The Frog and the Pussycat
Encyclopedia
The Frog and the Pussycat is the third and final episode of the Rock & Chips trilogy. It was first screened on April 28, 2011, five days after the death of writer John Sullivan.
" on February 1962, as Del Boy and his friends (Boycie, Trigger, Jumbo, Albie, and Denzil) are having a smoke outside Sir Walter Raleigh Tower, his mother Joan reads her baby son, Rodney, a bedtime story, and regretfully talks about how Del ruined their future happiness. The door suddenly slams and Joan jumps.
Going back seven months earlier to July 1961, life is still more or less the same for the Trotter family. Del continues to pursue countless girls with his glass rings, Reg is still unemployed, and Joan works for Freddie "The Frog" Robdal as his "charlady", although they really use their time together for sexual pleasure (unknown to the rest of the Trotters, Robdal is the father of Rodney). Robdal, for his part, keeps his own eyes on the Trotter family, going as far as to assault Joan's lecherous employer, Mr. Raynor, by breaking his fingers and threatening him into silence after learning of his perverted behaviour towards her through gossip in the Nag's Head.
Del crosses paths with an old flame of his, Barbara Bird, and they go for a coffee together, where they agree to continue seeing each other but only after Barbara returns from an upcoming trip. Around the same time, Robdal gives Joan a ring as a gift, which she notices is from Margate. She asks Robdal if he stole this ring from the jewellery store in Margate while on the 1960 Jolly Boys' Outing with Del, but he denies it. Robdal and his friend, Gerald "Jelly" Kelly, are approached once again by the corrupt DI Thomas and DC Stanton, who now claim to have a one-eyed war hero eyewitness, Eric Poulton, to the Margate robbery, and later on, Thomas arrests them both when Poulton goes missing. However, Robdal comes triumphant once again when it is revealed that Poulton is actually a policeman who lost his eye in a street fight and served as the desk sergeant when DI Thomas first started as a policeman. It turns out Poulton was living in Margate opposite the jewellers, and Thomas asked him to tell a few "white lies" in return for a share of the reward money, but Robdal and Kelly paid him a visit and told him the complete truth, treating him to a holiday in Spain. All but defeated, Thomas begrudgingly drops the case, but once Kelly is gone, Thomas plays his trump card: he has acquired the ring which Robdal gave to Joan, which she recently pawned in order to buy Del a lambretta. In order to protect Joan and Del (and get Thomas off his back once and for all), Robdal takes the full blame and is imprisoned on an alternate charge for a few months while Kelly goes free.
Del, meanwhile, begins his own plans to make a film, "Dracula on the Moon", and become a millionaire. Joan, under the name "Reenie Turpin" (Trigger's aunt and Joan's best friend), visits Robdal in prison. Robdal claims that once he is released, he wants to move to his country house near Bournemouth and start a new life, and implores Joan to run away with Rodney to live with him (although this would be an act of kidnapping). Joan accepts, but tells Robdal that she will only leave with him once she is certain of Del's financial security, even though Robdal, knowing of Del's life as a market trader, believes Del is old and smart enough to look after himself. During the conversation, Joan mentions that she briefly began working as a charlady for an art dealer, Roland Pernell, for seven pounds a week, although Pernell callously deducted three pounds from her salary for "tax reasons". This, as well as the mention of Pernell's name, peek Robdal's interest.
To get Del set up financially, she pushes his relationship with Barbara, who comes from a rich family. Del takes Barbara out to dinner, where he gets engaged with her. Barbara's parents, Bernard and Beryl, take a liking to Del and invite his family over for an engagement party, during which Reg gets drunk and makes a fool of himself. Unfortunately, whilst alone in the kitchen, Beryl makes a sexual pass at a surprised Del and is seen by the rest of the family. Beryl confesses that she never had the happy, privileged life Barbara had, and became so jealous, especially with her disturbed childhood and unhappy marriage to Bernard, that she began secretly dressing in Barbara's clothes and listening to her music while alone. Despite Joan's efforts to patch things up, the engagement is off, and Joan ultimately decides to remain in Peckham for Del's sake. Meanwhile, Robdal and Kelly rob Pernell's art gallery together: many years back, Pernell cheated Robdal out of some money and went into hiding. Once Robdal went to jail, Pernell re-emerged, opened a new art gallery, and cheated Joan out of almost half of her wages. By robbing Pernell, Robdal will make him a target for the Inland Revenue for tax fraud. Following this, Robdal vows to go straight, unaware of Del's failed relationship.
