I am not a fan of Mr.Bean for a different reason. It is basically just a long series of actor exercises. You can see how it's done. He is not a real character for me.
Blackadder, on the other hand, is inspired.
I, too, recall those "alternative comedians" of the eighties. I saw them as an "alternative" to comedy. They always seemed particularly smug about having invented the clitoris too, didn't they? Although I am not convinced that even that claim was based on fact.
Milligan? Well along with Peter Cook, I think we had the two comedy giants of post war Britain. Still, if they don't make you laugh, I guess you have to look elsewhere. For me they were national treasures.