Apparently, there was a thirteenth episode of Fawlty Towers?
Q: Is the 13th episode, “The Robbers”, for real? If so, why do you think it was never broadcast, even in later years as a TV special?
A: I have absolutely no idea why the 13th episode, called The Robbers, has never been aired. I only know that I saw it once in Bill Morton’s flat not far from Piccadilly Circus on a particularly wet evening. Hadn’t it been for this, I might myself have doubted the otherwise striking authenticity of the script, reproduced in the book.
As things stand, I can only assure the reader that the show, as far as I remember, was amazing. Rarely have I seen John Cleese and his crew reach such continuous heights of sublime entertainment, and the only reason I can see for not wanting this episode to reach the fans, is that it would perhaps create the false impression that there was so much more to wring out of the material, whereas, in fact, the 13th episode represents the ultimate solution to the problem of how to carry this tormented universe to a happy end.
As concerns the reason for never admitting its existence, let alone airing it, I must refer the reader to the BBC. They should know why. And poor Bill. The last time I tried to call him he had a parrot recorded on his answering machine, exclaiming: P-off!
I may be missing the joke here, because, if the episode is for real, it’s tough to imagine it could actually languish in such complete obscurity at the BBC for thirty years. (Even weird television Holy Grails like that version of Alexander the Great starring William Shatner, Adam West, and John Cassavetes has seen some light of day.)