The Germans - Revision history

Kurt at 21:09, 25 August 2024

2024-08-25T21:09:43Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:09, 25 August 2024
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	* [[Gold (British TV channel)\|Gold]], a channel that regularly shows ''Fawlty Towers'', argues that while "The Germans" is the most famous episode, the best episode is "[[Communication Problems]]".<ref>[http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/576882 UKTV Gold: Sitcoms: Our favourite Fawlty episode<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312183616/http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/576882 \|date=12 March 2008 }}</ref>		* [[Gold (British TV channel)\|Gold]], a channel that regularly shows ''Fawlty Towers'', argues that while "The Germans" is the most famous episode, the best episode is "[[Communication Problems]]".<ref>[http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/576882 UKTV Gold: Sitcoms: Our favourite Fawlty episode<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312183616/http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/576882 \|date=12 March 2008 }}</ref>
	* ''[[Empire (magazine)\|Empire]]'' magazine listed this as the best episode of the show in its list of the 50 greatest TV episodes of all time.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.empireonline.com/50greatesttv/default.asp?tv=28\|title=Empire Features<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>		* ''[[Empire (magazine)\|Empire]]'' magazine listed this as the best episode of the show in its list of the 50 greatest TV episodes of all time.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.empireonline.com/50greatesttv/default.asp?tv=28\|title=Empire Features<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
	* In the first episode of the second series of the BBC series ''[[The Office (UK TV series)\|The Office]]'', David Brent performs an impression of a paper industry figure as Basil Fawlty, quoting the phrase "Don't mention the war", and impersonating the goosestep used by Basil.~~{{citation needed\|date=June 2020}}~~		* In the first episode of the second series of the BBC series ''[[The Office (UK TV series)\|The Office]]'', David Brent performs an impression of a paper industry figure as Basil Fawlty, quoting the phrase "Don't mention the war", and impersonating the goosestep used by Basil.
	* The American film director [[Martin Scorsese]] has cited this as his favourite episode of ''Fawlty Towers''.<ref>{{cite news \|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-to-hell-with-basil-1619527.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-to-hell-with-basil-1619527.html \|archive-date=18 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Arts: To Hell with Basil \|first=Andrew\|last=Davidson\|date=14 May 1995 \|access-date=14 June 2020 \|work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>		* The American film director [[Martin Scorsese]] has cited this as his favourite episode of ''Fawlty Towers''.<ref>{{cite news \|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-to-hell-with-basil-1619527.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-to-hell-with-basil-1619527.html \|archive-date=18 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live\|title=Arts: To Hell with Basil \|first=Andrew\|last=Davidson\|date=14 May 1995 \|access-date=14 June 2020 \|work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

