The Great British Sitcom: Fawlty Towers

[Crimson]

I had a feeling of deja vu as I watched the fourth episode, "The Hotel Inspectors". I nearly skipped to the fifth episode, thinking I had already watched this one. Then I realized this is one of the episodes butchered by the American pilot CHATEAU SNAVELY. While many of the situations and gags were identical, they obviously work much better in the original. In fact this episode has the distinction of earning a rare laugh-out-loud from me; twice in fact. (I'm more of a chuckle quietly to myself kind of guy.) I think this is the most intricately plotted episode to date, and I can see why the story didn't translate when Americans tried to dis- and re- assemble it. Each plot point builds to the next, each gag leads to later gags.

This episode addressed something I had started to wonder about: why the guests never seem to react much to Basil's overt rudeness. I was halfway through the episode and seriously wonder why no one has punched this guy yet; surely the English weren't that polite and forgiving. And there it was, Basil finally getting a well deserved thrashing from an object of his bullying.

The moment of Polly and Basil gaslighting the guest into thinking Basil had told her, not the guest, to shut up by way of shifting eye gazes was inspired. (And the moment of my LOL.) Four episodes in and still unclear how Polly feels about Basil. He's been quite awful to her and she's not obtuse to his behavior -- as she warned her visiting friends about him in episode three -- yet she's awfully fast to jump in to help him, unsolicited. In the first episode, she made the call to Mrs. Fawlty pretending to be the contractor and in this most recent episode she saved Basil with her quick thinking about the eye contact. The mystery is whether she actually likes him, despite his nature, or she's just aiding her employer.

Random thought left over from the previous episode. I think that was the only time so far that we've seen the second floor landing, which had a curious steps-up / steps-down feature. I have never seen this in a real or fictional building before. Did it serve a purpose?

Seeing he's so overly-concerned with these matters really brings home the impact of those misunderstandings.

Some nuance of characterization as well, when Basil expressed embarrassment a few times about his misunderstandings. A character like this could easily be just misanthropy and bluster; added shading to his personality make him feel real and even relatable, despite his often over-the-top, awful behavior.

he leans into the "Colonel Blimp" archetype, albeit mostly less forceful

I must admit I've never heard of the character, the comic strip or the movie. With a quick glance at Wikipedia and skimming through a few YT clips, I'm not clear what connection there is between the strip and the movie. The movie looks interesting though -- I mean any movie that earned the ire of Churchill must be worth a watch. Also, gorgeous Technicolor. On the downside, Deborah Kerr -- one of my least favorite actors.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I had a feeling of deja vu as I watched the fourth episode, "The Hotel Inspectors". I nearly skipped to the fifth episode, thinking I had already watched this one. Then I realized this is one of the episodes butchered by the American pilot CHATEAU SNAVELY.

Oh, that's funny. I'd forgotten this one was next.

I think this is the most intricately plotted episode to date, and I can see why the story didn't translate when Americans tried to dis- and re- assemble it. Each plot point builds to the next, each gag leads to later gags.

From the beginning I was very curious to know your reaction to this one because you'd already seen Snavely. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, my view on it is biased by familiarity with the original version, so I wasn't sure how much better you'd feel it was. I'm pretty chuffed to read your conclusion.

I was halfway through the episode and seriously wonder why no one has punched this guy yet; surely the English weren't that polite and forgiving. And there it was, Basil finally getting a well deserved thrashing from an object of his bullying.

And it came from someone who - eccentric as he was - did not seem initially like the type who would thump someone.

(As a Gen-X Brit, the actor playing Mr Hutchison - Bernard Cribbins - was well-known to many of my age for reading storybooks on pre-school series Jackanory, and for narrating the gentle animated series The Wombles).

The moment of Polly and Basil gaslighting the guest into thinking Basil had told her, not the guest, to shut up by way of shifting eye gazes was inspired. (And the moment of my LOL.)

Yes, the execution is quite wonderful. One look in the wrong (or right) direction would have ruined it.

On the subject of getting it wrong, a favourite scene of mine (of the entire series) is this episode's "corked wine" sequence, where Fawlty struggles to uncork the wine only to find out that it's bad. It went up even further in my estimation when I found out that there was a technical error which was left in because the actors went with it.

Once uncorked, the wine was supposed to pour, but John Cleese had difficulty removing the cork for real during the take, so the wine came out as a tiny trickle, then a ferocious glug, ending up all over the table. John Cleese spoke about it in the commentary, and was very grateful for the professionalism of James Cossins who remained perfectly in character as he was battling with the prop.

