Why only 12 Fawlty Towers? (British people reply) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

senor boogie woogi · 05-18-2005, 11:02 AM

Hola!

I am an American living in China. As a teen in 1980s America, my pot smoking somewhat nerd friends said that Monty Python ruled. I tried watching Monty Python, the Flying Circus, "The Life of Brian", "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", and "A Fish called Wanda". Although mildly humerous, not my style.

Here in China, my best friend here introduced me to "Fawlty Towers". One of the funniest shows I have ever seen. "The kipper and the corpse" episode never gets old. Most all of them do. For the record, Prunella Scales was a nice looking woman! Being named in real life prunella probably added to her character.

Why only 12 episodes? The first episodes took place in 1975, the newer ones in 1979. I understand that John Cleese and Connie Booth (who played Polly) were married and were divorced in 1978, and so that went the show. It seems to me that Cleese and company were a comedy troope like rock musicians were a band. They play with each other and then break up.

I cannot believe that a program like this only lasted in gloomy England where there was only two or three stations on the air. What happened? this series should of lasted 10 damn years (except the major and the Sisters would of been dead, a.l.a 'A special Fawlty Towers in the USA)

Senor

Sharop · 05-18-2005, 06:01 PM

Hi there Senor,

I am English, and I agree that Fawlty Towers is one of the better Britcoms (I'm actually, right now, more into American sitcoms than I am British ones, but I digress...)

Anyway, it would have been nice to have more episodes...but British seasons have always been much shorter than American ones. There are generally only six or seven episodes in each season - so, assuming that one American season has about 22 episodes in it, by the time a British sitcom had run for three seasons, it still wouldn't have matched the number of episodes in just one American season!

I'm not sure why they decided to stop after just two seasons...I guess they just decided to quit while they were ahead. They gave us twelve quality episodes, that's for sure.

rangers689 · 05-25-2005, 09:00 AM

considering they only made 12 episodes one of the best brit comedeys ever penned,was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth (Polly the maid in the show) they were married at the time then they split up i believe thats why we never got any more episodes

05-18-2005, 11:02 AM	#1
senor boogie woogi Banned Banned!! Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 23, 2004 Posts: 107	Why only 12 Fawlty Towers? (British people reply) Hola! I am an American living in China. As a teen in 1980s America, my pot smoking somewhat nerd friends said that Monty Python ruled. I tried watching Monty Python, the Flying Circus, "The Life of Brian", "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", and "A Fish called Wanda". Although mildly humerous, not my style. Here in China, my best friend here introduced me to "Fawlty Towers". One of the funniest shows I have ever seen. "The kipper and the corpse" episode never gets old. Most all of them do. For the record, Prunella Scales was a nice looking woman! Being named in real life prunella probably added to her character. Why only 12 episodes? The first episodes took place in 1975, the newer ones in 1979. I understand that John Cleese and Connie Booth (who played Polly) were married and were divorced in 1978, and so that went the show. It seems to me that Cleese and company were a comedy troope like rock musicians were a band. They play with each other and then break up. I cannot believe that a program like this only lasted in gloomy England where there was only two or three stations on the air. What happened? this series should of lasted 10 damn years (except the major and the Sisters would of been dead, a.l.a 'A special Fawlty Towers in the USA) Senor

05-18-2005, 06:01 PM	#2
Sharop Andy Gibb aged 12 Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 03, 2004 Location: Courthouse Square, Hill Valley, beside the clocktower, 10:04 p.m., November 12th 1955 Posts: 3,912	Hi there Senor, I am English, and I agree that Fawlty Towers is one of the better Britcoms (I'm actually, right now, more into American sitcoms than I am British ones, but I digress...) Anyway, it would have been nice to have more episodes...but British seasons have always been much shorter than American ones. There are generally only six or seven episodes in each season - so, assuming that one American season has about 22 episodes in it, by the time a British sitcom had run for three seasons, it still wouldn't have matched the number of episodes in just one American season! I'm not sure why they decided to stop after just two seasons...I guess they just decided to quit while they were ahead. They gave us twelve quality episodes, that's for sure.
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05-25-2005, 09:00 AM	#3
rangers689 Sweaty Sock Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 10, 2001 Location: London Posts: 222	considering they only made 12 episodes one of the best brit comedeys ever penned,was written by John Cleese and Connie Booth (Polly the maid in the show) they were married at the time then they split up i believe thats why we never got any more episodes
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