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	"The Germans" has been evaluated by critics in the context of stoking [[anti-German sentiment]]. Journalist [[Mark Lawson]] expressed the view that, "while the show will never win a prize for encouraging Anglo-German cultural understanding, Cleese is comically depicting – rather than politically promoting – fear of 'Fritz' ".<ref>{{cite web \|last=Lawson \|first=Mark \|author1-link=Mark Lawson \|title=Fawlty Towers isn't racist. Major Gowen is \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-isnt-racist-major-gowen-is \|website=The Guardian \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|language=en \|date=23 January 2013}}</ref> In response to critics, John Cleese stated that his intention in writing this episode was "to make fun of English Basil Fawltys who are buried in the past" and "to make fun of the British obsession with the Second World War".<ref>{{cite book \|last=Davis \|first=Colin \|title=Traces of War: Interpreting Ethics and Trauma in Twentieth-century French Writing \|date=2018 \|location=Oxford \|publisher=Oxford University Press \|isbn=978-1-78694-042-1 \|pages=5–6 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zIJZDwAAQBAJ&dq=don%27t+mention+the+war+fawlty&pg=PA5 \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Whatever you do, don't mention the war. Oops! \|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/whatever-you-do-don-t-mention-the-war-oops-486582.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/whatever-you-do-don-t-mention-the-war-oops-486582.html \|archive-date=18 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|work=The Independent \|date=14 January 2005 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|last=Malik \|first=Kenan \|author1-link=Kenan Malik \|title=We can mention the war. Should we now talk about Britain's darker history? \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/13/we-can-now-mention-the-war-should-we-talk-about-britains-darker-history \|website=The Guardian \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|language=en \|date=13 October 2019}}</ref>		"The Germans" has been evaluated by critics in the context of stoking [[anti-German sentiment]]. Journalist [[Mark Lawson]] expressed the view that, "while the show will never win a prize for encouraging Anglo-German cultural understanding, Cleese is comically depicting – rather than politically promoting – fear of 'Fritz' ".<ref>{{cite web \|last=Lawson \|first=Mark \|author1-link=Mark Lawson \|title=Fawlty Towers isn't racist. Major Gowen is \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-isnt-racist-major-gowen-is \|website=The Guardian \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|language=en \|date=23 January 2013}}</ref> In response to critics, John Cleese stated that his intention in writing this episode was "to make fun of English Basil Fawltys who are buried in the past" and "to make fun of the British obsession with the Second World War".<ref>{{cite book \|last=Davis \|first=Colin \|title=Traces of War: Interpreting Ethics and Trauma in Twentieth-century French Writing \|date=2018 \|location=Oxford \|publisher=Oxford University Press \|isbn=978-1-78694-042-1 \|pages=5–6 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zIJZDwAAQBAJ&dq=don%27t+mention+the+war+fawlty&pg=PA5 \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news \|title=Whatever you do, don't mention the war. Oops! \|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/whatever-you-do-don-t-mention-the-war-oops-486582.html \|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/whatever-you-do-don-t-mention-the-war-oops-486582.html \|archive-date=18 June 2022 \|url-access=subscription \|url-status=live \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|work=The Independent \|date=14 January 2005 \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web \|last=Malik \|first=Kenan \|author1-link=Kenan Malik \|title=We can mention the war. Should we now talk about Britain's darker history? \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/13/we-can-now-mention-the-war-should-we-talk-about-britains-darker-history \|website=The Guardian \|access-date=10 July 2021 \|language=en \|date=13 October 2019}}</ref>

	In 2013, the BBC edited the Major's use of racial slurs from a repeat transmission of the episode, prompting some criticism by viewers.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=23 January 2013 \|title=Fawlty Towers scene 'censored' by BBC \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-gets-chop-bbc \|work=The Guardian \|location=London}}</ref> The BBC defended its decision: "We are very proud of ''Fawlty Towers'' and its contribution to British television comedy. But public attitudes have changed significantly since it was made and it was decided to make some minor changes, with the consent of [[John Cleese]]'s management, to allow the episode to transmit to a family audience at 7.30pm on [[BBC2]]."<ref>{{cite news\|last=Lawson\|first=Mark \|author-link=Mark Lawson \|title=Fawlty Towers isn't racist. Major Gowen is\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-isnt-racist-major-gowen-is\|access-date=28 January 2018\|work=The Guardian\|date=23 January 2013\|language=en}}</ref> However, on 28 June 2013, [[Gold (British TV channel)\|Gold]] transmitted the unedited episode after the [[watershed (broadcasting)\|watershed]].~~{{citation needed\|date=June 2020}}~~		In 2013, the BBC edited the Major's use of racial slurs from a repeat transmission of the episode, prompting some criticism by viewers.<ref>{{Cite news \|date=23 January 2013 \|title=Fawlty Towers scene 'censored' by BBC \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-gets-chop-bbc \|work=The Guardian \|location=London}}</ref> The BBC defended its decision: "We are very proud of ''Fawlty Towers'' and its contribution to British television comedy. But public attitudes have changed significantly since it was made and it was decided to make some minor changes, with the consent of [[John Cleese]]'s management, to allow the episode to transmit to a family audience at 7.30pm on [[BBC2]]."<ref>{{cite news\|last=Lawson\|first=Mark \|author-link=Mark Lawson \|title=Fawlty Towers isn't racist. Major Gowen is\|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-isnt-racist-major-gowen-is\|access-date=28 January 2018\|work=The Guardian\|date=23 January 2013\|language=en}}</ref> However, on 28 June 2013, [[Gold (British TV channel)\|Gold]] transmitted the unedited episode after the [[watershed (broadcasting)\|watershed]].

