No Greater Love

"No Greater Love" was the 4th episode of the 2nd series of Only Fools And Horses, airing on the 11th November 1982 with a viewing figure of 8.6 million. This episode saw Rodney Trotter fall in love with a much older woman, and her husband has just been released from prison for wounding with intent, GBH and attempted murder. Oh dear...Del Boy must do something before it is too late.

Synopsis

Derek "Del Boy" Trotter and Rodney Trotter are selling lingerie. Del is also selling some camel hair coats. Del tells Rodney to go and see Mrs Singh at her address to collect money she owes them. Rodney does this but a 40 year old English woman answers the door to say Mrs Singh had gone back to Bangladesh. The woman invites Rodney in and they get chatting. When she is in the kitchen he sees a photo of her husband. She is a much older woman and when Rodney asks her out for a drink, she accepts. They arrange a date. Her name is Irene MacKay. Her husband is a convict and is due for release soon. A few days later, Rodney phones her. He says he is dating a woman. She is 40, and the wife of a convict who is doing porridge for GBH, wounding with intent and attempted murder, so a little bit of a temper. Rodney goes to see Irene. Del says that if Irene does not elbow him, he will have to put Rodney's name down for BUPA.

A week or so later, Rodney is sulking in the pub, he has been dumped by Irene. Del comforts him, saying that it is all for the best and he should fell proud of the feelings he had for her. When Del buys some more drinks, he says to Julie The Barmaid that some old tart has given him the sack. Irene's son Marcus comes in and Rodney introduces him to Del, but does not refer to Del's name, yet Marcus says "Hello Del". Rodney is bemused as to why Marcus knew Del's name. Del says his necklace with a "D" on it, Rodney says that could be David, Daniel, Douglas. Del says Rodney introduced them but Rodney says he did not say to Marcus Del's name jut "Oh this is my brother". Del tries to make a quick exit but Rodney asks Marcus how he knows Del's name, Marcus says he met Del on Thursday when he took Irene out for a drink. Rodney is angry. Del says that if she loved him, she would leave him alone, as she was a married woman and married to a villain. Del says Rodney could end up dead. Rodney storms out.

That night, Del sells Ahmed a coat. On the way home, he is accosted by a Jamaican man who grapples Del, Del fights back but he tells Del someone is dying to meet him. It is Tommy Mackay, Irene's husband. A case of mistaken identity means Del is mistaken for Rodney, probably due to Tommy seeing Del take Irene out to get her to dump Rodney, and Tommy knowing she is seeing another man, and she says his name is Rodney, not mentioning he had a brother. Tommy asks Del if he is Rodney Trotter. Del pretends to be Rodney to save Rodney a beating. Del and Tommy square up, start fighting. A copper walks past, sees the fight, then chickens out and walks off. Del manages to win the fight, then comes out of the alleyway with bruises on his face, ripped clothes, and is limping. He hobbles off down the street into the night.

At The Nag's Head, Del walks up behind Rodney who has disowned him but quickly changes his mind when he turns round to see Del all battered and bruised. Del says he walked into a revolving door. Rodney thinks Tommy MacKay did it to Del. Del says he met Tommy and made him see the error of his ways, so it can clear the way for Rodney and Irene. But Rodney says that he had a talk with Irene in that their relationship was never going to work anyway. Plus, Rodney has met an 18 year old called Zoe from the roller disco. Del's efforts have been in vain, but he is still satisfied that he managed to protect his younger brother.

Cast

Main cast

Guest cast

Irene Mackay - Gaye Brown
Tommy Mackay - David Daker
Marcus Mackay - Steve Fletcher
Julie The Barmaid - Julie La Rousse
Woman in pub - Uncredited
Ahmed - Raj Patel
Leroy - David Rhule
Policeman - Uncredited
Zoe - Lisa Price

Previous Episode A Losing Streak

Next Episode The Yellow Peril

Observations

The idea for the script was to demonstrate the brotherly love Del and Rodney have for each other, even willing to take a beating for his brother. The concept of Del getting beat up in order to protect Rodney would occur again in "Little Problems", when Del, much to Rodney's ignorance, chooses to take a beating from The Driscoll Brothers after making a promise to him, having forgotten that the money Del would use for Rodney's wedding gift was also the money which he owed to the Driscolls.

Blunders

The photograph of Tommy Mackay in Irene's flat is quite clearly not of the same man who appears at the end of the episode.

Locations seen

Unknown street in Peckham
Irene's flat (living room)
The Trotters flat (living room, hallway)
The Nags Head (main bar)
Ahmed's house exterior
Alleyway
Unknown back street in Peckham