“He’s from Barcelona”.. Fawlty Towers - rate the episodes or discuss

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  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    edited June 2020 Posts: 45,489
    When statues in the Middle East or in eastern Europe went down before, many people here in the west cheered. Some of the same people are moaning now that statues are taken down here. They must have taken the Hypocritic oath.

    I realize this has little to do with Fawlty Towers, but just wanted to chime in.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Yeah, I tend to think if they already changed the name of the country he gave his name to, it's fine to take a statue of Rhodes down.
  • edited June 2020 Posts: 322
    Any news on statues of Ghandi being pulled down? After all, he was a racist, and potential incestuous sex offender

    And what about Bomber Harris. Responsible for burning alive thousands of women and children civilians. He was considered dodgy even by his contemporaries, who refused to honour him with a statue.

    And what do we do about Cromwell? He first abolished the slave trade, but was pretty unpleasant to the Irish. Although you could say he did promote and establish multi-culturism in Ireland.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited June 2020 Posts: 7,518
    Ghandi, Cromwell, Harris, Hitler; take them all down. We as a society have more important things to worry about than statues right now.

    We can worry about what statues to erect when innocent people aren’t being murdered in broad daylight by those sworn to protect them.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    Troy wrote: »
    Any news on statues of Ghandi being pulled down? After all, he was a racist, and potential incestuous sex offender

    And what about Bomber Harris. Responsible for burning alive thousands of women and children civilians. He was considered dodgy even by his contemporaries, who refused to honour him with a statue.

    And what do we do about Cromwell? He first abolished the slave trade, but was pretty unpleasant to the Irish. Although you could say he did promote and establish multi-culturism in Ireland.

    If it offends you, start a campaign, get people talking about it. If it doesn’t, ‘whataboutism’ isn’t helpful to anything.
  • Posts: 322
    If you are going to convince the majority of society to support radical actions, such as defacing / removing Churchill’s statue, then there has to be logic. If it’s just random action, then there is no message, other than vandalism.

    If people suspect symbols of their national identity are being attacked, without a compelling logic, then there will be pushback, and will sow division. And that is not the way to change hearts and minds.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited June 2020 Posts: 14,861
    Troy wrote: »
    If you are going to convince the majority of society to support radical actions, such as defacing / removing Churchill’s statue, then there has to be logic. If it’s just random action, then there is no message, other than vandalism.

    i agree it was a bad move because folks like you are still hung up on that one bit of graffiti in a statue (which gets graffitied all the time), and aren’t interested in the actual massive human rights issues being drawn attention to. Eliot Carver has done his work.
  • Posts: 322
    mtm wrote: »
    Troy wrote: »
    If you are going to convince the majority of society to support radical actions, such as defacing / removing Churchill’s statue, then there has to be logic. If it’s just random action, then there is no message, other than vandalism.

    i agree it was a bad move because folks like you are still hung up on that one bit of graffiti in a statue (which gets graffitied all the time), and aren’t interested in the actual massive human rights issues being drawn attention to. Eliot Carver has done his work.

    Wow, I wish I was like you, you’re so great
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,449
    It's okay to have a debate, just don't get personal, gents. Thank you.
  • RedNineRedNine Poland
    Posts: 71
    Ghandi, Cromwell, Harris, Hitler; take them all down. We as a society have more important things to worry about than statues right now.

    We can worry about what statues to erect when innocent people aren’t being murdered in broad daylight by those sworn to protect them.

    Unless it's sarcasm that I missed what you are saying is "we have more important stuff to deal with than statutes so instead of leaving statues alone and focusing on those more important issues lets spend our time tearing those statues down so we don't have to talk about them"
  • ThunderfingerThunderfinger Das Boot Hill
    Posts: 45,489
    Over the last three years, the price of a black slave in Libya has gone down from 500 dollars to just 200 dollars. During the Ghadaffi reign, you couldn t get any at all. Things just get better and better there lately.
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    edited June 2020 Posts: 7,518
    RedNine wrote: »
    Ghandi, Cromwell, Harris, Hitler; take them all down. We as a society have more important things to worry about than statues right now.