The mystery is whether she actually likes him, despite his nature, or she's just aiding her employer.

One scene from a much later episode springs to mind which may shed a little light in this area (even if not definitively), but I'm enjoying your detective work in the meantime.

Random thought left over from the previous episode. I think that was the only time so far that we've seen the second floor landing, which had a curious steps-up / steps-down feature. I have never seen this in a real or fictional building before. Did it serve a purpose?

It's quirky, isn't it? I have encountered this higgledy-piggledy layout from time to time, mostly in older buildings such as hotels (and, yes, homes that were build in the Victorian/Georgian eras). For a time I worked in an office in a very old building that had been a grand old house, converted to offices and accommodation. The loo was a floor up, then there were several more steps from the landing up to the door and I think there were then steps down upon entry to the room.

You're not the first to have wondered, and there are topics to be found online such as this Reddit which delve into it a little.

I'm trying - and failing - to remember if John Cleese said anything about this in the audio commentaries and feel sure he must have done, but I think the short answer is that as well as a degree of accuracy of such buildings it also adds to the chaos.

I must admit I've never heard of the character, the comic strip or the movie.

Many Brits would join you there. The reference is almost certainly considered archaic now.

I haven't read the strips or seen the films myself and only know of the character from hearing it referenced in relation to a certain character archetype. A close 21st Century equivalent would be the controversial term "gammon".

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Off the Fawlty topic here, but I've just seen a trailer for a musical version of cult Nineties sitcom The High Life:

This was surprising enough, but even more shocking was when it dawned on me that yes... that is Alan Cumming, and not an Alan Cumming lookalike. All four of the main cast are actually back for this one, which is impressive.

I don't think the series has been discussed in this thread, and possibly not even the pre-crash thread. It's that long since I last watched it. It was good daft fun, though (even if it wasn't the funniest thing ever).

 

[Crimson]

I didn't realize it had been so long since I watched the last episode. I wish I had started FAWLTY TOWERS back in February when the weather was lousy; I'd be done by now. Moving onto episode 5, "Gourmet Night". While this episode didn't have the giant laugh of the previous one, I think I found it the most consistently funny episode to date.

Having watched sitcoms my entire life, there are certain setups that lead to obvious payoffs. A swanky soiree is going to lead to chaos. If I had made a hundred guesses on what the plot twist in this episode would be, I wouldn't have gotten even close. The chef, Kurt, getting drunk after his romantic interest in Manuel was rejected is not something I would have predicted, especially in a mid-70s TV show. The complete casualness of this revelation -- without a hint of the dated elements seen in other aspects of the show -- was surprising. UK TV (and, I suppose, culture as a whole) must have been far more advanced that USA of the time. Not even how Phyllis' brother in MTM was handled this nonchalant.

The episode was filled with many inspired bits of comedy, verbal and physical. My favorite was Basil's mad dashes to the restaurant, which reminded me of a favorite bit of comedy from I LOVE LUCY.

This episode is the first with a British reference I didn't get, specifically the condiment the snotty boy was requesting. I thought everyone was saying, "solid cream", which I assumed was a kind of cream cheese. Apparently he was asking for salad cream, which I've never heard of.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I didn't realize it had been so long since I watched the last episode. I wish I had started FAWLTY TOWERS back in February when the weather was lousy; I'd be done by now.

I know you mentioned you were going to watch at an unhurried pace, so I've been braced for a few little gaps between posts. While I could read your reviews all day long, I am finding the delayed gratification is adding a depth to things. I'm enjoying the anticipation of wondering what you'll make of each new episode.

The chef, Kurt, getting drunk after his romantic interest in Manuel was rejected is not something I would have predicted, especially in a mid-70s TV show. The complete casualness of this revelation -- without a hint of the dated elements seen in other aspects of the show -- was surprising. UK TV (and, I suppose, culture as a whole) must have been far more advanced that USA of the time. Not even how Phyllis' brother in MTM was handled this nonchalant.

You're right. And truthfully it's something I had probably taken for granted - or at least not given a great deal of thought to.

Also, Kurt wasn't particularly stereotypical: being neither mincing and flamboyant à la Mr Humphries nor a leather bear.

Now I think about it, perhaps an analogous scenario would have been found in drama of the late-Seventies, when JR Ewing seemed similarly disinterested in the sexuality of niece Lucy's gay fiance. Basil's throwaway "all you had to do was give him a little kiss" comment wasn't dissimilar to JR's "women marry homosexuals all the time". In each case, there was something in it for the character in question - the de facto lead and anti-hero of their show - and they were more irritated that someone refused to overlook the gay person's sexuality which in turn was inconvenient for their own plans.

