Fawlty Towers Page 11

Quote: Wheel @ 12th June 2020, 9:23 AM

I think it's disgraceful the episode has been removed. I am not the biggest Fawlty Towers fan, but it's a classic and I know lots of people love the show and it has a huge fanbase, just because of a few snowflakes, they have to get rid of it. I am sorry, but if people gets offended it's their fault surely? Not the writer's fault or the actor's fault? I think it's ridiculous, I want to know what will be removed next! It's getting way out of hand. Sorry for the rant, but it's a disgrace that this episode has been removed. It's one of my favourite episodes, people say buy the DVD's but surely DVD's are on the way out? Like VHS was back in the late 90s early 2000s

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I think this is the reason why DVDs are here to stay for a long time yet. I own my DVDs and can watch them whenever I want. Whereas a lot of people are now at the mercy of a streaming site that can take things down on a whim.

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 12th June 2020, 9:49 AM

I think this is the reason why DVDs are here to stay for a long time yet. I own my DVDs and can watch them whenever I want. Whereas a lot of people are now at the mercy of a streaming site that can take things down on a whim.

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I'm really worried if they remove OFAH episode from TV. as the episodes on the DVD's are cut!

It's because of the N word, and was the original version playing on these services. Cleese approved cutting the dialogue years ago, and I assume the cut version will be on these services pretty soon.

It's a commercial decision - not a political one.
They just don't want any blowback.

It's just very depressing that a show from a different era has to be censored by today's standards. Different time, different standards. Genuinely, where does the line end? Put a warning before the episode, then if people think they might be offended then they can choose not to watch but cutting it out and erasing it is worse.

That said, Cleese himself has agreed the edit of the offending line for years and really the scene doesn't add anything to the episode as a whole.

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 12th June 2020, 12:16 PM

It's just very depressing that a show from a different era has to be censored by today's standards. Different time, different standards. Genuinely, where does the line end? Put a warning before the episode, then if people think they might be offended then they can choose not to watch but cutting it out and erasing it is worse.

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This is what I want. So if they watch it and get offended it's their own fault, it makes sense. I totally agree with you! I don't think has anything to be censored imo because a few people offended. It's even worse on streaming sites like Netflix, there's plenty of shows on there for people to watch, if they dont like Little Britain watch something else. How about Rap Music though? Surely that's worse, nothing's been done about that

It is odd that we're focused more on politically correct entertainment, rather than politically correct politicians, look what Trump gets away with. "All Mexicans are rapists and drug pushers" , "The four horsewomen of the apocalypse" and so much more. Even now the George riots are raging, I'm reading more about statues and comedians that about the rhetoric from world's most powerful racist. Bizarre. Then again Trump's first move was to groom the media outlet and present himself as the bullied victim. You could change a million word in a million sitcoms from the 1980's and it will have less effect than removing one racist leader from power.

Cleese gets the last laugh if we look at the top-selling TV DVDs/Bluray on AmazonUK now: https://amzn.to/2MQWpTJ

Fawlty Tower is numbers 1, 3, 5, 8 and 11. Little Britain DVDs had been numbers 2 and 3 on the list a few days ago but are now seemingly sold out.

Interestingly, Love Thy Neighbor boxset at #13.

Quote: Kenneth @ 12th June 2020, 1:38 PM

Cleese gets the last laugh if we look at the top-selling TV DVDs/Bluray on AmazonUK now: https://amzn.to/37zi9gJ

Fawlty Tower is numbers 1, 3, 5, 8 and 11. Little Britain DVDs had been numbers 2 and 3 on the list a few days ago but are now seemingly sold out.

Interestingly, Love Thy Neighbor boxset at #13.

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It Ain't Half Hot Mum is number 9 too and Till Death Us Do Part is number 15.

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 12th June 2020, 8:41 AM

Exactly. I think editing old shows or removing them is a very dangerous road. It's akin to sweeping things under the carpet and pretending it never happened and you simply cannot edit history. It happened whether people like it or not. If they don't then simply don't watch, but you cannot start removing things.

Love Thy Neighbour uses horribly racist language. That was the point. If people actually watched it they would see that both characters are as bad as the other and give as good as they get. The words have to be put in context and I'm afraid these days context seems to have been forgotten entirely.

