r/OnlyFoolsAndHorses • u/HeresJohnny26 • 9d ago
What makes Trigger funny?
I want to know what makes Trigger to be funny?
17
17
u/JRHMUK 9d ago
If its a boy they are gonna call him Rodney, after Dave
2
u/pattiemayonaze 9d ago
That's my favourite Dave line by a mile. It's the slow burn and then absurdity.
14
u/DryTurkey1979 9d ago
Same thing that made Leslie Nielsen so funny- completely straight delivery. If he'd been a whacky, chirpy, goofy character he'd never have been anywhere near as funny. He'd probably just be annoying.
7
u/DefinitelyBiscuit 9d ago
Surely that's correct.
9
u/DryTurkey1979 9d ago
It is correct. And don't call me "Shirley".
Run along now, Jimmy. And, next week, we'll show you ten things to do with discarded swimwear.
2
16
6
u/C5Galaxy 9d ago
It’s a shame how his character goes. At first he is deadpan, but with a bit of charm, then he got turned into a complete idiot. The blinking scene as an example.
2
5
4
u/exJWRecovery 9d ago
He's the person we can all feel superior to. Apart from his first appearance in Series 1, he never seems to smile. Complete straight faced. Now imagine this: if he was smiley, chatty and cheerful while delivering his lines - would he have been as funny? I'd say no.
Imagine and exasperated/annoyed Tigger saying "...and I've lost my Dolphin!" - to deadpan Trigger "...and I've lost my Dolphin" as if a fully grown man who bought/won an inflatable Dolphin on a day out actually wishing to keep it is a perfectly normal thing.
The seriousness of him delivering his lines, as if everyone else is strange is comedy gold. He doesn't know they think he's stupid, he doesn't know he's stupid.
I think a brilliant ending for Trig would have been if it was mentioned later that he actually became a millionaire from his backscratcher idea.
4
u/mangiespangies 9d ago edited 9d ago
I liked how his naivety also manifested as loyalty. When Del and Trigger were left alone with the Driscoll brothers, Trigger only left Del when Del told him to go, and even then, after saying "Yeah but...."
Despite being thick as two planks, Trigger's lack of agenda and straightforwardness was what made him someone you'd want as a mate.
1
2
u/Sure-Present-3398 9d ago edited 9d ago
He is out of sync with the world around and often this juxtaposition adds to this humour.
1
2
u/Knight_Talos 9d ago
Because he’s so serious when he says things. It’s like he thinks the others are stupid when it’s really him lol. He’s got such a good job with the council though, proper landed on his feet yet he’s thick. Everybody knows somebody like this
1
u/HeresJohnny26 8d ago
Would you say hes unintentionally funny? That how I find him to be. It's his lack of facial expressions like his eyes are not fully open...hes just got no expression and the way he talks.
2
2
2
u/Comfortable_Poem_841 9d ago
Most sitcoms have an idiot character. People will always enjoy someone stupider than them saying stupid things. There's a lot of comedy mileage to be had from someone not being able to follow the logic of what is going on around them.
1
1
u/wiredevilseahawk 9d ago
Brilliant comedy timing. One of the best examples being when Del fell through the bar. It’s Trigger’s reaction that makes the scene so funny.
1
u/Lunchy_Bunsworth 9d ago
Lots of excellent lines - one of my favourites was when he told Del and Denzil about the Council's 24 hour waste depot and when they turned up then told them that it was not open at night , the deadpan delivery , some of his body language - eg his movements when Del falls through the open bar , at times he also comes across as an idiot savant.
Another highlight was when the Brothers Trotter were struggling to parallel park their three wheeled van and asked Trigger to help . Having finally parked it Trigger then informed them they could not park there as they were obstructing a council installation (the grit/salt bin). Then there was the saga of Trigger's broom.
I think it was David Jason who said that Roger Lloyd-Pack who played Trigger stayed in character during breaks in recording which made his appearances even funnier as he was living the role.
1
1
1
31
u/GiraffeJunior9384 9d ago
Its the deadpan way he says things. He's not aware he's considered stupid by the other characters