In which Fawlty Towers episode does Basil thrash his stalled car with a tree branch?

Basil thrashes his stalled car with a tree branch in the Fawlty Towers episode “Gourmet Night.”

The episode follows Basil’s attempt to attract a more prestigious clientele with an elaborate dinner. His plan collapses when the new chef, Kurt, becomes too drunk to cook, forcing Basil to make repeated trips to his friend André’s restaurant to obtain a duck. Basil’s unreliable car turns those emergencies into an escalating farce.

On the return journey, the car breaks down yet again. Basil first threatens it, then grabs a branch and delivers the famous “damn good thrashing,” treating the vehicle as though it were a disobedient employee. The scene is often remembered as one of John Cleese’s signature pieces of physical comedy. It is sometimes confused with “Basil the Rat” or “The Builders,” other episodes featuring Basil’s explosive behavior, but the branch-and-car sequence belongs specifically to “Gourmet Night,” series one’s fifth episode.