S5.E4

Tea for Three

Name: Tea for Three
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1986-09-21
Duration: 30 min
Rating: 8.8
Cast: David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Buster Merryfield

Episode aired Sep 21, 1986
TV-14
30m

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

716

YOUR RATING

David Jason in Only Fools and Horses (1981)

Comedy

Trigger's young niece, Lisa, is staying with him for a while, and the scruffy young girl that Del and Rodney remember has now become a stunning 25 year-old woman. Both Trotter brothers think... Read allTrigger's young niece, Lisa, is staying with him for a while, and the scruffy young girl that Del and Rodney remember has now become a stunning 25 year-old woman. Both Trotter brothers think they are in with a chance, and immediately begin competing for Lisa's affections. Despite... Read allTrigger's young niece, Lisa, is staying with him for a while, and the scruffy young girl that Del and Rodney remember has now become a stunning 25 year-old woman. Both Trotter brothers think they are in with a chance, and immediately begin competing for Lisa's affections. Despite almost coming to blows, Del and Rodney manage to invite Lisa round to the flat for tea, a... Read all

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

8.8/10

716

YOUR RATING

7User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos11

+ 6

User reviews7

8.8716

Featured reviews

9studioAT

Tea for Three

I thought this was a wonderful episode of the show, from a very good 5th series.

Some lovely moments, including the iconic hand gliding moment that is excellent.

Sir David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst on top form, and John Sullivan's script is perfection.

Wonderful.

9Sleepin_Dragon

Wonderful episode.

Del and Rodney are both dazzled when Trigger's young niece Lisa arrives for a visit, the pair are both interested in her, and squabble for her attention, the brotherly squabble turns nasty.

It's years chance I last saw this episode, and I'll be honest, I didn't remember it from the first ten or so minutes, however as soon as hand gliding was mentioned, it all came back.

It's an all out classic, a wonderfully funny episode, it's about the first time we see the brothers really falling out, they've had squabbles before, but this turned nasty, and finally we get to see Rodney get his own back on his older brother.

Trigger delivers some side splitting one liners, he's comedy gold.

'They reckon the ariel's beyond repair.'

Del got everything he deserved for that sunbed trick.

9/10.

9snoozejonc

... missing for 12 hours

Tea For Three is a very strong episode from the half-an-hour era with some incredibly funny concepts and banter.

The story establishes a volatile dynamic between Del and Rodney that slowly winds up to a hilarious crescendo. Lots of funny situations are used to great effect and combined with excellent dialogue.

David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst are on top form, particularly Jason who it's fair to say is brilliant in all scenes. They are supported well by Buster Merryfield, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Gerry Cowper, and Kenneth McDonald.

Seeing Rodney standing there map in hand and all the follow up character interaction is a classic scene of BBC comedy.

9Lunerar

We Haven't Got a Car Phone!

This is pretty cringe watching in 2020. The acting from Trigger's sister is cheese on toast but I guess it works.

That aside this is pretty much a comedy standard of the 80s. Classic story, brilliant brotherly bickering over a woman. Both Del and Rodney showing how nasty they can be and watching them go against each other is a laugh a minute. Easily a highlight of an otherwise pretty dull season.

Brilliant!

Trivia
Before the beginning of Series 6, David Jason was annoyed about something. He went to see John Sullivan. Sullivan was writing terrific scripts that were too long and had to be edited down to 30 minutes. Jason felt they were cutting more funny material than most sitcoms manage in a full episode. One edit that had particularly vexed Jason occurred during this episode. After Del Boy returned from a disastrous hang-gliding session, he originally had a speech Jason described as "beautifully constructed, full of suppressed rage" about all of the places Del had visited. Jason considered it a comic masterpiece, but because the episode had overrun, half the speech got cut. Sullivan agreed with Jason that the episodes needed to be longer. Jason and Sullivan approached Gareth Gwenlan while he was producing Series 6 with the plan to extend the episodes from 30 to 50 minutes. Gwenlan didn't think that was possible since sitcoms were traditionally 30 minutes in length and couldn't sustain a longer running time. Jason said that would be true of an average writer, but not one of Sullivan's caliber. And yet they still keep cutting great material. Gwenlan than okayed the idea.

Goofs
Rodney says he used to play with Lisa when they were children, but in "Big Brother (1981)", Rodney had to be introduced to Lisa's uncle Trigger as if they had never met before.

Quotes
Rodney Trotter: This is all a bit sick, isn't it, bruv? You might fool these three, but not me.
Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter: What are you on about, Rodney?
Rodney Trotter: Oh, come off it, Del. Two Pina Coladas, then you'll put on your Eric Clapton LP and be up and jiving, won't you?
Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter: I don't believe this! I don't believe what he's doing to me! He's torn my world in half and now he's having a pop at me!
Uncle Albert Trotter: You're right out of order, son.
Rodney Trotter: Oh, listen to me. Hospitals do not send home paralysed people by bus. What it is you're after, Del? Sympathy from Lisa? Or a disabled sticker for the van?
Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter: [jumps out of his wheelchair and grabs Rodney by the lapels] Now, you listen to me you vicious little git! I may never walk again for the rest of my...
[realizes that he's standing up]
Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter: Though I must admit, I'm getting some feeling back.
Uncle Albert Trotter: You should never tell them sort of lies, Del!
Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter: Well, don't blame me! It was him, I just wanted to get my own back on this plonker.
Trigger: Yeah, but when you fancied a smoke on the bus, you made me carry you up to the top deck!

Alternate versions
The scene where Albert gets on the Nag's Head stage and sings 'Hey There' in tribute to his wife Ada is cut out of the Region 2 DVD release of the episode for contractual reasons, yet can be seen in repeats on UKTV Gold.