r/OnlyFoolsAndHorses

For me it's 'by the time we get him back he'll be eating paella and calling us Gringos !'

Gets me absolutely every time 😂

Whilst I enjoy the lore behind Freddie The Frog, and I do enjoy the episode generally & in specific moments, 'THE FROG'S LEGACY' has never been a huge standout for me in terms of quality amongst other specials/episodes.

I remember as a kid when first watching it, and hoping that this wasn't going to be how The Trotters finally came into their millions. I'd find it cheap, them just finding it as an inheritance & the work of some thief, especially when later we are painted a very specific image of FREDDIE THE FROG. The twist with the watch is far better.

In general though, the episode has its moments but I was never really committed or enthralled by its overall plot. The doubling down of Rodney being a half brother as well, I know that is something that has been divisive since the episode where Reg Trotter came back. For me, its not in the Top10 of Episodes and I didn't really care for the missing treasure too much. I did another post where someone said they'd have liked to have seen them recover the lost spoils, I don't care for it to return to that plot at all.

If the 2001-2003 SPECIALS happened but WITHOUT THE TROTTERS LOSING THEIR MILLIONS, what stories would you want the specials to be about?

I'm someone who's always loved the return specials from 2001-2003. I know they are divisive, but I think its far more realistic that the likes of Del & Rodney would lose their millions than keep it.

That being said, I think theres potentially more quality storytelling to be done with them 'living the yuppy lifestyle' than what we saw in 'IF THEY COULD SEE US NOW' . The flaunting, the boasting, the investing, the new businesses or lack of, adjusting to the new lifestyle *especially Del* . Specials with the family being involved in schemes with the likes of Cassandra's parents or 'the Bank' or other new higher class characters. Stories down at Alan & Pam's Villa, or on holiday with Boycie & Marlene, or opening a restaurant or new bar that rivals Nag's Head before they realise its morally wrong. Del Boy wasting the money and not wanting to retire, still trying to rope established characters into plans but the risk is even bigger now because the likes of Rodney and Raquel know he's gambling with a bigger pot.

You could even end the 2nd special with them losing the money and do a return to their roots at the end of/or for EP3. Leaves the door open for the stories we got.

I'm just thinking, there's some really funny scenarios that you could incorporate into 2-3 episodes without the 'richness' getting boring. You kind of don't want to see them rich, you certainly don't want eps were they are just rich idiots. But you can take their 'ways' and mix it with fortune and see what kind of stories you get. The wheeling-and-dealing and 'the chase' was the fun part, BUT, that doesn't mean there isn't some cool story ideas you could throw around to see them being utter plonker with the newfound fortune.

Characters or stories you wish we saw more of? Alan Parry is always one I see thrown around, anymore?

I would've loved more of Denzel & Corrine (I think stories were planned until Corrine's actress' death). Even so, Danzel was a bigger player in many stories & specials but I would've liked to have seen more development with an episode or story tailored to him.

Seeing as there's a few Alan Parry posts, this has always bothered me.

Was Rodney that bad that Alan was happy to just let him resign?

Why didn't Rodney admit he shouldn't have resigned, and asked Alan for his job back, I'm sure Cassandra could have persuaded him.

Instead, he just struggled on with very low income from Del.

As far as I know, Chris (who is never mentioned by name) was only in 3 episodes.

Dates (where him, Micky and Jevon are talking about nervous Nerris).

Rodney Come Home - him and Micky are in the club. Note Jevon has left the show after JBO (damn you Eastenders).

He is also in the dream sequence in Mother Nature's Son. After MNS he is not seen again (nor are Pam and Alan, but that's another story).

I don't recall seeing him after that, but JS included him in the dream sequence, I'm wondering whether he was planned as another mate of Micky long term.

Is it possible that Del’s French somehow got worse as the show went on? I took French all throughout primary and high school and a select number of his phrases in the first season actually made some sort of sense, but along the shows run particularly season 7 and the 2001-2003 specials it’s really quite specialist how awful his perception of French got