	The episode was removed from the [[UKTV]] streaming service on 11 June 2020 in the wake of the [[George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom\|George Floyd protests]], with the other episodes of ''Fawlty Towers'' remaining available on the service.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/11/fawlty-towers-dont-mention-the-war-episode-removed-from-uktv \|title=Fawlty Towers 'Don't mention the war' episode removed from UKTV \|last=Waterson \|first=Jim \|date=11 June 2020 \|work=[[The Guardian]] \|access-date=10 June 2020}}</ref> Cleese spoke against the removal of the episode due to the Major's use of racial slurs: "The Major was an old fossil left over from decades before. We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them. If they can't see that, if people are too stupid to see that, what can one say?"<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/john-cleese-slams-uktv-decision-to-remove-fawlty-towers-episode-as-stupid-20200612-p5523w.html \|title=John Cleese slams UKTV decision to remove Fawlty Towers episode as 'stupid' \|last=Quinn \|first=Karl \|date=12 June 2020 \|access-date=12 June 2020 \|work=[[The Age]]}}</ref> On 13 June it was reinstated by UKTV with a warning about "offensive content and language".<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53032895 \|title=Fawlty Towers: The Germans episode to be reinstated by UKTV \|date=13 June 2020 \|access-date=14 June 2020 \|work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>		The episode was removed from the [[UKTV]] streaming service on 11 June 2020 in the wake of the [[George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom\|George Floyd protests]], with the other episodes of ''Fawlty Towers'' remaining available on the service.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/11/fawlty-towers-dont-mention-the-war-episode-removed-from-uktv \|title=Fawlty Towers 'Don't mention the war' episode removed from UKTV \|last=Waterson \|first=Jim \|date=11 June 2020 \|work=[[The Guardian]] \|access-date=10 June 2020}}</ref> Cleese spoke against the removal of the episode due to the Major's use of racial slurs: "The Major was an old fossil left over from decades before. We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them. If they can't see that, if people are too stupid to see that, what can one say?"<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/john-cleese-slams-uktv-decision-to-remove-fawlty-towers-episode-as-stupid-20200612-p5523w.html \|title=John Cleese slams UKTV decision to remove Fawlty Towers episode as 'stupid' \|last=Quinn \|first=Karl \|date=12 June 2020 \|access-date=12 June 2020 \|work=[[The Age]]}}</ref> On 13 June it was reinstated by UKTV with a warning about "offensive content and language".<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53032895 \|title=Fawlty Towers: The Germans episode to be reinstated by UKTV \|date=13 June 2020 \|access-date=14 June 2020 \|work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

Kurt at 21:52, 25 April 2023

2023-04-25T21:52:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:52, 25 April 2023
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	~~{{other uses of\|Germans\|German (disambiguation)}}~~
	~~{{Use dmy dates\|date=April 2021}}~~
	~~{{Use British English\|date=April 2017}}~~

	{{Infobox television episode		{{Infobox television episode
	\| series = [[Fawlty Towers]]		\| series = [[Fawlty Towers]]

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{{other uses of|Germans|German (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}

{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Fawlty Towers]]
| image = Fawlty Towers The Germans.jpg
| caption =[[Basil Fawlty]] does the "funny walk", offending the German visitors
| series_no = 1
| episode = 6
| airdate = {{start date|1975|10|24|df=y}}
| production =
| writer = [[John Cleese]] and [[Connie Booth]]
| director = [[John Howard Davies]]
| guests =
| episode_list = List of Fawlty Towers episodes
| prev = [[Gourmet Night]]
| next = [[Communication Problems]]
}}

"'''The Germans'''" (named on some releases as "'''Fire Drill'''"<ref>[https://www.discogs.com/John-Cleese-and-Connie-Booth-Fawlty-Towers-At-Your-Service/release/12713195 BBC Audio Release, 1982 on Discogs]</ref>) is the sixth episode of the [[BBC]] [[Situation comedy|sitcom]] ''[[Fawlty Towers]]''. In the episode, while suffering the effects of concussion, [[Basil Fawlty]] repeatedly offends some [[Germans|German]] guests. Despite warning his staff "Don't mention [[World War II|the war]]", he keeps ignoring his own advice. His insults culminate in a [[goose step|goose-stepping]] impersonation of [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Berman |first1=Garry |title=Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to The Office |url=https://archive.org/details/bestbritcomsfrom00berm |url-access=limited |date=2011 |publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing |isbn=9781589795662 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bestbritcomsfrom00berm/page/n48 18]}}</ref>

