I haven't seen this one for over 20 years, and
when watched in isolation I'm struck by just how unsympathetic the Hancock persona
is in it - when you watch it in conjunction with other episodes, you have more
emotionally invested in the lead and are more prepared to give him the benefit
of the doubt. It’s because of the combination of the Hancock character at his
most petty and insufferable with others and being trapped in a confined
space with him that makes the character hard to watch here.
The eight other passengers in the lift offer something of a social microcosm; medicine, the church, the military and broadcasting are all represented, along with the bureaucratic lift attendant. Interestingly, the only person whom Hancock responds kindly to, managing to curtail his sarcasm and disparagement, is the Vicar, whom he presumably sees as the agent of a higher power. The script describes the TV producer as a "young man", but 38-year old Jack Watling doesn't really fit that description! The made-up programmes that have lead him to great success do sound intriguing and plausible from the titles that Galton & Simpson have invented for them; Up You Go, Let's Get Dancing and Thursday Magazine...
The eight other passengers in the lift offer something of a social microcosm; medicine, the church, the military and broadcasting are all represented, along with the bureaucratic lift attendant. Interestingly, the only person whom Hancock responds kindly to, managing to curtail his sarcasm and disparagement, is the Vicar, whom he presumably sees as the agent of a higher power. The script describes the TV producer as a "young man", but 38-year old Jack Watling doesn't really fit that description! The made-up programmes that have lead him to great success do sound intriguing and plausible from the titles that Galton & Simpson have invented for them; Up You Go, Let's Get Dancing and Thursday Magazine...
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