.gif)
Chain Gang (Only Fools and Horses)
Encyclopedia
"Chain Gang" is an episode of the BBC
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
. It was the third episode of series 6, and was first screened on 22 January 1989.
introduces Cassandra
to Del Boy
. They also meet Arnie, a retired jeweller from Lambeth, who interests the Trotters in 250 18 carat gold chains, which were supposed to be sold to a gangster named Mr. Maxi Stavros. However, Stavros has not made contact with Arnie for a considerable length of time, and Arnie is being forced to sell them at half their wholesale cost. Del forms a consortium of himself, Rodney, Albert
, Boycie
, Trigger
, and Mike who, after verification by an independent jeweller, purchase the chains for £12,500. However, literally seconds after the deal has gone through, Arnie calls his wife, Patricia, who informs him that Stavros has made contact and is ready to purchase the chains. Arnie is distraught as he has shaken on the deal, and explains that as far as Stavros is concerned that means the chains are his, and he is not the type of man anybody would want to let down. The consortium argue amongst themselves for a while until Del calms the situation down with an idea. Arnie will sell the chains to Stavros on the consortium's behalf, for which he will be paid £2,000, meaning the consortium makes £10,500 for doing, in Mike's words "Sod All!".
At an Italian restaurant, Arnie, with the briefcase containing the chains handcuffed to his wrist, sits down and waits for Mr. Stavros. Del and Boycie keep an eye on him from another table, while Rodney and Albert wait outside in the Trotters' Reliant Regal
van, backed up by Mike and Trigger who are in Mike's car, observing the deal a short distance from the restaurant. Suddenly, Arnie starts to have a heart attack, and collapses on the floor. A sagacious Boycie realises if the chains and cash accompany Arnie to a NHS
hospital, the consortium risk having them stolen and "half the kitchen staff will be off to Miami". So, impersonating a doctor, Boycie discreetly tries to get the case, which is locked to Arnie's wrist. A fellow diner spots this and assaults Boycie. The restaurant's proprietor is about to call the Old Bill but Del is able to save Boycie by pretending to be a police officer. An ambulance oddly arrives immediately, and Arnie is taken to hospital. The group realises they must follow the ambulance so they know what hospital to visit, but Mike's car has been clamped. Rodney and Albert drive off after the ambulance in the Trotter Van, leaving the others stranded.
Back at Nelson Mandela House, Rodney and Albert return home to say that they lost the ambulance at a red traffic light, much to the bemusement and incredulity of Del Boy and Boycie. Del suggests that the group phone every hospital in London to find Arnie. Mike informs him hospitals don't give personal information over the phone. It's agreed they will, in person, visit all hospitals in London. It's then they receive a call from an Indian doctor who tells them Arnie has died. The doctor refuses to give Del the address to Arnie's house and hangs up. Del Boy wanted Arnie's address as Arnie's widow, Pat, had taken his possessions (which includes the 250 gold chains). Wondering what else to do, Rodney suggests that he'll go to Lambeth and look for Arnie's name on its electoral list, but neither he, Del, nor any of the others know Arnie's surname (plus, as Trigger points out, Arnie had only just moved from Lambeth and would not yet be on Peckham's electoral list). Mike then suggests the One Eleven Club - the venue where Del and Arnie first met - where they can find Arnie's address on his membership form. Del remembers Arnie wasn't a member so his address won't be registered. Albert has an idea: seeing as Arnie last used it to ring his wife, they could use the redial button on the Trotters' phone, and then discuss the funeral arrangements with his wife. Del gives it a try, but comes up short because Rodney phoned the Highcliffe Hotel, Guernsey (to contact Cassandra), after Arnie had phoned Pat. Now resigned to losing the gold chains for good, Mike, Boycie, and Trigger despondently leave the flat.
