Am I the only one who thinks that the cartoonish violence between Basil and Manuel reminds one very much of classic slapstick cartoons like The Three Stooges and, especially, Laurel and Hardy? There is even a direct reference to L&H when Basil sticks his finger in Manuel's eye in "The Kipper and the Corpse", just like Stan often did with Ollie.
shareYes definite reference to L and H there. No doubt.
shareI would say more Abbott and Costello than Laurel and Hardy. L&H never really had an antagonistic relationship like Basil and Manuel, and if they ever hurt each other, it was usually inadvertent rather than deliberate.
shareNo similarity whatsoever with L and H.
I agree with MtnMan - there was a huge affection between Stan and Ollie which doesn't exist between Basil and Manuel. Ollie was overbearing and even somewhat of a bully to Stan, but it was obvious they loved each other. Manuel has a devotion to Basil, like the duckling does to Jerry in Tom and Jerry, but I don't think Basil ever once showed any affection or respect for Manuel.
I would also question the use of "slapstick" to describe Laurel and Hardy. Yes, there were bricks on heads, fallings into whitewash, cars squashed concertina-style to the width of a herring, but there was always such heart in it that I never bracketed it with the sadism of the Three Stooges (again, a lack of love) or the brash comedy of Abbott and Costello (where the love seemed to flow one way, if at all, too).
The physical comedy in Laurel and Hardy was funny because of the characteristics of the two leads (Ollie's desperate dignity as that last brick falls on his head) rather than just because a pie in the face is funny.
Awight we're The Daamned we're a punk baand and this is called Carn't Be Appy T'day!