<![CDATA[Manuel's English Would Have Gotten Better Over the Course of the Series]]>Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Fawlty Towers

laurenhill — 9 years ago(January 14, 2017 07:32 PM)

Obviously the show requires a little suspension of disbelief, but one thing about it has always bugged me: by the final episode, it's revealed that Manuel has been working at Fawlty Towers for a year (they mention that's how long he's had his pet "hamster"), which means he's been living in England for probably a little more than a year. Whenever you live in a foreign country that long, you automatically start picking up the language. Furthermore, from what we see, Manuel never interacts with anyone else in Spanish; he is surrounded by English co-workers, staff, and guests and must interact with them on a daily basis.
I find it incredibly unbelievable that even by the final episode, Manuel would still have such a poor grasp of English and be so easily confused by complete sentences.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/topic/187262/manuel-s-english-would-have-gotten-better-over-the-course-of-the-seriesRSS for NodeSat, 16 May 2026 10:37:27 GMTWed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:42 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Manuel's English Would Have Gotten Better Over the Course of the Series on Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:46 GMT]]>drunkbear — 9 years ago(January 19, 2017 08:43 PM)

As to sitcom characters, and how they age/progress:
Bart Simpson has been 10 years old since 1989.

  • Oh, SOMEbody asides me is gonna RUE this here particular day
]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572375https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572375Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Manuel's English Would Have Gotten Better Over the Course of the Series on Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:45 GMT]]>deem_bastille — 9 years ago(January 19, 2017 05:55 PM)

what is spleep?
Oh God. Fortune
vomits
on my eiderdown once more.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572374https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572374Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Manuel's English Would Have Gotten Better Over the Course of the Series on Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:44 GMT]]>vexata — 9 years ago(January 19, 2017 04:48 AM)

Not to mention the fact that Manuel just isn't very bright to begin with.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572373https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572373Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Manuel's English Would Have Gotten Better Over the Course of the Series on Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:43 GMT]]>deem_bastille — 9 years ago(January 15, 2017 10:36 AM)

bwahahaa!!!!
real life: you have to be taught a second language consistently by someone who speaks both your language and your second language. he had Polly but that was it.
and I see this often. you have to want to learn better English. I work in a school in the south Bronx where the Spanish speaking population are catered TO! why should they learn English? They get everything handed to them! cushy!
and that is what makes Manuel so funny. since I coma heah from spain leaving my five mothers and four uncles
Oh God. Fortune
vomits
on my eiderdown once more.

]]>https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572372https://filmglance.com/discuss/post/1572372Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:05:43 GMT