# Fawlty Towers ep. The Germans - "...took her to see India"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000 "2011-12-04T02:35:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/1 "2011-12-04T02:35:38Z")
When the Major says this Basil wonders (I assume) if he meant the country, but then the Major adds, “…at the Oval!” which I assume is a theatre? So is India a film? I checked Wikipedia and couldn’t find any. What ‘India’ was the Major referring to? ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/2 "2011-12-04T02:38:34Z")
Cricket match. The Oval is a cricket pitch. Shoulda checked Wikipedia for The Oval. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/3 "2011-12-04T02:49:12Z")
Well, the greatest sitcom episode of any show ever just got better for me… ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/4 "2011-12-04T03:28:29Z")
Thanks for asking that. I’ve heard the line countless times and always wondered as well. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/5 "2011-12-04T03:41:09Z")
Soooooo just to clarify he meant he took the lady to see, what, the Indian national cricket team play there? Referring to them as just ‘India’ like that just sounds odd. Of course here in America aside from the occasional Olympics (and Canadian) we never see any foreign sports teams… ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/6 "2011-12-04T03:47:28Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Soooooo just to clarify he meant he took the lady to see, what, the Indian national cricket team play there? Referring to them as just ‘India’ like that just sounds odd. Of course here in America aside from the occasional Olympics (and Canadian) we never see any foreign sports teams… It’s how we always refer to foreign sports teams. Football, cricket, rugby, whatever. Never occurred to me anyone would think it sounded odd, but hey ho. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/7 "2011-12-04T04:09:11Z")
So, if you see a headline like “England collapses before tea”, it probably doesn’t refer to the national economy, but to the English batsmen being all out before the afternoon tea break at an international test cricket match. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/8 "2011-12-04T04:25:03Z")
In related news, Australia just beat New Zealand at [the Gabba](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gabba). ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/9 "2011-12-04T05:13:57Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > Well, the greatest sitcom episode of any show ever just got better for me… Agreed. I can’t watch that without becoming a quivering tear streaked mess. I bought the DVD and played that episode at Christmas a few years ago and my relatives were all in hysterics. ---
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/10 "2011-12-04T10:50:50Z")
That’s all well and good, but whatever you do… Don’t mention the war 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/11 "2011-12-04T11:08:42Z")
In one way it is a shame that this is such a funny episode because it features the most puerile plot device Cleese ever used. Without the moose head falling on Fawlty much of what follows is impossibly out of character. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/12 "2011-12-04T13:28:11Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > So, if you see a headline like “England collapses before tea”, it probably doesn’t refer to the national economy, but to the English batsmen being all out before the afternoon tea break at an international test cricket match. I don’t know. These days, the collapse of the entire UK economy before about 4pm does seem quite plausible. All of which is just my excuse for getting into this thread so that I can assert once again that “The Germans” is not in fact the best episode of Fawlty Towers. The best episode is “Communication Problems”, the one with the scene about what the old lady expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/13 "2011-12-04T13:48:07Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > …Referring to them as just ‘India’ like that just sounds odd… It’s better than referring to them as Wogs… ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/14 "2011-12-04T13:51:38Z")
Sorry? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/15 "2011-12-04T14:03:39Z")
“She kept calling them n\*\*\*\*\*\*. I told her that the West Indians are n\*\*\*\*\*\*. These are Wogs.” ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/16 "2011-12-04T14:14:34Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I don’t know. These days, the collapse of the entire UK economy before about 4pm does seem quite plausible. > > All of which is just my excuse for getting into this thread so that I can assert once again that “The Germans” is not in fact the best episode of Fawlty Towers. The best episode is “Communication Problems”, the one with the scene about what the old lady expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window. That is a damn good line. “Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain?” Not quite “Yes you did - you invaded Poland!” but it’s close. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/17 "2011-12-04T15:05:48Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > That is a damn good line. “Well may I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House perhaps? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically across the plain?” > > Not quite “Yes you did - you invaded Poland!” but it’s close. Both great eps, IMO. The scene when the old lady is trying to find out Fawlty’s name from Manuel is classic “Who’s on first?” material. > [@](#): > > Mrs. Richards: [to Manuel] Now, listen to me. I have reserved a very quiet room with a bath and a sea view. I specifically asked for a sea view in my written confirmation, so please make sure I have it. > Manuel: Que? > Mrs. Richards: Kay? > Manuel: Si. > Mrs. Richards: Sea? Kay, sea? What are you trying to say? > Manuel: No, no, no. Que… what. > Mrs. Richards: Kay Watt? > Manuel: Si, que what. > Mrs. Richards: C.K. Watt? > Manuel: Yes! > Mrs. Richards: Is he the manager, Mr. Watt? > Manuel: Oh, manajer! > Mrs. Richards: He is? > Manuel: Ah, Mister Fawlty! > Mrs. Richards: What? > Manuel: Fawlty! > Mrs. Richards: What are you talking about, you silly little man? > [to Polly] > Mrs. Richards: What is going on here? I asked him for my room and he tells me that the manager is a Mr. Watt, aged forty. > Manuel: No, no, FAWLTY! > Mrs. Richards: He’s faulty? What’s wrong with him? > Polly: It’s all right, Mrs. Richards. He’s from Barcelona. > Mrs. Richards: The manager’s from Barcelona? ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/18 "2011-12-04T15:22:48Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > “She kept calling them n\*\*\*\*\*\*. I told her that the West Indians are n\*\*\*\*\*\*. These are Wogs.” Reason I asked is because my PBS station happened to show that episode last night, and I was glad that they didn’t give in to political correctness bullshit and left the above lines unedited… ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/19 "2011-12-04T15:24:58Z")
The [ground in question](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oval)is in South London. It traditionally hosts the last International Match of the season, and getting tickets for that is quite difficult. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000/20 "2011-12-04T19:29:25Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > All of which is just my excuse for getting into this thread so that I can assert once again that “The Germans” is not in fact the best episode of Fawlty Towers. The best episode is “Communication Problems”, the one with the scene about what the old lady expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window. The scene where Basil and (inadvertently) Sybil are miming a conversation to make Mrs. Richards think her hearing aid isn’t working–and then shouting into it–is possibly the funniest single bit in the series, but “The Germans” is still the funniest whole episode, IMO. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fawlty-towers-ep-the-germans-took-her-to-see-india/605000.md?page=2)