TV Critics: Absolutely Fashion; Hancock’s Half Hour; Ingenious Animals

“Film-maker Richard Macer has a keen eye, topped by a raised eyebrow and, in his nine months there, with excellent access, he gathers plenty of material for an irresistible peek into a world that the rest of us cart horses and donkeys can only dream of. It’s baffling, ridiculous, fascinating, hilarious and fabulous, of course.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“Despite its crass title, there was almost nothing about clothes. Instead this was an intriguing film about the powder keg of office politics in which all the participants are women.”
Jasper Rees, The Telegraph

“If this was an attempt to build Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman into a despot it failed. She may be a touch sulky, but she wouldn’t make it even into the second division of despot editors.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“If the filmmaker does think there’s something beneath him about this world of women and their clothes and make-up, he still can’t quite help saying interesting things about it. He made a point about fashion and fashion symbols like Kate Moss, more spot-on than anything I’ve ever read from a style journalist.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“I am happy they found and remade the lost episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, The New Neighbour. Kevin McNally as Tony Hancock, Robin Sebastian as Kenneth Williams, Jon Culshaw as Sid James and, especially, Katy Wix as a Hattie Jacques quivering on the edge of sado-masochistic excitement, did splendidly. It reminded me, however, of the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“Halfway between a tribute act and a museum piece, this was good clean fun while capturing little of the impact Hancock must have had on audiences in the Fifties, when television was new and preoccupation with class, status and social archetypes was more fixed in the mind’s eye of the nation.”
Jasper Rees, The Telegraph

“Giles Clarke makes an engaging presenter — so it is bizarre that the show is anchored by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It is a little strange to have him talking earnestly to camera about the plight of animals in the wild, when for years his River Cottage menu featured grey squirrel stew.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Ingenious Animals gave us some precious, close-up glimpses of the clouded leopards, an endangered Asian species thought to be the missing link between ‘big cats’ and, well, little ones. They seemed as affectionate as pub tabbies, licking Giles Clark’s head and purring.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express