The Groovy Gang episode. First broadcast 29 January 1989.
Del has become obsessed with entering competitions, even entering a painting that Rodney did when he was 14 into one. Rodney's work is chosen as one of the winners, and his prize is a free holiday for three to Majorca in Spain. It's only when Del, Rodney and Cassandra get to the airport that Del tells them that he entered the painting in the under-15 category, so the organisers think Rodney is 14. Having already changed the date of birth on Rodney's passport to support this lie, Del persuades the others to go along with it, the result being that Rodney has to pretend to be 14 for the week, with Del posing as his father and Cassandra posing as his stepmother.
The ruse appears to work, despite bemused looks from the organisers due to Rodney's height. In order to ensure that the parents of the competition winners get a chance to enjoy the holiday as much as the children, a whole load of activities have been laid on for the latter. As a result, Rodney — who's not allowed to drink or smoke — is forced into the "Groovy Gang" and takes part in a variety of children's activities like skateboarding (in which he comes second in a race) and a junior disco (in which he's a finalist in the breakdancing contest), in addition to which he becomes the teenage crush of a thirteen year-old Bros fan.
Both Rodney and Cassandra are soon despondent (since they cannot spend any time together) and are ready to reveal the truth, but Del, who is enjoying himself, pretends to each of them (separately) that the other is having fun. To placate them, he buys them some Spanish lottery tickets — and Rodney's numbers win the one million peseta jackpot. Their elation is short-lived, though, as they can't claim the prize because the ticket is in Rodney's name and everyone thinks he's under 18 and therefore not allowed to gamble. When Rodney tries to break the lie by producing his student card, he finds that Del changed the birth date on that too. Del defeatedly suggests that "it's only money", which leads to him being chased out of the hotel by an angry Rodney as the end credits roll.
Tropes:
- All There in the Manual: According to Del's 2015 autobiography He Who Dares, after sleeping with Rodney in the parents' bed for the first couple of days of the holiday, Del was eventually banished to the child's bedroom for the remainder, much to his relief since he was worried Rodney would kill him in his sleep.
- Absurdly Youthful Mother: In order for them to be eligible to claim the prize, Rodney (who's in his 20s) has to pose as a 14-year-old boy, with Del (who was 16-17 when Rodney was born) pretending to be his father. Del at least has the sense to claim that Cassandra, who's about the same age as Rodney, is his stepmother.
- Adults Dressed as Children: Rodney has to pretend to be 14 years old the entire time.
- Call-Back: The last time the Trotters went to Spain was in 1982, as shown in "It Never Rains".
- Exact Words: When it turns out that Rodney's ticket won a million pesetas, he and Del celebrate finally becoming millionaires. Cassandra quickly points out that a million pesetas is actually only worth about £50,000, but a million of any currency is good enough for Del and Rodney.
- "Fawlty Towers" Plot: Del sends a painting Rodney created as a teenager to a competition. When it wins the children's prize (a holiday for the child and his parents), he confirms that Rodney is fourteen. This necessitates other lies, such as not telling Rodney and Cassandra why it's a holiday for three until they've arrived, claiming he and Cassandra are Rodney's parents, and preventing Rodney and Cassandra from exposing his scheme by insisting to them both (separately) that the other is really enjoying the break.
- And paid off brilliantly when, at the end of the episode, Del is in possession of a winning lottery ticket - but is forced to give up the money because the ticket is in Rodney's name, and local law states that 14-year-olds are not allowed to gamble. At this point they are unable to break the lie, because Del went to the trouble of forging all their travel documents.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: The events of this episode are brought up multiple times in future episodes, usually in response to the question of when has Del ever let Rodney down.
- Vacation Episode: This is the second time Del and Rodney go on holiday to Spain; the first time was when they went with Grandad in "Only Fools And Horses S 2 E 06 It Never Rains", seven years previously.
