Wednesday, 5 January 2022

Rewatchable TV January: Fawlty Towers

Thanks to covid, 2020 and 2021 was mostly a 'stay home and chill' period; I think I only racked up about a fortnight's actual work in the office since the beginning of the shutdown. So I took the time to rewatch some old favourites, some on that new-fangled streaming thingie, and some on DVD (once I'd replaced the batteries in the remote and blown the dust off the PS!). And rank them in order. 

So here's January's pick:

Just edging out 'Yes Minister' by a whisker. Mainly because, good as that was, it overstayed it's welcome, but this show will never do that, given there were only twelve episodes, which makes it very much a lightweight among this series of blogposts, as we'll learn as the year progresses. 

John Cleese has famously railed against modern wokery, and it's hard to see how a series like this one could ever be made now. So we must cherish it all the more.

And I once stayed at the hotel it was based on, the Gleneagles in Torquay, now sadly demolished!

6 comments:

microdave said...

I made two trips to the Isle Of Man during the 70's - both myself and my late father were motorcyclists, and TT week was a must. This episode was broadcast during one of those visits. Several Germans were staying in the same Guest House, and I was going to claim the TV room first, but father talked me out of it...

Bucko said...

I also watched this during lockdown. I bought the DVDs off Ebay

Scrobs. said...

Great series, and surely the BBC won't try and woke-trash it like they have 'Darling Buds'!

(They'll be a 'laughing stock' if they do - thank you Bob Monkhouse)!

Ian J said...

And it all started when Connie Booth suggested "Why don't we do something about that hotel we stayed at in Torquay" at a script meeting with JC

Great Oaks.....

Stonyground said...

Didn't you ask to reserve the BBC channel for the duration of this televisual feast?

JuliaM said...

" Several Germans were staying in the same Guest House, and I was going to claim the TV room first, but father talked me out of it..."

:D

"I bought the DVDs off Ebay"

I wonder if the Beeb will ever reshow it?

"...and surely the BBC won't try and woke-trash it like they have 'Darling Buds'!"

Isn't that ITV? No matter, they are all the same.

"And it all started when Connie Booth suggested "Why don't we do something about that hotel we stayed at in Torquay" at a script meeting with JC"

One of the better decisions ever made in comedy!