History Recap / OnlyFoolsAndHorsesS6E07TheJollyBoysOuting

Del, Rodney and Albert arrive at at an inviting and cosy guest house, only to find that the last rooms have been taken by Jevon, Mickey and Denzil. They are directed to the Villa Bella, a rundown, grim-looking place. Unable to sleep, Del and Rodney decide to visit the Mardi Gras nightclub (to which Del had been given complimentary tickets earlier that day). There, Del discovers his ex-girlfriend Raquel is working as part of a magic act with the Great Ramondo. During a break, Del and Raquel happily discuss the past, with Del explaining why he couldn't see her before she left the country. It's clear that they still have affection for each other. Raquel states her intention to leave the act, as Ray, who has a volatile temper, intimidates her. Del invites her to live with him in Peckham, which she accepts.

* ImmediateSelfContradiction:

* StuffBlowingUp: In this case, the coach ... thanks to the dodgy radio that Del sold to the coach company. The radio, which had been emitting smoke fumes earlier in the day, catches fire just before the Jolly Boys are due to leave Margate. As the radio is located just above the fuel line, this quickly causes the entire vehicle to blow up.

Del, Rodney and Albert arrive at at an inviting and cosy guest house, only to find that the last rooms have been taken by Jevon, Mickey and Denzil. They are directed to the Villa Bella, a rundown, grim-looking place. Unable to sleep, Del and Rodney decide to visit the Mardi Gras nightclub (to which Del had been given complimentary tickets earlier that day). There, Del discovers his ex-girlfriend Raquel is working as part of a magic act with Ray ("The Great Ramondo"). During a break, Del and Raquel happily discuss the past, with Del explaining why he couldn't see her before she left the country. It's clear that they still have affection for each other. Raquel states her intention to leave the act, as Ray, who has a volatile temper, intimidates her. Del invites her to live with him in Peckham, which she accepts.

* ContrivedCoincidence: Del and Rodney are in a club in Margate watching a magician's act. Who should be the magician's assistant but Del's ex-girlfriend Raquel.

** Also, it is clear from the dialogue that the Jolly Boys' Outing is a regular event which Del organises every couple of years -- although it's never been mentioned before, and is not mentioned again until "Sleepless in Peckham", in which it's revealed that this was the last Jolly Boys' Outing because the coach company wanted nothing more to do with Del after the coach blew up. That episode also establishes that the first Jolly Boys' Outing was in 1960 and it was attended by Freddie Robdal, Rodney's real father; it is shown in the first episode of ''Series/RockAndChips''.
* StuffBlowingUp: In this case, the coach ... thanks to the dodgy radio that Del sold to the coach company.

-->'''Del''': Nowadays it’s the sort of game that guys like me and Stephen enjoy.\\

Del, Rodney and Albert arrive at at an inviting and cosy guest house, only to find that the last rooms have been taken by Jevon, Mickey and Denzil. They are directed to the Villa Bella, a rundown, grim-looking place. Unable to sleep, Del and Rodney decide to visit the Mardi Gras nightclub (to which Del had been given complimentary tickets earlier that day). There, Del discovers his ex-girlfriend Raquel is working as part of a magic act with the Great Ramondo. During a break, Del and Raquel happily discuss the past, with Del explaining why he couldn't see her before she left the country. It's clear that they still have affection for each other. Raquel states her intention to leave the act, as Ramondo, who has a volatile temper, intimidates her. Del invites her to live with him in Peckham, which she accepts.

Del and Rodney return to the hotel late, only to discover that they've been locked out. After failing to wake up Albert by throwing a stone at the window (breaking it in the process), they head to Raquel's flat to sleep for the night, only to find out that she shares it with Ramondo, who berates Raquel for letting them into the flat. Suspecting Ramondo of blackmailing Raquel into sleeping with him in return for a job and a home, Del assaults Ramondo and throws his suitcase out of the window. However, a shocked Raquel then tells him that Ramondo is actually homosexual and they only live together because it's cheaper than renting separate flats. A humiliated Del apologises to Raquel and Ramondo, who forgive him and allow him and Rodney to stay.

