It took me a long time to pin down what it was I disliked so much about many sitcoms and its not a rule without exceptions. I had no problem with it as a young teenager and continue to have a lot of time for things like Faulty Towers and Blackadder which both make extensive use of the device. I have a suspicion that the more cariacatured the character, the less I identify with them, and the easier I find it to watch them making a fool of themselves.