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100% agreed.

Quote: Wheel @ 12th June 2020, 9:23 AM

surely DVD's are on the way out? Like VHS was back in the late 90s early 2000s

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No - there's a subtle difference going on.

VHS was supplanted by the superior DVD format. DVD, in turn, has been partially supplanted by Blu-ray, and Blu-ray by 3D Blu-ray and 4K/UHD Blu-ray, where the original production master allows.

Physical media sales are generally on the decline as streaming services gain popularity, but specialist releases of obscure titles, reams of extra features, and audiences who want reliability and quality are (and will) keep the market going.

What we see at the moment will likely give physical media a boost again: it's the first time we've seen prominent example of the negatives of streaming platforms. I've already seen many people talking about buying some of the affected shows on DVD, as they were their "go-to favourites" etc.

Quote: Wheel @ 12th June 2020, 9:57 AM

I'm really worried if they remove OFAH episode from TV as the episodes on the DVDs are cut!

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Are the versions broadcast not the same ones that are on the DVD releases?

Quote: Feeoree @ 12th June 2020, 10:53 AM

It's because of the N word, and was the original version playing on these services. Cleese approved cutting the dialogue years ago, and I assume the cut version will be on these services pretty soon.

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May be wrong, but I believe the cut version is what was already being used.

Quote: Aaron @ 12th June 2020, 1:58 PM

100% agreed.

No - there's a subtle difference going on.

VHS was supplanted by the superior DVD format. DVD, in turn, has been partially supplanted by Blu-ray, and Blu-ray by 3D Blu-ray and 4K/UHD Blu-ray, where the original production master allows.

Physical media sales are generally on the decline as streaming services gain popularity, but specialist releases of obscure titles, reams of extra features, and audiences who want reliability and quality are (and will) keep the market going.

What we see at the moment will likely give physical media a boost again: it's the first time we've seen prominent example of the negatives of streaming platforms. I've already seen many people talking about buying some of the affected shows on DVD, as they were their "go-to favourites" etc.

Are the versions broadcast not the same ones that are on the DVD releases?

May be wrong, but I believe the cut version is what was already being used.

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Nope. Because there is certain scenes in Jolly Boys outing, that isn't on the DVD but shown on TV and VHS releases. It's the same with A Royal Flush, there's about 15 minutes missing of that episode on the DVD, but it's shown on TV and VHS, same with Tea For Three, some scenes missing on DVD but on TV and VHS.

Quote: Wheel @ 12th June 2020, 2:07 PM

Nope. Because there is certain scenes in Jolly Boys outing, that isn't on the DVD but shown on TV and VHS releases. It's the same with A Royal Flush, there's about 15 minutes missing of that episode on the DVD, but it's shown on TV and VHS, same with Tea For Three, some scenes missing on DVD but on TV and VHS.

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Good to know. I thought the repeats were similarly cut.

Quote: Aaron @ 12th June 2020, 2:12 PM

Good to know. I thought the repeats were similarly cut.

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Nope, this is why I am so against if they decide to stop showing OFAH on TV. I would pay £100 pound maybe more for an uncut dvd release of OFAH boxset.

I wonder though, what the knock on effect will be, in terms of TV drama and comedy. Presumably less stories about racial prejudice will be written, because in order to do so you have to use certain language, to refrain from doing so undercuts the reality of any drama on the screen. I'm not saying people should be screaming racist insults all over the television, but to reach a point where you cannot write somebody who, as part of their character, displays racist intent, is really quite worrying. If you're writing something set in the 1950s or 60s for example, isn't it more offensive to sanitise it and thus take away the horrific lived experience of millions of people?

But we're talking a comedy show here.
Not "12 Years a Slave".
The major wasn't being highlighted as a racist - he was just a funny old codger and saying the "N" word was fairly acceptable.
If he hadn't said what he said we wouldn't be now saying "The Major was OK, but not really racist enough for the time".
Anyway it was hardly a critique on society.
And I don't think reminding people what a racist place Britain was, in a purely jokey way, in any way helps those who lived through it.