Video Nasty (Only Fools and Horses)
"Video Nasty" is the fifth episode of series 5 of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first broadcast on 28 September 1986. In the episode, Rodney receives a grant to make a local film, but Del sees it as an opportunity to make money.
| "Video Nasty" | |
|---|---|
| Only Fools and Horses episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Series 5 Episode 5 |
| Directed by | Ray Butt |
| Written by | John Sullivan |
| Produced by | Ray Butt |
| Original air date | 28 September 1986 (17.5 million viewers) |
| Running time | 29:00 (DVD/iTunes) |
Synopsis
At The Nag's Head, as Trigger and Boycie talk about Marlene's inability to have children, Rodney enters to tell everyone that he and Mickey Pearce have been given £10,000 by their evening art class teacher to make a local community film. Del Boy and Albert also enter and tell everyone that they've been borrowing hay bales from a private zoo run by Abdul's cousin's girlfriend's brother's friend, as well as having been to see Monkey Harris's sister's husband's first wife's stepfather, who works for an animal food company. Rodney tells everyone that he is writing the story of the film, and Mickey is directing.
The next day at the flat, Rodney has a writer's block when trying to come up with a good story, until Del enters from the hall with a very old, slightly battered typewriter. After showing him how hard he has to hit the keys, Del tells Rodney to begin typing. But Rodney says that he can't think of an idea for a story. Del mentions that he's got an idea for a story called "There's a Rhino Loose in the City", which is about a rhinoceros who escapes from a zoo and comes out at night to kill people in London, while hiding in the day, and a private detective, who's a lot like Charlton Heston, is called in to try to solve the crime, while trying to woo a female zookeeper. But, Rodney refuses to use Del's nonsensical story in his film, because he's only got a small budget. Del says that it's the beauty of it, because he knows where there's a rhinoceros going cheap.
At a Chinese takeaway, Del tells Rodney that Mickey Pearce is practicing using the camera by videoing weddings for money in return. Boycie and Marlene enter, and Marlene tells the Trotters that it is the 20th anniversary of her and Boycie's marriage next Friday, and the Trotters promise to be there. This inspires Rodney to put that in his film.
A few days later, back at the flat, Del shows Rodney a list of extras (who have to pay Del £10 to take part) to use in his film, as well as a list of businesses to advertise. Just then, Mickey Pearce enters with the video equipment and his latest girlfriend Amanda, as Del and Albert exit. Rodney is horrified to see that Mickey is videoing a dirty movie involving Amanda wearing a nurse's uniform and stripping all for Boycie, and Rodney accidentally gets caught on tape.
On Friday, at the Nag's Head, after Mickey finishes videoing Boycie and Marlene's anniversary, all the gang head into the back room and watch the British premiere of "Night Nurse" based on the novel by Enid Blyton. Rodney quickly realizes that is what Mickey and his girlfriend have been videoing in the flat, and quickly sneaks away once the tape starts. Del screams out Rodney's name the moment he sees him in the video.
Back at Nelson Mandela House, Rodney tells Del that he did not know what Mickey was going to do. Del mentions that the people backing up Boycie in his dirty movies are the Driscoll Brothers. As Del heads to the bathroom to flush the Night Nurse videotape down the toilet, Mickey Pearce and his friends show up to party, and Rodney lets them in, just for Del to chase them out. Rodney then gets a telephone call from his art teacher, who isn't overly impressed with Rodney's idea, but is willing to try to film it anyway. Rodney then says Del knows where there's a rhino going cheap, revealing that Rodney's idea is There's a Rhino Loose in the City after all.
Episode cast
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Episode concept
- The idea for the script was based on a true story about a youth club that was given a grant from the local council to do filming, but all the equipment and money shortly disappeared.[1]
Music
References
- Did You Know? ofah.net