# John Cleese to revive "Fawlty Towers" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [February 7, 2023, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455 "2023-02-07T22:48:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/1 "2023-02-07T22:48:19Z")
Here: [https://www.indiewire.com/2023/02/fawlty-towers-revival-john-cleese-1234807454/](https://www.indiewire.com/2023/02/fawlty-towers-revival-john-cleese-1234807454/) For those who don’t want to click: > One of the most acclaimed comedy series of all time is returning to TV more than four decades later. “[Fawlty Towers](https://www.indiewire.com/t/fawlty-towers/),” the beloved British sitcom starring [John Cleese](https://www.indiewire.com/t/john-cleese/), is getting a revival, with the “Monty Python” star set to return. > The show is being developed at Castle Rock Entertainment, with Matthew George, Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner, and Derrick Rossi executive producing for the studio. Cleese will write and star in the revival with his daughter, Camilla Cleese. Cleese is coming back as Basil, with his real-life daughter Camille Cleese to play Basil’s “newly discovered daughter”. No indication of where, when or how it will appear (network? streaming? 🤷) One reason to worry: > It’s unlikely the rest of the original series cast will return; Sachs died in 2016, Scales retired in 2020 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and Booth quit acting in the ’90s. In addition to Booth not returning as Polly, she was also then-husband Cleese’s writing partner on all 12 original episodes. Will a new writer be able to recapture the magic? I’m cautiously optimistic, as I felt the second series was even better than the first. 3 of my top 4 episodes were from the second season (“The Psychiatrists”, “The Kipper and the Corpse” and “Basil the Rat”, with “The Germans” sliding in at #3). On the other hand, it’s been over 40 years since the last series and so many of the ingredients will be missing this time around. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/2 "2023-02-07T22:57:44Z")
I can hardly wait. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/3 "2023-02-07T22:58:17Z")
Replacing Polly with Basil’s (but I assume not Polly’s) daughter seems oddly similar to replacing Harry with his daughter on Night Court. But hopefully it’ll be good. Maybe she’ll be just as good as Polly. Or maybe Basil will be the straight man in his old age and leave the chaos to her. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/4 "2023-02-07T23:01:10Z")
There’s a thousand ways this could go bad. Basil was only 1/4 of the formula that made that show work. It’s like Paul McCartney decided to do a Beatles reunion…without Ringo. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/5 "2023-02-07T23:02:04Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > One reason to worry: > > > It’s unlikely the rest of the original series cast will return; Sachs died in 2016, Scales retired in 2020 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and Booth quit acting in the ’90s. Besides Cleese himself, all of those characters were so good as to be irreplaceable. Andrew Sachs was my particular favourite. Anyway, the odd thing about this is that Cleese once said that the second series was harder to do than the first and much less fun, because instead of just feeling that they were doing the show for laughs, everyone was working hard to try to maintain the standard of the first series. Cleese also said that the reason they didn’t do more was that they felt it would be impossible to maintain the high standards for yet a third season. I can see that; personally, I think _Fawlty Towers_ was the best TV sitcom ever made anywhere. I wish I could be cautiously optimistic about this, but I’m not. I’m more perplexed that Cleese is doing it, especially without any of the original cast. I wonder how much of this might just be due to Cleese’s rumoured financial troubles, much of it stemming from the divorce settlement with Alyce Eichelberger. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/6 "2023-02-07T23:03:23Z")
How are Cleese’s memories of [the barmy real life hotel owner?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sinclair_(hotel_owner)) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/7 "2023-02-07T23:29:08Z")
OMG I am both excited as all get out and terrified. Please let this be good. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/8 "2023-02-08T00:33:06Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > In addition to Booth not returning as Polly, she was also then-husband Cleese’s writing partner on all 12 original episodes. Will a new writer be able to recapture the magic? _Many_ shows have been rebooted or revived in recent years but very few have managed to recapture the magic of the original. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/9 "2023-02-08T01:00:42Z")
