Best Only Fools And Horses Episodes

There are few things in life as reliable as that first clink of a can of lager, the smell of a fry-up, or the sound of a Reliant Robin backfiring. Let’s be honest, Only Fools and Horses is basically comfort food for your soul. It’s the show you put on after a rubbish day at work, when your own grand ambitions have crashed harder than Del Boy through a bar flap.

We all know a Del Boy. He’s the bloke at the pub who claims he can get you “discount” Prada bags. Or that mate who just needs “one more deal” to be set for life. The genius of this show is that it turns those small-time scams into a masterclass in family bonds. You laugh, but you also nod because you’ve definitely tried to shift a batch of “slightly damaged” holiday souvenirs yourself.

The One That Launched A Thousand Memes

If you ask anyone for their top pick, they’ll usually start with “The Jolly Boys’ Outing.” This is the episode where the fuel of joy is cheap lager and the destination is Margate. The sheer incompetence of their minibus trip is a mirror to every group holiday you’ve ever been on where someone lost the keys.

You know the feeling: the moment when the driver takes a wrong turn and suddenly you’re in a farmyard instead of the seaside. Del Boy’s declaration that “this time next year, we’ll be millionaires” while stuck in a field is the most relatable lie ever told. It’s the same energy you have when you promise yourself you’ll finish that project “tomorrow.”

When Fallbacks Save The Day

Then there’s “Miami Twice.” Yes, it’s a longer special, but it captures that mid-life crisis we all fear. Del and Rodney pretending to be gangsters in Florida? That’s just a metaphor for every time you’ve tried to impress a date by exaggerating your job title. You know, like saying you’re a “logistics consultant” when you really just drive a delivery van.

The best bit is when their plan falls apart, which it always does. Life doesn’t give you a script; it gives you a damp hotel room and a menu you can’t afford. That’s the show’s secret sauce: it celebrates the failure as much as the success. It makes you feel okay about your own messy life.

The Art Of The Near-Miss

No list is complete without “A Touch of Glass.” You know the one. Del and Rodney are hanging a chandelier, and absolutely everything goes wrong. If you’ve ever tried to assemble flat-pack furniture with a hangover, you’ve lived this episode. The tension is like waiting for a text back from a crush—excruciating but hilarious.

They spend an hour arguing about the right way to drill a hole, and you just know it’s going to end in shards. It’s a perfect snapshot of that universal truth: the job you think will take ten minutes actually takes a whole day and costs you a deposit. When the chandelier crashes, you don’t gasp—you cheer, because same.

The One That Breaks Your Heart

Of course, you can’t talk best episodes without mentioning the Broken Joke of “Time On Our Hands.” This is the one where they finally become millionaires, and it’s bittersweet. The moment Del and Rodney realise they’re safe feels like that rare, perfect day when everything clicks—you get the job, the girl, and the parking spot.

But then life happens. They lose the money, and you’re reminded that happiness isn’t a bank balance. It’s those daft moments squished in the back of a three-wheeler with your brother. That’s the real lesson: the best deals aren't the ones that pay out. They’re the ones that make you laugh until your sides ache.

Why We Keep Coming Back

In a world of fancy streaming shows and perfect Instagram lives, Only Fools is a breath of chip-fat-scented air. It’s about tripping over a paving stone and still getting up for a cuppa. The episodes that stick with you are the ones where the Trotter family mess up with style.

So next time you’re feeling low, skip the boring new drama. Stick on “The Jolly Boys’ Outing” or “A Touch of Glass.” Let Del Boy’s shameless optimism rub off on you. After all, if he can sell hooky aftershave to a police officer and still smile, you can definitely survive a Monday morning.

Just remember: if life hands you a dodgy batch of VHS tapes, don’t panic. Make a brew, call your mates, and laugh about it. That’s the only fortune you’ll ever need.