Let’s say there’s a Fawlty Towers Marathon. At twelve episodes at 30 minutes apiece, that’s six hours. During which episode do you fix a snack/use the bathroom/walk the dog or feed the cat?
I say the Anniversary Party one. It get mentioned a lot when the show is discussed, but I find it strangely lifeless. Basil has planned a surprise party for Sybil, but she gets mad at him and leaves. The guests come in, and Basil forces Polly to portray a sick Sybil in a dark room.
I don’t know, maybe it’s the guests. Only one, Roger, shows any personality, that of a tipsy boor, and he’s not funny. Mostly the faceless guests stand around, and the only real payoff is when Sybil comes back at the end. And it’s not much of a payoff. Basil can only usher Sybil into the kitchen pretending she’s a “woman from the North who looks like Sybil.” He locks his strangely compliant wife in a closet, and the episode ends more or less. You’re supposed to imagine the special hell that’s in for Basil when his wife gets loose. Basil: “Now for the tricky bit.”
Maybe if we had seen the tricky bit, the program might’ve been better.
Everything else was great. I think the anniversary episode is very funny, and a good example of one of the show’s basic tenets - Basil tells just one little lie…
Gourmet Night? I agree. It’s the weakest. I believe I read somewhere that John Cleese thinks that one is the best one, which really shows the difference between what a creator and his audience might think.
I believe he also lists “The Builders” as the weakest episode and I think it is fantastic. In my top 3, probably.
The Psychiatrist. Too much like a boring American sitcom. Especially with the annoying misunderstanding - Basil’s trying to catch the guy sneaking a woman into his room, but Sybil think’s he’s trying to spy on the other hot woman staying at the hotel.
And we can all agree that Basil the Rat is the finest episode, right?
The Builders is my favorite, after The Germans. Although I cannot figure out why they wanted to seal off that front sitting-room by blocking the door; there doesn’t seem to be any other way into it. And it can’t be blamed on O’Reilly.
Yeah, but Buster Keaton did it first and much better (his wife wasn’t dead – just drunk – but it’s the same idea). And the idea of the hamper/box etc. getting into Hijinks is straight out of the silent days. Comedy depends on surprise, but there’s not a thing in this episode that’s surprising.
That’s probably the one I’d skip as well. It rather complicates the character of Basil. For most of the series, he’s a giant, bumbling troll who constantly screws things up and suffers the consequences. For the anniversary party, he actually tries to do something nice for Sybil, albeit in a devious, conniving way, and it still blows up in his face. That just gives it a different vibe to the rest of the series.
I liked it, and when I recognized the actor who plays the American guest I liked it even more. Remember the Colonel in Full Metal Jacket (“Son, all I’ve ever asked of my marines is that they obey my orders as they would the word of God.”)? Same guy.
The last episode, and I contend that Basil (the tall one) dies at the end of it.
Yeah, it’s a freaking hilarious episode. Just finished rewatching it a few minutes ago. (“I’m a doctor, I need my sausages!”) One of the funniest, but nothing will ever top The Germans.
Well, could be worse. The Simpsons could’ve done it.
I’m surprised at the range of least favorites in this thread. I love Gourmet Night, so I’m with Cleese on that one. It’s not just the car scene, there’s the salad cream kid in that one too.
Mom: He’s very clever, rather highly strung.
Basil: Yes, yes he should be.
Classic farce, matched only in sitcom history by a couple of Frasier episodes.