John Cleese Returning to 'Fawlty Towers' in a New Reboot

Not everything that was once a beloved classic series should get another turn on television, but don’t tell production studios that. Everything is on the table between the gaping maw of endless content that a streaming service demands and the drive to make these services single studio-supplied destinations for consumers. Whether it’s The Darling Buds of May becoming The Larkins or the brand new takes on Poldark and All Creatures Great & Small, the temptation is always there. The latest to give in is the people behind Fawlty Towers, which is headed back into production to see how Basil Fawlty is doing in the 2020s.

The original series is considered one of the greatest British comedies. Starring Monty Python alum John Cleese, the series centers around Basil Fawlty, a white man full of rage and resentment who owns the titular hotel in Torquay on the English Riviera. It co-starred Connie Booth as the maid Polly, the show’s voice of reason, Prunella Scales as his henpecking wife, and Andrew Sachs as Spanish waiter Manuel. The show only ran two seasons, but like Python, it became a defining part of the British comedy landscape.

Cleese is the driving force behind the reboot, which Rob Reiner’s Castle Rock outfit will produce. Note that there is no network or streaming service yet attached to the reboot; this is an “if you film it, they will line up and bid on it” situation. Considering Cleese’s issues with the BBC in recent years, it’s unsurprising the show’s original network is not yet involved at this stage and may very well pass on the finished project.