Del Boy’s whole identity is built on being a wheeler-dealer, the king of the get-rich-quick scheme. But his real enemy isn’t a rival gangster. It’s logistics. A missing invoice. A faulty brake light. A “slightly used” jacuzzi that leaks onto the carpet below.
"Only Fools and Horses" Little Problems (TV Episode 1989) - IMDb
These little problems are the punchline to every grand plan. He talks big about being a millionaire, but he can’t even sell a single crate of “Leninade” (lemonade from Russia, apparently) without the van breaking down. It’s a beautiful, sad, and hilarious truth about ambition.
Rodney’s Existential Minor Headaches
And then there’s Rodney, the younger brother who thinks he’s an intellectual trapped in a dumpster fire. He doesn't face big tragedies. He faces small humiliations. Like wearing a Rasta hat to a job interview, or getting stuck in a lift with a parrot that keeps squawking his phone number at a potential girlfriend.
Ever had a bad haircut right before a date? That’s Rodney’s entire life. His problems are micro-dramas. But because David Jason plays him with such genuine frustration, those little problems become the core of his character. You’re not laughing at him; you’re laughing with yourself recognising that shared agony.
"Only Fools and Horses" Little Problems (TV Episode 1989) - IMDb
