Matt N
TS Member
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Hi guys. I was reading the news earlier today when I found a very interesting, and surprising, headline… John Cleese has confirmed that Fawlty Towers is being revived: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/feb/07/fawlty-towers-john-cleese-reboot
Cleese and his daughter, Camilla, are spearheading the new version together, and it will be about Basil Fawlty running a boutique hotel with his long lost daughter (played by Camilla) while simultaneously trying to “navigate the modern world”.
As expected, Cleese is reprising his role as Basil Fawlty, but from what I’ve read, he is seemingly the only member of the original cast who is returning for this new version. None of the other original cast members seem to be involved; Andrew Sachs (Manuel) is dead, Prunella Scales (Sybil) has retired from acting, and Connie Booth (Polly) doesn’t seem to be involved, either.
I must admit that I certainly wasn’t expecting to see that headline… what do you guys think of this?
I’m a little unsure, myself. I admit that it could be very good, and I’m sure that John Cleese will try his hardest to make this new version funny, but in my view, Fawlty Towers is very much a product of its time rather than something I can imagine working today. Don’t get me wrong, bits of it are very funny, but there are other bits of it you watch and think “there’s no way that would fly today”, and in general, comedy (and TV in general) has changed so much in the nearly 50 years since Fawlty Towers first aired.
What do you guys think? Are you looking forward to this, or are you not so keen on the idea?
Cleese and his daughter, Camilla, are spearheading the new version together, and it will be about Basil Fawlty running a boutique hotel with his long lost daughter (played by Camilla) while simultaneously trying to “navigate the modern world”.
As expected, Cleese is reprising his role as Basil Fawlty, but from what I’ve read, he is seemingly the only member of the original cast who is returning for this new version. None of the other original cast members seem to be involved; Andrew Sachs (Manuel) is dead, Prunella Scales (Sybil) has retired from acting, and Connie Booth (Polly) doesn’t seem to be involved, either.
I must admit that I certainly wasn’t expecting to see that headline… what do you guys think of this?
I’m a little unsure, myself. I admit that it could be very good, and I’m sure that John Cleese will try his hardest to make this new version funny, but in my view, Fawlty Towers is very much a product of its time rather than something I can imagine working today. Don’t get me wrong, bits of it are very funny, but there are other bits of it you watch and think “there’s no way that would fly today”, and in general, comedy (and TV in general) has changed so much in the nearly 50 years since Fawlty Towers first aired.
What do you guys think? Are you looking forward to this, or are you not so keen on the idea?