Revealing mistake: When Basil is climbing up the ladder to view the inside of Mr Johnson's room, he accidently peers inside Dr Abbott's room. When he starts doing his "checking" routine on the window before he falls backwards, the pane flexes, indicating that it's made of clear perspex.
Revealing mistake: There are noticable disparaties between the locations of rooms and the windows on the outside of the building. This is particularly noticable in this episode when Basil climbs a ladder to look through the window.
Revealing mistake: When Basil sneaks into Raylene's room to listen for the "extra guest" in Johnson's room, Raylene wakes up screaming. When Sybil comes in, turns the light on and Basil says "I didn't know she was there, I just came in to check the walls", look at the extreme right of the screen. You can see the shadow of a boom light on the wall.
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) - S2-E4
Revealing mistake: In the scene where Basil and Manuel have put the corpse in the room behind the reception, and the Major comes over and speaks to Basil, the actor playing the corpse blinks.
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) - S2-E4
Revealing mistake: Just after Polly comes down to to the kitchen to tell Sybil that Mr Leeman's dead and they leave, Basil wanders back in, to learn the news. Watch the wall on the right on the staircase when Basil shoves past Sybil on the stairs. The wall shakes so much at that point it's virtually impossible to miss.
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) - S2-E4
Revealing mistake: When Basil, Manuel and Polly are trying to hide Mr. Leeman from the other guests, they put him in a cupboard. While they are talking to the people staying in the room, Mr. Leeman's hand comes out of the cupboard. Watch carefully, and you can see the actor opening the door from the inside, and then putting his arm down, making him look like the corpse.
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) - S2-E4
Revealing mistake: The dog's mouth is nowhere near Manuel when he is "bit".
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) - S2-E4
Revealing mistake: When the characters are in Mr Lehman's room discussing his death, the backdrop outside the window has clear wrinkles and fold marks in it even though it's supposed to look like the outside.
The Kipper and the Corpse (a.k.a. Death) - S2-E4
Revealing mistake: When the sausages burn the first time, the smoke comes from off screen.
Basil the Rat (a.k.a. Rats) - S2-E6
Revealing mistake: When Polly and Manuel are walking down Fawlty Towers drive with Basil the Rat in the box, there is an arch over the front entrance with Wooburn Grange Country Club written on it. This is the name off the building used as the location for the exterior scenes of Fawlty Towers; this is most visible on the DVD.
Answer: A possible explanation can be found here: http://tviv.org/Fawlty_Towers/Waldorf_Salad Quote: "This is, of course, sarcasm, as southern California in general and Los Angeles in particular is famous for its palm trees".
Mortug