I think the real genius here is how well everything in the episode just comes together somehow. How these completely unrelated elements... An ingrowing toenail, a fire drill, a stuffed moose and the Germans arriving all manage to drive Basil into complete and total insanity by the end.
So true, one might even be forgiven for thinking many different elements were from different episodes, there are than many and so varied. Might be the most perfectly pieced together sitcom ep of all time.
Absolutely, and that's what has infuriated me before... when Connor watches things like WatchMOJO or 'the best of' compilations. He actually did the writers and programmes a disservice by 'dipping in' and NOT appreciating an episode from start to finish! Many comedy shows have a beginning, middle and then a climactic ENDING; but rely on a gradual 'build-up' which has been carefully thought out - so I'm very pleased Connor can now appreciate WHOLE episodes as intended.
Fun fact: the actor who played the doctor, Louis Mahoney, was born in The Gambia, but travelled to Britain to study medicine and train as a real doctor before getting into acting. "Don't mention the war! I did once but I think I got away with it." is a truly iconic phrase in Britain, almost everyone over a certain age has said it themselves. It may or may not be the best episode but it's certainly the most famous episode.
Must tell you when German TV bought the series they didn't want this episode because they thought it wouldn't go down well in Germany they were wrong. Some years later it was so requested they had to show it.
John Cleese tells the story that once at Munich airport waiting for his flight a German came up to him and jokingly said don’t mention the war a walked away laughing
I (German native) studied in England for a year and I had an English roommate, to this day a great friend of mine. And one day she asked me If i knew Fawlty Towers and "The Germans"...well< I didn't and we proceeded to watch that episode together, her watching my every reaction nervously, and me rolling on the.floor laughing,even more so at the end. No offense taken😂😂😂 I love this episode, it even makes me laugh more nowadays.
You have to keep in mind that is episode is from 1975 - only 30 years after WWII - , when the UK had just joined the European Economic Community ( the EEC ) - the predecessor of the EU - alongside Ireland & Denmark a couple of years earlier. This is what Basil is referring to, when he says "Well, we are all in it together now (!) - forgive and forget, eh? ", since Germany was one of the six founding members of the EEC back in the mid 50s.
this was the most brilliant episode of Fawlty Towers ever. remember this tv show was sold around the world, including Germany. funny to think its near 50 years old now. The actor who plays Manuel - ( a German born Jew whose family fled Hitler and settled in UK ) - was once asked by someone about his character. "what does it say about Spanish ppl?". the actor, Andrew Sachs , replied "haven't you watched it? Basil, the Major - what does that say about the English!!??" .. :D
Without doubt the funniest and best written single episode of any sitcom ever. Pure genius - the fact it still stands up almost 50 years later says it all.
Yes, one of the greatest episodes of any British television comedy. But you had your hand over your eyes and missed the very best moment, when Fawlty goosesteps out of the room and then turns round to march back in - watch it again!!! 8.06-8.08.
Dan C Is that the one with the, "herds of wilderbeasts", from a Torquay window? Although to be honest.It doesn't matter which one it is, I love them all.
Voted the funniest episode of Fawlty Towers. You couldn’t get away with making it now, and I believe it’s been censored when shown recently. This and Blackadder are examples of British comedy at its best.
Definitely the best episode. I remember watching this when it was first broadcast on the BBC in 1975. My reaction to the fire drill was much like yours. Just couldn't breathe. Classic.
Even though I’ve seen all Fawlty Towers many times before it’s fun to watch them again with you. In the second series an American visits…you’ll like that one!
This series was sold to 45 stations in 17 countries around the world to great acclaim. The only country that complained for racist reasons about it was Spain who insisted that the waiter was dubbed into being an Italian & in the Catalan region where Manuel was a Mexican. Originally, the BBC did not send this episode to a German network but, as it had paid for a whole series, asked the BBC to send it over. It’s one of the most popular episodes in Germany.
Great reaction to a great episode, there is so much in these episodes, enough content for three to be honest. There are only 12, but for value it's more like 30. Ballard Berkley was great as the major, He had a 60 year career, he was a leading man back in the 30s and 40s, worked with Hitchcock and Noel Coward,. This show gave his career a boost, and kept him working right up to his death in 1988, in his mid eighties. You really get to see into the head of the Major in this one, they loved writing for him, and his role expanded as it went on.
Highlights the British insecurity and fear of embarrassment beautifully! "Stop talking about the war" "You started it!" "no we didn't!" "yes you did.... you invaded Poland!" Comedy writing genius. 😂
They cut out the major's scene where he uses the N word when they show it on TV now. They shouldn't really as it's showing the attitude of a fossil from the empire.
But the attitude that it's showing is not understandable today. In his day -- even when the episode was produced -- the word didn't have the American sense that it does today. A modern viewer will take something very different, and not at all intended, from it.
Fun fact: When FT was "first" (?) shown on German TV, Basil's amazing goose stepping had act. been cut out 😉 ( I watched it via our back then new cable TV here in neighbouring Denmark ). Basil was right - zese Jurmans hafe abzolutelie no zenze of humor 😂
No, it's either Communication Problems or The Kipper and the Corpse. Trying to summarise the ins and outs of those plots (especially the first one with the horse bet and the vase) would tie your brain in knots.
All the German stuff were jokes that despite being hilarious would come across as very mean spirited from Basil, so Basil had to have had concussion to get away with it. Like for example, when he was in bed and was rude to the nurse, it establishes he's not doing it out of genuine malice he's just lost his mind lol It's so brilliantly written this show and every setup and pay off is crafted to perfection.
"You started it!" "We most certainly did not!" "Yes you did! You invaded Poland!" Definitely the funniest episode of the series. The one with the rat is a close second.
This episode is comedy gold. The fire drill scene is worth of an award by itself. The comedy timing is perfect and the energy level grows and grows to manic proportions. Superb stuff and your reactions are priceless, particularly during the Major's cricket story 😂😂😂
I just finished binge-watching the whole first season with you. It was hilarious. It really may be the very best comedy show Britain has given us. You are always such good company, and you usually do pick out wonderful stuff. I love coming here. I had already subscribed, but somehow the notification bell didn't get turned on. I've fixed that now, so I'll get to see you more often.
probably the most classic line in the whole series, will you stop talking aboutthe war me, you started it, we did not start it, yes you did, you invaded Poland
Great to see your reactions to Fawlty Towers. Looking forward to more Blackadder. Feel free to skip the rest of season 1, not many Blackadder fans will blame you for that.
Fun fact, the major is correct, west Indians are #######, and Indians are ####. The group of Indians with that name use to sell a local product to British troops serving in India and the product was called golly. Put the product with the people's name and you have a certain doll on jam jars.
Germans loved this episode. They got it. They were also the first to try making their own German-language version of Fawlty Towers, which I've never seen but John Cleese liked. The US tried more than once, but never got it right (one version weirdly removed Sybil altogether and replaced Basil with Bea Arthur).
Everyone gets the German bits. Well almost everyone, there’s a few nut cases out there but it’s pretty clear that they are the normal people in the episode.
The key thing about Basil Fawlty is that he could be a real monster - but because he is given boundaries by being terrified of his wife , he is therefore comedic.
Twenty years ago I was teaching an IB class and I showed them this. There were four Germans in the class and three of them were in stitches. The fourth was offended, not because he was German, but because he was an early disciple of political correctness.
I figured that, while the multiple terms that had been bandied around in the early 20th century are dreadful, they vary in terms of how bad a slur they are. From ne***o to col****d to n****r to mon*** to w**.
This and Gourmet night were my two favourites. I can still remember watching these when they first came out. And apart from the racist element they are still just as funny.
