Rodney - Cheer up? Del I’ve just met the first girl in my life that really means something to me and it turns out to be my bloody niece!
Lennard Pearce died on 15 December 1984 having suffered his second heart attack in the space of 3 days. This came to a shock to everyone in the show and required them to alter this series as a result. Losing Grandad from the show was a big loss, it could’ve continued without his kind of character but the dynamic of the 3 central characters is what makes it so funny. The cast and crew talk about being a family unit in themselves by that point, so recasting Lennard Pearce was out of the question.
They had already shot some scenes for series 4 by this time, but due to his death the script had to be rewritten with episodes having Grandad’s role being substituted for Uncle Albert who we are introduced to in tomorrow’s episode. John Sullivan talks about this episode and the next as being some of the toughest to write due to Lennard’s death - they were both added after his death and 2 episodes were moved to next series. Sullivan notes not wanting to start the series off on a somber note with Grandad’s death, so this episode was brought in first. Not seeing Lennard’s name on the title credits brings his memory back into your mind.
However the script for this episode was cleverly rewritten so that Grandad lives on but off screen, in hospital. We have many characters asking about him, with an elderly lady in the shop bringing the subject the light.
Elderly lady - Give him my love.
Del - He ain’t up to nothing like that!
The main plot point of the episode however deals with Rodney’s latest crush Debbie who happens to be the daughter of Del’s old flame June. As they travel down memory lane June reminds Del that has been 19.5 years since they broke up. It is later revealed that Debbie is about to celebrate her 19th birthday. Putting two and two together, we see Del transformed into an instant when he assumes Debbie is his daughter.
Del suddenly becomes very protective of Debbie, promising her an expensive watch as a birthday present and forcing Rodney away from her. It’s then revealed that Debbie isn’t his kid, but was fathered by his best mate at the time Albie Littlewood and Albie’s accidental death sparked June ending it with Del back in 1965. Del only then announces that he had been with Albie’s girlfriend Dedrie at the time.
It’s a rollercoaster of an episode emotionally for both Del and Rodney. Del goes from anger at being shut out from Debbie, only to feel betrayed by his late best friend and then relieved that Albie hadn’t been on his way to see Del when he took a shortcut and died. Rodney goes from being smitten with Debbie at the beginning of the episode to angry at Del for saying he’s her father. Rodney doesn’t see history repeat itself as Mickey Pearce arrives with Debbie at the end of the episode signalling the end of another potential romance.
The writing in this series very strong again, but given the circumstances it will have tested John Sullivan to deliver humour in the face of death. He comments how ironic it is that it was this series which won them their first BAFTA.
Tomorrow’s episode: Strained Relations
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