One of the best elements of this show which makes it so funny is the geography of the hotel itself. The way that Basil would need to transition from raging to polite room-to-room and the increasing undoing of that transition is so fucking funny and itās a direct result of the proximity of the reception to the dining room or the office to the reception etc.
And of course the original sitcom stairs:
I think about this thread quite a lot
DONāT MENTION THE WARDORF SALAD
Great show
This. I really, really, really cannot watch that kind of comedy where the humour comes from someone elseās stupidity or embarassment.
So, itās 4/5 for quality of writing and execution but 1/5 for how much Iād enjoy watching an episode now.
I think the great thing about Fawlty Towers is that it strikes the balance of Basilās plight being, in part his own fault, but also, completely the result of circumstances conspiring against him in just a pure comedic bad luck way. I guess that doesnāt necessarily make it any less stressful but I think itās reductive to just say itās a stupid protagonist trope.
No, but itās entirely about his embarassment in those situations and thatās what makes my skin crawl.
Yeah I guess so.
Fawlty Towers is the greatest sitcom ever and utterly relevant again today as, once again, the misperception of Britainās status in the wider world is causing daily heartache.
And on top of that, heās desperately trying to run a business which is only just scraping by. The people who work for him are tragically helpless in their situation compared to the customers, which for them, staying at the hotel is just a temporary jolly without any lasting consequence. I think that level of sheer frantic desperation makes it quite difficult for me to watch.
Christ
If I picture Fawlty Towers, I immediately think of Basil dashing into reception, snapping a couple of panicked looks around, then charging into another room. The lay-out of the hotel and Cleeseās physicality gives it an energy which is usually lacking in that generation of sitcom.
Literally episode is a classic with so many menorable momnts. So many that i still often forget how few episodes there are
The branch/Mini scene has to be up there for best individual comedy scenes of all time
Sybil: āIf I find out that money from that horse was yours Basil, youāll know what Iāll doā¦ā
Basil: āYouāll have to sew them back on first.ā
Didnāt really get this when I was younger.
Yup, itās the perfect claustrophobic backdrop to the sense of things spiralling out of control in a very signposted, structured way as well.
had so many quotes running round my head tonight. wonāt be funny written down in the same way, say, 2 words from the simpsons are, but absolutely some of the best comedy writing and delivery ever.
current favourite:
Sybil: āAnd turn that racket offā
Basil: āRacket?! Thatās Brahms! Brahms 3rd Racket!ā
makes me crack up every time i think about it.
āHave you put the picture up?ā
Sybil is such a great character. Sheās almost playing it straight against Basil being so OTT, but then she barks āBASIL!!ā and follows it up with a totally calm reasonable request and it gets me every time.