Miami Twice: The American Dream
Christmas special, first shown 24 Dec 1991, 50 min
Our take
The set-up half of the show's big American adventure, and the more British of the two parts. The christening and the wine deal are classic small-time scheming. The holiday booking is a nice piece of brotherly sabotage, and the Miami arrival promises plenty. It ends just as the story gets going, so watch it with the second part. Shown on Christmas Eve, it is a good warm-up for the main event.
What happens
Baby Damien is christened, much to Rodney's horror, and Del uses the occasion to strike a deal with the vicar to sell pre-blessed communion wine around the country. Rodney's marriage is on the rocks: on the advice of a Relate counsellor he lives with Del and Uncle Albert during the week and with Cassandra at weekends. Del announces that Rodney needs a holiday and books a two-for-one trip to Miami, knowing full well that Cassandra cannot go because she has exams that week. So the brothers fly off together to join the jet set, leaving the baby behind. Their arrival in Florida is noticed: the family of the local mafia boss, Vincenzo Ochetti, spots that Del is the double of their Don. The first half of a two-part story, shown on Christmas Eve, it sets up the trouble that follows on Christmas Day.
Can the kids watch it?
PG for streaming (BBFC, 2025) for language and sex references; fine for most children from about 8 with an adult.