The episode was filled with many inspired bits of comedy, verbal and physical. My favorite was Basil's mad dashes to the restaurant, which reminded me of a favorite bit of comedy from I LOVE LUCY.

So glad you enjoyed those. Generally, it's the "damned good thrashing" scene that shows up in clips whenever the series is mentioned anywhere. It's funny enough, but for me it only truly works in context.

My favourite scenes of the episode take place in the bar area when the guests begin arriving and Basil is introducing his guests to one another, trying to avoid putting his foot in it further over Mrs Hall's diminutive height ("Didn't see you down there. Don't get up") or Colonel Hall's tic.

The exchange that makes me laugh even thinking about it is when the Halls are giving their drinks orders:

Large or... or... or not quite so large?

Two small and dry.

Basil looks at Mrs Hall

Oh, I wouldn't say that.

Incidentally, I've watched quite a number of reactions to this scene, and surprisingly few seem to realise that much of the angst is created from Basil trying to avoid saying Mr Twitchen's name (which he believes is pronounced "twitching") to Colonel Hall, which culminates in Basil's fake fainting spell. So many seem to think he has simply forgotten the name.

This episode is the first with a British reference I didn't get, specifically the condiment the snotty boy was requesting. I thought everyone was saying, "solid cream", which I assumed was a kind of cream cheese. Apparently he was asking for salad cream, which I've never heard of.

Oh, that's interesting. I do like a bit of salad cream sometimes.

I just looked this up, and apparently Miracle Whip is the closest kind of thing on your side of the pond.

 

[Crimson]

I'm enjoying the anticipation of wondering what you'll make of each new episode.

Not terribly relevant here, but through the years I have concluded that I do not like the binge model of TV viewing; an episode a week, more or less, has turned out to be the ideal for me after all. I also like a bit of anticipation. Blasting through a show at a rapid place just blurs it all together. Even in the colder months when I was watching TV more consistently, I would only watch an episode of a show every other night or so.

So many seem to think he has simply forgotten the name.

Add me to that list. I briefly considered it odd that Basil so quickly forget the guests' names, but then I realized I had also quickly forgotten the guests' names. The gag worked just fine with the assumption it was Basil's memory at fault, but so much funnier with the proper context. I already suspect FAWLTY TOWERS will be more enjoyable on rewatch than the first time around, as there are undoubtedly lots of little jokes or context that I've missed. I wouldn't be surprised if FAWLTY joins a small group of classic sitcoms that I watch on loop.

apparently Miracle Whip is the closest kind of thing on your side of the pond.

I've never had it, although I gather it's a mildly tangy mayonnaise. So the kid wanted to just eat bread with salad cream? I can't imagine a Miracle Whip sandwich -- with nothing else -- would be that appealing.

 

[Barbara Fan]

@Crimson



I love Gourmet night, and the anticipation at the end of the Duck and its its trimmings, just to find out its not! Perfection!!

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Not terribly relevant here, but through the years I have concluded that I do not like the binge model of TV viewing; an episode a week, more or less, has turned out to be the ideal for me after all. I also like a bit of anticipation.

I get that completely, and I applaud your restraint. There's a lot to be said for both anticipation and resonance. Generally I'll attempt to pace myself and while I I can sometimes end up watching two or three thirty minute episodes in one evening (depending on the series) I couldn't sit down and watch an entire box set. I'm stricter still with drama series and always try to take a break between seasons.

(And yes, I know I flew through the first few phases of the MCU like nobody's business, but that was because I knew I was on the clock with a six month Disney+ trial).

The gag worked just fine with the assumption it was Basil's memory at fault, but so much funnier with the proper context.

There's a nice piece of timing at the beginning of that scene which really sells it. Just as Basil says "Colonel and Mrs Hall, may I introduce Mr and Mrs Tw...", Colonel Hall twitches, causing Basil to freeze in horror at the prospect of finishing his sentence.

I already suspect FAWLTY TOWERS will be more enjoyable on rewatch than the first time around, as there are undoubtedly lots of little jokes or context that I've missed. I wouldn't be surprised if FAWLTY joins a small group of classic sitcoms that I watch on loop.

This really is high praise.

So the kid wanted to just eat bread with salad cream? I can't imagine a Miracle Whip sandwich -- with nothing else -- would be that appealing.

Oh no - I'd draw the line at a salad cream sandwich.

