Christmas Special 1990 - Rodney Come Home

Rodney - What a life eh? My wife don't love me, my mum's left me, and some bastard's nicked me bike!

A year has passed since Rodney being thrown out after the Jolly Boys' Outing, but this episode takes a deeper look at this plot and relationships - what makes them work and what doesn't. The introduction of Raquel as another female soundboard, and one with experience in this area is important to adding the gravitas. Raquel as a character doesn't deliver as many punchlines as many of the other characters but becomes an important glue in the family and a bounce-board for Del and Albert in the flat as we move into series 7.

Raquel - A lot of people think a marriage comes complete with gift-wrapping. It doesn't, it comes in kit-form - you have to work at it.

Albert is now fully Del's partner in crime too with Rodney now working for Alan. The opening scene has Albert on lookout again, still learning the ropes. We then get a brilliantly timed "during the war" joke but we can tell Del is very tiresome of it now cutting it short, for comic effect too. The joke around this catchphrase has certainly built up over the past few episodes and series 7 it becomes a regular punchline.

Del - I instinctively know when the optimum moment arrives, and only then will I strike.
Albert - Yeah... During the war-
Del - -Right, here we go then!

The plot mostly revolves around Rodney walking out on Cassandra again and him interrupting Del's blossoming romance with Raquel - something which Del is being very cautious about due to his respect for Raquel. Both Rodney and Cassandra react to their circumstance with childish behaviour, but they each believe that they have the moral high ground. There's a lack of clear communication between them and it leads to shouting matches. It affects them both in their interactions with others, with them both delivering the best example of an immature point of view.

Chris - Rodney, why don't you go home to Cassandra? You had a nice flat, a good bird, and you've given it all up 'cause of some stupid row!
Rodney - If she wants to phone me and apologise then I'll consider it. But she started it, so she's gotta phone me first.

Cassandra - I'm not behaving childishly if that's what you're suggesting.
Del - You haven't phoned him though.
Cassandra - I'm not phoning him first, he started it!

The funniest scene is Albert's reaction to Rodney taking Tanya to the pictures. This is up there with one of Albert's funniest moments in the history of the show. It's perfect as Del is already planning to meddle in Rodney's affairs and needs an accomplice, even though the revelation is shocking to Raquel and gives a natural reaction, but Albert's timing gives the audience a great laugh.

Del's interference leads to a line which has summed up many of the similar instances of this in the past in a moment between Albert and Raquel.

Raquel - Why does he have to interfere?!
Albert - It's in his nature. Still, it proves his heart's in the right place.
Raquel - Hmm... Pity about his brain!

Del arrives too late to save the day and the episode ends with a scenario very similar to the previous episode. Rodney has also managed to lock himself out of the flat and is remorseful and defeatest in summing up the situation.

Del - That's jealousy for you, bruv. It's a dangerous thing.
Rodney - We've naused this right up, ain't we?
Del - So what's new?

There's a lot of character growth in this episode for Rodney and Cassandra in particular, but Del and Raquel also move their relationship forward too. It's another instance of Del sticking his oar in on Rodney's life and it all not going to plan. The fact that Rodney ultimately does the right thing is a sign that he is maturing and has learnt something from the events, but Del hadn't trusted him to either make his own mistakes or believe that he would see sense. Their reconciliation on this point ends the episode on a heartfelt note, but the lesson on communication is relevant between the brothers just as much as it is for Rodney and Cassandra.

Tomorrow's episode: The Sky's The Limit