==Plot==
Sybil, in hospital for a few days, instructs Basil on several tasks he must do at the hotel, including running a required fire drill and hanging a [[moose]] head. At the hotel, Basil has a conversation with the senile Major Gowen, who tells a [[Test cricket|Test match]] anecdote whose in-character comic basis is to have him reject a racist term (Indians aren't "[[nigger]]s"), only to unexpectedly replace it with another (Indians are "[[wog]]s"). The Major also expresses his dislike of Germans when Basil tells him a German group is due the next day. Basil then has several pratfalls with Manuel while trying to hang the moose head, including many calls from Sybil reminding him to do so. At one point, he leaves the head on the hotel counter to get a hammer, during which Manuel practises his English from behind the counter; a confused Major thinks the moose head is talking.

The next morning Basil successfully mounts the head. After another call from Sybil, Basil prepares to start the fire drill, but ends up creating confusion with the guests between the fire alarm and the burglar alarm (with the fire alarm being "a semitone higher" than the burglar alarm). Matters are made worse when Manuel actually causes a fire in the kitchen, setting off the alarm, but Basil, unaware of this, assures the guests it is only a drill. After starting the alarm, he tries to use the extinguisher on the fire, which bursts and sprays him in the face, blinding him. Manuel races out of the kitchen and tries to help Basil, only to accidentally knock him out with a frying pan.

Basil wakes up in hospital after suffering concussion, and Sybil attests to Dr Finn that Basil cannot cope with the hotel alone. Basil sneaks out and returns to Fawlty Towers in time to greet the German guests. Despite telling everyone not to "mention the [[World War II|war]]", due to a combination of his own animosity and concussion-induced mental confusion, Basil makes numerous World War II references whilst taking their dinner orders and begins arguing with them, calling out [[Nazi Germany]] and frequently referring to [[Adolf Hitler]] and others.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.letitbefood.com/blog/faulty-towers-fav-food-quotes-from-the-germans| title= Faulty Towers – Fav Food Quotes from "The Germans"| access-date=29 April 2018| date=2 November 2013| website = Let It Be Food}}</ref> Polly discreetly calls the hospital to warn them about Basil's behaviour.

As one of the Germans breaks down into tears, Basil starts into war jokes and mocks Hitler's goose-stepping. Dr Finn arrives, prompting Basil to try to escape, Manuel giving chase. However, Basil hits the wall where he hung the moose head, which falls, knocks Basil out again, and lands on Manuel's head. As the Germans look on in disbelief, the Major comes out and thinks the moose is speaking to him again. The Germans ask aloud how the British could have won the war.

==Cast==
Episode-credited cast:
* [[John Cleese]] as [[Basil Fawlty]]
* [[Prunella Scales]] as [[Sybil Fawlty]]
* [[Andrew Sachs]] as [[Manuel (Fawlty Towers)|Manuel]]
* [[Connie Booth]] as [[Polly Sherman]]
* [[Ballard Berkeley]] as [[Major Gowen]]
* [[Gilly Flower]] as [[Miss Tibbs & Miss Gatsby|Miss Abitha Tibbs]]
* [[Renee Roberts]] as [[Miss Tibbs & Miss Gatsby|Miss Ursula Gatsby]]
With:
* Lisa Bergmayr as German Guest
* Willy Bowman as German Guest
* [[Brenda Cowling]] as Sister
* [[Claire Davenport]] as Miss Wilson
* Iris Fry as Mrs. Sharp
* Dan Gillan as German Guest
* Nick Kane as German Guest
* John Lawrence as Mr. Sharp
* [[Louis Mahoney]] as Doctor Finn

