Fawlty Towers 'Germans' Episode

[Guest sibon]

4 hours ago, trastrick said:

 

 

Best burn the tapes. Lol

Or, just recognise that society has changed. That (most) humans have advanced. And that it’s not ok to use language that is quite clearly offensive to many.

 

A bit of judicious pruning and Fawlty Towers is fine. Cut out the racism and leave the comedy.

 

Unless, of course, you get off on  insulting people who are different to yourself.

[Magilla]

29 minutes ago, sibon said:

Or, just recognise that society has changed. That (most) humans have advanced. And that it’s not ok to use language that is quite clearly offensive to many.

Agree'd. It's funny reading this thread, ironically, like a Till Death Us Do Part convention

 

29 minutes ago, sibon said:

A bit of judicious pruning and Fawlty Towers is fine. Cut out the racism and leave the comedy.

 

Unless, of course, you get off on  insulting people who are different to yourself.

It could be argued that their commercial value is reduced if less people want to watch because they find them offensive, so some judicious pruning to cater to modern audiences is just an issue of return of investment, nothing more.

 

I haven't found any evidence that any significant number of people have ever complained, woke, left or otherwise... a nice trope, but not based in truth.

 

Personally, I think a disclaimer would suffice.

 

 

 

[Mr Allen]

3 minutes ago, Magilla said:

Agree'd. It's funny reading this thread, ironically, like a Till Death Us Do Part convention

 

It could be argued that their commercial value is reduced if less people want to watch because they find them offensive, so some judicious pruning to cater to modern audiences is just an issue of return of investment, nothing more.

 

I haven't found any evidence that any significant number of people have ever complained, woke, left or otherwise... a nice trope, but not based in truth.

 

Personally, I think a disclaimer would suffice.

 

 

 

I agree, however I should point out that apart from the Guardian reading left, and the "Woke" community, almost no one cares about the alleged "objectionable" content of some Fawlty Towers episodes including the one in question.

 

The obvious solution, as I stated 3 or 4 pages back, would be for the BBC to air it after 9 PM "Warts and all" when all the sensitive old dears are in bed  

 

[butlers]

I think you can guarantee if it was broadcast in original form it's the opposite end of the demographic who would be most offended.

Name any other programme that that word is used in.

Any  at all.

 

[tinfoilhat]

2 hours ago, Mr Allen said:

I agree, however I should point out that apart from the Guardian reading left, and the "Woke" community, almost no one cares about the alleged "objectionable" content of some Fawlty Towers episodes including the one in question.

 

The obvious solution, as I stated 3 or 4 pages back, would be for the BBC to air it after 9 PM "Warts and all" when all the sensitive old dears are in bed  

 

What about old racists? You're being ageist.

Edited May 2, 2021 by tinfoilhat

[Magilla]

2 hours ago, Mr Allen said:

I agree, however I should point out that apart from the Guardian reading left, and the "Woke" community, almost no one cares about the alleged "objectionable" content of some Fawlty Towers episodes including the one in question.

Not even those ... as your link make abundantly clear.

 

No-one complained.

 

2 hours ago, Mr Allen said:

The obvious solution, as I stated 3 or 4 pages back, would be for the BBC to air it after 9 PM "Warts and all" when all the sensitive old dears are in bed

...if it wasn't a figment of your imagination?

[DT Ralge]

On 29/04/2021 at 16:41, Mr Allen said:

That's the thing though, most of the episode in question was about as Politically Correct as a UKIP/BNP Political Broadcast.

 

And that's what people originally complained about!

 

“Most of the episode” had nothing to do with the “German sketch” at all - the brilliance of this episode is that most of it prepares us for a Basil who has totally lost it. 
Your “was about as PC as ...” suggests you’ve never seen it. 
As for its offensiveness, we could do with understanding that the German bit was written to highlight the absurdity and stupidity of a “little Englander” approach to the world as well as to ridicule our ra-ra never-let-go obsession with 1939-45, in sharp contrast with, say, the French and Germans. 

Edited May 2, 2021 by DT Ralge

[The_DADDY]

1 minute ago, DT Ralge said:

“Most of the episode” had nothing to do with the “German sketch” at all - the brilliance of this episode is that most of it prepares us for a Basil who has totally lost it. 
Your “was about as PC as ...” suggests you’ve never seen it. 
As for its offensiveness, we could do with understanding that it was written to highlight the absurdity and stupidity of a “little Englander” approach to the world as well as to ridicule our ra-ra never-let-go obsession with 1939-45, in sharp contrast with, say, the French and Germans. 

Good Post 👏

[Mr Allen]

6 minutes ago, DT Ralge said:

“Most of the episode” had nothing to do with the “German sketch” at all - the brilliance of this episode is that most of it prepares us for a Basil who has totally lost it. 
Your “was about as PC as ...” suggests you’ve never seen it. 
As for its offensiveness, we could do with understanding that the German bit was written to highlight the absurdity and stupidity of a “little Englander” approach to the world as well as to ridicule our ra-ra never-let-go obsession with 1939-45, in sharp contrast with, say, the French and Germans. 

I have seen all 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers several times each actually  

 

[The_DADDY]

2 minutes ago, Mr Allen said:

I have seen all 12 episodes of Fawlty Towers several times each actually  

 

I've seen bits and pieces over the years. I'm not sure I've seen a full episode. I was more of an Only Fool and Horses and The Two Ronnie's man. 

Although I did see the bit where Basil attacked his car with a tree branch. That was pretty funny.