The Hotel Inspectors

Infobox Television episode
Title = The Hotel Inspectors
Series = Fawlty Towers


Caption =
Season = 1
Episode = 4
Airdate = 10 October 1975
Production =
Writer = John Cleese & Connie Booth
Director = John Howard Davies
Guests = Bernard Cribbins
Episode list =
Prev = The Wedding Party
Next = Gourmet Night

"The Hotel Inspectors" is the fourth episode of the BBC sitcom "Fawlty Towers".

ynopsis

When Basil hears of hotel inspectors roaming Torquay incognito, he realises with horror that the guest he has been monstering could easily be one of them.

Cast

Episode credited cast:
*John Cleese as Basil Fawlty
*Prunella Scales as Sybil Fawlty
*Andrew Sachs as Manuel
*Connie Booth as Polly Sherman
*Ballard Berkeley as Major Gowen
*Gilly Flower as Miss Abitha Tibbs
*Renee Roberts as Miss Ursula Gatsby:With:
*James Cossins as Mr. Walt
*Bernard Cribbins as Mr. HutchinsonUncredited:
*Peter Brett as Brian (hotel inspector, 1st?)
*Geoffrey Morris as John (hotel inspector, 2nd?)
*Andy Williams plays the 3rd hotel inspector, Chris

Plot

Two guests, Mr. Walt and Mr. Hutchinson, arrive separately at reception. Mr. Walt says very little, however Mr. Hutchinson speaks in a very drawn-out and pompous manner that irritates Basil. Basil becomes increasingly irate as Hutchinson makes unreasonable requests and asks for specific directions to a meeting. He accidentally tells Mr. Walt to 'P-off', and also produces subtitles for Manuel to understand what he is saying.

Sybil informs Basil that a friend of a friend overheard three hotel inspectors in a pub in Torquay. This information raises Basil's blood pressure several notches, and becomes obsessed with determining if any of the guests are actually inspectors.

When Mr. Hutchinson asks if he can reserve a television programme, he says something which makes Basil's hair stand on end: "In my professional activity I am in constant contact with hotels". This, combined with the guest's neediness and over-inflated style of speaking, leads Basil to the conclusion that the guest is actually an inspector. Basil changes his attitude towards the guest and escorts him to the dining room, where lunch is about to be served.

Being as nice as pie to the demanding Mr. Hutchinson, he overlooks Mr. Walt who is forced to wait after his bottle of wine proves to be corked. The meals are mixed up by the chef, and Huchinson gets several meals that he didn't order. Basil attempts to fix up the misunderstanding until Sybil reveals that Mr. Hutchinson is not an inspector but in fact sells spoons. Basil promises revenge on Hutchinson for his supposed deception. Mr. Walt says to Basil that he is in Torquay with "two colleagues" leading Basil to believe that he is actually the inspector. In order to prevent Walt getting a bad impression, Basil tries to stop Hutchinson complaining by choking him, eventually rendering him unconscious.

Hutchinson regains consciousness and starts punching Basil at reception, and tells him he is leaving instantly and doesn't expect to receive a bill. Mr. Walt, who witnessed the situation, is flabbergasted. Basil tries to pay him off, offering to bribe him not to mention the chain of events which had just taken place when he reviews the hotel. Basil then goes into hysterics, realising how much he has just risked the hotel's reputation. Mr. Walt reveals he sells outboard motors and consoles Basil. Thinking he's in the clear, Basil runs to the kitchen with Manuel.

The real inspectors turn up at reception whilst no one is around, and they briefly discuss their plan of action for looking at hotels. Manuel stops Mr. Hutchison as he leaves and says Basil wants to say goodbye to him. Before Mr. Hutchison can protest, Basil throws pies at Mr. Hutchinson and Manuel pours milk in his briefcase as he gets kicked out of the hotel. The gobsmacked inspectors watch in awe. Basil crosses over to the reception, welcomes the inspectors to the hotel, and screams in terror when he realises who they are.

Connections and errors

*At the end of the episode, there are clearly three hotel inspectors. However, only two of them (John and Brian) are named in the closing credits. The 1st inspector says "Twenty-six rooms, twelve with private bathrooms." The 2nd inspector says "Yes, well, why don't you have dinner here, and Chris and I can try the Claremont." The 3rd inspector (presumably Chris) replies "OK. The owner's one Basil Fawlty."
*The man named Bill Morton, whose friend overheard the hotel inspectors in a bar, was named after the vision mixer for the series; he is the only member of the crew distinguished enough to be mentioned in the series.
*Mr. Hutchinson asks if the hotel has a table tennis table, to which Basil replies, “Indeed we do. It is not ... in absolutely mint condition. But it certainly could be used in an emergency”. Apparently this is John Cleese’s favourite one-liner in all the episodes. Fact|date=February 2007
*The scene in which the wine is 'corked' involved improvisation on the actors' parts, John Cleese and James Cossins were unaware of which way the wine would go, if at all. Loosely scripted dialogue was therefore at hand.
*The only time in the series we ever see evidence of Basil smoking; when Sybil takes back all the matches (she is "just lighting up") and gives him back just one, in the opening scene.