Fawlty Towers is my favourite comedy and one of favourites in our home and also with most of my friends and family. It originally aired on BBC 1 in the 1970s
It is a comedy made at the height of comedy in the 70s and is about a hotel - "Fawlty Towers" in Torquay. It is probably one of the best known and most loved British comedy and although there were only ever two series they are forever being shown on channels such as UKTV gold - and with there being this boxset available you will never forget this great programme. I am forever watching the episodes over and over again despite knowing most of the words - they are just so funny and enjoyable to watch.

How it all started:

The series was written partly by John Cleese who came up with the idea when he was staying at a hotel in Torquay named the Gleneagles. He was there along with the rest of the Monty Python team and the owner of the hotel called Donald was extremely stressful and they encountered many rather shall we say amusing moments for example with a bus time table being thrown at the guests. The idea of the Fawlty Towers series just spawned from that hotel visit!

What's it all about:

The series is simply about the day to day life of the Fawlty Towers Hotel in Torquay on the English Riviera. There is Basil Fawlty (played by John Cleese who is perfectly suited for this part) as the owner and manager of the hotel. He spends most of his time just getting angry at the guests and throttling or hitting Manuel with whatever he can find be it a saucepan or a kipper. Manuel of course is the waiter from Barcelona who speaks little English and is constantly getting things wrong. Polly the assistant in the hotel is left to making people's stay as pleasant as possible whilst Sibil (Basil's wife) is left to pick up all the pieces.
There are throughout the two series a range of different guests from hotel inspectors to Germans. There are also a few p[permanent guests including Major - an old war veteran and a pair of old ladies who are always very happy and upbeat.

Cast:

The regulars:
John Cleese - Basil Fawlty
Prunella Scales - Sybil Fawlty
Connie Booth - Polly
Andrew Sachs - Manuel

Others include:
Brian Hall - Terry The chef
Ballard Berkerley - Major Gowen

Series 1: (1975)

- A touch of class:
In this the first episode of the series there is an arrival of what appears to be someone of aristocracy but is actually a con artist and hands a case full of valuables which are actually bricks! Basil of course treats him with nobility and talks about other guests being "riff-raff" and is a bit embarrassed when the common man talks to Manuel in perfect Spanish. Eventually they discover they have been tricked, but Basil can't face up to it and checks the bricks as much as he can for anything.
Best bit: Where Basil says to Manuel "There is too much butter on those trays" and Manuel replies "No senor - uno, dos, tres"
Rating: 4/5

- The builders:
In this episode Basil and Sibil are away for the weekend and he has organised O'Reilly to do the building work very cheaply, but Sibil thinks it is being done properly. Of course it all goes terribly wrong with the door being put in the wrong place and likely to collapse at any moment. There is also an incident with Manuel in charge and a garden gnome which he tries to book into a room. The episode ends with Basil leaving the hotel eager to stuff the gnome into O'Reilly's head and then escape to Canada!
Rating 3/5

- The wedding Party:
In this episode there is a group of couples from a wedding party and Basil is not very keen on what is going on and tends to be extremely rude to the guests. The episode also reveals the sleeping arrangements of Basil and Sibil in separate beds. Basil also ends up hitting Manuel round the head with a frying pan in this episode!
Rating 3/5

- The Hotel Inspectors:
This episode does as you can probably guess involve a hotel inspector; however Basil doesn't get it quite right. He at first is extremely rude towards one of the guests and gets very annoyed with all his requests and tells him to "talk properly". He then thinks he is the hotel inspector and is very apologetic and tries to redeem whatever he can. He then discovers right at the end that he is not actually a hotel inspector and applies a custard pie to his face and groin and pours milk in his briefcase just as the real inspectors walk in and witness everything. He boots the man out of the door and turns to the others and says "And what can I do for you three gentlemen?" and then he screams!
Rating: 4.5/5

- Gourmet Night:
There is a special gourmet night at Fawlty Towers and most of Torquay is out to see it, but unfortunately the chef is drunk and Basil is in charge. He has to race out in his car to find a replacement main course of duck! He has a struggle getting it with his car breaking down and him beating it with a stick. He gets back and opens the tray to reveal not duck but a trifle and he quickly searches in it and finds nothing and the episode finishes on "Duck's off. Sorry"
Rating: 4/5

- The Germans:
Definitely save the best till last with my favourite episode of this series in which a group of Germans come to stay at the hotel. Sibil is at the hotel being treated for an in growing toenail, leaving Basil in charge having to put up a Moose's head and have a fire drill. He is constantly called by Sibil and told to do something he is already doing! The fire drill goes very wrong with a confusion over aslarms and everyone not doing what he says - and then there is a real fire in the kitchen and Manuel is pushed into it - Basil goes mad shouting "FIRE!" and the Moose's head hits him on the head and he ends up in hospital. He quickly returns to find the Germans have arrived and he causes more problems by talking about the war and results on one of young Germans to start crying.
Best bit: When Basil makes the girl cry and he then says "You started it you invaded Poland!"
He then says to the other staff "Don't mention the war, I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it!"
Rating 5/5

Series 2: (1979)

