The Psychiatrist (Fawlty Towers)
| "The Psychiatrist" | |
|---|---|
| Fawlty Towers episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 2 |
| Directed by | Bob Spiers |
| Written by | John Cleese & Connie Booth |
| Production code | 8 |
| Original air date | 26 February 1979 |
"The Psychiatrist" is the second episode of the second series of BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
In this episode, Sybil flirts with a young male guest named Mr. Johnson (who Basil believes resembles an orangutan). Meanwhile, two doctors arrive at the hotel, and Basil becomes concerned when he realises one is a psychiatrist. He becomes obsessed with finding a woman that Johnson has sneaked into his room, but instead stumbles into several compromising situations with a beautiful young female guest. His maniacal behaviour infuriates his wife and alarms the psychiatrist.
"The Psychiatrist" begins in the foyer of the hotel with Basil and Sybil at the front desk engaged in separate conversations on the phone. When Mr. Johnson, a swaggering young playboy-type with an open shirt and gold chains comes down, however, Sybil immediately launches into flirtatious banter with him, much to Basil's annoyance. He makes several snide remarks to the effect that Johnson resembles some kind of ape. Basil also mocks Johnson’s medallions.
The Abbots arrive, unfortunately for Basil, while he is beating his chest and scratching his armpits in further mockery of Johnson. Upon hearing the word doctor, Basil instantaneously assumes that the husband is Dr. Abbot because he is a man, when in fact his wife is also a doctor, which Basil ascertains after much 'hole-digging' and misunderstanding. Thrilled to have doctors staying over at the hotel (Basil having aspired to be one himself), Basil fawns over the Abbots and personally escorts them to their rooms. In the meantime, Mr. Johnson inquires of Sybil about a room for his mother who is arriving the following day, but the hotel is full, so he agrees to have her stay in his room.
Soon after, an attractive young Australian girl named Raylene Miles arrives at the hotel, which creates a similar situation for Basil to that which Johnson created for Sybil. Basil handles his attractive character quite differently however. While Sybil openly flirts with Johnson, Basil tries too hard to ensure he appears uninterested, such as looking at her and then glancing away when she looks up. This makes him nervous and he begins to act as though he does fancy her, via Freudian slips or luckless accidents. One such accident occurs while repairing Raylene's bathroom light: he reaches around a corner for the switch and, as Raylene is stretching beside the door, instead accidentally tweaks her nipple rather than the switch. Of course, Sybil steps in and sees this, leading her to believe Basil is softly groping her. Sybil does not react by insulting Raylene as Basil had with Johnson, but rather to berate Basil, and to apologise to her afterwards.
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