    We can worry about what statues to erect when innocent people aren’t being murdered in broad daylight by those sworn to protect them.

    Unless it's sarcasm that I missed what you are saying is "we have more important stuff to deal with than statutes so instead of leaving statues alone and focusing on those more important issues lets spend our time tearing those statues down so we don't have to talk about them"

    I don’t know if it was sarcasm as much, but yes, basically my point is leave statues alone as we have more important things to worry about. Everyone’s saying “keep this one, get rid of that one, this cool guy was also sometimes mean” and it’s totally, completely distracting from what’s important. Tear them all down just meant, the nuances of which ones we should keep up and why are an issue for another time.

    No, I suppose I don’t mean “take the time to tear down every statue”, what I mean is, “any amount of time spent discussing statues is a complete waste of it.”

    But if I had to choose between “no statues at all” and “statues of Churchill, but then also statues of Robert E Lee and Hitler and the like”, I’d vote for “no statues at all”. Statues are a celebration, period. They’re not there for the “historical education factor”, that’s why we have books and libraries. Every person that deserves a statue, anyway, probably doesn’t give a shit if there’s a statue of them, because good leaders know what’s important.
  • edited June 2020 Posts: 631
    Troy wrote: »
    Any news on statues of Ghandi being pulled down? After all, he was a racist, and potential incestuous sex offender

    And what about Bomber Harris. Responsible for burning alive thousands of women and children civilians. He was considered dodgy even by his contemporaries, who refused to honour him with a statue.

    And what do we do about Cromwell? He first abolished the slave trade, but was pretty unpleasant to the Irish. Although you could say he did promote and establish multi-culturism in Ireland.

    I can’t tell if this is sarcasm?

    You are free to join or start campaigns to remove statues of all these individuals, if that is what you feel. You can also pull them down by force, if you feel very strongly, although you should be prepared to do the time if you do the crime.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou. I can still hear my old hound dog barkin'.
    Posts: 8,657
    Uh, wait...I don't remember these topics coming on in any episode of Fawlty Towers, really. Are you on the wrong thread, or am I? (Disclaimer. I have no problems discussing racism and racist history and Trump and Johnson and general politics at any time, but as a digression from talking about Fawlty Towers: The Germans, this seems to be going a bit too far for the thread topic. Just saying.)
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,518
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    Uh, wait...I don't remember these topics coming on in any episode of Fawlty Towers, really. Are you on the wrong thread, or am I? (Disclaimer. I have no problems discussing racism and racist history and Trump and Johnson and general politics at any time, but as a digression from talking about Fawlty Towers: The Germans, this seems to be going a bit too far for the thread topic. Just saying.)

    Lol you’re definitely right about that.
  • Posts: 1,637
    Louis Mahoney died (black doctor)
  • Posts: 1,637
    45 anniversary next month :D
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    edited February 2023 Posts: 40,372
    Looks like John Cleese and his daughter are teaming with Rob Reiner and Castle Rock to return to this series:

    https://deadline.com/2023/02/fawlty-towers-reboot-john-cleese-camilla-cleese-rob-reiner-castle-rock-entertainment-basil-manuel-1235252175/
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    So when it gets cancelled for being awful he can go on lots of TV shows and complain that he's being silenced :D
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,449
    They're bringing it ALL back! A sequel to That '70s Show recently, now Fawlty Towers. I want more Blackadder. ;-)
    mtm wrote: »
    So when it gets cancelled for being awful he can go on lots of TV shows and complain that he's being silenced :D

    I was under the impression that he was going to live abroad after Bregret. Has he moved yet?
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,104
    This is one show that should be left alone, those two seasons were perfect, Fawlty Towers rightfully ended at its peak.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited February 2023 Posts: 14,861
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    They're bringing it ALL back! A sequel to That '70s Show recently, now Fawlty Towers. I want more Blackadder. ;-)
    mtm wrote: »
    So when it gets cancelled for being awful he can go on lots of TV shows and complain that he's being silenced :D

    I was under the impression that he was going to live abroad after Bregret. Has he moved yet?

