Bea Arthur and Fawlty Towers?? You're kidding, I hope. I don't remember that series at all--or maybe it was cancelled after just a few episodes.

Deadly serious! It was in the early eighties I believe, before Golden Girls. It was called Amanda's By The Sea. Bea Arthur played Amanda. Tony Rosario, a former SNL cast member, played Manuel. It tanked after a few episodes.

If anyone here ever saw a movie titled "A Shock to the System" starring Michael caine, recall there was a detective played by Will Patton who was a complete Columbo Jr. if ever there was one. From the absent-mindedness to the stick-to-the-suspect aspect of him, the mind games, etc.