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Original poster

Fawlty Towers to return with John Clees

56 replies

cakeorwine · 08/02/2023 07:19

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64563839

John Cleese, who played Basil Fawlty, will be returning to write and star alongside his daughter Camilla Cleese.
The new series will explore how the dramatic and cynical Basil navigates the modern world.
Castle Rock Entertainment announced on Tuesday it had closed a deal with Cleese to bring back the television series.
The revival will also see Basil and a daughter he has just discovered is his, team up to run a boutique hotel.

Interesting to see how it is - I can see lots of potential targets for him, lots of misunderstandings..and maybe a potential audience.

The original was a classic - maybe classics should be left alone.

I wonder who the target audience will be - and who we are supposed to feel sympathy with?

Will he have issues with gay couples, trans people, bureaucracy, taxes? Will there be potential racism? Xenophobia?

I am sure there are a lot of potential plot lines.

OP posts:
Original poster
cakeorwine · 08/02/2023 07:27

Well - apparently Piers Morgan thinks it's a bad idea, so now I'm conflicted....

OP posts:
Tigresswoods · 08/02/2023 07:30

Feeling very conflicted about this. Cleese has been very open about his need to earn money & this is another way he can & will do so.

PuttingDownRoots · 08/02/2023 07:32

My initial thought was how it would work in the modern world without accusations of discrimination. Although the original series was much about him trying to keep up appearances rather than bigotry.

Sometimes things are better left in the past.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

TV
squashyhat · 08/02/2023 07:32

Mistake. It was very much of it's time.

pissssedofff · 08/02/2023 07:34

UK always looking back... he is 83yo.

Original poster
cakeorwine · 08/02/2023 07:35

PuttingDownRoots · 08/02/2023 07:32

My initial thought was how it would work in the modern world without accusations of discrimination. Although the original series was much about him trying to keep up appearances rather than bigotry.

Sometimes things are better left in the past.

I remember Alf Garnett in Till death us do part, and Rigsby in Rising Damp. I think Rigsby is a more similar character where they are trying to keep up appearances despite their particular views.

But that was the 60s and the 70s

OP posts:
Candleabra · 08/02/2023 07:38

Why does John Cleese need to make more money? Has he lost it in bad investments? Or in divorce settlements?

ChampagneCommunist · 08/02/2023 07:40

Candleabra · 08/02/2023 07:38

Why does John Cleese need to make more money? Has he lost it in bad investments? Or in divorce settlements?

Lots of divorces I think. He's always complaining bout his "crazy ex's"

RocketIceLollie · 08/02/2023 07:43

Comedies are pretty much a thing of the past sadly. Comedies today have to tip toe around not offending anyone that we now end up with sterile rubbish like Mrs Browns Boys and Not Going Out.

Mabelface · 08/02/2023 07:45

Obviously GB news aren't paying him enough. 🙄 Awful man now.

Emmamoo89 · 08/02/2023 07:47

Loved faulty towers. I'd watch it

Notonthestairs · 08/02/2023 07:47

RocketIceLollie · 08/02/2023 07:43

Comedies are pretty much a thing of the past sadly. Comedies today have to tip toe around not offending anyone that we now end up with sterile rubbish like Mrs Browns Boys and Not Going Out.

I disagree. I've enjoyed Ghosts, Motherland, Catastrophe, Superstore, Schitts Creek etc.

I haven't seen Ted Lasso but hear it's great.

Notonthestairs · 08/02/2023 07:48

And I forgot the brilliant Derry Girls.

Tamarindtree · 08/02/2023 07:52

Sadly he will be obliged to make it woke and politically correct which will
makw it completely unfunny.

BillyNighysWife · 08/02/2023 07:52

@RocketIceLollie

It is such a silly thing to say that comedies are a thing of the past, and so obviously untrue.

My favourite TV comedies are very recent, like Motherland and The Windsors. Neither of these are bland.

I never liked Fawlty Towers or any of those ‘classic’ TV comedies. I think we have a nostalgic view of them because everyone watched them as there were so few channels. If you look back they were full of stereotypes and just unfunny.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 08/02/2023 07:55

He was funny in the 70’s. Watching it back it’s very much of it’s time and embarrassing now.

I’d love it to work, but it’s doubtful.

Lawandsawdus · 08/02/2023 07:56

I loved the original but only parts such as Basil snobbery age well - the treatment of foreigners - Irish, Spanish and American is really bad.

Also what is he - an interfering old guy living at the hotel? Surely he’s too old to run it (OTOH Biden is running again).

id give it a go and there would be reruns of the original so financially maybe all they need.

FunnyItWorkedLastTime · 08/02/2023 08:01

RocketIceLollie · 08/02/2023 07:43

Comedies are pretty much a thing of the past sadly. Comedies today have to tip toe around not offending anyone that we now end up with sterile rubbish like Mrs Browns Boys and Not Going Out.

So you're quoting Mrs Brown's Boys as sterile and politically correct fare which is rubbish because it's trying so hard not to give offence? Have you ever watched it? I mean a lot of people hate it, a lot of people love it, but I don't think any of them would give your reasons for their feelings.

Sparklingbrook · 08/02/2023 08:02

Oh no, really? It wasn't massively funny the first time around. Leave it be.

SoupDragon · 08/02/2023 08:03

RocketIceLollie · 08/02/2023 07:43

Comedies are pretty much a thing of the past sadly. Comedies today have to tip toe around not offending anyone that we now end up with sterile rubbish like Mrs Browns Boys and Not Going Out.

LOL at Mrs Brown's Boys being "sterile" and inoffensive 😂😂

I mean, I think it's shit but it's certainly not sterile or inoffensive!

SoupDragon · 08/02/2023 08:05

Fawlty Towers would have to change so much to make it acceptable nowadays. The racism/stereotyping is appalling. Acceptable back then but certainly not now. (I mean, obviously not really acceptable with hindsight but "of the time")

SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox · 08/02/2023 08:06

I remember Fawlty Towers being so funny... Then I watched it again recently for old times sake... Or tried to, my god it's aged badly. I expected it to be dated but it was off the scale dated. I've re-watched other comedies like Blackadder and Red Dwarf and they were a fun wander down memory lane, nothing ghastly. Fawlty Towers I could barely get through one episode.
So I'm struggling to see how it will be revived and retain anything of the original appeal.
But maybe they'll have some amazing creative minds on it to be able to translate the essence into something that doesn't just jar.

unclebuck · 08/02/2023 08:08

this will be the worst TV show ever made. The original is a masterpiece.

PinkPantherPaws · 08/02/2023 08:11

I love FT...but I can't imagine a rerun would be funny nowadays because it will need to be so careful.

Slightly OT but if you like FT, one of the best things I've ever been to is the FT dinner show (in Cardiff, I think it's still on in various bits of the UK). Basil, Sybil and Manuel serving you the meal...i laughed until I cried, as did DH who isn't even a fan of FT!

C8H10N4O2 · 08/02/2023 08:12

"Always leave them wanting more" is an excellent show business maxim.

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