A great show. I expect it will be a challenge to maintain standards. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/10 "2023-02-08T01:01:52Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Replacing Polly with Basil’s (but I assume not Polly’s) daughter seems oddly similar to replacing Harry with his daughter on Night Court. I wonder if Cleese was inspired by Gemma Aterton’s cameo as grown-up Baby Jessica on the “Some Mother Do ‘Ave ‘Em” Sport Relief Special. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/11 "2023-02-08T01:14:08Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Replacing Polly with Basil’s (but I assume not Polly’s) daughter seems oddly similar to replacing Harry with his daughter on Night Court. I actually hadn’t realized John Cleese has two adult daughters by different marriages. I initially thought this was going to be Connie Booth’s daughter Cynthia (which would make some familial sense), who I knew from small roles with her father in A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures and who is now in her early 50’s. But it’s actually Cynthia’s much younger half-sister Camilla who is in her late 30’s. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/12 "2023-02-08T01:20:32Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > _Many_ shows have been rebooted or revived in recent years but very few have managed to recapture the magic of the original. Does anyone remember the American remake about 20 years ago? It starred John Laroquette and lasted about two episodes before getting cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/13 "2023-02-08T01:35:39Z")
No, but I remember the American remake from about 40 years ago that starred Bea Arthur and lasted about 10 episodes before getting cancelled. I think I watched one and decided to pass. It seemed like they tried to combine Basil and Sybil into Bea Arthur’s character and it didn’t work at all. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/14 "2023-02-08T02:08:51Z")
Here it is. Apparently it lasted for eight episodes. > **[Payne (TV series)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payne_(TV_series))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > > Payne is a 1999 American sitcom adapted from the 1970s British television comedy Fawlty Towers. This adaptation, which was a mid-season replacement on CBS, originally aired from March 15 to April 28, 1999. It costars John Larroquette, who was also an executive producer for the series, and JoBeth Williams. Featured too as regular supporting characters are Julie Benz and Rick Batalla. Despite receiving the blessing of John Cleese, who reportedly a... There was also apparently another American version starring Harvey Korman that only got a pilot episode that never aired. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/15 "2023-02-08T02:41:23Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > > [@Joey\_P](#): > > > > Replacing Polly with Basil’s (but I assume not Polly’s) daughter seems oddly similar to replacing Harry with his daughter on Night Court. > > I actually hadn’t realized John Cleese has two adult daughters by different marriages. I initially thought this was going to be Connie Booth’s daughter Cynthia (which would make some familial sense), who I knew from small roles with her father in A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures and who is now in her early 50’s. But it’s actually Cynthia’s much younger half-sister Camilla who is in her late 30’s. Camilla is a stand up comic and has been touring with her father the last few years. It makes sense that they are working together. She’s 6’1” and was raised in America so she has an American accent. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/16 "2023-02-08T03:27:10Z")
I hope Basil has an age-appropriate wife in the reboot. All that coming after Sybil left him for the guy with gold chains. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/17 "2023-02-08T03:54:17Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Does anyone remember the American remake about 20 years ago? “Ahem…” _Stands up straight and proud_ “I know nothing.” ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/18 "2023-02-08T07:36:00Z")
Que?? ---
**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:** [February 8, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/19 "2023-02-08T12:30:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Here it is. Apparently it lasted for eight episodes. > > [Payne (TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payne_(TV_series)) I watched it and honestly, a couple scripts weren’t to bad imitations of Fawlty Towers, but the show is more than its scripts. It was just stiff and unfunny. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455/20 "2023-02-08T13:07:36Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I can see that; personally, I think _Fawlty Towers_ was the best TV sitcom ever made anywhere. Wait a minute. Wait a darn tootin’ minute! You are obviously forgetting about the unforgettable _My Mother the Car_! 👉🏽 🏆 _Fawlty Towers_ is on my top-10 favorite sit-com list, but my #1 slot goes to _Curb Your Enthusiasm._ I’m cautiously optimistic the new FT recaptures the original’s magic. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-cleese-to-revive-fawlty-towers/979455.md?page=2)