🎭 Why John Cleese Still Refuses to Watch “The Germans” — The Fawlty Towers Episode That Haunts Him Decades Later

Introduction:

For many, Fawlty Towers is one of the finest sitcoms ever made, a brilliant blend of farce and cutting humor that remains iconic in television history.

The character of Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese, has become a symbol of British comedy—acerbic, awkward, and hopelessly out of touch with the world around him.

But one episode from the second season of Fawlty Towers stands out among the rest, not just for its humor but for the controversy it sparked. That episode, “The Germans,” is one that John Cleese himself refuses to watch, and for good reason.

What makes “The Germans” so haunting for Cleese? Why has he consistently avoided revisiting this particular episode, despite its place in comedy history?

To this day, he considers it one of the most difficult things he’s ever had to write, and the reasons behind his discomfort are more complex than you might imagine.

In this article, we dive into why “The Germans” still haunts Cleese decades later and how an innocent sitcom moment became the subject of one of the most infamous television controversies.

Read on to discover the untold story of the episode that changed everything for John Cleese and Fawlty Towers.

The Controversial Moment That Defined “The Germans”

When “The Germans” first aired in 1975, it was immediately clear that this was not going to be just another quirky episode of Fawlty Towers.

The plot centers around Basil Fawlty’s increasingly absurd behavior as he tries to navigate a visit from a group of German guests at his hotel, and the episode was filled with the kinds of cringe-worthy moments that Cleese’s character was known for.

However, it was one line, delivered by Basil with his usual tactless arrogance, that would make “The Germans” stand out in the cultural memory of the show—and in Cleese’s own.

In the episode, Basil—already on edge from the presence of the German guests—accidentally refers to the Nazis while trying to avoid them, famously exclaiming, “Don’t mention the war!”

While this was meant to be a humorous, over-the-top moment of British self-consciousness, it struck a nerve with many viewers, particularly in the context of the 1970s.

The echoes of World War II were still fresh, and the joke seemed to verge on the uncomfortable, even insensitive.

John Cleese, who had a hand in both writing and performing the episode, has admitted that he was deeply conflicted about that particular moment.

“It was a terrible, uncomfortable scene to write,” Cleese once confessed in interviews. “I knew it was going to be controversial, but there was something about it that made it feel funny in a sick way. And I wasn’t wrong—the audience’s reaction was immediate and visceral.”

Cleese’s Deep Discomfort with the Episode

For John Cleese, the discomfort didn’t end after the episode aired. In fact, his feelings about “The Germans” have only grown more complex over the years.

While the episode remains one of Fawlty Towers‘ most memorable, Cleese has admitted to feeling a deep sense of unease every time he recalls the work.

“I really don’t like watching that episode,” he confessed during a 2012 interview. “It’s a scene that haunts me because it felt like it pushed the boundaries too far, even for me.”

Cleese’s discomfort goes beyond just the political implications of the joke; it’s tied to his own internal struggle as a writer. The joke about the Nazis, while intended to be a comedic commentary on British neuroses about the war, left a sense of shame in Cleese’s heart.

Over the years, he has expressed regret about how it played out. The line was funny to some, yes, but to others, it was a painful reminder of the darker aspects of history that should never be treated so lightly.

“I had this nagging feeling that the joke was too easy, too obvious, and it felt like it brushed over something that should have been dealt with more seriously,” Cleese explained.

“It was one of those moments when you think, ‘What if we had done this differently?’ But of course, by then, it was too late.”

The Impact on His Legacy

While Cleese’s reservations about “The Germans” are deeply personal, they also reveal a lot about his legacy as a comedic writer. In a career built on irreverence and pushing boundaries, Cleese has often acknowledged that his best work comes from a place of careful consideration.

For Cleese, comedy has always been about challenging the status quo—but “The Germans” left him wondering if, in this case, he might have gone too far.

It’s no surprise then that Cleese has frequently distanced himself from that particular episode. In later years, he admitted to being surprised by how long the joke lasted in the public consciousness, and how it often overshadowed the deeper nuances of Fawlty Towers’ satire.

“The show was about so much more than that one line. It was a show that used comedy to explore British culture, class, and social mores,” he stated in a more recent interview.

As time passed, Cleese’s discomfort grew not just because of the controversial nature of the joke but because of how it shaped perceptions of him as a writer.

What had once been a funny, if edgy, moment became an albatross around his neck—a moment that would forever be tied to the idea of him as a provocateur who was willing to cross any line.

The Episode’s Legacy and How It Changed Television

Despite Cleese’s personal conflict, the episode remains a cornerstone of Fawlty Towers’ history, and is often cited in discussions about the show’s brilliance and its audacity.

“The Germans” is remembered not just for its humor, but for the cultural conversation it sparked. Many critics argue that it is a perfect example of how Fawlty Towers balanced dark humor with razor-sharp commentary.

However, the controversy surrounding the episode can’t be ignored. While some viewers loved the biting satire and the way it played with British sensibilities, others felt that it trivialized a dark chapter of history that deserved more respect.

The line between satire and insensitivity is a difficult one to walk, and The Germans is a prime example of how easily the balance can tip.

Cleese’s Reflections: A Career Defined by Questioning Boundaries

In hindsight, Cleese acknowledges that pushing boundaries is what made Fawlty Towers so special—but it also made him acutely aware of how easily things could go wrong.

Over the years, Cleese has continued to be an outspoken critic of how comedy is perceived and consumed, often reflecting on the fine line that exists between satire and mockery.

“It’s a strange thing, comedy,” Cleese mused. “You want to be honest, to push boundaries, but sometimes you’re so caught up in the moment that you forget to check if the audience is laughing with you or at you. And once something is out there, there’s no taking it back.”

“The Germans” is one of Fawlty Towers‘ most enduring episodes, but it’s also a moment that John Cleese carries with a heavy heart.

While it remains a landmark in the show’s legacy, Cleese’s uneasy relationship with it shows that even the most iconic moments in television history can come with a cost.

Fawlty Towers was about more than just laughs—it was about holding a mirror up to society, showing us our flaws, our biases, and our collective history. But, as Cleese learned, some jokes are harder to live with than others.

Click below to dive deeper into the story behind “The Germans” and find out why John Cleese still refuses to watch the episode, decades after it first aired. What do you think? Did Cleese go too far, or was the joke just the kind of sharp, cutting humor we needed?