Dear fellow fans, I read most of the wholly positive reviews here ending in the last - I think exceptional in its negative tone - amazingly critical one. This must not be the last word I thought not if I could help it with 5 minutes work. That last reviewer evidently had a humour by-pass oh well nothing is more subjective than humour. Well this is one of my favourite comedies ever on TV, nothing quite matches it for the range of odd regular characters, it is sooo different than all other pretenders for the wacky surreal crown it proudly wears in the realm of enlight-entertainment. I tip my hat to it for the towering achievement the originality the anarchic wit all the stuff others have enumerated here. The best of the BBC the best of British immodestly the best of my country men and women actors & writers the best of bad taste - who can forget a bailed out Buddy Holly hanging in the cellar, I never will. Thanks to all concerned for all the fun to single one ascendant talent in particular the genius of idiocy Mr Mayal yours laughingly Frank.