He did ask for bread and salad cream, but as an accompaniment to his meal. We know he had chips (French fries) and he also mentioned egg, which I'd assume to be fried if it was with chips. To my mind, salad cream would still be a bit of an odd choice to go with that combination. Ketchup would seem more fitting, especially to a kid. Still, I could see both his parents had green salad on their plates, so perhaps he also had some hiding out of frame, which he wanted to improve with a bit of salad cream.

 

[Daniel Avery]

Still, I could see both his parents had green salad on their plates, so perhaps he also had some hiding out of frame, which he wanted to improve with a bit of salad cream.

That kid sort of represented the "picky eater" (kids or adults) undermining the whole "gourmet" theme. Like going to a high-priced restaurant and insulting the chef by asking for ketchup to put on your $85 steak, or a kid who will only eat chicken nuggets at a Thanksgiving feast that mommy spent two days preparing.

I have concluded that I do not like the binge model of TV viewing; an episode a week, more or less, has turned out to be the ideal for me after all.

Same here. I think my 40-plus years of soap viewing made me a very patient viewer who understands the joy of delayed gratification.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

That kid sort of represented the "picky eater" (kids or adults) undermining the whole "gourmet" theme. Like going to a high-priced restaurant and insulting the chef by asking for ketchup to put on your $85 steak, or a kid who will only eat chicken nuggets at a Thanksgiving feast that mommy spent two days preparing.

Very true.

And this angle reminds me of the Little Britain character Michael Dinner (clearly based on a certain film director turned food critic) whose "thing" is being a gourmet foodie whose restaurant orders always take a left turn at the end:

 

[Crimson]

There's a lot to be said for both anticipation and resonance.

While it doesn't matter much for individual enjoyment, the binge model has undermined TV's cultural relevance. Almost nothing catches the zeitgeist now and shows in the streaming era feel disposable.

I think my 40-plus years of soap viewing made me a very patient viewer who understands the joy of delayed gratification.

Assuming you mean daytime soaps, that's a level of patience I couldn't even aspire to. On the rare occasions I have tried watching daytime soaps, I end up shaking my remote at the TV and grousing, "Come on, come one, get on with it! I know all of this already!" as the actors recap a plot point for the 6th straight day.

 

[Crimson]

Incidentally, I've watched quite a number of reactions to this scene, and surprisingly few seem to realise that much of the angst is created from Basil trying to avoid saying Mr Twitchen's name (which he believes is pronounced "twitching") to Colonel Hall

Still being debated 50 years later.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Still being debated 50 years later.

Oh, what perfect timing.

(And there's even a nice little teaser in there about a future episode you'll be viewing).

 

[Crimson]

Onto episode six, "The Germans". I gather this is a controversial one and understandably so. I'll admit up front that this is my least favorite episode thus far and not for the obvious reasons.

Again, I found myself with a feeling of deja vu. "This show does a curious number of fire drills" leading to "Did I watch this episode already?" And then I realized this was another episode ransacked by the American pilot SNAVELY MANOR. It's again obvious that these FAWLTY TOWER episodes cannot be chopped up and reassembled. Within limited scope, I think SNAVELY at least handled the fire drill bit better than the other borrowed plots.

I accept that works of entertainment from past eras can feel out of sync to modern sensibilities. I'm never offended by such things, and I wasn't here. I think I'm too American for this British nonchalance about touchy matters. It was a blessing in to the casual handling of the chef's sexuality, but the show's handling of racism feels foreign to me. In an American show, I could see Archie Bunker saying something similar to the Major's comments -- albeit softened -- but it would have been a commentary on the idiocy of such bigotry. Here, I felt no such context. It just seemed like it was there for the audience to recognize and laugh along with.

And yet, not even what I disliked about the episode. In short, this was the loudest episode so far; almost nonstop shouty. If every episode played at this fevered, continuous pitch, I wouldn't have enjoyed the earlier episodes as much.

None of which is to say I disliked the episode; it's just my least favorite so far. "Yes you did, you invaded Poland!" elicited an uncommon genuine laugh-out-loud from me -- only the second episode so far to earn that distinction.

A knock on the head leading to amnesia is a common, and implausible, trope in classic American sitcoms (often followed by the even more implausible "cure" being a second knock on the head). This episode did an interesting, and slightly less implausible, variation of that trope, with Basil's knock on the head leading to muddled, uninhibited hysteria. I don't know if that's really a symptom of a concussion , but it at least plays more comedically believable than "Who am I?"

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Again, I found myself with a feeling of deja vu.

