaché case - and he smoked expensive cigars. Well, call it intuition if you like, but I was suspicious of him.Del - Yeah, why?
Grandad - Well, he we’re only a sweeper up!
After Del explaining that he’ll tell the tourists that Elephant & Castle got its name by. Richard the Lionheart castle which Hannibal laid siege to with his elephants
Grandad - If they’d never seen an elephant before, how did they know it was an elephant?!
Del’s dreams are laid bare in this episode, he talks about taking the company legit and standing on the balcony of a skyscraper with the company letters on the top in 50-foot high neon letters. The fact that the initials of Trotters Independent Traders spell ‘TIT’ and that Rodney is the one to point this out to Del for the first time (and us the audience) in this moment is comedy genius.
The downfall of this venture is ultimately exposed by Grandad’s sloppiness in distributing leaflets, also explaining why he was so confident no tourists would show in the bet. It’s the icing on the cake of another venture which has nothing gained for the Trotters in their quest to reach their skyscraper. This reference is something eluded to in the dystopian nightmare Rodney has at the beginning of ‘Heroes & Villains’ but taken further.
Tomorrow’s episode: The Russians are Coming
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