The Batman episode. First broadcast 25 December 1996.
The episode begins with Rodney in a dystopian nightmare in the year 2026. A grown-up Damien is now in charge of Trotters Independent Traders and apparently rules much of the Western world, forcing US President Keanu Reeves to declare war on China. Del and Raquel live in "Trotter Towers", a lavish high-rise building, although Rodney is merely a messenger-boy, and Cassandra is a maid — while Uncle Albert's body has been preserved (all he can say is his trademark phrase "during the war..." on a constant loop).
Rodney wakes up back in the present day on his birthday, on which he receives an identity bracelet from Del with the name "Rooney". Del's application for a council grant has been rejected, and Raquel receives a letter from her estranged parents, who want to meet her again. Rodney and Cassandra's continuing efforts at trying for a baby lead an unsuspecting Albert to drink one of Cassandra's urine specimens, believing it to be apple juice. Meanwhile, at Sid's café, Trigger tells everyone about a medal he received from the local council for using the same broom for twenty years. With Raquel and Damien visiting her parents and Cassandra going to Spain with her mother, Del buys tickets for a fancy dress party for himself and Rodney.
At Del's request, he and Rodney go to the party dressed as Batman and Robin — but the van breaks down halfway there, forcing them to run the rest of the way. En route, they inadvertently foil a gang of thugs who are trying to mug Councillor Murray (previously stated to have denied Del his grant request). At the party, it soon emerges that the organiser, Harry Malcolm, had died the day before, meaning that the fancy dress party was been cancelled and replaced with a wake; the only people who hadn't been told are Del and Rodney, who burst in humming the Batman theme tune only to find that everyone else is dressed smartly, and Trigger ... who came as a chauffeur.
Next day in the market, Del and Rodney see the thugs again, this time robbing an elderly woman. Rodney gives chase, before one of the muggers then starts chasing him; Del eventually knocks the mugger unconscious with his suitcase. Del (though not Rodney, much to his frustration) receives a medal for apprehending the gang. At the awards ceremony, he meets Councillor Murray again, who offers to do him a favour in return for saving her. That night Del announces that his application for a council grant has now been approved, and Rodney reveals that Cassandra is pregnant.
Tropes:
- Actually Pretty Funny: Harry's son tells Del and Rodney that his dad would have found them showing up to his funeral dressed as Batman and Robin funny.
- Affectionate Parody / Shout-Out: Rodney's dream at the beginning is in part a send-up of Cold Lazarus, which had aired earlier that year.
- Attack! Attack... Retreat! Retreat!: Rodney corners one of the thugs, who after sizing Rodney up, then starts chasing him.
- Batman Parody: This is the episode with the famous scene in which Del and Rodney run through London in costume as Batman and Robin. A version of the classic '60s Batman theme is used for the soundtrack.
- Coincidental Accidental Disguise: Of the "didn't take your costume off" variant. Del and Rodney spot a woman being mugged down a foggy alleyway as they're on their way to a fancy dress party, forgetting in the moment what they're wearing. What we see from the muggers' perspective is Batman and Robin running towards them out of the mist, so they leg it.
- Cyberpunk: The dream sequence is very much this.
- Exty Years from Publication: Rodney's dream sequence takes place in 2026, thirty years after the episode was originally broadcast.
- Dream Intro: The episode begins with Rodney having a nightmare about a dystopian future where Damien controls much of the Western World.
- Insane Troll Logic: Trigger's response to Sid's incredulity when he says he has had the same broom for 20 years, although it has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles:Sid: How the 'ell can it be the same bloody broom?Trigger: [shows Sid a photo of him with the broom] Well here's a picture of it, what more proof do you need?
- It Amused Me: This is why Boycie doesn't warn Del and Rodney that the fancy dress party is now a wake.
- It's a Costume Party, I Swear!: A variation, in which Del and Rodney are going to a fancy dress party as Batman and Robin. En route, they stop a mugging just by looking like the pair. When they get to the party, they barge in spraying silly-string ... only to discover that it's been changed to a wake following the death of the organiser. It's later commented that Harry (the deceased) would've probably found it hilarious.
- Mood Whiplash: The mugging of Councillor Murray is played seriously and realistically ... until Del and Rodney turn up dressed as Batman and Robin, scaring the muggers.
- Our Presidents Are Different: In Rodney's dystopian dream at the start, Keanu Reeves is the President of the United States.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: The Trotters chase off a pair of louts who are trying to mug an old lady and have knocked her to the ground. She's fine, but her vulgar response shocks Del and Rodney.
- Spit Take: A variation; Del spits out the cigar in his mouth when Rodney tells him Uncle Albert has drunken a urine sample.
- Spontaneous Crowd Formation: Rodney explicitly worries about this happening if he and Del leave their stalled vehicle wearing their Batman and Robin costumes.
- Stealing the Credit: Rodney accuses Del of doing this when the latter receives a medal for apprehending a mugger:Rodney: How come you got a medal? I did most of the running.Del: Yes Rodney, but you were running away from him.
- Story Arc: Being the first part of the 1996 Trilogy, this episode sets up a few of these, like Cassandra's pregnancy and Raquel reconciling with her parents.
- Theseus' Ship Paradox: A classic example, which has led to "Trigger's broom" becoming an acceptable replacement phrase to mean the same thing in the UK. Trigger is given a medal by the council for saving them money by using the same broom for 20 years, although it has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles. Sid is incredulous.Sid: How the 'ell can it be the same bloody broom?Trigger: [shows Sid a photo of him with the broom] Well here's a picture of it, what more proof do you need?
- Unwanted Gift Plot: Del buys Rodney a gold identity bracelet inscribed with the name "Rooney". Rodney can't quite bring himself to say he doesn't like it, and it becomes a Running Gag as ever more people notice the name "Rooney" and comment on it.Rodney: It's copperplate writing.