==Production==
*Interior scenes of this episode were recorded on 31 August 1975, in Studio TC6 of the [[BBC Television Centre]], before a live audience.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvstudiohistory.co.uk/tv%20centre%20history.htm |title= An unreliable and wholly unofficial history of BBC Television Centre... |last1=Kempton |first1=Martin |website= An incomplete history of London's television studios |access-date=17 December 2014}}</ref>
*This was the only episode not to begin with an exterior shot of the hotel. Instead, an exterior shot of the [[Northwick Park Hospital]] in [[London Borough of Brent|Brent]] was used.
* In the scene where Manuel attempts to put out a fire in the kitchen, firemen were on standby to put out the flames. However, in the next shot where Manuel walks out to alert Basil of the fire, two chemicals were added to his arm, to create smoke. During rehearsal and filming these chemicals soaked into his clothing, causing Andrew Sachs second degree chemical burns on his arm and back.<ref>{{cite news |title=Andrew Sachs suffered burns on set of Fawlty Towers |work=The Telegraph|location=London |date=14 September 2011 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8762883/Andrew-Sachs-suffered-burns-on-set-of-Fawlty-Towers.html |accessdate=8 December 2020 }}</ref>

==Cultural impact==
* In 1997, "The Germans" was ranked No. 12 on [[TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time|''TV Guide''{{'}}s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time]].<ref>{{cite journal |year=1997 |title=Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time |journal=[[TV Guide]] |issue=28 June – 4 July }}</ref>
* This episode popularised the phrase "Don't mention the war". Cleese turned the phrase into [[Don't Mention the World Cup|a song]] for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], the first time Cleese had played Basil Fawlty in 27 years.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Sherwin|first1=Adam|last2=Hoyle|first2=Ben|date=15 May 2006|title=Don't mention the War says Cleese in World Cup peace bid|work=The Times|location=London|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dont-mention-the-war-says-cleese-in-world-cup-peace-bid-8lvb3q28fsx|url-status=live|access-date=25 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809055508/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article718221.ece|archive-date=9 August 2011}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> The phrase was used as a title for a humorous travel book written by [[Stewart Ferris]] and Paul Bassett, detailing travels through Germany and other European countries. It is also the title of a book by [[John Ramsden (historian)|John Ramsden]], published in 2006, which examines Anglo-German relations since 1890, and a 2005 [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]] documentary looking at the British perception of Germans.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1494135/Why-do-we-love-being-beastly-to-the-Germans-Blame-the-BBC.html | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | access-date=25 May 2010 | first=Ben | last=Fenton | date=16 July 2005 | title=Why do we love being beastly to the Germans? Blame the BBC}}</ref>
* The episode was one of the most popular of the series in Germany when it was first shown there in 1993.<ref>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Nicole|title=Herr Fawlty's turn not to mention war|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=15 June 2000|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1342970/Herr-Fawltys-turn-not-to-mention-war.html|location=London}}</ref>
* This episode was voted as number 11 in [[Channel 4]]'s ''One Hundred Greatest TV Moments'' in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fawltysite.net/awards.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080211064141/http://www.fawltysite.net/awards.htm|url-status=dead|title=Awards and audiences for Fawlty Towers|archive-date=11 February 2008}}</ref>
* [[Gold (British TV channel)|Gold]], a channel that regularly shows ''Fawlty Towers'', argues that while "The Germans" is the most famous episode, the best episode is "[[Communication Problems]]".<ref>[http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/576882 UKTV Gold: Sitcoms: Our favourite Fawlty episode] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312183616/http://uktv.co.uk/gold/stepbystep/aid/576882 |date=12 March 2008 }}</ref>
* ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' magazine listed this as the best episode of the show in its list of the 50 greatest TV episodes of all time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.empireonline.com/50greatesttv/default.asp?tv=28|title=Empire Features}}</ref>
* In the first episode of the second series of the BBC series ''[[The Office (UK TV series)|The Office]]'', David Brent performs an impression of a paper industry figure as Basil Fawlty, quoting the phrase "Don't mention the war", and impersonating the goosestep used by Basil.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}
* The American film director [[Martin Scorsese]] has cited this as his favourite episode of ''Fawlty Towers''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-to-hell-with-basil-1619527.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/arts-to-hell-with-basil-1619527.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Arts: To Hell with Basil |first=Andrew|last=Davidson|date=14 May 1995 |access-date=14 June 2020 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

