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Season 1 – Fawlty Towers

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Fawlty Towers Sep 1975 Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Basil Fawlty is an inept and slightly out-of-his-head English hotel manager, who is tortured by "that annoying section of the general public who insist on staying at hotels." Fawlty is constantly berated by his wife, and his efforts are continually hampered by their Spanish waiter, Manuel.

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Fawlty Towers — Season 1

Fawlty Towers — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Fawlty Towers looms large over British comedy with John Cleese's impeccably hapless performance and an endless array of exuberant slapstick -- making for a supremely stimulating chuckler.

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Critics Reviews

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Rick Vanderknyff Los Angeles Times 07/19/2018
To watch "Fawlty Towers" is to cringe and laugh at the same time. Go to Full Review Clifford Terry Chicago Tribune 07/19/2018
Although the farce does get a bit out of hand sometimes, Cleese, the master of mugging, is always ready to follow it up with still-another hilarious exercise in outrageousness. Go to Full Review Sam Kitchener Independent (UK) 07/19/2018
[Fawlty Towers] is the most acutely observed; the most formally accomplished and has the most virtuoso performances. Go to Full Review Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies 02/25/2023
4/4
A fantastic spotlight on John Cleese’s physical comedy, it is clear why this is a landmark comedy for the BBC. Go to Full Review Andrew Lewis Screen Rant 09/11/2018
The humor would be absurd and childish if it wasn't so genuinely smart and well-constructed, and that's why Fawlty Towers remains one of the most beloved British comedies of all time. Go to Full Review Danny Parker What Culture 07/20/2018
While the outlandish actions performed by Cleese make Basil the centre piece of the show, the other actors also deserve a great deal of praise for the roles they uphold within the sitcom. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Michael A @Tomato547 Jan 9 Hasn't stopped being funny😂 See more Jacob B 03/04/2025 Classic British comedy that hasn’t been topped! See more Dan B 06/14/2024 Crazy good! All involved are so generous with being exposed for the purpose of comedy. John Cleese was fantastic during this period. Even though I believe originally the show is a ripoff of another show it is still the king! Show later got an American franchised clone TV Show, but if I remember correctly they pulled off the atrocity of leaving the Basil character out of it. Yikes! Enjoy this timeless piece instead!!! See more Jason G 04/20/2024 What a show. Very funny Best of British They don't make anything like this. See more Ben M 10/11/2023 Best comedy in the history of Television See more daniel m 01/05/2022 It's funny!:)..simple as that See more Read all reviews
Fawlty Towers — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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John Cleese

Basil Fawlty

Prunella Scales

Sybil Fawlty

Connie Booth

Polly Sherman

Andrew Sachs

Manuel

Ballard Berkeley

Major Gowen

Gilly Flower

Miss Agatha Tibbs

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Sep 19, 1975 A Touch of Class Basil Fawlty, an incompetent and rude innkeeper, decides to improve the class of his hotel's clientele; when Lord Melbury books a visit, Basil fawns over him to the exclusion of all other guests. Details Episode 2 Aired Sep 26, 1975 The Builders Basil and Sybil decide to take a short vacation while their hotel is undergoing renovation, but incompetent builders have Basil scrambling to keep their issues from Sybil. Details Episode 3 Aired Oct 3, 1975 The Wedding Party Basil is outraged by the flirtations of a young couple and the advances of a wealthy French antiques dealer. Details Episode 4 Aired Oct 10, 1975 Hotel Inspectors When Basil hears that hotel inspectors are in town, he's horrified to realize that some of the guests he's been abusing may have been in that group -- and his efforts to learn who they may be cause confusion among guests and staff. Details Episode 5 Aired Oct 17, 1975 Gourmet Night Still hoping to make his way further up the social ladder, Basil attempts to convert Fawlty Towers into a gourmet's paradise with a special event that, of course, doesn't go as planned. Details Episode 6 Aired Oct 24, 1975 The Germans While Sybil is in the hospital for a minor operation, Basil conducts a fire drill at the hotel and manages to offend a group of German tourists. Details

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Fawlty Towers — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
John Davies
Screenwriter
John Cleese, Connie Booth
Network
BBC
Rating
TV-G
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Sep 19, 1975