Pity the same can't be said of modern comedy. 
Which sitcoms would you bring back? Page 4
Fair play to you, man. God loves a reactionary comedy fan!
Quote: manchester's trendy chorlton @ May 5 2008, 1:19 PM BSTFawlty Towers was a good period piece, in it's day it worked very well and kind of captured the feel of 1970s television.
It's enduring popularity is more based on a kind of 'comedy of comfort'. Fawlty towers fans' tend to be the kind of people that can recite every line, describe every nuance of the show. This is humour by memory, the fan will watch an episode and be waiting for the line that makes them laugh. In other words, the laugh will be memory based rather than based on a consideration of the material that they are currently watching.
this process is one that tends to strengthen after more and more views. So by this day, we have a piece of work that is accepted as a classic - and as such, in the eyes of many, above serious critique. However, there is an argument to be made that Fawlty towers is, by modern standards, incredibly outdated and totally irrelevant to modern television comedy...
Static characters? CHECK.
1-Dimensional Stereotypes? CHECK.
No deviation from a cut and paste set-scenario? CHECK.
Theatrical, rahter than screen, acting? CHECK.I can accept the view that Fawlty Towers is a great example of 1970s television, and does provide comfort and familiarity to a lot of its fans - but this does not change the idea that it is almost entirely irrelevant to modern comedy, both in its writing and performance.
This is over analytical. The fact is that we LIKE uncomplicated characters, plots and sets in our sitcoms. Multi-faceted personalities agonising over abstruse, murky corners of the human condition are fine but belong in other genres.
Fawlty Towers if remade, I make the point seriously, would be a hit all over again now or in another forty years time precisely because it ticks most of the boxes necessary to make us chuckle. I think it goes without saying that the Cleese/Scales/Sachs cast was a huge plus but it would take a significant effort at finding someone truly unfunny - as has been successfully achieved in many modern 'sitcoms' - to torpedo the concept.
By the way, did you know that Manuel was said to be from Naples, Italy, when the show was shown in Spain?
Hmmm.... 'he's from Naples'...
Doesn't quite have the same ring, somehow...
'...we LIKE uncomplicated characters'
Do we? I certainly don't. I appreciate that there is a segment of the demogrpahic that does - and I'm not knocking them, it's their choice.
But television comedy has moved on, the modern viewer has a far more televisually sophisticated appreciation of comedy. and again, that is not to say that Fawlty Towers can't still be considered funny; but it does require being put into context of what it is - 1970s television, made for the 1970s television audience.
Quote: manchester's trendy chorlton @ May 5 2008, 1:19 PM BSTFawlty Towers was a good period piece, in it's day it worked very well and kind of captured the feel of 1970s television.
It's enduring popularity is more based on a kind of 'comedy of comfort'. Fawlty towers fans' tend to be the kind of people that can recite every line, describe every nuance of the show. This is humour by memory, the fan will watch an episode and be waiting for the line that makes them laugh. In other words, the laugh will be memory based rather than based on a consideration of the material that they are currently watching.
this process is one that tends to strengthen after more and more views. So by this day, we have a piece of work that is accepted as a classic - and as such, in the eyes of many, above serious critique. However, there is an argument to be made that Fawlty towers is, by modern standards, incredibly outdated and totally irrelevant to modern television comedy...
Static characters? CHECK.
1-Dimensional Stereotypes? CHECK.
No deviation from a cut and paste set-scenario? CHECK.
Theatrical, rahter than screen, acting? CHECK.I can accept the view that Fawlty Towers is a great example of 1970s television, and does provide comfort and familiarity to a lot of its fans - but this does not change the idea that it is almost entirely irrelevant to modern comedy, both in its writing and performance.
Blimey!
So it wasn't funny then?
Actually I currently couldn't cite any lines therefore I intend to learn some so I can find it even funnier next time I watch it.
Static characters? I'm sure there was plenty of movement when I watched it.
1-Dimensional Stereotypes? So Basil's obvious character changes (split personality) was a figbox (anyone remember Hope and Keen?) of my imigination?
No deviation from a cut and paste set-scenario? I never saw any computers!
Theatrical, rather than screen, acting? You mean that the acting was dramatic instead of todays nonsensical?
Griff, you make a good point there about Basil - fair enough.
Garyd - nonsensical rant.
Quote: shaggy292 @ May 3 2008, 11:03 PM BSTEver Decreasing Circles. Just....nice.
Ever Decreasing Circles is one of the best sitcoms ever made but it ended so perfectly that I wouldn't want another series of it. It wouldn't work if they weren't living in the close anymore.
One of my votes is for Dear John....I'll have to think about the other one
Quote: manchester's trendy chorlton @ May 5 2008, 1:19 PM BSTIt's enduring popularity is more based on a kind of 'comedy of comfort'. Fawlty towers fans' tend to be the kind of people that can recite every line, describe every nuance of the show. This is humour by memory, the fan will watch an episode and be waiting for the line that makes them laugh. In other words, the laugh will be memory based rather than based on a consideration of the material that they are currently watching.
Aren't all sitcoms pretty much "comedy of comfort"? Name one that isn't?
Girls On Top Cheers Ritchie Ritch & Catflap The New Statesman
I disagree. It was pantomime villainy that bore little relation to reality.
And arguably little relation to the 'com' part of 'sitcom'.
It was okay, but mainly because Julia Davis is hot in a horsey kind of way.
Quote: chipolata @ May 6 2008, 9:47 AM BSTAren't all sitcoms pretty much "comedy of comfort"? Name one that isn't?
The Larry Sanders Show, The Office, The Thick of It, The Mighty Boosh, Nighty Night...um, pretty much all of the best output over the last several years.
But either way, the point about Fawlty towers is that it has become comedy of comfort due to years and years of repeats and media goodwill. Not to mention slavish fanboy devotion.