"Fawlty WAS funny to begin with, but as it developed"

As I remember, there were only 6 half hour episodes - seemed like a lifetime, I know, but that's because they were played endlessly. ther was also so much IN each episode - that any claims of 'lazy writing' are nonsense. Each episode is packed - like Italian Farce - which is why Cleese said they couldn't really do any more episodes - the material had been used up.

There's a new space comedy - can't remember the name - but as in Red Dwarf - they go right over the top.

"Brittas, the Fawlties and Hyacinth Bucket (to name some egregious examples of the type) aren't human"

Well, there's a brilliant Aussie series - "Mother & Son" - same vein.

I couldn't watch it all the way thru at first, cause it was too real for my life. Same with Mr Bean - just like a schizophrenic boss I had at work. But I love all them now that I can distance myself, and laugh AT the selfish narrow minded bastards! Humour is a great medicine. As Mel Brooks said (and Chaplin demonstrated with The Great Dictator) laughing at such monsters destroys their fearsomeness. I have an aunt - and my friend has a mother - just like Hyacthinth.