Word is Lloyd & Croft felt that there were no more interesting plots in store.
A German friend living in North America, born during the war, told me once that she loved Hogan’s Heroes and did not see why she should take offence. She was surprised to learn that to many people who grew up with the show, Klink and Schultz represented typical Germans. The racial stereotyping in Are You Being Served (a show I love, notwithstanding) probably seemed harmless enough at the time, but it was unworthy of the show and its actors.
How appropriate. A zombie thread for this zombie of a show that continues to eat the brains of PBS viewers long, long after it mercifully died in its native land.
Yes, they from the same genre (and with one of the same writers). The difference is that Dad’s Army was actually very good. It was perhaps the best example of the genre; AYBS was close to being the worst. But how often is Dad’s Army shown on PBS? Never as far as I am aware, yet AYBS is on constantly. 
Yeah, having grown up on Python and other British fare, I never considered AYBS any more than a snappy, cheeky comedy. Certainly not great artistic TV, and definitely not a specialty gay interest, even though John Inman got first billing and Mr. Humphries was obviously the sharpest salesman on Grace Bros’ staff.
Then again, you never know how one culture will reposition and repurpose what comes from another culture, loading it up with new significance. I’d been listening to 1920s and 30s pop music for years before it dawned on me that its single biggest fan base was gay men.
(ignoring the pun) Are You Being Served had PLOTS?
I loved it.
I first started watching Dr Who in about 1974, the PBS station in Rochester probably did some sort of broadcast upgrade as we had not previously been able to get the channel. Shortly after that I also started watching Monty Python, The Goodies, The Pursuaders, To the Manor Born, Butterflies, Space 1999, Supernatural and another SF one I am pretty sure was not an animation/puppet one but I can’t seem to find anything that sounds familiar online. After I got netflix instant access a couple years ago I watched all of Red Dwarf, and thought it hysterically funny.
I enjoyed this show too. My favorite episode was the one in which they were helping in the toy department. (Maybe it was around Christmas.) Mr. Grainger was doing a terrific job. Someone said, “I thought he didn’t like children.” Someone else answered, “Oh, he doesn’t, but he loves toy trains!” I thought of that when I was watching the Doctor selling toys in the “Closing Time” episode on Doctor Who. Actually, Eleven might’ve fit right in on AYBS.