Basil the Rat
- Episode aired Oct 25, 1979
- TV-PG
- 34m
Basil and the rest of the staff are in deep trouble when the health inspector turns up and delivers an enormous list of problems with the hotel. Things become even worse when Manuel's rat ge... Read allBasil and the rest of the staff are in deep trouble when the health inspector turns up and delivers an enormous list of problems with the hotel. Things become even worse when Manuel's rat gets loose in the hotel.Basil and the rest of the staff are in deep trouble when the health inspector turns up and delivers an enormous list of problems with the hotel. Things become even worse when Manuel's rat gets loose in the hotel.
- Hotel Guest
- (uncredited)
- Hotel Guest
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis, the final episode, was recorded six months after the previous episode because of a BBC strike.
- GoofsThe back door from the kitchen, leading to a backyard with various crates and the shed where Basil the rat is kept, is placed in such a way that the backyard would have been at the front of the hotel.
- Quotes
Mr. Carnegie: I think these premises do not come up to the standard required by this authority. Unless appropriate steps are taken instantly, I shall have no alternative but to prosecute or recommend closure to the appropriate committee of the council, uh, specifically: The lack of proper cleaning routines, dirty and greasy filters, greasy and encrusted deep fat fryer, dirty, cracked and stained food preparation surfaces, dirty, cracked and missing wall and floor tiles, dirty, marked and stained utensils, dirty and greasy interior surfaces of the ventilator hood...
Basil Fawlty: Yes, about the deep fat fryer...
Mr. Carnegie: ...inadequate temperature control and storage of dangerous foodstuffs, storage of cooked and raw meat in same trays, storage of raw meat above confectionery with consequent dripping of meat juices onto cream products, refrigerator seals loose and cracked, ice box undefrosted, and refrigerator overstocked...
Basil Fawlty: Yes, say no more.
Mr. Carnegie: ...um, food handling routines suspect, evidence of smoking in food preparation area, dirty and grubby food handling overall, lack of wash hand basin - which you gave us a verbal assurance you'dhave installed at our last visit six months ago - and two dead pigeons in the water tank.
Basil Fawlty: Otherwise O.K.?
- Crazy creditsThe Fawlty Towers sign has been re-arranged to spell Farty Towels (a "W" is missing).
- ConnectionsFeatured in De wereld draait door: Episode #4.169 (2009)
Just so I can get my slightly reserved negativity out of the way, the specific problem I had was that a couple of the episodes seemed to rely on rather crude and obvious sexual material that would be more befitting the Carry On series than this. Specifically the psychiatrist episode suffers from this. This is one episode but it happens a few times in others but generally they are strong enough to carry it. The situations are exaggerated and silly but this suits the character of Basil, here with the tragic nature of him played down slightly and the clown aspect played up. Each episode is one long panic and they are mostly very funny as events spin out of control. The writing here focuses on these events and reactions and, while still very funny, it must be said that there is less in the way of depth in terms of the deference to class, the snobby attitude and "tragic" nature of Basil – again all this is sort of played down to a certain extent.
This criticism (minor as it is) is also an afterthought because mostly I was laughing at the comedy and the speed of it. The Anniversary episode didn't quite pull it off but the first episodes (with the hard of hearing woman and the missing money) starts things off really well and is followed by strong episodes such as the Waldorf Salad one and of course the one with the health inspector and Basil the pet rat. The cast play up to it very well but the star is of course Cleese. Although he has a little less substance than before, he has done a lot of the work already so it doesn't show as a gap and he nails the physical comedy each and every time. Each reaction and each line is bang on and he is very funny to watch. Booth has a bit more to do and is funny for it but Sachs' is the most improved and is very funny again. Scales is good and a bit less separated from the mayhem than before as a character, while Hall's chef is a solid addition that helps some of the narrative.
Season 2 may not be as good as I thought the first season was but it is still hard to fault and it is only in a few minor aspects that it doesn't work. Otherwise it is as frantic, as funny and as well written as it is famous for being and it is well worth revisiting if all you've done is see it as clips over the last few years.
- bob the moo
- Jan 30, 2010