5/5 These days, it's probably ok to mention the war.
  by C. R. Swanson (Phoenix)
Say hello to Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered! This newly-remastered collection of the classic BBC comedy series will have you laughing like almost nothing else!

I'd had surprisingly little exposure to Fawlty Towers until fairly recently. Back when I was a wee lad I remember seeing about two episodes of the show. Lately I've seen a heck of a lot more and found it to be one of the best, most consistently funny shows ever made!

The series follows the lives of people staying and working in Fawlty Towers, what is possibly the worst hotel in all of England. It's located on the British coast where, it turns out, people actually voluntarily go for vacations during the summer (having swam in the Pacific Ocean in an area just about as far north as Southern England, I think they're quite mad). The hotel is run by the impossible-to-deal-with Basil Fawlty (John Cleese). With him are his long-suffering wife, longer-suffering maid and even longer-suffering Spanish bellhop, the scene stealing Manuel (Andrew Sachs).

The plots tend to be very simple, and occasionally reveal a great deal about the age of the show (it was made in 1975 and 1979), but the execution is genius. The comic timing on display is incredible, particularly that of Sachs and Cleese.

This newly remastered version of the show contains all twelve episodes (12?! That's it?! Not a lot, I know, but the recent great shows The Office and Extras also only have twelve standard episodes each), of the show. You also get a whole raft of extra features, including commentaries, interviews, outtakes, a little booklet and even a Torquay Tourist Guide! Nice!

This is a very funny show and a heck of a good deal. I can't possibly praise it enough. Go pick it up!

5/5 Well worth the investment
  by Daniel Farrelly (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Having purchased the previous Fawlty Towers complete series on DVD set three years ago, I was skeptical as to whether the "Remastered" version was worth it. I can assure you that it is. John Cleese's hilarious and insightful commentary alone is worth the extra investment. As well, the sound and picture quality are noticeably better, adding to the enjoyment. Highly recommended even if you have previously purchased the series on VHS or DVD. Enjoy!

5/5 I have to buy it
  by Byron (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Aargh! I owned the VHS versions for years and finally broke down and bought the previous overpriced DVD edition last year. Now they've come out with a superior edition which is also cheaper! I'll have to buy it for the Cleese commentaries alone. If you don't own these programs already then you've come along at the right time. This will be the best money you've spent in quite a while. This is one of the classic sitcoms of all time. Each meticulously crafted episode is so crammed with hilarious lines and situations that when you recall it later you won't believe that so many things happened in one half-hour show. Cleese was really the first to put such an unpleasant character at the center of a sitcom. It would be tried again with the sadly brief 'Buffalo Bill' and with more success with 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'. Like Larry David, even when Basil Fawlty is right, he's wrong.

5/5 Best Britcom of all time!
  by Otherwise Okay
By far the best thing ever on television! This is one series that I have watched, re-watched, and quoted for years! It never gets old! A must-own collection!

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5/5 A Billiant Classic
  by Rene M. (Dallas, TX)
Having been a huge fan of this series since it first ran on PBS, I bought all the episodes years ago on VHS. Hadn't gotten around to getting the DVD's, and now glad I waited for this special edition set. I can highly recommend purchasing, even if you've never had the pleasure of viewing this comic classic before. Sadly, only twelve episodes were made, but each one is pure gold, and infinitely superior to most sitcoms that run for years. Can't wait to see all the extras. The writing is genius; the cast is flawless--I could go on forever. Thank you, John Cleese!