Raquel - Public enemy number one?! But he only left on Tuesday!
The Trotters land in Miami and straight away it's usual service as Del has booked an old campervan for their transport and accommodation - it's essentially an American version of the Reliant, a home away from home. After figuring out the hard way which side of the road to drive on, they take a boat trip which features a cameo of Barry Gibb - a sign of how popular the show has become that they can get that kind of thing arranged.
Del - None of that 'Costa Del Sewage' - we're in the big time now!
The introduction of Don Occhetti is a piece of brilliant direction - as we slowly pan up to reveal David Jason, but not as we normally recognise him. David Jason has mentioned that this was his favourite episode as it challenged him to play a different character who has a different accent.
Everything about this scene is different from what we are used to. Stylistically and tonally it plays heavily on themes from 'The Godfather', from the music, the guys lounging around in suits with guns, and the large ostentatious villa. We are introduced to his son, Rico (the Sonny Corleone of the family) and Salvatore the lawyer who is failing to get rid of the charges the FBI have against the Don. David Jason still gets to deliver some brilliant comedic lines as the Don, with the 2 scenes featuring him and Salvatore being my favourites.
Salvatore - We're having problems proving your innocence.
Don - Why?
Salvatore - Because you're guilty!
Del is recognised as the Don in the nightclub, and the owner points out to Rico that he would've booked them a private room if he'd known he would be attending. Rico hatches the plan and makes sure that the brothers end up liking him and staying with him, by stealing their luggage out of their van. Suspicions are aroused early on given the heavies at the gate.
Del - What sort of business are you in, Rico?
Rico - Insurance... and imports.
Del - Oh, imports and exports?
Rico - No... just imports.
As the plan to the Don is explained, we get David Jason giving an excellent performance and another few killer lines aimed at Salvatore and Rico.
They try to kill off Del twice. Once with a hitman at the restaurant "if he knew how to use a knife and fork, he'd be a goner" and then by sending him off into the ocean on a broken jet-ski. The brothers suspicions that something's not right are continuously heightened everyone's attitude towards Del, even the police are convinced that Del is the Don. The restaurant scene in the bathroom is a great little moment of writing too.
Lurch - How can you joke in a time like this?! His father's just been shot!
Del survives both ordeals narrowly. I particularly like how all the Americans think that the Trotters' cockney accents are from Australia - a joke running even to the end of the episode. Del's catchphrases rub off on Rico too that he even catches himself uttering "lovely jubbly".
The climax of their time at the villa is the moment when Del ends up hosting the Colombians (Rico couldn't tell the difference either) just at the moment he discovered about the existence of the Don. The shot of him seeing the portrait like that is memorable - it must have been odd for Del to see what looks like him up there as he'd imagined himself when he will become a millionaire, only for it to be the biggest mafia boss in the USA. Del has a family portrait on the wall in 'Time On Our Hands' and in the dystopian dream during 'Heroes And Villains'.
The Colombians are also convinced, and Del performs his signature bluff through languages with them - this time exclaiming "Bonetti!" Even Rodney can't tell the difference between the two, but then he doesn't know that he exists like many others. We get him threatening Don once he has discovered the truth about him setting up the trip so that Cassandra couldn't attend.
Rodney - I have just ruffed up a mafia boss! I called him a git! I have just called a mafia boss... a git!
The brothers make a run for it, off into the Everglades with Rico and the gang in tow. By chance, they bump into Boycie and Marlene who manage to rescue them against all odds. This moment is reminiscent of Denzil seeing Del in Hull - it's like he haunts his friends.
Del - I'm telling you Rodney, this is Marlon Brando time!
After all of the action, drama and near-death experiences, the brothers arrive home having aided in the capture of the Colombian drug baron and then ensuring that Don Occhetti is sentenced in court. Their arrival back at the flat with it filled to the brim with Romanian Riesling is a reminder that they can't run away from their problems, but all things considered these are far more manageable than the problems that they had in Miami.
Tomorrow's episode - Mother Nature's Son
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