Christmas Special 1992: Mother Nature’s Son

Rodney - You are not dealing with a normal person, this is Derek Trotter! Don’t you understand he’s sucking the land dry! I’m expecting a visit from Lenny Henry and Bob Geldof any minute!

This episode is up there amongst my all-time favourites. It epitomises the ideals of Del as a businessman - find a gap in the market and exploit it for maximum profit. It's also one of his more successful ventures, although nothing is mentioned of it going forward so we're assume that the operation is eventually shut down, but was good while it lasted.

Rodney notices that Del has "lost that sort if zip" that he used to have, trying anything and everything to make a quick buck. He notes that "we haven't bought or sold a thing in months, and he's running around like Ken Dodd on ecstasy!" Del admits the truth to Rodney in that he is stressed that his appeal to buy the flat has finally come through - a throw back to 'Yuppy Love'. However it is more costly than he anticipated. He also confesses that he has been down at the casino every night "trying to win us some money". Del resorting purely to chance is not a great sign. He also lets slip that Grandad's old allotment comes with the flat.

Del - In the last 30 years more people have walked on the moon than that allotment!

Del has piled Damian's room full of his junk stock for its own protection as someone had recently broken into the garage where it had previously been kept. Raquel delivers some great lines in this episode, with these pearls of wisdom some of the best.

Raquel - Oh Del, hasn’t it dawned on you yet? All you have in that room is what the thieves left behind! How the hell do you expect to sell it when the burglars wouldn't take it for free?!

Del - But who's to say I won't sell all this tomorrow?!
Raquel - What are the chances of your bumping into a bald headed, anti-apartheid, deep-sea-diving Bros fan, who has a Betamax video recorder likes Romanian Riesling and whose name is Gary?!

On the allotment, we find it vastly overgrown and dumped with chemical hazards. There's a wonderful moment of Albert emerging from the bushes just as Del says "Gawd knows what lives in there!" He then enlists the help of a team of experts Denzil and Trigger to clear up the mess - including the chemical waste. These two characters are the most susceptible to Del's charm and manipulation, so it's only fitting that they are the ones to try and help Del out of this situation.

Rodney introduces Del to the world of health foods and the store operated by Miles an old friend from the evening college. Del's money making instincts strike again "like St Paul on his way to Tobascus" - and he conjures up a plan with the aid of Albert around a fictional spring in Peckham. Rodney is once again circumvented by Del as his plan comes to fruition.

The success of Peckham Spring takes everyone by surprise - Mike is selling the stuff in The Nag's Head and even the best hotels in the world are selling it... Miles has also doubled his order twice. Rodney has no choice but to confide in Cassandra as the success isn't without problems, but these are partly her fault too. This is one of Rodney's best moments - a monologue so full of passion it draws parallels to Del's rant in 'Tea For Three'

Rodney - There are geological aspects coming into play here Cass. You see we are taking thousands and thousands of gallons of water every week. The water board have workmen on the estate, they think they have a major underground leak. I mean, here we are in the middle of winter and the local papers are issuing drought warnings! So people are going out and panic-buying Peckham-bloody-Spring! So that means we have to take more water to service demands... and on top of that some prat has advised him to advertise on local radio!

Both Raquel and Cassandra have a strong episode as they are both tied to the fate of the central plot. Cassandra and Rodney are finally able to reconcile properly at the end of the episode too, which helps to put an end to the ongoing problems that their marriage has faced in its early years. Del again has a moment of reflection with Damian, similar to that in 'Three Men, A Woman And a Baby' which gives this episode a sentimental and meaningful touch on top of the triumph. Whilst this isn't the idea that ultimately leads them to being millionaires, it at least proves that they have it in them to make it to the life like that.

Tomorrow's episode: Fatal Extraction