Returning to the opening scene, while Del and his friends share a smoke outside, Joan reads Rodney a bedtime story and laments how both her and Del's happy futures were ruined. The door slams and Reg comes inside, surprisingly calm and expressing relief that Del's relationship with Barbara is over, having been disturbed by Beryl's actions. Reg goes to bed, leaving Joan to sit with Rodney and wait for Robdal to call (unaware that he himself is waiting for Joan to call him). Del and his friends, meanwhile, steal some lambrettas and ride off into the night towards Brighton as Will You Love Me Tomorrow
by The Shirelles
plays in the background to mark the definitive end of the series.
Plot
Picking up some time after "Five Gold RingsFive Gold Rings
Five Gold Rings is the second episode of the Rock & Chips trilogy and the series' first and only Christmas Special. It was first aired on December 29, 2010.-Plot:...
" on February 1962, as Del Boy and his friends (Boycie, Trigger, Jumbo, Albie, and Denzil) are having a smoke outside Sir Walter Raleigh Tower, his mother Joan reads her baby son, Rodney, a bedtime story, and regretfully talks about how Del ruined their future happiness. The door suddenly slams and Joan jumps.
Going back seven months earlier to July 1961, life is still more or less the same for the Trotter family. Del continues to pursue countless girls with his glass rings, Reg is still unemployed, and Joan works for Freddie "The Frog" Robdal as his "charlady", although they really use their time together for sexual pleasure (unknown to the rest of the Trotters, Robdal is the father of Rodney). Robdal, for his part, keeps his own eyes on the Trotter family, going as far as to assault Joan's lecherous employer, Mr. Raynor, by breaking his fingers and threatening him into silence after learning of his perverted behaviour towards her through gossip in the Nag's Head.
Del crosses paths with an old flame of his, Barbara Bird, and they go for a coffee together, where they agree to continue seeing each other but only after Barbara returns from an upcoming trip. Around the same time, Robdal gives Joan a ring as a gift, which she notices is from Margate. She asks Robdal if he stole this ring from the jewellery store in Margate while on the 1960 Jolly Boys' Outing with Del, but he denies it. Robdal and his friend, Gerald "Jelly" Kelly, are approached once again by the corrupt DI Thomas and DC Stanton, who now claim to have a one-eyed war hero eyewitness, Eric Poulton, to the Margate robbery, and later on, Thomas arrests them both when Poulton goes missing. However, Robdal comes triumphant once again when it is revealed that Poulton is actually a policeman who lost his eye in a street fight and served as the desk sergeant when DI Thomas first started as a policeman. It turns out Poulton was living in Margate opposite the jewellers, and Thomas asked him to tell a few "white lies" in return for a share of the reward money, but Robdal and Kelly paid him a visit and told him the complete truth, treating him to a holiday in Spain. All but defeated, Thomas begrudgingly drops the case, but once Kelly is gone, Thomas plays his trump card: he has acquired the ring which Robdal gave to Joan, which she recently pawned in order to buy Del a lambretta. In order to protect Joan and Del (and get Thomas off his back once and for all), Robdal takes the full blame and is imprisoned on an alternate charge for a few months while Kelly goes free.
Del, meanwhile, begins his own plans to make a film, "Dracula on the Moon", and become a millionaire. Joan, under the name "Reenie Turpin" (Trigger's aunt and Joan's best friend), visits Robdal in prison. Robdal claims that once he is released, he wants to move to his country house near Bournemouth and start a new life, and implores Joan to run away with Rodney to live with him (although this would be an act of kidnapping). Joan accepts, but tells Robdal that she will only leave with him once she is certain of Del's financial security, even though Robdal, knowing of Del's life as a market trader, believes Del is old and smart enough to look after himself. During the conversation, Joan mentions that she briefly began working as a charlady for an art dealer, Roland Pernell, for seven pounds a week, although Pernell callously deducted three pounds from her salary for "tax reasons". This, as well as the mention of Pernell's name, peek Robdal's interest.
To get Del set up financially, she pushes his relationship with Barbara, who comes from a rich family. Del takes Barbara out to dinner, where he gets engaged with her. Barbara's parents, Bernard and Beryl, take a liking to Del and invite his family over for an engagement party, during which Reg gets drunk and makes a fool of himself. Unfortunately, whilst alone in the kitchen, Beryl makes a sexual pass at a surprised Del and is seen by the rest of the family. Beryl confesses that she never had the happy, privileged life Barbara had, and became so jealous, especially with her disturbed childhood and unhappy marriage to Bernard, that she began secretly dressing in Barbara's clothes and listening to her music while alone. Despite Joan's efforts to patch things up, the engagement is off, and Joan ultimately decides to remain in Peckham for Del's sake. Meanwhile, Robdal and Kelly rob Pernell's art gallery together: many years back, Pernell cheated Robdal out of some money and went into hiding. Once Robdal went to jail, Pernell re-emerged, opened a new art gallery, and cheated Joan out of almost half of her wages. By robbing Pernell, Robdal will make him a target for the Inland Revenue for tax fraud. Following this, Robdal vows to go straight, unaware of Del's failed relationship.
