First Episode Of Only Fools And Horses

The One Where It All Began

You know that feeling when you stumble across an old photograph and instantly get hit with a wave of nostalgia? That’s exactly what watching the first episode of Only Fools and Horses feels like. It’s like digging out a dusty VHS tape from the back of your cupboard and realizing it holds the key to your childhood.

This isn’t just any sitcom. It’s the story of two brothers, Del Boy and Rodney, trying to get rich quick from a three-wheeled van. And let me tell you, their first attempt is a glorious train wreck you can’t look away from.

A Van Full of Hopes (and Junk)

The episode kicks off with Del Boy, a man who sells dreams like other people sell newspapers. He’s got a van crammed with “antiques” that look like they were rescued from a skip outside an old folks’ home.

You’ve met a Del Boy in your life, haven’t you? That mate who’s always got a “sure thing” going, whether it’s a box of leather jackets that fall apart in the rain or a knock-off watch that stops ticking at noon. That’s the energy here.

Rodney, his younger brother, is the reluctant sidekick. He’s got the hopeful look of a golden retriever who’s been told there’s a walk coming, but he knows deep down it’s probably just a trip to the vet.

The Grand Scheme: A Trip to the Auction

Del’s brilliant plan in this first outing is to sell their tat at an auction. He’s convinced they’ll walk away rich. You can almost hear the theme tune of disaster playing in the background, like a slow-motion car crash on a damp roundabout.

They load up the Reliant Regal, that iconic yellow van that looks like a toy car someone left out in the rain. The journey itself is comedy gold. The van stalls, splutters, and belches smoke like a grumpy old man who’s been woken up from a nap.

It’s the sort of drive where you pray you don’t hit a hill, because you know it’s game over. We’ve all been in a car that felt held together by hope and sticky tape, right?

Watch Only Fools and Horses (1981) TV Series Online - Plex

The Auction: A Masterclass in Chaos

When they finally arrive at the auction house, you’d think they’d just landed on the moon. Del struts in like he owns the place, convincing himself he’s a wheeler-dealer from the old school. In reality, he’s a man in a sheepskin coat who looks like he’s borrowed his dad’s suit for a job interview he’s not qualified for.

The auctioneer is a dry, no-nonsense bloke who clearly sees Del coming from a mile away. It’s like watching a poodle try to out-bark a Rottweiler. The bidding starts, and it’s painful.

One lot is a set of chandeliers that look like they were stolen from a haunted house. Another is a box of ornaments that nobody wants. You can almost hear the silence in the room, which says more than any words could. It’s the sound of a dream deflating like a popped balloon at a kid’s birthday party.

The Great Giro Clock Disaster

But the real moment of magic comes when Del buys a giant, ridiculous “Giro Clock” at the end. He thinks it’s worth a fortune. He brings it home, convinced it’s his ticket to the big time.

Rodney watches him with that look of pure, existential dread. You know the look—it’s the one your brother gives you when you suggest starting a food truck with no cooking experience. The clock is massive, tacky, and utterly useless. It’s the kind of thing your nan would keep in the spare room “for best.”

And then, in a moment of pure physical comedy, Del tries to move it and it makes a noise like a dying robot. You can feel the weight of it—not just the clock, but the weight of his delusion. It’s hilarious because it’s so painfully real. We’ve all bought something we thought was a bargain and then realized it was just expensive clutter.

Miracle Of Peckham Quotes

The Family Dinner That Feels Like Home

What makes this episode stick with you isn’t just the jokes. It’s the banter in the flat above the chandelier shop. Grandad, the sweet, slightly clueless old man who lives with them, adds a layer of warmth.

He’ll say something daft like, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” and you just nod. He’s the voice of reason wrapped in a cardigan. The three of them around that small table, arguing over a burnt dinner or a dodgy deal, feels like every family meal you’ve ever had—full of love, but also a bit of chaos and burnt toast.

Del and Rodney’s bickering is the real gold. Rodney wants a normal life, a job, a girlfriend. Del wants to be a millionaire by Tuesday. They’re two sides of the same coin, and they’re stuck together forever. It’s your own relationship with your siblings or your best mate, just with more cheap suits and dodgy accents.

Why We Keep Coming Back

The first episode sets the tone for everything that follows. It’s not about getting rich. It’s about the pursuit, the hope, and the inevitable crash. It’s about looking foolish in front of strangers and still having a laugh about it over a cup of tea.

When you watch Del Boy stumble through that auction, you’re not just laughing at him. You’re laughing at every time you’ve tried to assemble flat-pack furniture without the instructions. You’re laughing at every risky purchase you’ve made on a whim. He’s a mirror, and that mirror is slightly cracked and covered in chicken grease.

So, whether you’re watching it for the first time or the hundredth, that first episode is like greeting an old friend. It’s messy, it’s loud, and it’s absolutely, brilliantly human. And you know what? That’s exactly why it still makes us smile, even decades later.