A few days later, while picking up Cassandra at the airport, Rodney spots Arnie - this time in West London - being carried into the same ambulance, by the same paramedics. At the Nag's Head, Del, Rodney, Albert, Mike, Boycie, and Trigger realise the awful truth: Arnie is a hustler who tricks prospective buyers into giving him their money, then fakes a heart-attack before the fabricated deal can go through. The group then reason that Arnie would have no trouble in acquiring an old ambulance driven by his two sons, Gary and Steven, which would be the perfect getaway vehicle for such deals; not only can it clear traffic through use of its siren, but it can also legally go through red lights. Del also notes that he had previously spoken to the manager of the Italian restaurant, who had noted that shortly after Arnie's ambulance had left, the real ambulance arrived. Del and Rodney also explain to Trigger that "Mr. Stavros" was just a ruse and never existed. They then hear that Denzil
and his brothers are about to become the latest victims of Arnie's scam, but Denzil leaves the Nag's Head before Del and Rodney can warn him about Arnie:
The next day, at an Indian restaurant in Stepney, Denzil and his brother Carl are keeping an eye on Arnie from a nearby table. Meanwhile, Gary and Steven (who are both revealed to take turns in doing the voice of the "Indian doctor") are standing by in their ambulance, waiting for their father to pull off his "dying swan" act. Arnie does so, but when he gets loaded into the ambulance, Arnie finds himself surrounded by Del Boy, Rodney, Albert, Mike, Boycie, and Trigger, all disguised as paramedics - in a clever double-cross, Del and his friends have bought their own ambulance with which to capture Arnie. Once Arnie's sons arrive at the restaurant, they are apprehended by Denzil and his brothers. A frightened Arnie tries to reason with his former customers, as Albert passes Del a large pair of bolt cutters. Arnie says there is no need to cut the chain, becauses he has the key. Del then remarks "Who said anything about cutting the chain?", and as a terrified Arnie begins to wheeze in terror, Del laughs and says to Arnie should be careful as he'll give himself a heart attack. Del Boy then smiles, and violently snaps the cutters together and the credits begin to roll.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom, Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses
Only Fools and Horses is a British sitcom, created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991, with sporadic Christmas specials until 2003...
. It was the third episode of series 6, and was first screened on 22 January 1989.
Synopsis
During a night at the One-Eleven Club, RodneyRodney Trotter
Rodney Charlton Trotter is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst.-Personality:Rodney's personality was based on the experiences of series creator John Sullivan, who also had an older sibling and, like Rodney, claimed to have been a dreamer and...
introduces Cassandra
Cassandra Trotter
Cassandra Louise Trotter is a fictional character from the British sitcom Only Fools and Horses. She was portrayed by Gwyneth Strong.-Biography:...
to Del Boy
Del Boy
Derek Edward Trotter, better known as "Del Boy", is the fictional lead character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses and one of the main characters of its prequel, Rock & Chips...
. They also meet Arnie, a retired jeweller from Lambeth, who interests the Trotters in 250 18 carat gold chains, which were supposed to be sold to a gangster named Mr. Maxi Stavros. However, Stavros has not made contact with Arnie for a considerable length of time, and Arnie is being forced to sell them at half their wholesale cost. Del forms a consortium of himself, Rodney, Albert
Uncle Albert
Albert Gladstone Trotter is a fictional character from the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He was introduced during the fourth season as a replacement for the character of Grandad due to the death of actor Lennard Pearce...
, Boycie
Boycie
Terrance Aubrey Boyce best known as Boycie is a fictional character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by John Challis. His story is continued in the spin off series The Green Green Grass, which began filming in June 2005, in which Boycie and family have fled from a gang of...
, Trigger
Trigger (Only Fools and Horses)
Trigger is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses. He is played by actor Roger Lloyd Pack....
, and Mike who, after verification by an independent jeweller, purchase the chains for £12,500. However, literally seconds after the deal has gone through, Arnie calls his wife, Patricia, who informs him that Stavros has made contact and is ready to purchase the chains. Arnie is distraught as he has shaken on the deal, and explains that as far as Stavros is concerned that means the chains are his, and he is not the type of man anybody would want to let down. The consortium argue amongst themselves for a while until Del calms the situation down with an idea. Arnie will sell the chains to Stavros on the consortium's behalf, for which he will be paid £2,000, meaning the consortium makes £10,500 for doing, in Mike's words "Sod All!".
At an Italian restaurant, Arnie, with the briefcase containing the chains handcuffed to his wrist, sits down and waits for Mr. Stavros. Del and Boycie keep an eye on him from another table, while Rodney and Albert wait outside in the Trotters' Reliant Regal
Reliant Regal
The Reliant Regal was a small three-wheeled car manufactured from 1953 until 1973 by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England. As it was a three-wheeler, and it was fairly lightweight, the vehicle could be driven on a motorcycle licence in the United Kingdom...
van, backed up by Mike and Trigger who are in Mike's car, observing the deal a short distance from the restaurant. Suddenly, Arnie starts to have a heart attack, and collapses on the floor. A sagacious Boycie realises if the chains and cash accompany Arnie to a NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
hospital, the consortium risk having them stolen and "half the kitchen staff will be off to Miami". So, impersonating a doctor, Boycie discreetly tries to get the case, which is locked to Arnie's wrist. A fellow diner spots this and assaults Boycie. The restaurant's proprietor is about to call the Old Bill but Del is able to save Boycie by pretending to be a police officer. An ambulance oddly arrives immediately, and Arnie is taken to hospital. The group realises they must follow the ambulance so they know what hospital to visit, but Mike's car has been clamped. Rodney and Albert drive off after the ambulance in the Trotter Van, leaving the others stranded.
