John Cleese Hates Watching This One Fawlty Towers Episode — Here's Why

Co-created by John Cleese and Connie Booth, it aired just 12 episodes between 1975 and 1979, yet it's been a gold standard in British comedy for decades. But despite its enduring popularity, there's one episode Cleese refuses to rewatch to this day.

The episode in question is The Germans — first broadcast in 1975. It's one of the most infamous entries in the show's short run, largely for its handling of World War II references and national stereotypes. Cleese has said he understands why some fans love it, but for him, it's too uncomfortable to revisit.

"There are certain scenes that feel too raw or awkward now," he explained. "I didn't enjoy watching it even back then. It made me feel uneasy."

In the episode, Cleese's character Basil Fawlty tries — and fails — to avoid offending a group of German hotel guests. What unfolds is a spiral of accidental insults, awkward shouting, and lines that haven't exactly aged gracefully. While the intention was to satirize ignorance and cultural insensitivity, the result walks a very fine line — one that even Cleese admits doesn't feel right anymore.

Over the years, The Germans has drawn both praise and criticism. Fans still quote Basil's chaotic one-liners, but others have argued that the humor hasn't held up under modern scrutiny. Cleese himself has acknowledged that what once felt like edgy satire now lands differently.

But his discomfort isn't just about the content. He's also talked about the emotional toll of making the show at all.

"It was exhausting," Cleese said of the process. "We were under enormous pressure. Writing, acting, rewriting — it took a toll."

With just two seasons of six episodes each, Fawlty Towers was a notoriously intense production. Cleese was juggling creative control with performance, and episodes like The Germans were especially stressful to get right. The idea of sitting through it again, he's said, dredges up memories of that pressure.

Connie Booth, who co-wrote the show and played Polly, has also commented on the episode's tricky tone. She's noted that their goal was always to mock prejudice, not endorse it, but admitted it's easy to misinterpret when comedy walks that kind of tightrope.

So while The Germans remains one of the most talked-about episodes in the Fawlty Towers catalog, Cleese avoids it — not because of backlash, but because he never liked it much to begin with.

"I hated watching it then, and I haven't watched it since," he once said. "Some things just don't feel right to relive."

And in a show packed with iconic meltdowns, slamming doors, and social disasters, that's saying something.