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FAWLTY TOWERS
Screenshots by Sameet Dhillon/Gavel Media When recommending the hilarious British sitcom Fawlty Towers to friends, I usually expect one of the following responses: 1) What the #$*! is that? 2) I think my dad likes that show. 3) Isn’t that mentioned in The Office bloopers or something? (Jim says, “That was like Fawlty Towers funny.”) 4) What the #$*! is that?
and racist comments. I like to think of him as the original, British “Michael Scott” (I promise that’s the last Office reference).
The first time someone recommended Fawlty Towers to me, my response was something along the lines of #3. As someone with an unhealthy obsession with The Office, I had heard of Fawlty Towers and numerous people have compared the humor of the two shows. Thus, I was intrigued and immediately started watching when I found it, conveniently, on Netflix!
However, Basil and Sybil don’t create this wonderfully offensive and humorous environment alone. They have the help of the unusual hotel staff. My personal favorite character is Manuel, the Spanish waiter. His main purpose in the series is aggravating Basil until he erupts into a fit of frustration. I love watching the two interact. Manuel constantly tries to speak English (and usually ends up saying something offensive) while Basil tries to speak Spanish and makes absolutely no sense at all. Their interactions always result in some sort of hysterical confusion.
Fawlty Towers, a British sitcom produced by BBC, first aired in 1975. Yes, it may seem ancient, but the jokes are timeless. The series is set in a fictional hotel called “Fawlty Towers,” run by the neurotic Basil Fawlty and his exceedingly calm and domineering wife, Sybil Fawlty. Most episodes of the show revolve around the misunderstandings and mishaps of the irrational Basil. He continues to offend and harass the guests (and his wife) through his series of ridiculous claims
For example, in one episode Basil tries to tell Manuel that there is “too much butter on those trays.” In response, Manuel tries to give him a Spanish lesson by saying, “No sir, not on, dos, tres. No sir, uno, dos, tres!” Watch it and there’s no way you won’t laugh. Also, if you watch the entire series (which you will) you will notice that, at a certain point, each character tries to explain Manuel’s absurdity with the excuse that, “he is from Barcelona.”
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By Sameet Dhillon / Culture Editor Then there are more minor characters like the hotel receptionist Polly, the senile war veteran Major, and two old ladies who always try to flirt with Basil, much to his disgust. This series consists of solely two seasons, with a total of 12 episodes. Each episode presents something completely unique. And that’s why I think it is crucial for you to watch EVERY single episode. In less than 12 hours, you will experience life-changing amounts of hilarity. But, if you’re being choosy, a mustwatch episode is “The Wedding Party.” Basically, Basil gets into a series of silly misunderstandings while trying to avoid the advances of a wealthy French woman, and observing a flirtatious couple getting physical under his watch. The sexually charged atmosphere of the hotel gets to Basil, and one of the (many) high points in the episode is when he accidentally answers the phone with the greeting, “Fawlty Titties”. Fawlty Towers presents the perfect blend of sarcasm, physical comedy, and that indescribable British wit. You’d be at fawlt if you didn’t start watching immediately. 33