Fawlty Towers is arguably one of the greatest, most influential and funniest sitcoms in the history of television. Frequently referenced and imitated and remade several times, it is therefore shocking to realize, as in the case of The Honeymooners before it, so very few episodes of this groundbreaking series were ever filmed. In the case of Fawlty Towers, only twelve episodes in two six-episode seasons exist.
The brainchild of Monty Python member John Cleese and his then-wife Connie Booth, the show revolves around Basil Fawlty, the snooty, niggardly, short-tempered manager of a small hotel in England. Although Basil heaps abuse upon the beleaguered Spanish waiter Manuel, the artsy waitress Polly and his guests, he lives in abject fear of his wife Sybil. Many episodes involve Basil concocting some scheme to improve the hotel's clientele, or eject a guest whom he considers "riff raff," or save a buck by cutting corners, then working furiously to appease or hide his scheme from his wife.
Cast
Seasons
| Season
|
Premiere
|
Finale
|
|
|
|
#
|
| BBC Two
|
| Season One
|
September 19, 1975
|
October 24, 1975
|
|
|
|
6
|
| Season Two
|
February 19, 1979
|
October 25, 1979
|
|
|
|
6
|
In-Depth
- At a Glance: Additional information about the series
- History: Historical background on the series
DVD Releases
External Sites
