If They Could See Us Now
| "If They Could See Us Now" | |
|---|---|
| Only Fools and Horses episode | |
 |
|
| Episode no. | Episode 16 (Christmas Special) |
| Directed by | Tony Dow |
| Written by | John Sullivan |
| Produced by | Gareth Gwenlan |
| Original air date | 25 December 2001 (21.3 million viewers) |
| Running time | 71 minutes |
"If They Could See Us Now.....!" is an episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2001 as the first part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy and the sixteenth Christmas special. It was the BBC's most viewed television programme of the decade. In the episode, the Trotters lose their fortune and Del goes on a game show to try to regain it.
The episode opens with Del Boy and Rodney explaining their latest holiday to a barrister. While at a Monaco resort, Rodney feels guilty about not taking Uncle Albert with them, but is reminded that he is staying with Elsie Partridge and then mocks Albert's catchphrase "During the war..." as he heads to a bar with Del. Later Del learns that the Central American stock market has crashed, meaning the Trotters have lost all their money. The Trotter family escapes from the hotel without paying.
As he is entering a courtroom, Del explains that Mike is now in jail for embezzlement, and that he and Rodney lost their country estate and penthouse flat, which were seized by the Inland Revenue to pay off their debts. They did, however, still own their flat at Nelson Mandela House. Adding to their woes, Albert died a few days later, and the Trotters mistakenly attended the funeral of Albert Warren, who also happened to be a World War II veteran - they found out only when the family mentioned his nickname "Bunny" and that he was in the Royal Air Force instead of the Royal Navy. Nonetheless, Del had inadvertently defended both Alberts. Whilst Del had still thought himself to be at the correct funeral, Roland - one of Bunny's relatives - laughed inappropriately at the late veteran's constant reminisces of his war years. Del confronted him, brushing aside his own complaints about his uncle's habit.
Back at the flat, Rodney reveals that he has been acquitted of any responsibility in the collapse of their company. Del on the other hand has been both declared bankrupt and convicted of nearly twenty years' worth of tax evasion. While his sentence was suspended, if Del cannot pay off a bill of £48,754 plus interest within the next year, the Inland Revenue will seize all of the Trotter's remaining assets, including the flat, and Del himself will receive a two-year prison sentence. The situation appears bleak, but Del is confident about his chances of earning the required money, and announces that he will reform Trotters Independent Traders. Since Del has been banned from owning any companies, the new version will have to be managed by Rodney.
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Wikipedia