Original artwork, not a still
So, that's two egg mayonnaise, a prawn Goebbels, a Hermann Goering and four Colditz salads.
— Fawlty Towers · 1975
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Trying hard not to mention something can make it dominate every word. Basil’s food order becomes a list of the associations he was supposed to suppress. The guests’ discomfort exposes the gap between his belief that he is being tactful and the effect he is actually having.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Fawlty TowersShow the scene
In “The Germans” (series 1, episode 6), Basil tries to resume ordinary service after insisting that nobody should mention the war. Reading back the guests’ food order, he mixes wartime names into the dishes and then apologises for getting confused. His bandaged head and the uncomfortable dining room belong to the scene; the words describe his verbal blunder, not the restaurant’s actual menu.
Sources (2)
- Fawlty Towers — The Germans transcriptThe Germans; The Germans, series 1 episode 6; Basil repeats the German guests' orderReference checked
- Fawlty Towers — independent written referenceThe Germans; The Germans, series 1 episode 6; Basil repeats the German guests' orderReference checked
Context reviewed