- Communication Problems:
My favourite episode by far with Mrs Richards visiting as well as Basil making a secret bet on the horses without Sibil knowing. Basil makes a bet on the horses but to hide the money it is given to Polly then to Major - who forgets he has it. Manuel also refuses to say anything as he says "I know nothing" and is told not to say anything by Basil. Sibil is then persuaded that Polly won the money on that horse called "Dragonfly". Mrs Richards is also visiting at the same time and is very hard competition for Basil and complains about everything: "I asked for a room with a view" but Basil comes back with what did you expect "the hanging gardens of Babylon". She also complains about the bath being too small. There is also the problem with her hearing aid not working because it is tuned off as it may "run the batteries down". But Basil plays on this and speaks quietly then shouts really loud and she bangs her head. He then picks something up and says "is this a piece of your brain?"
The episode ends with her having lost some money and his winnings from the horses is given to her - but she is "ten pound short" and he shakes the till out and goes mad. He is then given her lost money and for the first time in his life he is winning! But then he drops the vase and screams when Sibil finds out he was betting and he loses all the money!
Rating: 5/5

- The Psychiatrist:
The episode starts with two doctors coming in and he gets confused as to who is a doctor. There is then of course the psychiatrist and Basil is constantly under the impression he is being tested and when he joins in a discussion about holidays he thinks it is about sex and answers that he goes on holiday "2 to 3 times a week". There is also a young guy staying in the hotel who smuggles a girl into the room. Basil won't allow this and does all he can to stop it including going into other rooms and listening through the wall and peering through the windows after climbing up a ladder which he subsequently falls off. The psychiatrist ends by remarking that there is enough material here for an entire conference.
Rating: 4/5

- Waldorf Salad:
In this one some Americans come to stay and arrive late after the Chef has left but they still want some food. There is also one point when they order a Waldorf salad and Basil is cooking and claims that they are out of waldorfs - even though there is no such thing! Basil even pretends there is a chef and has an invisible fight whilst Sibil walks out with the salad. The American guy, Mr Hamilton finally walks in and catches Basil shouting at the invisible chef!
Best Bit: When everyone is in the lobby and Basil is being shouted at and he then declares he goes or they go. He is sent out but then immediately marches back in demanding a romm with breakfast in bed and a waldorf salad!
Rating 3.5/5

- The Kipper and the corpse:
In this episode they have a guest to stay who is feeling ill and asks for breakfast in bed. He dies in the night but Basil is unaware and takes the breakfast up along with the old kippers and talks to the man and thinks nothing of it. It is not until Polly comes in that she realises he is dead. Basil assumes it was the old kippers that killed him and quickly throws one out of the window and puts the other up his shirt - especially as there is a doctor who comes in and he doesn't want to be blamed. He is overjoyed when he finds out he died in the night and he can't be blamed (though everyone else finds this a bit strange). The man is then put in the laundry basket to be taken away and on the way downstairs it scare the two old ladies. At the end of the episode Manuel is hit round the head with a frying pan and out in a basket and Basil also jumps in as he can no longer cope!
Rating: 4.5/5

- The Anniversary:
It is of course Basil and Sibil's wedding anniversary and Basil has organised as surprise party with loads of guests. However Sibil assumes he has forgotten like the last time so she disappears to the golf course for the day. Basil is now stuck with loads of guests and no Sibil, so Polly dresses up as Sibil and pretends she is really ill in bed. He just makes the problems worse and worse encouraging guests she is really ill. The real Sibil then appears and he forces her to leave again as they can't both be seen or he would look stupid. He ends up ruining their wedding anniversary despite having good intentions!

- Basil The rat:
Manuel has bought what he thinks to be a Siberian hamster from the local pet shop, but it is actually a rat. It is kept in a cage but unfortunately manages to escape and is running loose around the hotel at the same time of the hotel inspector arriving. The inspector eats in the restaurant and orders veal, which is off as it is covered in rat poison. It is even more amusing the fact that the rat is called Basil and Manuel sits there a clasps his hands and shouts "Basil!" trying to find the rat. It ends with the inspector seeing the rat and Basil being dragged off by Manuel - after having gone mad again!
Rating: 4/5

The boxset comes with three discs the first two being with the two series each on separate discs. The DVD boxset as well as including all the episodes in the two series also comes with some special features which are all on the third disc:
• Exclusive interview with John Cleese
• Exclusive interview with Prunella Scales
• Exclusive interview with Andrew Sachs
• Artist Profiles
• Out-takes
• Torquay tourist guide - a short documentary film
The boxset also comes with a booklet with a list and short description of each episode and some other information about the series.

Technical Details:
Catalogue Number: BBCDVD1072, DVD Region 2 coding in PAL format, Subtitles (other than English): French, German and Dutch, Picture Format 4:3, DVD release date: 19 November 2001. Rated PG (Parental Guidance)
Price: £22.99 - a super price for the whole series!

Conclusion:
This is a great British comedy which can be described as being short and sweet and has not been overdone. It is a shame of course that there aren't any more episodes of superb comedy from John Cleese. The boxset also includes every episode as well as some great features and is certainly worth buying for any Fawlty Towers fan so you can watch those great episodes over and over again!
Of course if you really enjoy watching these and seeing John Cleese in particular it would be worth watching some of his other films and series such as Monty Python and the films.