Returning to the opening scene, while Del and his friends share a smoke outside, Joan reads Rodney a bedtime story and laments how both her and Del's happy futures were ruined. The door slams and Reg comes inside, surprisingly calm and expressing relief that Del's relationship with Barbara is over, having been disturbed by Beryl's actions. Reg goes to bed, leaving Joan to sit with Rodney and wait for Robdal to call (unaware that he himself is waiting for Joan to call him). Del and his friends, meanwhile, steal some lambrettas and ride off into the night towards Brighton as Will You Love Me Tomorrow
Will You Love Me Tomorrow
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow", also known as "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded by The Shirelles. It has been recorded by many artists and was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125...
by The Shirelles
The Shirelles
The Shirelles were an African-American girl group that achieved popularity in the early 1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens , Doris Coley , Addie "Micki" Harris , and Beverly Lee...
plays in the background to mark the definitive end of the series.
Connections to Only Fools and Horses
- Del's love for the song "Old ShepOld Shep"Old Shep" is a song by Red Foley and Arthur Willis about a dog Foley owned as a child . Foley and Willis wrote the song in 1933...
" is first displayed in this episode. It was first elaborated on in "Diamonds Are for HeatherDiamonds Are for Heather"Diamonds Are for Heather" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second Christmas special, and was first screened on 30 December, 1982.-Synopsis:...
". - Del's first use of one of his catchphrases, "Lovely Jubbly".
- The first signs of Del's affection for Rodney are shown in this episode, which foreshadows his bringing Rodney up in the future. He also calls him "Rodders" for the first time, which is his nickname in Only Fools and Horses.
- The first mention of Grandad's affair with Trigger's grandmother Alice, which explains the strain on Grandad's relationship with his wife Violet. It served as a major plot device for "Ashes to AshesAshes to Ashes (Only Fools and Horses)"Ashes to Ashes" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the second episode of Series 2, and was first screened on 28 October, 1982...
". - The very first mention, both chronologically and production-wise, of Trigger's real name, "Colin Ball", although it is when Violet mentions his grandmother, Alice Ball. Trigger's name is not revealed at all in Only Fools and Horses.
- Violet casually mentions that she used to work as a charlady for an art dealer. This was first mentioned in "Yesterday Never ComesYesterday Never Comes"Yesterday Never Comes" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the fourth episode of series 3, and was first screened on 1 December, 1983.-Synopsis:...
", where it is revealed that Violet actually stole one of the dealer's paintings and kept it in Del's flat until an opportunist, Miranda Davenport, sways it away from Del, unaware that it is stolen. - Although it is only hinted in "Five Gold Rings", DI Thomas is revealed here to be deeply immoral and corrupt despite his cheery and warm exterior, making him very similar to DCI Roy Slater.
- DC Stanton demands to be called "DC Stanton", "Mr. Stanton", or "Sir". The same is uttered later by Roy Slater in "May The Force Be With You".
- Robdal hints more than once that he may be DC Stanton's father. This is similar to what happens with Rodney in "The Frog's LegacyThe Frog's Legacy"The Frog's Legacy" is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It is the first episode of the series to introduce the unseen but pivotal character, Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal, later revealed to be Rodney Trotter's real, biological father...
", until it is finally confirmed that Robdal is indeed Rodney's true father in "Sleepless in PeckhamSleepless in Peckham"Sleepless in Peckham" is an episode of BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses, first screened on 25 December 2003 as the third and final part of the early 2000s Christmas trilogy, and as the final episode of the entire series.-Synopsis:...
". - Robdal robs an art gallery at the end of the special. It is possible that these paintings were among those found in his home as explained in "The Frog's LegacyThe Frog's Legacy"The Frog's Legacy" is the sixth Christmas special episode of the BBC sitcom, Only Fools and Horses. It is the first episode of the series to introduce the unseen but pivotal character, Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal, later revealed to be Rodney Trotter's real, biological father...
". - Robdal expresses obvious disdain at Rodney's middle name being "Charlton". This is first seen in "Little ProblemsLittle Problems"Little Problems" is an episode of the BBC sit-com, Only Fools and Horses. It was the final episode of series 6, and was first screened on 12 February, 1989...