    Supposedly he has a show starting on the terrible GB News channel, but I’ll also believe that when it happens. He keeps announcing things which never appear.
    I’m not sure where he’s based, I think he flits between US and U.K. This Fawlty project sounds like it would be US-based, which makes it feel an even worse prospect.

    I would say Blackadder also shouldn’t happen: it would be equally tragic. The time has passed.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,882
    It would be funny to hear Basil going off on the EU.

    "Don't mention the European Union. I did it once, but I think I got away with it."

    But I don't know about this overall. Fawlty Towers is consistently held up as one of the best British sitcoms, along with Only Fools And Horses (usually they're #1 and #2). So it makes any attempt at a revival/remake/reboot, very foolhardy. Plus in order for it not to flop, it would probably have to be so sanitised as not to upset anyone. Leave it alone, is my advice.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited February 2023 Posts: 14,861
    Plus in order for it not to flop, it would probably have to be so sanitised as not to upset anyone. Leave it alone, is my advice.

    Not sure what you mean- I don't think it would require sanitising, and Fawlty Towers was hardly successful because it was a work of knowing bad taste or anything which flirted with crossing the line; it's incredibly family friendly to this day I'd say and kids love it.
  • MajorDSmytheMajorDSmythe "I tolerate this century, but I don't enjoy it."Moderator
    Posts: 13,882
    mtm wrote: »
    Plus in order for it not to flop, it would probably have to be so sanitised as not to upset anyone. Leave it alone, is my advice.

    Not sure what you mean- I don't think it would require sanitising, and Fawlty Towers was hardly successful because it was a work of knowing bad taste or anything which flirted with crossing the line; it's incredibly family friendly to this day I'd say and kids love it.

    I have seen people complain about Basils treatment of the elderly, and his treatment of Manuel.

    Also, some of The Major's language might clap some bum cheeks in 2023. Even though, like Alf Garnet, we are supposed to laugh at these characters, not with them, I think the point flies over the heads of the people complaining.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited February 2023 Posts: 14,861
    mtm wrote: »
    Plus in order for it not to flop, it would probably have to be so sanitised as not to upset anyone. Leave it alone, is my advice.

    Not sure what you mean- I don't think it would require sanitising, and Fawlty Towers was hardly successful because it was a work of knowing bad taste or anything which flirted with crossing the line; it's incredibly family friendly to this day I'd say and kids love it.

    I have seen people complain about Basils treatment of the elderly, and his treatment of Manuel.

    Also, some of The Major's language might clap some bum cheeks in 2023.

    The show wasn't built around one or two words from the Major though; I can't really understand the idea that it wouldn't be the same show without them, or feel overly 'sanitised'. Although he was a fun incidental character you could quite easily lose him completely and it would still be a fantastic show; he's barely in it.
    I'm not convinced anyone would or has lobbied for Basil to treat other people well either: that's rather the point of him.
    Even though, like Alf Garnet, we are supposed to laugh at these characters, not with them, I think the point flies over the heads of the people complaining.

    I'm not really sure what people you mean. And to be honest this is more the worry about a new Cleese show: all he talks about nowadays is how he's being silenced (ironically he says this on many different media outlets) and 'you can't say x these days', so I worry this show would be a boring diatribe about how everything is too 'woke' and these people have got it all wrong.
    Funnily enough Basil is a sort of parody of what they call 'gammon' nowadays: a rather jingoistic right wing guy with a chip on his shoulder about not being in the right class. I wonder if Cleese is capable of writing that character any more.

