"Oh, and it was called "Fawlty Towers," as I recall". Unless the paperboy rearranged the letters on the sign (10 of the 12 episodes, I think)
The Paperboy, though rarely seen, is significant as he is revealed to be the prankster who rearranges the letters on the "Fawlty Towers" sign to read various (sometimes crude) phrases[12]. This may have been because of Basil's sharp attitude towards him when he was late with a delivery. The shot of the sign (with the hotel exterior in the background) appears at the beginning of every episode but one, "The Germans", when a shot of a hospital is used, as this is the only episode which doesn't begin at the hotel. During the first series, the sign slowly deteriorated throughout the season until almost no letters were left in episode four. Episode five brings the first semi-anagram: "Warty Towels". In the second series, the first episode sign spells 'Fawlty Tower' letter "L" being noticeably askew, and changes in each subsequent episode, from the correct spelling to various semi-anagrams (only "Flowery Twats" from the 11th episode, "The Anniversary", is a proper anagram using all original letters.) The changes progress as follows:
Episode 7: "Fawlty Tower" (the letter "L" is askew)
Episode 8: "Watery Fowls"
Episode 9: "Flay Otters"
Episode 10: "Fatty Owls"
Episode 11: "Flowery Twats"
Episode 12: "Farty Towels"
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"I think the surest sign that there is intelligent life out there in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us." Calvin & Hobbes