This was unexpected for me. With The Hotel Inspectors preceding it I'd thought you might have your guard up. But then that's easy for me to say from a perspective of knowing the episodes. The (possible) good news is I think that's all the Snavely scripts covered now. Everything from here on should be material you haven't seen acted out before.

It was a blessing in to the casual handling of the chef's sexuality, but the show's handling of racism feels foreign to me.

Yes, it's probably quite British, but also very much of its time. Just a few years ago, this was the scene that got the episode briefly taken down from BBC's streaming platform which led to a minor outcry over censorship (it was returned some time later, uncensored other than the addition of a warning about offensive language or attitudes.

You're quite right that the commentary about the inappropriateness of the Major's rant was minimal. It's plain that Basil views him as rambling by the comment under his breath that the Major has "started early", which in turn could imply that he is talking rubbish, but it's mostly done in a sense that the Major's narrow-mindedness and antiquated attitude cause others to sigh inwardly and then tune him out rather than offer a challenge, rebuttal or consequence.

Keeping on the topic of race, in the reactions to this episode I've watched, another moment that seems to confuse is Basil's clearly startled initial reaction to the black doctor at the hospital. It's nice we're in a place that it wouldn't occur to younger viewers that Basil would have considered seeing a black doctor as surprising and a bit of a big deal.

In short, this was the loudest episode so far; almost nonstop shouty. If every episode played at this fevered, continuous pitch, I wouldn't have enjoyed the earlier episodes as much.

It is very dialled-up in this episode, so I'm glad you were still able to find some things to enjoy, and it's also refreshing to know it's your least favourite since it's one of those episodes that almost everyone thinks of first when the series is mentioned.

It sounds like I find it more enjoyable than you did, but there are still others that top it for me (the next episode being very high on the list).

"Yes you did, you invaded Poland!" elicited an uncommon genuine laugh-out-loud from me -- only the second episode so far to earn that distinction.

That's terrific. It is a great line.

One that never fails to make me grin is Basil's utterance of "I wish it was an ingrowing tongue". His schadenfreude over Sybill's pain was good fun all round. I don't mind petty Basil.






Congratulations on reaching the end of Series One, and the halfway point of the whole thing. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on the second.

 

[Crimson]

I watched the episode a second time, the third episode that I've watched twice. My opinion this time didn't change much. The parts of the episode that I enjoyed, I enjoyed more; but taken as a whole, I found the episode noisy and cluttered. Of the six episodes, I'd rank this as sixth.

My main problem is narrative structure. All other episodes seem intricately plotted, leading to a comedic crescendo. This episode is structured like two. I rather found it felt like that SNAVELY MANOR pilot, with too much going on. The fire drill scene felt like an extended detour that could have been its own episode. The episode went hysterical too early and then did it again; I found it slightly exhausting. The sequence might have been what put Basil in the hospital, leading to the third act, but the already established falling moose head could surely have done that.

Not to say the fire drill sequence wasn't funny taken on its own. Andrew Sachs' performance here deserves special praise, a chaotic ballet of physical comedy -- and presumably dangerous working with that fire.

I enjoyed the two scenes between Basil and Sybil. Their passive-aggressiveness towards each other -- while seemingly being oblivious to the other's passive-aggressiveness -- is consistently amusing. And as much as I was taken out by the Basil-Major scene, it's undoubtedly well crafted verbal confusion, as Basil's misogyny and the Major's racism get muddled.

This was unexpected for me. With The Hotel Inspectors preceding it I'd thought you might have your guard up.

If I had watched the episodes at a quicker pace, I'm sure I would have. I watched SNAVELY just over a month ago and, well, it wasn't all that memorable. As much as the pilot was a muddle, some of it has blurred into my recollections of FAWLTY.

Congratulations on reaching the end of Series One, and the halfway point of the whole thing

Funny, it hadn't even occurred to me I had reached the end of the season and the midway point in the series.

The next season was made four years later. I know British shows are often quite short, but is it normal also for such long gaps between them? Did Cleese regard the first season as one-and-done and got lured back? Or was the series not success at first, not warranting more at the time?

 

[Julia's Gun]

The next season was made four years later. I know British shows are often quite short, but is it normal also for such long gaps between them? Did Cleese regard the first season as one-and-done and got lured back? Or was the series not success at first, not warranting more at the time?

Cleese divorced his then wife Connie Booth in between the first and second seasons. This probably caused the delay!
But they still worked together and remained friends, continuing to write and film the second series after they had divorced in 1978.