Rodney - I'll take the van, you take the prat-mobile!
Uncle Albert is often never the focus of the attention, but someone who either adds a different perspective, a quick cheap line, or an anecdote about his time at sea which seems relevant to the situation that Del and/or Rodney are in.
We get a closer look at him, what makes his character tick, and what he'll do when backed into a situation which doesn't go his way. He's joined the over-60s club and has a new lease of life, looking to find some female company - notably in the form of Marlene's mum, Dora. His main competition is Knock Knock - who he is facing in the final of the dominoes competition. There's a great little moment with Albert and Marlene when Albert orders a large navy rum "puts lead in your pencil!" which is followed up with Boycie being offered a drink a minute or so later and Marlene saying "give him a large navy rum!"
We're told that there have been a spate of muggings on the estate, and a suspicious group of skin-heads have recently become regulars at The Nag's Head. A couple of them had noticed Albert whip his cash about as he tries to impress Dora. Later that evening Rodney comes rushing back to flat claiming that Albert has been mugged and taken to hospital.
Albert is physically battered and bruised and mentally distressed from the ordeal, not wanting to go outside and frightened of the front door ringing (not to the sound of a national anthem, sadly). One of the visitors is Cassandra, with her and Rodney sharing a conversation for the first time since 'The Chance Of A Lunchtime'. Rodney has agreed to work with Del again, and this is a great scene as we see Del's influence over Rodney already coming through: from the "starter kit" outfit, and the phrases "lovely jubbly" and his new one "no way, Pedro!"
Albert has another one of his top 3 moments in the show's history here. His recalling of his story confronting the lion in Africa ending with his big "RAHHHH!" and wetting himself is one that gives us 2 big laughs.
It also leads us on to a wonderful scene of Rodney sitting down into that seat. Some of the best jokes are when we know one or some of the cast know something that we the audience do, and one or more of the characters don't. Rodney moving uncomfortably in the chair keeps adding laughs.
Rodney convinces Del that Albert needs to start getting over his ideal and regaining some composure, Del goes in at him "a bit hard" according to Rodney - well "harder than I expected, that's all!" Albert takes this as his marching orders and that they don't want him around any more and leaves. The montage search scene features a bespoke song 'We're So Sorry, Uncle Albert', written and performed by Paul McCartney. The music budget continues to grow it seems.
The brothers find Albert at the street he grew up in: Tobacco Road, which has been transformed into luxury flats around a marina. We get some heartfelt nostalgia from Albert, which Del doesn't appreciate - seeing the new flats of a symbol of what he wants to achieve when he makes it.
In the final scene, Albert's ,mugging story is revealed to be a lie, there's a also a well setup joke of "Who's there?" "Knock Knock". They were quarrelling over Dora when "Knock Knock knocked him out!" It's not the first time that Albert has been liberal with the truth, but there's a pride and a shrewdness in this episode which is reminiscent of Grandad in episodes such as 'Homesick' and 'A Slow Bus to Chingford'. Albert isn't the best at lying however, the number of muggers he claims that there was increases from 4 to 5 and then 6 within the space of a couple of days.
Del - 6?! There's 6 of them now - any more takers?!
Albert isn't a major plot driver I think from now until his death in 'Strangers On The Shore', and him eventually being the one to bail them out from the grave in 'Sleepless in Peckham' - his appreciation for everything that Del and Rodney have done for him is reinforced in this episode.
Tomorrow's episode: Three Men, A Woman And A Baby
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