To think 'Fawlty Towers' just wasn't funny?

[peggotty]

It's always feted as one of the best british sitcoms of all time, but it just wasn't particularly funny was it? It was just John Cleese ranting. And being manic.

In fact, most British sitcoms are shit. Why is this, if we are supposed to have such a wonderful sense of humour? (Or is it just me who has no sense of humour )

DS2 is edumacted in comedy at 3 yrs old his favourite bedtime dvd is..............................

Steptoe and Son

Followed closely by

Fawlty towers

BOF's boss made me lololol.

Anyway it was the Basil/Sybil relationship which was funny. Like The Young Ones & Father Ted just that bit too close to reality so you have to laugh in case you start crying in existential horror instead. So OP is NU but not for the reasons she suggests.

Dad's Army has weirdly improved with age I think. Some Mothers was always embarrassing sentimental crappage
I am frankly shocked that you of all people have got it so wrong about FT. May I suggest you go and watch "Kicking Bishop Brennan's Arse" and apologise in your heart for your bad thoughts.;)

Love Fawlty Towers, as do my DS1 and DD; we've been known to quote large parts of it on occasion. :o

Father Ted! I'll admit to remembering when Father Ted Crilly was performed live by one of the writers here in Dublin, and he sounded more like Dougal than his later incarnation!

Also loved The Mary Whitehouse Experience, especially the two old professors. "That's you, that is!".

Does anyone else here love 'Goodness Gracious Me'?

YANBU. The funniest thing about FT is the rearrangement of the hotel letters at the start of each episode. It's all downhill from there.

I found it incredibly funny.

When I was SIX.

"John Cleese ranting and being manic is funny."
I agree! He is so shocking. I also love
AbFab, although she is a crap person, and shocking. First time I happened to see it I wondered who is this abusive old lush in her 70's clothing?

Not a Monty P. fan, but everyone else I know seems to enjoy it.

I expect you prefer US joke-by-committee sitcoms. Each to their own.

It's mince - that and Monty Python, just don't make me laugh. In fact, they make me want to smack them, the way they deliver every line in that smug, 'aren't I jolly clever' sort of a way.

Blackadder was, and remains, a classic.

What was that program with the two sisters, sharing a home, one had a son named Garth? I believe both their husbands were in prison? The theme song was "What'll I Do"

Birds of a Feather

YABU.I love Fawlty Towers,though The Germans episode makes me uncomfortable,but then Basil is portrayed as a complete idiot throughout the series,so the jokes on him as much as anyone.

Monty Python is genius,and very funny.

I still love Some Mother's. I have the boxset and still enjoy it's gentle humour,and being amazed by Michael Crawford's stunts.
Dp's nickname at school was,and still is,Spencer as he's so accident prone.

Black Books is priceless,as is Father Ted.

I love Only Fools And Horses,though I've only recently started to watch it.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned Coupling yet?

I love Goodness Gracious Me too,Ninetails.

I have the boxset and watch it every few months. I love Skipinder The Punjabi kangaroo,Mr Everything Comes From India,The 'Small aubergine' woman,The Guru and the one off sketches such as Going for an English.

I love Fawlty Towers, favourite episode has to be the one where he thrashes the car with the tree, want to look it up on youtube now just to make me laugh! Also the one about waldorf salad!! Sorry, think its really funny, think you have to have a silly sense of humour to appreciate it though. I am v easily amused tho, you can spot me in card shops LOL at some of the funny ones

TheProvincialLady, no I don't prefer US joke-by-committee sitcoms. I Love Blackadder, Spaced, Black Books and Father Ted. I had actually forgotten about some of these brilliant british sitcoms, so I should revise my op that most British sitcoms are shit tbh. I do also love Frasier though...

Ninetails the old professors on The Mary WHitehouse Experience were brilliant. Can't be arsed with David Baddiel now though. (I'm a picky cow)

peggotty, I'm with you. I always had to leave the room in excruciating embarrassment for everyone involved. Many 'classic' sitcoms are based entirely around humiliation.

I evidently had a sense of humour bypass.

Another one here who can repeat each episode word for word!

Dp and I still use lines from Waldof Salad in real life

Favourite rant - Fawlty trying to explain why he didn't realise a guest was dead when he took up his breakfast.

How could anyone say they don't like Father Ted?

i dont get faulty towers or monty python

hocuspontas;

yep - think that's my favourite too. Although I like his reply to the woman complaining about the view from her window..

'Might I ask what you expected to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney opera house perhaps? the hanging gardens of babylon?..... classic.

op; Yabu and obviously have no sense of humour at all. you have my pity.

-> (never "got" monty python, a bit before my time maybe?)

letthereberoxk - I second the coupling one. Also made me cry with laughter some episodes.

Father Ted I though was ridiculous before I moved to Ireland. Then I found it was more of a documentary of rural life... That lovely ladies episode: once you've seen a bit of the Rose of Tralee it makes total sense. Some of the episodes were pure genius.

I cannot bear Harry Enfield tho, and Little Britain leaves me completely cold.

I liked To the Manor Born and Father Ted. Still Game can be very funny. Did love Cheers when it started though and was the first really intelligent, quick US comedy I can remember. What was a recent British one set in a smoking room in work (The Smoking Room, perhaps?) - that was funny.

little britain is shit.