


Only Fools and Horses.... Is a British sitcom created and written by John Sullivan. Seven series were originally transmitted on BBC One from 1981 to 1991, with sixteen sporadic Christmas specials aired until 2003. In working-class Peckham in south-east London, ambitious market trader Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter and his younger half-brother Rodney, explore their highs and lows in life, in particular their attempts to get rich. Initially not an immediate hit and receiving little promotion early on, it later achieved consistently high ratings, and the 1996 episode "Time on Our Hands" (originally billed as the series finale) holds the record for the biggest UK audience for a sitcom episode, attracting 24.3 million viewers. The series bears a significant influence on British culture, contributing several words and phrases to the English language.

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The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 9.08.
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All 45 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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6 episodes • 1981Avg: 7.9Valley of Despair
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Brother | Sep 8, 1981 | 7.9 |
| 2 | Go West Young Man | Sep 15, 1981 | 8.4 |
| 3 | Cash and Curry | Sep 22, 1981 | 8.1 |
| 4 | The Second Time Around | Sep 29, 1981 | 7.7 |
| 5 | A Slow Bus to Chingford | Oct 6, 1981 | 7.5 |
| 6 | The Russians Are Coming | Oct 13, 1981 | 8.0 |

7 episodes • 1982Avg: 8.7
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Long Legs of the Law | Oct 21, 1982 | 8.1 |
| 2 | Ashes to Ashes | Oct 28, 1982 | 7.8 |
| 3 | A Losing Streak | Nov 4, 1982 | 9.3 |
| 4 | No Greater Love.... | Nov 11, 1982 | 8.6 |
| 5 | The Yellow Peril | Nov 18, 1982 | 8.8 |
| 6 | It Never Rains.... | Nov 25, 1982 | 8.8 |
| 7 | A Touch of Glass | Dec 2, 1982 | 9.4 |

7 episodes • 1983Avg: 8.7
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homesick | Nov 10, 1983 | 8.5 |
| 2 | Healthy Competition | Nov 17, 1983 | 8.3 |
| 3 | Friday the 14th | Nov 24, 1983 | 8.8 |
| 4 | Yesterday Never Comes | Dec 1, 1983 | 8.8 |
| 5 | May the Force Be with You | Dec 8, 1983 | 8.9 |
| 6 | Wanted | Dec 15, 1983 | 8.6 |
| 7 | Who's a Pretty Boy? | Dec 22, 1983 | 9.0 |

7 episodes • 1985Avg: 8.9
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happy Returns | Feb 21, 1985 | 9.0 |
| 2 | Strained Relations | Feb 28, 1985 | 9.0 |
| 3 | Hole in One | Mar 7, 1985 | 9.2 |
| 4 | It's Only Rock and Roll | Mar 14, 1985 | 8.3 |
| 5 | Sleeping Dogs Lie | Mar 21, 1985 | 9.6 |
| 6 | Watching the Girls Go By | Mar 28, 1985 | 8.6 |
| 7 | As One Door Closes | Apr 4, 1985 | 8.6 |

6 episodes • 1986Avg: 8.8
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | From Prussia with Love | Aug 31, 1986 | 8.7 |
| 2 | The Miracle of Peckham | Sep 7, 1986 | 8.8 |
| 3 | The Longest Night | Sep 14, 1986 | 8.8 |
| 4 | Tea for Three | Sep 21, 1986 | 9.3 |
| 5 | Video Nasty | Sep 28, 1986 | 8.8 |
| 6 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? | Oct 5, 1986 | 8.6 |

6 episodes • 1989Avg: 9.1Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuppy Love | Jan 8, 1989 | 9.1 |
| 2 | Danger UXD | Jan 15, 1989 | 9.2 |
| 3 | Chain Gang | Jan 22, 1989 | 9.3 |
| 4 | The Unlucky Winner Is... | Jan 29, 1989 | 9.3 |
| 5 | Sickness & Wealth | Feb 5, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 6 | Little Problems | Feb 12, 1989 | 8.7 |

6 episodes • 1990Avg: 9.1Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Sky's the Limit | Dec 30, 1990 | 8.8 |
| 2 | The Chance of a Lunchtime | Jan 6, 1991 | 8.8 |
| 3 | Stage Fright | Jan 13, 1991 | 9.1 |
| 4 | The Class of '62 | Jan 20, 1991 | 9.3 |
| 5 | He Ain't Heavy, He's My Uncle | Jan 27, 1991 | 9.0 |
| 6 | Three Men, a Woman and a Baby | Feb 3, 1991 | 9.4 |