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 )

[arfasleep]

Daftpunk , the window view one, I'd forgotten that one, v good

[arfasleep]

Hellmouthcustardo, would agree a bit, Little Britain is sometimes shit but other times v funny, but I really hate when one of them is naked fatsuit posh lady, have to turn over then. Like the 'i'm a laydy' one tho

[PuppyMonkey]

People who don't like Fawlty Towers and Monty Python ought to be taken outside and shot, really, it would be kinder. However, I do agree that Dad's Army was a pile of overrated shite. Especially that scene they repeat over and over on telly round-up countdown things- "don't tell him, Pike." yes hilarious. Truly classic.

[Tortington]

in little britain they are totally taking the piss out of people with disabilities, i don;t get why this is allowed, i'm sure there is some irony or post modern bullshit excuse, but it is what it is and they are tedious fuckers

[onmyfeet]

lorelilee Sat 23-Oct-10 09:30:52

Birds of a Feather

Thank-you lorelilee

[RockinSockBunnies]

"Oh, and Basil, one more thing: If you're going to grope a girl, have the gallantry to stay in the room with her while you're doing it."

YABVU. FT is brilliant. The scripts are absolutely classic. Can't understand how anyone can't love it.

[arfasleep]

Are they though, Hellmouth? Cos isn't the funny bit that he's not disabled and laughing at the OTT actions of his carer in being overly sympathetic & soft on him. Although not totally sure about it, tbh, but thats what I thought.

[hocuspontas]

Yes, love the view from the window lines! Although that was my least favourite episode. Joan Sanderson being deaf got on my nerves.

The Anniversary was hilarious. The best one was the Germans though - the moose, the hospital, the fire alarm - so many great scenes and one-liners.

I think I will go away and re-watch them!

[lissieloucifer]

YABU. end of.

[MardyBra]

What about The Office? I didn't find the David Brent character that funny most of the time - he was just too cringeworthy. But I loved all the banter between the minor characters.

[NineTails20]

LTBR, here's one for you:



"SURRRRRJEEEETAAAAHHHHHH!!!" :o

[blackwell]

YABVVVVVVVU

But there are loads of British 'classics' I don't like, esp. the 2 Ronnies

[Clary]

I love Fawlty Towers (not the Germans tho)

"Well, that is Torquay... what do you expect to see from a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House? The Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebesst sweeping majestically...."

The scripts are so densely and tightly written. The deaf woman one (see quote) is also the one with the horse he bets on when he has to mime its name to Polly "Flying Tart! No, it got off to a flying start" and "A satisfied customer, we should have him stuffed".

I just think it's very funny wordy comedy also based on characters, which is the kind I like, I guess.

[MooMooFarm]

YANBU - Fawlty Towers is sooooooo old and dated now, maybe it was good in it's time but now it's just another sit-com where you can see the joke coming half an hour before it gets there (even if you don't know them all off by heart).

It's not quite as cringe-worthy as Monty Python though - we had to sit through a friend's 'am-dram' production which included the 'Lumberjack' sketch. I felt such a Margot; everyone was laughing so I had to try and join in for the whole torturous half an hour or so of it. My face felt all rubbery by the end.

[Bunbaker]

I never liked Fawlty Towers. I just found it too irritating to be funny. I loved Only Fools and Horses, One Foot in the Grave, Ab Fab, anything with Victoria Wood in, Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Monty Python and loads more.

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

YABU- tis classic comedy, IMO. But then, I also find Monty Python funny, so maybe I just have a silly sense of humour. DH doesn't get Monty Python at all, but then he thinks "Last of The Summer Wine" is funny, so I think I am a better judge than him

[PuppyMonkey]

Moomoo, everyone else was laughing, you say. You don't possibly think the problem then is, er, you? As opposed to the comedy being dated?

[singersgirl]

I think it's a bit like Marmite. You either love it or really, really can't bear to watch it. DH loves it and I can't bear to watch it - it's so excruciatingly embarrassing and Basil is so clearly mentally unhinged. I can see there are lots of very funny lines in it (and I laugh at bits of it before I have to leave the room) and I understand people who tell me that Basil Fawlty is an inspired character, but what I really see is the despair and the madness.

[Chil1234]

I think Fawlty Towers is classic farce of the old school. The joke is that Basil never, ever wins the day whether he starts with the best intentions or whether he's trying to pull some scam. We know he's doomed.. he doesn't. Even when he wins a few quid on 'Dragonfly' he has to hand it over to the deaf old woman in the final frame.

[RockBat]

I got into a dispute on holiday over this. The question was what were the four ingredients of a waldorf salad. I answered celery, apples, walnuts, grapes and added, for good measure, in a mayonnaise sauce. They fucking disqualified me! Bastards.

[TheSmallClanger]

I love Fawlty Towers. The stuff that Basil comes out with is some the stuff you really, really want to say in a difficult situation, but don't dare. Having said that, the oft-lauded "Germans" episode is probably my least favourite. The best one is the one with the hotel inspector.

In terms of other comedy, I love Blackadder, Red Dwarf, Mitchell & Webb and The League of Gentlemen. Someone mentioned The Good Life - I find that has stood up surprisingly well, particularly the bits with Margot and Jerry in. Keeping Up Appearances is now very dated, but funnier than I expected now.

[GoreRenewed]

I still think of Basil cavorting around his car in impotent rage whacking it with a branch. Over the years I have had many many cars that I couldn't rely on - the bastards! And though I didn't emulate him, the thought of him made me feel so so much better