Picked up the Blu Ray from a charity shop today in Kings Heath for £3:99. Saw it when it originally aired, even though in 1975, when I would have been 5 it mostly went over my head, I can recall my Uncle, who would have been in his early 20’s then literally crying with laughter at it and feeling somewhat happy that he was so amused.
Of course I have seen it again over the years / decades. Although I gather Cleese gets more negative nods these days, it is one of those pure comedy show you can measure things against. Like in the early 90’s, when The Simpsons began to hit its stride, my instinctive thought, when The Simpsons maintained that high bar of comedy, was this is like Fawlty Towers, but incredibly they are keeping this bar going longer. Can’t think of any other comedy show that does this.
It’s not perfect for dated reasons, considering this aired in 1975 and 1979, but also, it kind of is perfect. The characters, the wrongness of it, how clumsy it is, the visual humour and the frustration it portrays.
Just watched A Touch Of Class, which is the first ever episode, and the ridiculous Englishness of Basil, those assumed stances he has of the Upper Class, properly laughed out loud, like my Uncle did all them years ago when Basil sniffs the brick and clenches his fist in anger / disbelief. It’s the visual, the verbal, the timing, the characters and delivery.
It’s like if The Beatles were Python, then Fawlty Towers is - unlike The Beatles, actually better solo.
Enough for tonight but will be back for the other episodes.
