Before I begin this review, I'd just like to express my sorrow at the demise of Network Distributing. This company made commercially available hundreds of films and television series, including obscure items like 'The Strange World Of Gurney Slade', 'The Corridor People' and 'Bognor'. While these shows were admittedly not to everyone's taste, it was good that we were able to see them at last and make up our own minds. Hopefully, another company will pick up the baton some point in the future.
'The Climber' starred Robin Nedwell as 'Harry Lumsden', a baker who believes himself to be a genius after completing an IQ test ( his reading is 166 ). The question is now how to exploit this talent? After a decade or so of playing girl-chasing 'Dr. Duncan Waring' in ITV's 'Doctor series', followed by an unsuccessful attempt to step into John Alderton's shoes in the best-forgotten 'The Upchat Connection', this was a change of pace for Nedwell. The problem was that the character of 'Harry' was too similiar to Bill Maynard's 'Selwyn Froggitt' in that he too was a simple man who thought he was someone important. Jacqueline Tong ( 'Daisy' the maid ffrom 'Upstairs, Downstairs' ) played Harry's girlfriend 'Shirley'. Jack Watson glowered at Harry ( he never spoke ) as her grumpy father 'Mr. Thomas'. David Battley was Harry's best friend. Alex Shearer wrote the scripts. His previous series were the short-lived Michael Crawford sitcom 'Chalk And Cheese' and 'Sink Or Swim' staring Peter Davison and Robert Glenister as brothers. 'The Climber' is a pleasant if unremarkable show which never climbed to the top of the ratings. Only six episodes were made.
Funniest moment - Harry takes a driving test ( using a borrowed car ) despite never having had any lessons. He tells the examiner he does not need them as he is a genius. Harry passes, only to then crash into a milk float a few seconds later.
'The Climber' starred Robin Nedwell as 'Harry Lumsden', a baker who believes himself to be a genius after completing an IQ test ( his reading is 166 ). The question is now how to exploit this talent? After a decade or so of playing girl-chasing 'Dr. Duncan Waring' in ITV's 'Doctor series', followed by an unsuccessful attempt to step into John Alderton's shoes in the best-forgotten 'The Upchat Connection', this was a change of pace for Nedwell. The problem was that the character of 'Harry' was too similiar to Bill Maynard's 'Selwyn Froggitt' in that he too was a simple man who thought he was someone important. Jacqueline Tong ( 'Daisy' the maid ffrom 'Upstairs, Downstairs' ) played Harry's girlfriend 'Shirley'. Jack Watson glowered at Harry ( he never spoke ) as her grumpy father 'Mr. Thomas'. David Battley was Harry's best friend. Alex Shearer wrote the scripts. His previous series were the short-lived Michael Crawford sitcom 'Chalk And Cheese' and 'Sink Or Swim' staring Peter Davison and Robert Glenister as brothers. 'The Climber' is a pleasant if unremarkable show which never climbed to the top of the ratings. Only six episodes were made.
Funniest moment - Harry takes a driving test ( using a borrowed car ) despite never having had any lessons. He tells the examiner he does not need them as he is a genius. Harry passes, only to then crash into a milk float a few seconds later.