", where Rodney is visibly embarrassed about his middle name. - Joan's decision to remain in Peckham with Del rather than flee to Bournemouth with Robdal demonstrates how much she loves her son. Throughout Only Fools and Horses, Del repeatedly references Joan, whom he appeared to love more than anyone in his life.
- Robdal openly believes Del can look after himself if Joan and Rodney run away with him to Bournemouth. This was almost the exact scenario in the canon storyline when Robdal was killed in an explosion, Joan passed away of an illness and Reg left Nelson Mandela House a few months later, although Del would not only look after himself, but also ironically be the one to bring up Rodney, Robdal and Joan's son.
Cast
- Nicholas LyndhurstNicholas LyndhurstNicholas Simon Lyndhurst is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, Gary Sparrow in Goodnight Sweetheart, and as Adam Parkinson in Carla Lane's series Butterflies...
as Frederick "Freddie the Frog" Robdal - James BuckleyJames Buckley (actor)James Patrick Buckley is an English actor, best known for his roles as Jay Cartwright in the British comedy The Inbetweeners and Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in Rock & Chips.-Early life:...
as Derek "Del Boy" Trotter - Kellie BrightKellie BrightKellie Bright is an actress who is known for her roles as a child actress on British television in the late 1980s and the 1990s, and later in Bad Girls and The Archers.-Early career:...
as Joan Trotter - Shaun DingwallShaun DingwallShaun Dingwall is a British actor and is known for his roles on British television.-Early life:Shaun Dingwall was born in 1972 and attended Ilford County High School for boys. His initial ambition was to become a photographer and for several years he worked as an assistant photographer within the...
as Reg Trotter - Phil DanielsPhil DanielsPhilip W. "Phil" Daniels is an English actor, most noted for film and television roles as "cockneys" such as Jimmy in Quadrophenia, Richards in Scum, Stewart in The Class of Miss MacMichael, Mark in Meantime, Kevin Wicks in EastEnders, DCS Frank Patterson in New Tricks and Edward Kitchener "Ted"...
as Grandad/Edward "Ted" Trotter - Paula WilcoxPaula WilcoxPaula Wilcox is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Chrissy in the British comedy Man About the House .-Early sitcom fame:...
as Violet "Vi" Trotter - Paul PutnerPaul Putner-Life and career:He was born in East Grinstead. He studied at LAMDA where he won, amongst other prizes, the Kenneth More prize for comedy acting.His first significant TV role saw Putner as numerous characters in The Glam Metal Detectives shown on BBC2. His real break in comedy came after he set up...
as Gerald "Jelly" Kelly - Mel SmithMel SmithMelvin Kenneth "Mel" Smith is an English comedian, writer, film director, producer, and actor. He is most famous for his work on the sketch comedy shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Griff Rhys Jones.- Early life :Smith's father, Kenneth, was born...
as DI Thomas - Tom Brooke as DC Martin Stanton
- Stephen Lloyd as Boycie
- Ashley Jerlach as Denzil
- Lewis Osborne as Trigger
- Lee Long as Jumbo Mills
- Jonathan Readwin as Albie Littlewood
- Emma Cooke as Reenie Turpin
- Jessica Ashworth as Barbara Bird
- Samantha SpiroSamantha SpiroSamantha Spiro is an Olivier Award-winning English actress. She is known for portraying Barbara Windsor in the stage play Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick and the television film Cor, Blimey!, and DI Vivien Friend in M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team.-Background:Born in Mill Hill, Spiro grew up...
as Beryl Bird - Alex MacQueenAlex MacQueenAlexander Tulloch MacQueen is an English actor. He has appeared on television, film and radio in the UK in productions such as Holby City, Hut 33, The Thick of It, and Keeping Mum....
as Bernard Bird - Robert DawsRobert DawsRobert Daws is an English actor. He is most notable for a variety of roles he has played in television dramas.-Career:Daws played Tuppy Glossop in the early 1990s version of Jeeves and Wooster...
as Ernie Raynor - Dave LambDave LambDave Lamb is a British actor and voice-over artist best known for his work on Come Dine with Me as well as appearances in British television and radio programmes, especially comedy programmes. He also currently presents the CBBC game show Horrible Histories: Gory Games.- Early work :Lamb's first...
as Sergeant Foster
External links
- "The Frog and the Pussycat" at the British Comedy GuideBritish Comedy GuideThe British Comedy Guide or BCG is a British website covering all forms of British comedy, across all media. At the time of writing, the BCG has published guides to more than 1,200 individual British comedies - primarily TV and radio situation comedy, sketch shows, comedy dramas, satire, variety...