    At least he wouldn't be able to say boring things like 'you wouldn't be allowed to make Fawlty Towers these days' because he's trying to make Fawlty Towers these days :D
  • edited February 2023 Posts: 3,273
    It would be funny to hear Basil going off on the EU.

    "Don't mention the European Union. I did it once, but I think I got away with it."

    But I don't know about this overall. Fawlty Towers is consistently held up as one of the best British sitcoms, along with Only Fools And Horses (usually they're #1 and #2). So it makes any attempt at a revival/remake/reboot, very foolhardy. Plus in order for it not to flop, it would probably have to be so sanitised as not to upset anyone. Leave it alone, is my advice.

    This did happen with Only Fools. They should have ended it when Del and Rodney became rich. The comeback episodes when they were visibly much older and lost all their money didn't really work.

    Likewise, the same happened with Auf Pet resurrected by the BBC. They should have left that at series 1 and 2.

    Fawlty Towers is an absolute classic, and seeing a very old Basil Fawlty may not be the best thing to see. I feel it could tarnish the legacy that has been cemented for decades now. The only thing that gives me hope is that it will be written by Cleese.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou. I can still hear my old hound dog barkin'.
    Posts: 8,657
    I'm sorry, but the John Cleese of today is not the John Cleese I loved on Monty Python and Fawlty Towers and all those projects connected with both. I didn't even like him as the cartoonish "R" in TWINE and DAD, which however was not his fault (I hope). Anyway, let bygones be bygones and don't ruin the remains of a legacy.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,861
    It would be funny to hear Basil going off on the EU.

    "Don't mention the European Union. I did it once, but I think I got away with it."

    But I don't know about this overall. Fawlty Towers is consistently held up as one of the best British sitcoms, along with Only Fools And Horses (usually they're #1 and #2). So it makes any attempt at a revival/remake/reboot, very foolhardy. Plus in order for it not to flop, it would probably have to be so sanitised as not to upset anyone. Leave it alone, is my advice.

    This did happen with Only Fools. They should have ended it when Del and Rodney became rich. The comeback episodes when they were visibly much older and lost all their money didn't really work.

    Likewise, the same happened with Auf Pet resurrected by the BBC. They should have left that at series 1 and 2.

    Fawlty Towers is an absolute classic, and seeing a very old Basil Fawlty may not be the best thing to see. I feel it could tarnish the legacy that has been cemented for decades now. The only thing that gives me hope is that it will be written by Cleese.

    But not by Booth, so it will only be half of the team anyway. With a new co-writer, sure, but I'm not sure that gives me much hope.
    Arguably Only Fools shouldn't have come back for the auction/millionaire episodes too! But I rather liked the Auf Wiedersehen continuation at the time.
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    I'm sorry, but the John Cleese of today is not the John Cleese I loved on Monty Python and Fawlty Towers and all those projects connected with both. I didn't even like him as the cartoonish "R" in TWINE and DAD, which however was not his fault (I hope). Anyway, let bygones be bygones and don't ruin the remains of a legacy.

    Indeed. R was very much a 'take the money and run' performance, and revealed his attitude to his career in the last couple of decades. I'm sure he once said that puns were the worst form of comedy, so he really shouldn't have done Bond films because thats' where puns are a very rich source of gags!
  • Posts: 2,887
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    I'm sorry, but the John Cleese of today is not the John Cleese I loved on Monty Python and Fawlty Towers and all those projects connected with both. I didn't even like him as the cartoonish "R" in TWINE and DAD, which however was not his fault (I hope). Anyway, let bygones be bygones and don't ruin the remains of a legacy.

    Cleese's 2014 memoir was quite good and I've enjoyed several of his one-man stage shows. So I don't think his talent has deserted him. R in TWINE was a badly written role but I had no problem with the character in DAD.

    It's obviously dangerous to revisit a near-perfect sitcom like FT, but if Cleese and his daughter make the new show different enough to stand on its own there's a chance it might be an honorable effort. There's potential in the idea of Fawlty as a clueless old man in the world of modern hotels.
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