The Return of The Return of The Return of Red Dwarf

[Rob McCow]

Doug Naylor once revealed that the total budget of series VIII was equal to that of the second series of dinnerladies.

According to DWM, the total budget for Season 26 of Doctor Who was the same as one episode of Red Dwarf at the time!

[Paul Monk]

The no sets bit is just a small part of it anyway isn't it? The whole thing isn't like that. I imagine its some sort of experiment set in a some featureless location. Red Dwarf does episode 1 of the Mind Robber perhaps?

[Rob McCow]

I presumed it meant that they were coming back to present day Earth for their final episode.

[Alex]

The no sets bit is just a small part of it anyway isn't it?

I get the feeling that the no sets episode is a kind of "Whose Red Dwarf Is It Anyway?" type show where they improvise bits and pieces and swap characters and just play around with the show in a fun way - what I've read seems to suggest that, anyhow.

[Paul Monk]

That actually sounds fun.

[Fatso the wombat]

Would Walters and Wood's fees be included in "the dinnerladies budget"?

Si.

Yes.

Also, it should be noted that each episode of Dinnerladies was filmed twice (no, really!) and they took the best bits from each recording to make the finished episode...

[Carol Baynes]

According to DWM, the total budget for Season 26 of Doctor Who was the same as one episode of Red Dwarf at the time!

I'm sure I read that season 26 cost almost £1m, making it the most expensive of the original run, although probably not if you adjust for inflation I would imagine (maybe it'd be season 14! )

[Fatso the wombat]

Someone over at another forum came up with a rather decent way to explain the absence of Holly and Kochanski from the two new episodes;

The whole of Seasons 7 & 8 took place in an unreality bubble. Think about it. The last episode of Season 6 was all about these unreality bubbles, and shortly before the episode ended, just as a hit from the other Starbug impacted on the regular Starbug there was an entering reality bubble effect. We never saw them exit that bubble, so it could be that they emerge from the other side and bosh; just Lister, Rimmer, Cat and Kryten on the bug...

It could work, and would probably be the least convoluted explanation...

[Si Hunt]

Why, is Kochanski not in it then?

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Not sure.

Official details:

Red Dwarf: Back To Earth

It's been a decade since we last saw the crew of Red Dwarf, but while they may be older they're still none the wiser.

When Lister's busy day of annoying Rimmer is interrupted by a monstrous attack, it's pretty much business as usual - until a shock development throws Rimmer, Lister, Cat and Kryten back to planet Earth...

The two episodes, made by Grant Naylor Productions, star Chris Barrie as Rimmer, Craig Charles as Lister, Danny John-Jules as Cat and Robert Llewellyn as Kryten, and are written and directed by Red Dwarf co-creator Doug Naylor.

Full studio shooting at Shepperton is currently slated to begin Monday, February 16th, though there have been some early camera tests and a single day of advance location work took place on Saturday January 31st.

In addition to these two shows, there are a couple of TV specials. The Making Of Back to Earth takes you behind the scenes on the new production; and Red Dwarf: Unplugged presents the cast of the show as you've never seen them before - no sets, no effects... and no cue cards.

reddwarf.co.uk can also announce some of the key crew for the project. Aside from writer/director Doug Naylor, the producer is long-time GNP producer Helen Norman alongside line producer/co-producer Jo Howard, a veteran of Series VII and VIII. New to the fold is production designer Mark Harris, who is sure to become a fan favourite with his work here. Mark previous served as Art Director on Event Horizon and Quantum of Solace, as well as designing the 2005 Captain Scarlet series. Director of photography will be the eagle-eyed Andy Martin. Another newcomer will be Australian Mike Seymour, an Emmy nominee for his work on Farscape - and an AFI winner for Best Visual Effects - who signs on as visual effects supervisor. More familiar faces return with costume designer Howard Burden and make-up designer Andrea Finch, two talents we'd frankly be lost without.

So there you have it. Broadcasting over four nights from Friday, April 10th 2009 on Dave, Red Dwarf is well and truly back... to Earth.

Sneaky pic:



Craig Charles back as Lister.

[Fatso the wombat]

Why, is Kochanski not in it then?

Si.

Kochanski is not in it.

[Si Hunt]

Is that really Charles? Or is it an extra dressed up as him for the camera tests?

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

It's him. I could tell by the ears.

[Will Tudor]

Has anyone seen the sneaky pics that are doing the rounds in some newspapers? Can't lay my hands on them right now, but there is a very intriguing crossover on the cards! Not seen any pics of Chris as Rimmer yet, so no idea if he's in his series VIII "alive" guise or his earlier Hologram form. I'm intrigued by the camera test shot, as it shows Craig wearing something along the lines of the Lister jacket that hasn't been seen for a few series, though as that looks like it could be Wilma from the Flintstones on the back, it probably isn't the original. She was originally on the back of the jacket, but a last minute change of heart had her changed into a spaceman, if I recall correctly.

[Alex]

I really really want to be optimistic about this.

And then I read the following:

As part of the plot, Lister's crew, made up of Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) and Cat (Danny John-Jules), go in search of him and instead bump into Charles's Corrie character Lloyd Mullaney in The Rovers Return.

As part of the filming, Weatherfield's Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson) also made an appearance.

Hmmmmm.

And hmmmm again.

[Andrew Curnow]

It's like a UK version of Galactica 1980. Oh the humanity!

[Fatso the wombat]

In the picture I've seen of Rimmer:

he has a "H" on his forehead...

[Milky Tears]

It's clearly going to be childhood destroying stuff.

[Rob McCow]

What ya talkin' about Milky? It'll be great!



Or perhaps not

[Pip Madeley]

I'm not judging, but it sounds like a rather silly special.

[Will Tudor]

I'm sure it'll be handled well. My money is on some kind of twist like it's an AR simulation or something. Well, if I had money anyway. I'll just have to put old bus and train tickets on it.

[Pip Madeley]

Photos from filming:

[Simon R]

Oh dear.

I wonder if ITV only agreed to loose the Craig Charles on another company's production on the condition they got something out of it in return?

[Pip Madeley]

I wonder if ITV only agreed to loose the Craig Charles on another company's production on the condition they got something out of it in return?

I wondered that too. Nice car - I wonder if it will be offered as a competition prize?

[SiHart]

Has Chris Barrie really turned into Norman Lovett?

Si xx