Fawlty Towers: John Cleese to revive TV series with daughter Camilla

TV & Film TV & Film: In The News
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The UK TV sitcom Fawlty Towers is set to be revived after more than 40 years.

John Cleese, who played Basil Fawlty, will be returning to write and star alongside his daughter Camilla Cleese.

The revival will also see Basil and his daughter, who he has just discovered is his, team up to run a boutique hotel and explore how the misanthropic Basil navigates the modern world.

The new series will see actor Rob Reiner, his wife and actress Michelle Reiner, director and producer Matthew George and Derrick Rossi all act as executive producers.

Reiner, who is also currently working on the sequel to the cult 1984 rock mockumentary Spinal Tap, described the Fawlty Towers star as a “comedy legend”. “Just the idea of working with him makes me laugh.”

Inevitably, the “revival” will be a travesty of the original. This time it will be made by an American, possibly in America, for American audiences and will, unlike the original, resonate with Americans … :man_shrugging:

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My first thought is this is a mistake…but we’ll see.

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I grew up with Fawlty Towers and like all good comedies, it has stood the test of time.

But when I read this, I can’t help thinking it’s something which should be left well alone.

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If made it will not be the same,not with all the Woke folk around,and lets not forget the PC brigade.
Especially if it`s on the BBC.

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I’ll always remember John Cleese from his Monty Python days. Very hit and miss even by today’s standards.

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Monty Python would never work or be acceptable this day and age. But I always enjoyed it, especially the films.

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He wrote it with Connie Booth.It will be interesting to see how good he is without her.

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Going back more than a few years I was allowed to stay up on a school night to watch Monty Python. I’m pretty sure it was broadcast on a Monday directly after The Onedin Line.
I loved the crazy animations and the anticipation of what might happen next. A bit tame by today’s standards perhaps but quite something in its day.

The funniest joke in the world sketch springs to mind :rofl:

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The Norwegian Parrot sketch was my favourite.

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I suppose that’s the classic Python sketch.
Salad days was quite bizarre, silly but gory.
I think it was a kind of take on The Wild Bunch.

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Fawlty Towers was a classic of it’s time. To make a follow up after all these years makes no sense. No Manuel, The Major, Connie Booth, Prunella Scales etc, that will never work. They must take note of the mess that was made of the follow up to Open All Hours, awful cringe making stuff it was! Does Cleese need more cash one wonders for his alimony troubles? I for one will stir clear of this farrago! :open_mouth: :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

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