More Background About The Show

Earlier in the show's run, it adhered more closely to the format laid out by its British predecessor, Steptoe and Son, with Fred and Lamont often at loggerheads over various issues. Fred and Lamont were also depicted as being equally manipulative (Fred with his constant threats of "the big one" and his "arthur-itis"; Lamont with his attempts to drive a wedge between Fred and his girlfriend, Donna, who he saw as usurping his mother's place). Lamont was depicted at times as the greedier of the two. In one episode, for example, he refused to sell two coffins for less than what he thought they were worth, despite the fact that this clearly upset his superstitious father. Lamont sometimes received his comeuppance for being disdainful of his father's habits and ways (an example of this would be the time Lamont was upbraided by a Nigerian woman he hoped to impress by "adopting" African culture; she considered his attitude towards Fred to be disrespectful). There were moments when Lamont was shown to be naive and foolish, such as the episode where he invited his new "friends" over to play poker. His more-experienced father saw right away that they were out to cheat Lamont after they had gained his confidence by letting him win a few smaller-stakes games.