Concept and creative process
The idea to use the Galapagos Giant Turtle as a metaphor for grumpy old Victor Meldrew came from the writer, but was not very upbeat visually for a comedy. I found to my relief a shot of it stumbling on a rock which gave the sequence a bit of a lift. Archive footage of the long-living giant turtle combined with typography and the vocals of the title song lyric seemed to fit the bill.