Penguin Books has recently launched a surprising new way to enjoy classic television comedies on the move. The publisher has released “classic TV soundtracks,” including all seven seasons of British favorite, Only Fools and Horses, plus its memorable BBC Christmas specials, as audio-only. Episodes have not been adapted or changed to suit listening rather than viewing, so, while the written gags are as strong as ever, audiences lose the visual ones. This is an interesting strategy by Penguin to repurpose popular intellectual property, but it painfully highlights how audiences are repeatedly being asked to buy their favorite TV shows again and again just in a new format — and in this instance, with less of the jokes!

Britain's Best-Loved Sitcom 'Only Fools and Horses' Is Now Available for Mobile Listening

The benefits of releasing these audio soundtracks are clear, but it doesn’t favor long-time fans. Listeners hear their favorite sitcom episodes in full, with crisp dialogue and laughter tracks but without the accompanying visuals. Only Fools and Horses is a unique property that works surprisingly well. The show’s writing, by John Sullivan, relies heavily on descriptive dialogue, clever wordplay, and jokes around accent and mispronunciation. Often the humor comes from what is said and how the characters interact, rather than from on-screen action. Think Del Boy (David Jason) sounding out of place amongst the upper classes in "A Royal Flush" (Season 5, Episode 7). You can still find his market pitches full of outlandish claims and his misused French phrases funny in audio-only.

It is also the broad cultural familiarity that the characters of Only Fools and Horses have earned over the decades that makes this audio approach work. Del Boy, Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst), Grandad (Lennard Pearce), and Uncle Albert (Buster Merryfield) are instantly recognizable to British audiences, young and old. Even without images, listeners can visualize scenes in their mind because they've seen them so many times before. From the top-rated scene of Del Boy falling through the bar in "Yuppy Love" (Season 6, Episode 1) to the Trotters’ running through the streets of Peckham dressed as Batman and Robin in "Heroes and Villains" (Christmas Special, 1996). While these audio soundtracks cannot replicate the visual slapstick of the original show, the writing and performances carry the comedy effectively, and fans are able to still see these memorable gags in their mind while listening.

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By  Jeremy Urquhart

Classic British sitcoms like Only Fools and Horses have transcended television for decades, and they occupy a special place in the hearts of many. Penguin call their audio soundtracks “evergreen comedies” and that makes sense for a show that has essentially been passed down like a societal heirloom. The characters have become national treasures, appearing in the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony, their catchphrases have entered the everyday vernacular, and plot points are consistently referenced in other shows. Penguin’s audio adaptations leverage this familiarity, and fans can revisit the humor they love, but should they really have to pay for it again?

Should Sitcom Fans Have To Pay Again To Experience the Same Stories?

Image via. BBC

Penguin’s audio releases follow the trend of repeatedly monetizing popular titles in different ways and expecting loyal audiences to reinvest. Fans of Only Fools and Horses have already had plenty of opportunities to pay multiple times for the same material. The series first launched on the BBC in September 1981, and, as the broadcaster is publicly funded by the UK taxpayer through a TV License Fee, audiences have technically already paid to watch it on release. Over the years, episodes have been repackaged and sold on VHS and later DVD, giving fans the chance to own the series and revisit it at their leisure. More recently, streaming services have made the episodes widely accessible again, asking for a monthly fee to watch the same content. Classic sitcoms are also broadcast on paid-for cable services like Sky on their own dedicated channels. You can even buy the episodes on iTunes and watch on your iPad or iPhone.

Now, with Penguin's audio soundtracks, fans are being asked to pay again for content they may already own physically or be able to access through streaming. Audio elevates this frustration further as, unlike previous formats, these versions actually strip away the visual elements, so you’re paying for fewer jokes. Should audiences be paying again to imagine something they've already watched after a previous transaction?

At what point does repackaging content cross from creativity and appreciation into a relentless commercial strategy? A price is continually being put on fan nostalgia and re-connection. As these stories remind viewers of a time gone by or watching with older family members, there is an emotional draw essentially being exploited. Penguin’s audio releases are undoubtedly convenient and novel, but they offer nothing new. Companies can target multiple generations of audiences with the same material, ensuring that fans who grew up with the original series are hooked into paying repeatedly. It also underscores a wider trend across the entertainment industry, where classic IP is continuously repurposed, rebooted, and readapted to extract ongoing revenue. This not only lowers your bank balance but limits the opportunity to connect with new stories and hinders original works being made.

Sitcoms Are the Safest Genre To Experiment With Audio-Only Adaptations

While the repeated monetization may feel frustrating, this new audio-only format, if successful, opens the door for other shows to get the same treatment. Sitcoms, with their dialogue-driven humor and cultural familiarity, are particularly suited. Unlike complex dramas or action-heavy series, these shows can be semi-enjoyed without visuals, provided audiences already know the characters and stories.

Whether you agree with it or not, the format capitalizes on nostalgia while adapting to modern listening habits. Penguin has applied the same approach to other British classics, including The Vicar of Dibley, Porridge, and Fawlty Towers, as well as older episodes of Doctor Who capitalizing on audience appetite for mobile entertainment and podcasts.

Penguin Books’ audio releases of classic British sitcoms are an inventive way to revisit beloved characters. They preserve the humor, celebrate iconic characters, and allow fans to experience episodes away from home. Yet these releases also highlight a growing trend of monetizing popular content repeatedly, and with audio, they offer less than the original televised episodes. Fans can enjoy the novelty, but they must weigh up whether this nostalgia is worth paying for once more, especially as they are stories they already know. The soundtracks are a creative experiment in how classic television can adapt to contemporary listening habits. Whether audiences embrace them or stick to the original episode reruns or not, they are a reminder of just how much these shows continue to matter in British culture today.

Only Fools and Horses

Like

TV-PG

Comedy

Release Date

1981 - 2003-00-00

Network

BBC One

Showrunner

John Sullivan

Directors

Martin Shardlow, Bernard Thompson, Ray Butt, Susan Belbin, Mandie Fletcher, Tony Dow

Writers

John Sullivan

Cast

See All

• 
  David Jason
• 
  Nicholas Lyndhurst

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