Back at Nelson Mandela House, Del learns the unintended consequences of his actions the previous night; Albert was hit on the head by the stone that Del threw through the hotel window, and Mike and Boycie were both injured by Ramondo's suitcase when he threw it out of Raquel's window. However, he and Raquel have arranged to meet the next week. The episode ends as Del starts eating Albert's breakfast, before Rodney angrily enters the flat with his belongings.

* MistakenForCheating: Both the Trotter brothers fall into this trope. During their weekend in Margate, they meet up with Del's former girlfriend Raquel, who is currently working as a LovelyAssistant to a StageMagician called the Great Ramondo. When Del discovers Raquel and Ramondo share a flat, and Ramondo berates Raquel for letting the visitors in, he assumes Raquel is trapped in an abusive relationship and punches Ramondo before the man can explain that he's actually gay. On their arrival home, Rodney discovers Cassandra's boss Stephen in the flat with her (Del had previously fanned the flames of jealousy so Rodney would agree to go out for a drink in Margate, noting that Steven's wife was due to be away that weekend) and likewise starts an altercation, only for Stephen's wife to walk in (her trip away was cancelled due to a train strike). While it's initially PlayedForLaughs, it turns out to be PlayedForDrama in subsequent episodes, as it takes a lot of time for Rodney and Cassandra's relationship to recover.

Del and Rodney return to the hotel late, only to discover that they've been locked out. After failing to wake up Albert by throwing a stone at the window (breaking it in the process), they head to Raquel's flat to sleep for the night, only to find out that she shares it with Ramondo. Suspecting Ramondo of blackmailing Raquel into sleeping with him in return for a job and a home, Del assaults Ramondo and throws his suitcase out of the window. However, a shocked Raquel then tells him that Ramondo is actually homosexual and they only live together because it's cheaper than renting separate flats. A humiliated Del apologises to Raquel and Ramondo, who forgive him and allow him and Rodney to stay.

* ContinuitySnarl: A mild example -- in [[Recap/OnlyFoolsAndHorsesS6E06LittleProblems "Little Problems"]], Rodney and Cassandra's wedding was stated to be taking place in January, but they are celebrating their wedding anniversary in August.

* DuringTheWar: Albert's story about the time he rammed a German boat off the Greek coast becomes an example of a RashomonStyle story when we learn that the boat was actually manned by British sailors -- including Sid -- who had stolen the boat in a bid to escape captivity, but were recaptured after the boat was sunk.

-->'''Del''': She's got a radiant smile. Have you noticed that?
-->'''Rodney''': What, her radiant smile? Yeah.
-->'''Del''': I mean, when she walks in she lights up a room.
-->'''Rodney''': Yeah. Most of your birds walk in and light up a fag.

-->'''Trigger''': What d'you think's wrong with him?
-->'''Mike''': What do I think? Well, snow-blindness would be my bet, Trig.
-->'''Trigger''': Yeah? I thought he was pissed.

* VariationsOnAThemeSong: Just for this episode, the usual closing credits song "Hooky Street" was replaced by Music/ChasAndDave's "Margate", with a montage of photos from the Jolly Boys' day out.
--> Down to Margate! Don't forget your buckets and spades and cossies and all!
--> Down to Margate! We'll have a pill of jellied eels at the cockle stall!

-->'''Del''': Nowadays it’s the sort of game that guys like me and Stephen enjoy.
-->'''Stephen''': How d'you mean, "guys like me and Stephen"?
-->'''Del''': Well, you know, yuppies.
-->'''Stephen''': Yup. ''[embarrassed grin]'' Derek, I am not a yuppy.
-->'''Del''': You are, Stephen, you are! Guaranteed.
-->'''Stephen''': No, no, really...
-->'''Del''': ''[interrupting]'' Take it from me, son. You are!
--> ''[Del gives him a reassuring wink. Rodney and Alan, both of whom dislike Stephen, try hard not to laugh]''