11 Best One-Off Only Fools And Horses Characters

11. Mad Axeman

In Series 3’s criminally underrated ‘Friday the 14th,’ the Trotters have gone to Cornwall for the weekend to do a spot of illegal fishing. While spending the night in a cottage, the family come face to face with an escaped axe murderer.

The escaped psychiatric patient was played by the Shakespearean stage actor Christopher Malcolm. Malcolm’s experience in theatre added to his performance as he was overly expressive and comically in this antagonistic role.

He conveyed the tormented psyche of the mad axeman tremendously well and added a level of unpredictability. Of course, nobody really expected Del to get hacked to pieces, but Malcolm’s large stature, soft groans as he sipped at a glass of whiskey, and his booming voice when he was asked to repeat questions added tension on screen.

The mad axeman was equally comical as he was serious, but the comedy was coming from the reactions of David Jason’s character, as it should have been. While this portrayal of a psychiatric patient hasn’t aged very well, he is still an enjoyable character when viewed through a 1983 lens.

The occurrence of the patient in the episode highlights the lengths Del will stoop to make a quick buck. At the closing of the episode, the psychopath challenges the wheeler-dealer to a game of snooker (the table, balls, and cues all exist in the mind of the patient). Del reluctantly agrees, confirming that he will likely lose.

The axeman shouts at Del, telling him he hates winning. Upon hearing this, Del’s worried expression breaks into a cunning smile, as he asks if they should play for a tenner a frame. Ever the opportunist is Del.