The High Life

I watched this when it first came out in the 90s. I found it hilarious then. Rewatching it now I still found it far funnier than anything that currently passes for comedy. It was interesting to see the young Alan Cumming. How he come on as an actor. Mark you watching this makes me realise the Scots have a different sense of humour. I really couldn't stop laughing. A real treat.

I used to watch 'The High Life' with my best friend religiously. We were huge fans of this great series! It was hilarious! We still to this day remember the opening title song word for word and the characters constant teasing of Shona. It has become one of my fondest memories of growing up. We watched every single episode made and we loved Alan Cummings performance in The High Life. I am just sorry that it is not available to buy so I can take a trip down memory lane and enjoy once more... 'Living the High Life, we're living it well!'

An excellent programme with characters who were already well-developed when they first appeared.

Admittedly, the captain of the plane was very reminscent of Commander Bell, played by Ronnie Barker (qv) in the early series of the BBC Radio programme "The Navy Lark" but that made a new programme nostalgic!

Some of the best situations arose from people who really didn't like each other having to work together in a place where a) they couldn't get up and walk out, and b) they had to be all happy and smiling to the customers and pretend they were all part of one big happy family.

I am sure that, had the programme's run not been cut short after only a few episodes, the writing team would have been able to develop a lot more, and different, situations as they had the ability to include things which didn't only belong in an airline but benefited from the setting. It would have taken quite a while for the show to become one-dimensional. Great stuff!

The High Life is one of the most singular sitcoms produced in the nineties thanks to its verbal dexterity and the brilliant partnership between Forbes Masson and Alan Cumming. In fairness, the six episodes was probably the limit for what is essentially a two dimensional plot concept (the attempts to leave the confines of an aeroplane coming with mixed success), but it survives on the wit and clever dialogue created by its two stars.

For most people this will have been their first experience of the now (relatively) famous Alan Cumming but it is clear even here that he is a master at the character comedy roles that have been the backbone of his career in Hollywood. The less well known Forbes Masson (the only other time I've ever seen him is playing Stan Laurel in the "Waxworld" episode of Red Dwarf) also plays well in this tailor-made role in an elegantly self-deprecatory fashion. Check out the pilot episode (available on the DVD) and you'll find his character to be much less pathetic and more masculine; it's just not as funny.

Of course, I can hardly comment on The High Life without mentioning the theme song. Accompanied by a dance routine that any golden age musical would be proud of, the song itself is possibly the most fitting theme song I've ever heard, summing up the spirit and character of the show in a neat thirty seconds.

Well worth an investment in the DVD as I doubt this will ever be repeated on television.

I count myself extremely fortunate to have first seen Alan Cumming on stage in 1987 or there abouts. He was playing the shepherd in "As You Like It". Hardly a major role but he completely stole the show and had my friends and I frantically flicking through our programmes to find out who the wonderful young actor playing the shepherd was. Since then I've always looked out for him and have yet to be disappointed in any role he's played.

"The High Life" is a cute, original and extremely funny comedy with wonderful performances from the three central actors and it's a huge shame that it was allowed to sink without trace due to very poor promotion by the BBC. It was broadcast on a weekday evening in what used to be the notoriously difficult 9pm slot on BBC2. I can recall nothing more than a couple of brief trailers and a little piece in the Radio Times and it was as if the powers that be just didn't care wether is succeeded or failed. These days we have the likes of the appallingly bad "My Hero" being shown early on a Friday evening on BBC1 and then repeated on a Sunday afternoon, while something as well written and acted, clever and original as "The High Life" was allowed to sink without trace.

I don't suppose Auntie Beeb would ever go to the trouble of producing a video, or better still, a DVD, but they could at least repeat this glorious one-off. That way, the few of us who loved it first time 'round could tape it and watch it over and over, and those who never got a chance to see it will finally know what the rest of us are harping on about.