PT
I think you're misrepresenting the situation slightly - he wrote OFaH to its natural conclusion with "Time on Our Hands" but it was the public's perceived demand for more episodes, connected with the BBC's desire for more, which forced his hand to write the three further Xmas shows.
A good writer knows when to stop though, and if he hadn't fallen into the trap Only Fools and Horses would be remembered for ending on the high that it did, rather than the awful lows of it's come back episodes.
I think it's fair to say it's remembered for ending with the 1996 trilogy more than the 2000s comeback eps.
Did he ever do anything other than Only Fools and Horses and it's various spin-offs after 1996? At his peak he was a legend and Citizin Smith was classic too - but the last 15 years his (and the BBC's) refusal to let Only Fools rest in peace did his reputation as a writer no favours at all.
I think you're misrepresenting the situation slightly - he wrote OFaH to its natural conclusion with "Time on Our Hands" but it was the public's perceived demand for more episodes, connected with the BBC's desire for more, which forced his hand to write the three further Xmas shows.
A good writer knows when to stop though, and if he hadn't fallen into the trap Only Fools and Horses would be remembered for ending on the high that it did, rather than the awful lows of it's come back episodes.
I think it's fair to say it's remembered for ending with the 1996 trilogy more than the 2000s comeback eps.