in its positioning of an incompetent in charge of others, "the brittas empire" mined the traditional vein of tv humour (e.g., dad's army or are you being served?). yet it also had an element of absurdism...which gave it an appeal to younger viewers. at a stretch the show could also be viewed as a critique of the managerial class which expanded in the thatcherite eighties. a show for all the couch.