The Anniversary

Basil gets what he deserves as he attempts to throw Sybil a surprise Anniversary Party, but neglects to tell her, she of course gets the hump. This episode has some hugely funny moments, and some wonderfully sarcastic dialogue. A wonderful cast, with some hugely memorable performances, who can forget Roger and Alice, gloriously played by Ken Campbell and Una Stubbs, or Pat Keen's Virginia. It's funny all the way through, but the best moment must be where Basil and his Anniversary guests troop in to see a Polly disguised and Sybil, only to end up with all manner of injuries.

The sequences of Terry and Manuel fighting, and the moment where Basil is caught out for lying has me in stitches. It really is a joy. 9/10

Basil is planning a surprise party for his 15th wedding anniversary, having invited Sybil's friends over to help celebrate; unfortunately, Sybil believes that Basil has forgotten and leaves. To avoid embarrassment, Basil concocts a story about his wife having fallen ill, but this only causes more problems, with Polly having to pretend to be the sickly Sybil.

I thought that the story in the previous episode felt very forced, and the same thing applies here: why would Basil lie to his friends about Sybil having left the building? They would probably find the whole situation rather amusing and would be able to corroborate Basil's story should she arrive, but then that wouldn't allow for the craziness that ensues, would it?. Once again, the humour doesn't flow naturally.

With only one more episode to go, I can almost certainly say that the first series is far superior overall.

For the first time (except maybe in "Gourmet Night"), Basil really makes an effort to do something nice for someone - and it of course goes totally sour. "The Anniversary" takes the meaning of 'fancy footwork' to a whole new level. The storyline itself is definitely not the best or most entertaining of the series, but it's still fairly fun. Basil and Sybil have had a fight over Basil forgetting their 15th wedding anniversary - but Basil didn't really forget - he's throwing a surprise party. Meanwhile, Manuel and Terry the chef fight over who will cook the Spanish Paella for The Fawlty's anniversary dinner. The performances are good (namely Ken Campbell as Roger, the wise party guest who isn't fooled by Basil's lies as to why Sybil isn't at the party). Una Stubbs is also a very good addition to the cast, playing the ultra-sweet friend Alice (wife of Roger), with a high-register soprano vocal inflection. There are a few good short bits between Basil and Manuel, particularly the one where Basil sneaks away from the madness for a quick drink of booze, only to be interrupted once again by Manuel, who only exacerbates things once again.

Basil pretends to forget his wedding anniversary in order to surprise Cybil with a nice meal and a party.

This episode is all about Basil losing control of a situation and trying to rectify it by telling some outrageous lies. In true Fawlty style his pretence keeps spiralling out of control until it becomes and utter farce. The more the plot unfolds the less control he has and the more trouble he is likely to be in with Cybil.

There is only really one joke to it but it is a funny situation and John Cleese is as manic as ever playing Basil on the verge of disaster, whilst delivering his funny one-liners and making both Polly's and Manuel's lives extremely difficult.

One of the brightest, most gleefully ridiculous episodes of this series has Basil seeming to forget his wedding anniversary. But, knowing full well how much heat he caught for forgetting last year, he's planned a surprise party. All of his plans go awry when the distraught Sybil drives off in a huff after he keeps the ruse going.

This is another case of Basil ending up digging himself a BIG hole, and only getting deeper & deeper. All of this could have been avoided, of course, if he just told the TRUTH, but then we wouldn't be subject to all this hilarity, including a darkened room, slapstick mishaps, barbed & sardonic quips from Roger (Ken Campbell, "A Fish Called Wanda"), Polly being roped into masquerading as Sybil (!), and a flat-out donnybrook between Manuel & Terry when the former plans on making a paella and the latter is insulted that he wasn't asked to do it.

Absolutely hilarious, although you do have to wonder how Basil would EVER make it up to Sybil after his actions here.

Nine out of 10.