Fawlty Towers Review: Twelve Perfect Episodes
9.5/10 — Fawlty Towers (1975)
Pros
- Cleese's frantic performance
- Perfectly constructed farce
- Classic episodes
Cons
- Some dated humour
Basil Fawlty, a rude, snobbish hotel manager in Torquay, struggles with his formidable wife Sybil, a chaotic Spanish waiter named Manuel and a stream of guests. Only twelve episodes were made.
What works
Cleese’s physical comedy and increasingly frantic rage are brilliant, and the farce is perfectly constructed. Episodes like ‘The Germans’ and ‘Communication Problems’ are among the funniest ever made.
Where it falters
Some jokes, particularly regarding race and nationality, have aged badly, and Manuel’s treatment is uncomfortable.
Verdict
Timeless, sharply written farce with a few uncomfortable moments.