Back at Nelson Mandela House, Rodney and Albert return home to say that they lost the ambulance at a red traffic light, much to the bemusement and incredulity of Del Boy and Boycie. Del suggests that the group phone every hospital in London to find Arnie. Mike informs him hospitals don't give personal information over the phone. It's agreed they will, in person, visit all hospitals in London. It's then they receive a call from an Indian doctor who tells them Arnie has died. The doctor refuses to give Del the address to Arnie's house and hangs up. Del Boy wanted Arnie's address as Arnie's widow, Pat, had taken his possessions (which includes the 250 gold chains). Wondering what else to do, Rodney suggests that he'll go to Lambeth and look for Arnie's name on its electoral list, but neither he, Del, nor any of the others know Arnie's surname (plus, as Trigger points out, Arnie had only just moved from Lambeth and would not yet be on Peckham's electoral list). Mike then suggests the One Eleven Club - the venue where Del and Arnie first met - where they can find Arnie's address on his membership form. Del remembers Arnie wasn't a member so his address won't be registered. Albert has an idea: seeing as Arnie last used it to ring his wife, they could use the redial button on the Trotters' phone, and then discuss the funeral arrangements with his wife. Del gives it a try, but comes up short because Rodney phoned the Highcliffe Hotel, Guernsey (to contact Cassandra), after Arnie had phoned Pat. Now resigned to losing the gold chains for good, Mike, Boycie, and Trigger despondently leave the flat.
A few days later, while picking up Cassandra at the airport, Rodney spots Arnie - this time in West London - being carried into the same ambulance, by the same paramedics. At the Nag's Head, Del, Rodney, Albert, Mike, Boycie, and Trigger realise the awful truth: Arnie is a hustler who tricks prospective buyers into giving him their money, then fakes a heart-attack before the fabricated deal can go through. The group then reason that Arnie would have no trouble in acquiring an old ambulance driven by his two sons, Gary and Steven, which would be the perfect getaway vehicle for such deals; not only can it clear traffic through use of its siren, but it can also legally go through red lights. Del also notes that he had previously spoken to the manager of the Italian restaurant, who had noted that shortly after Arnie's ambulance had left, the real ambulance arrived. Del and Rodney also explain to Trigger that "Mr. Stavros" was just a ruse and never existed. They then hear that Denzil
Denzil Tulser
Denzil Tulser , is a character in the popular BBC sitcom Only Fools and Horses played by Paul Barber.Denzil is a long distance lorry driver, and a good friend of Derek Trotter, and one of Del's victims when it comes to dodgy goods...
and his brothers are about to become the latest victims of Arnie's scam, but Denzil leaves the Nag's Head before Del and Rodney can warn him about Arnie:
The next day, at an Indian restaurant in Stepney, Denzil and his brother Carl are keeping an eye on Arnie from a nearby table. Meanwhile, Gary and Steven (who are both revealed to take turns in doing the voice of the "Indian doctor") are standing by in their ambulance, waiting for their father to pull off his "dying swan" act. Arnie does so, but when he gets loaded into the ambulance, Arnie finds himself surrounded by Del Boy, Rodney, Albert, Mike, Boycie, and Trigger, all disguised as paramedics - in a clever double-cross, Del and his friends have bought their own ambulance with which to capture Arnie. Once Arnie's sons arrive at the restaurant, they are apprehended by Denzil and his brothers. A frightened Arnie tries to reason with his former customers, as Albert passes Del a large pair of bolt cutters. Arnie says there is no need to cut the chain, becauses he has the key. Del then remarks "Who said anything about cutting the chain?", and as a terrified Arnie begins to wheeze in terror, Del laughs and says to Arnie should be careful as he'll give himself a heart attack. Del Boy then smiles, and violently snaps the cutters together and the credits begin to roll.
Episode cast
|
|
Music
- Mica ParisMica ParisMica Paris is an English soul singer, radio and television presenter, and occasional actress. Her forename is pronounced Misha.-Beginnings:Paris' roots are in soul and gospel music...
: My One Temptation - Wet Wet WetWet Wet WetWet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
: Sweet Little MysterySweet Little Mystery"Sweet Little Mystery" was the second single from Wet Wet Wet's debut album, Popped In Souled Out. It was released on 20 July 1987 and reached #5 in the UK charts....