Clease was both a physical stand-out and a writing one, at Python and he and Connie Booth created one of the best comedy series, ever; though at 12 episodes, they kept it tight enough to avoid the pitfalls of most series. Python really didn't work when John left, as the 4th series really demonstrates, as you can see the others struggling to create sketches that have the same impact as in the previous 3. A couple of the conceptual ones end up working fairly well, but they have hiccups (Mr Neutron has some funny stuff; but it is up and down, as is the Golden Age of Ballooning).

Fawlty Towers is just a brilliant piece of work, from both a character perspective and the plots. The only criticism I could level is the question that Prunella Scales first raised when she met John, to talk about Sybil: why has she stayed with this man? He responded "I knew someone was going to ask that!" and he never had a good reason. Prunella kind of concocted her own line of reasoning in building her approach to the character. In interviews, she said she imagined that Sybil had the background in hotels, probably from a family business and met the posher Basil, when he was probably fresh out of the Army, looking young and smart. Perhaps he was her way out of the family situation and there was at least an attraction, at the start; but, then it became a life and, as bad as it was, it was better than the alternative.

Having worked in retail for 25+ years, there are many times when I could respond to jerks like Basil.

Terrific cast in that, too, both in the regulars and the guests (especially Geoffrey Palmer, as the doctor trying to get his breakfast, while dealing with a dead man, Bernard Cribbins, as the salesman mistaken as a hotel inspector and Joan Sanderson, playing Mrs Richards, the demanding woman with the hearing aid turned down).

I prefer Black Adder to Mr Bean, though there is some riotous stuff in Bean. Problem is that some of the bits get a bit repetitive, as you watch episodes. Black Adder lets Atkinson do a bit more; plus, you get wordplay, along with physical comedy. As much as his performance in that, you have to credit supporting actors, like Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Brian Blessed, Stephen fry, Miranda Richardson, Hugh Laurie, Rik Mayall and Patsy Byrne. Ben Elton is probably the unsung hero of the series as you can really see the great leap forward when he joined Atkinson and Richard Curtis for the second series, set in the Elizabethan Period. The first series struggles to really find its way and only succeeds in the latter half of episodes, for my money. Blackadder II hits the ground running and never stops. Similarly, Elton does a fine job in crafting The Thin Blue Line for Atkinson, presenting a sort of second generation Dad's Army, as he uses the same basic character types (more or less, given the difference in time frames and circumstances). I enjoyed the two series of that immensely. not quite as hilariously funny visual stuff as Bean or Blackadder, but a good traditional situation comedy.

"Little Britain" kept me laughing for quite a while. Mostly the earliest episodes, though, I will admit.

A longtime favorite of ours now headed towards its final season: "Doc Martin," with the excellent Martin Clunes. Every episode is like taking a vacation in Cornwall, a friend always says to me.

His programs about dogs, horses and other animals -- he's a passionate animal-lover, unlike the prickly Martin Ellingham -- are also a joy.

Mr Slocombe turned up in the second series, in the episode "Mr Slocombe."  He was now wealthy and was potentially buying the manor.  Mrs Slocombe is hidden, so that she won't be embarrassed by having her ex see her station in life and masquerades (under a heavy coat and hat,) as Mr Moulterd's wife.  The group isn't keen to sell, because they like their life and they are making a decent income, but the terms of the trust might force the situation.  They concoct a plan to convince Mr Slocombe that the staff is as large as the old days, when it was a country estate and all pretend to be various figures (milk maids, game keepers, farm hands, etc).  Actually a very funny episode.

They might have mixed intended plots when discussing it or they meant Mr Slocombe would return and find Mrs Slocombe.

From what some of the cast have said, they felt that if they had gone with the US title, it might have attracted more viewers who didn't realize it was a sequel to AYBS.  I wonder, given how popular it was in the US, with stations running the old and the sequel, whether they could have arranged a joint deal for it.  The BBC did make a lot of decisions, in that period, it came to regret (such as the whole Dr Who situation).

Snavely, aka Chateau Snavely (with Harvey Korman & Betty White), Amanda's (with Bea Arthur) and Payne (with John Larroquette).  The first was shot in 1978, as a pilot, but never picked up.  It featured a roadside motel, rather than a seaside hotel.  I can only imagine how bad it must have been.  The second was in 1983 and went to series, with 13 episodes filmed but only 10 aired.   Arthur was essentially Basil & Sybil, with nothing of the original in it, except a chaarcter, named Aldo, who was based on Manuel.  The producer was a writer on Maude, who approached Bea Arthur with the idea and tapes  of the original, which she loved; but she then complained when the scripts that were written were nothing like Fawlty Towers.  Cleese found out about it at a party and was told they had taken Basil out of it and his thoughts of large checks soon dwindled.

Payne was produced by Larroquette and aired 9 of 10 produced episodes.  Like Amanda's, it was set on the California coast, in a hotel called the Whispering Pines (they diid sign gags, but with it falling over, or pieces missing, etc).  JoBeth Williams played the wife, called Connie.  The relationship was the same, except Royal (the Basil chaarcter) was hot in bed, which is why she stayed, no doubt tossed in for Larroquette's ego (though it makes more sense than why Sybil stays, based on what you see in FT).  It was pretty much trashed by critics, from the word go and ratings weren't great.

Here's Snavely...




Amanda's...



and Payne...