Fawlty Towers ! A Good Laugh

[Caribeing]

Just been watching reruns of Fawlty Towers and it still makes me laugh, best sitcom of all,
I suppose if it was one of todays shows it would be "barred" because of violence {towards Manuel} and racism because of the "german episode" The characters were a "one off" The senile deaf Major the doddery old ladies and the nagging wife! It had the best insults and oneliners!

[Abdulmajid]

Absolutely fantastic series, and as you say is still very, very funny.

However, I disagree with one point. In my opinion Only Fools and Horses has the accolade of "best sitcom ever".

This will followed in joint second with Fawlty Towers, Blackadder and Dad's Army.

[Caribeing]

Agree, Only Fools and Horses, Blackadder hard to decide which is the best! Don't make them like that anymore.

[gina32]

biggest load of cac imo

[yogasun]

Agree Mary T. Absolute classic with every line a gem.
I still find myself quoting from it now in everyday life saying things like:-

'Just my way of getting through the day, the Samaritans were engaged....' or perhaps:-
'He/she's from Barcelona...'

Also agree about Only Fools, Blackadder and Dad's Army.

[andy-hughes]

FT is the finest sitcom because of its construction.

If you watch closely, you will see all the conversational and situational smart bombs being dropped, only for them to explode, sometimes more than one at a time, as the episode progresses.

Poor Basil, hypersensitive to his own foibles, bull-in-a-china-shop with anyone else's - the true mark of a comedy grotesque - Hancock, Partridge,Meldrew, and so on.

As a piece of farce theatre, each episode is a pure gem of plot, timing, and delivery, it is without equal, excellent as the others honourable mentioned are.

And they did the very best thing - they quit while they were ahead - a lesson Messrs Walliams and Lucas would have done well to heed.

[littleoldme]

Exactly, Andy. While Only Fools And Horses and Blackadder are both very funny shows, they don't quite match the frisson of excitement that FT does with its build-up towards inevitable climactic disaster so cleverly written into every episode - sheer craftsmanship from John Cleese and Connie Booth. Even after many, many repeated viewings to the point where every word is familiar and you know exactly what's coming, that feeling of a burning fuse heading inexorably towards a keg of comedy gunpowder gives it the edge in my book.

My second favourite would be One Foot In The Grave - excellent acting, and I love the juxtaposition of truly hilarious comedy with genuinely poignant, thought-provoking moments.

[vehelpfulguy]

Agree with others that Fawlty Towers is still funny after all these years, and my famly also still quote from Falwty Towers in everyday life.

But even though none of you have mentioned it yet I feel Porridge is up there with Fawlty Towers.

Porridge has wonderful scripts (almost mini plays in themselves), terrific acting from all concerned. moments of great humour AND great pathos, and you can watch them over and over again.

I have them on DVD, but when they are on UK Gold (which they are at the moment) I STILL find myself watching them.

For anyone studying cmedy writing they could do no worse than watch Porridge. Writing at its best.

[littleoldme]

Good point, ve. As well as the writing, Porridge was of course helped in no small measure by the massive talent of the late, great Ronnie Barker. The combination of Ronnie and David Jason even made Open All Hours funny, something I could never say about any other sitcom penned by the God-awful Roy Clarke.

[y-cymro]

The way each episode was crafted in Fawlty Towers is why it has stood the test of time. And it's always good to be able to laugh at something politically incorrect without being made to feel guilty about it.

The only other series that comes close to it for me is Porridge. Perfect casting, wonderful scripts, and the acting of Ronnie Barker in this showed that he was a great actor- not just a great comedy actor.

I always feel it's a shame when comedy series run too long, and don't quit whilst they're ahead - One Foot in the Grave, Only Fools..., Vicar of Dibley, to mention a few.

As for more recent stuff. I think Coupling is right up there with the best.

Away from the 'traditional' sitcom - The League of Gentlemen is grotesquely hilarious ... but I still prefer to watch the old classics

[vehelpfulguy]

>As for more recent stuff. I think Coupling is right up there with the best.

I am glad someobody mentioned Coupling.

I have been watching comedy since the early 1960s (Monty Python, Cook & Moore and so on) so feel I know a fair bit about comedy and comedy writing.

I have to say that Coupling is very well written (and acted) and there are loads of very clever situations and jokes in there.

For example, in one show the main couple, Susan and Steve, were getting a bit stale in their relationship.

Everytime HE got up to go anywhere SHE always said "Where you going" (even if he is going to the loo).

On the other hand, when SHE asked him to make a decision HE always said "Its up to you".

Anyway Steve chatted up a girl in the bar and Susan finds out. Their relationship come to crisis point and she decides to leave him.

As she is standing at the front door ready to leave HE says "Where you going" and SHE says "Its up to you".

Brilliant. Writing that clever does not come easy.

[vehelpfulguy]

For those that have never seen coupling there are loads of clips on YouTube.

He is one with Jeff (who is terrible at chatting up girls).

He fancies this girl on the train, but he has only ever seen the back of her head, and one leg.

Then one day she sits opposite him !!!!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=81kPWzpDHcA&feat ure=related

[vehelpfulguy]

From Coupling.

Steve goes to the sperm bank to find out why he and Susan cannot have children

Hilarious

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=suslwi1hgn8&feat ure=related