==Controversy==
"The Germans" has been evaluated by critics in the context of stoking [[anti-German sentiment]]. Journalist [[Mark Lawson]] expressed the view that, "while the show will never win a prize for encouraging Anglo-German cultural understanding, Cleese is comically depicting – rather than politically promoting – fear of 'Fritz' ".<ref>{{cite web |last=Lawson |first=Mark |author1-link=Mark Lawson |title=Fawlty Towers isn't racist. Major Gowen is |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-isnt-racist-major-gowen-is |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 July 2021 |language=en |date=23 January 2013}}</ref> In response to critics, John Cleese stated that his intention in writing this episode was "to make fun of English Basil Fawltys who are buried in the past" and "to make fun of the British obsession with the Second World War".<ref>{{cite book |last=Davis |first=Colin |title=Traces of War: Interpreting Ethics and Trauma in Twentieth-century French Writing |date=2018 |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-1-78694-042-1 |pages=5–6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zIJZDwAAQBAJ&dq=don%27t+mention+the+war+fawlty&pg=PA5 |access-date=10 July 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Whatever you do, don't mention the war. Oops! |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/whatever-you-do-don-t-mention-the-war-oops-486582.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/whatever-you-do-don-t-mention-the-war-oops-486582.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=10 July 2021 |work=The Independent |date=14 January 2005 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Malik |first=Kenan |author1-link=Kenan Malik |title=We can mention the war. Should we now talk about Britain's darker history? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/oct/13/we-can-now-mention-the-war-should-we-talk-about-britains-darker-history |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 July 2021 |language=en |date=13 October 2019}}</ref>

In 2013, the BBC edited the Major's use of racial slurs from a repeat transmission of the episode, prompting some criticism by viewers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 January 2013 |title=Fawlty Towers scene 'censored' by BBC |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/mediamonkeyblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-gets-chop-bbc |work=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> The BBC defended its decision: "We are very proud of ''Fawlty Towers'' and its contribution to British television comedy. But public attitudes have changed significantly since it was made and it was decided to make some minor changes, with the consent of [[John Cleese]]'s management, to allow the episode to transmit to a family audience at 7.30pm on [[BBC2]]."<ref>{{cite news|last=Lawson|first=Mark |author-link=Mark Lawson |title=Fawlty Towers isn't racist. Major Gowen is|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2013/jan/23/fawlty-towers-isnt-racist-major-gowen-is|access-date=28 January 2018|work=The Guardian|date=23 January 2013|language=en}}</ref> However, on 28 June 2013, [[Gold (British TV channel)|Gold]] transmitted the unedited episode after the [[watershed (broadcasting)|watershed]].{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

The episode was removed from the [[UKTV]] streaming service on 11 June 2020 in the wake of the [[George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom|George Floyd protests]], with the other episodes of ''Fawlty Towers'' remaining available on the service.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/jun/11/fawlty-towers-dont-mention-the-war-episode-removed-from-uktv |title=Fawlty Towers 'Don't mention the war' episode removed from UKTV |last=Waterson |first=Jim |date=11 June 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=10 June 2020}}</ref> Cleese spoke against the removal of the episode due to the Major's use of racial slurs: "The Major was an old fossil left over from decades before. We were not supporting his views, we were making fun of them. If they can't see that, if people are too stupid to see that, what can one say?"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/john-cleese-slams-uktv-decision-to-remove-fawlty-towers-episode-as-stupid-20200612-p5523w.html |title=John Cleese slams UKTV decision to remove Fawlty Towers episode as 'stupid' |last=Quinn |first=Karl |date=12 June 2020 |access-date=12 June 2020 |work=[[The Age]]}}</ref> On 13 June it was reinstated by UKTV with a warning about "offensive content and language".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53032895 |title=Fawlty Towers: The Germans episode to be reinstated by UKTV |date=13 June 2020 |access-date=14 June 2020 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''Fawlty Towers: A Worshipper's Companion'', Leo Publishing, {{ISBN|91-973661-8-8}}
* ''The Complete Fawlty Towers'' by John Cleese & Connie Booth (1988, Methuen, London) {{ISBN|0-413-18390-4}} (the complete text)

==External links==
*{{BBC episode|b0074nwy}}

{{Fawlty Towers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Germans, The}}
[[Category:Fawlty Towers episodes]]
[[Category:1975 British television episodes]]
[[Category:Germany–United Kingdom relations]]
[[Category:Race-related controversies in television]]
[[Category:Television controversies in the United Kingdom]]