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  1. #1
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    Default The Return of The Return of The Return of Red Dwarf

    I recently purchased Seasons 1 and 2 of Red Dwarf. As I've only seen two episodes before (both of which I enjoyed), at Si Hunt's house, I shall be watching these with great interest. I promised myself that I'd give RD three seasons chance, and if I like what I see, I shall carry on until the end.

    In traditional PS style, I shall post my opinions here, as I find time to watch and review the various episodes...

    Ant x

    Watchers in the Fourth Dimension: A Doctor Who Podcast
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  2. #2
    Pip Madeley Guest

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    Nice one, I'll be reading with interest

  3. #3
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    In Ant Williams style, I've done the same thing!

    Also inspired after watching the episode 'Legion' at the house of Hunt.

  4. #4
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    Si Hunt, look what you've done!

    Si xx

    I've just got my handcuffs and my truncheon and that's enough.

  5. #5
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    I bought all the DVDs on the day of release, but I'm waiting until the 20th Anniversary to start watching them.

  6. #6
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    I promised myself that I'd give RD three seasons chance
    Good! Series 3 is where RD really found itself and started evolving from a cheap(ish) sitcom into something quite special.

  7. #7
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    ok, here goes with the first episode:

    The End

    Only Red Dwarf could call it's very first episode The End. Absolute genius!

    Anyway, I find that this episode sets things up brilliantly. Lister is shown very quickly to be a total slob, willingly baiting Rimmer. It's incredibly amusing seeing Lister with a lit cigarette in his ear.

    Rimmer is obviously incredibly anal, as shown by the opening scene, with him constantly berating Lister for very small offences. It seems that no-one likes him, as shown by when his superior agrees with Lister's diagnosis of him as a "smeghead".

    Red Dwarf does one of those things that is so rarely done in sci-fi - introduce an entire crew, and then kill most of them off half-way through the first episode. Yet, this isn't entirely pointless, as the death of George MacIntyre introduces the whole hologram concept, allowing Rimmer to come back later.

    The episode is obviously setting things up for the series, with the death of the majority of the crew, Frankenstien being protected, allowing the Cat to evolve, as well as setting up the characters of Lister and Rimmer.

    Norman Lovett is absolutely genius as Holly, with a brilliant dead-pan performance, in a cockney accent. I have no doubt that this is a direct parody of the upper/middle class computer voices seen in programmes such as Doctor Who and Blake's 7. The "everybody's dead, Dave" scene is delivered so brilliantly.

    Oh, and The Cat is possibly THE coolest character in any programme. Ever.

    Ant x

    Watchers in the Fourth Dimension: A Doctor Who Podcast
    Three Americans and a Brit attempt to watch their way through the entirety of Doctor Who
    ----
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Darren View Post
    Good! Series 3 is where RD really found itself and started evolving from a cheap(ish) sitcom into something quite special.
    No way! I think the first two series have a lot of really great ideas, right from the beginning, which is fairly rare for a sitcom (at least these days), and some of the all time best episodes are during this period. I do like S.3 and S.4 a lot too, but after that I found it all to be a bit mixed, with some episodes working really well, but some episodes being a bit poor.

  9. #9
    WhiteCrow Guest

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    One of my favourites of the first 2 series was "Queeg".

    What I really liked about the first 2 series, was it wasn't really much about stories, it was all led by the characters and was more centred around them being bored. They were the last human(s) alive, but they weren't the cream of the crop, they were all loafers and drifters just trying to kill time and have a laugh.

    It's no surprise that the Americans found out they couldn't "do" their own Red Dwarf.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhiteCrowUK View Post
    One of my favourites of the first 2 series was "Queeg".

    What I really liked about the first 2 series, was it wasn't really much about stories, it was all led by the characters and was more centred around them being bored. They were the last human(s) alive, but they weren't the cream of the crop, they were all loafers and drifters just trying to kill time and have a laugh.

    It's no surprise that the Americans found out they couldn't "do" their own Red Dwarf.
    Yeah, I'm very fond of Queeg, and Confidence and Paranoia from the first series too.

    I think the American's could have done Red Dwarf - the characters in Seinfeld fits that description of "all loafers and drifters just trying to kill time and have a laugh." - but I think they just tried to change the characters too much in other ways, Rimmer's similarly anal but Lister just comes across as a bit of a twat sometimes, it's a very similar script, but it just doesn't feel right. It's spoilt by the US style clapping and whooping at certain moments too, which just really annoys. It's up on youtube, here, btw, if anyone fancies watching it.

    It's bizarre seeing Jane Leeves (Daphne from Frasier) as Holly too, she plays it pretty straight but it's just not the same as Normal Lovett's Holly.

    Edit: I've just found the 2nd US pilot, with some of the same cast but a female cat, it's all a bit odd but I haven't watched it yet so I don't know if it's any good or not.
    Last edited by Alex; 15th Aug 2007 at 4:59 AM.
    "RIP Henchman No.24."

  11. #11
    WhiteCrow Guest

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    Yeah I watched Red Dwarf USA on YouTube last night

    I was surprised how US Lister was much better than I feared he'd be. Everyone else just didn't work though. Rimmer was awful, and Holly just didn't work.

  12. #12
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    I'm glad to see I've inspired some purchases from Ant and Martin! "Red Dwarf" always splits people as to whether it was better post-Series 3, when the special effects kicked in and there was less 'kitchen sink in space' drama, or before. Most people probably like both a lot, but everyone seems to prefer one or the other. The plots are more sci-fi from Series 3, and faster moving. Personally, my favourites are Series 5 and 6, purely because of the great sci-fi ideas and it also helps that it looks fantastic.

    There are many great episodes from the first few years though, and the scripts still sparkle. Look out for "Queeg" in Series 2 Ant, and "Marooned" from Series 3 is also a good one.

    Si.

  13. #13
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    I bought Series Six, as it was the one which I had watched an episode from before. I've only seen the earlier series more recently and wasn't that fond of them.

    I've gotten through five of the six and really enjoyed them, I've not neccessarily found every episode hilarious...but I've found I enjoy them anyway. 'Rimmerworld' was particularly fun, but I just drifted off in 'Emohawk -Polymorph 2'.

  14. #14
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    I love Red Dwarf. Got the whole series on DVD now, so I'll be interested to read Ant's reviews. Series 6 is a particular favourite of mine, being the one where I first really watched it.

    '1742: No meber of the corps should ever report for active duty in a ginger toupee'

    'Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb.'

    'We've lost it.'
    (large explosion, showers of sparks, smoke in the cockpit)
    'Sorry, I was looking at the wrong panel.'

    'I have got hair like yours, just not on my head.'

    'Change of plan! LEG IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!'

    'All in all, a hundred percent successful trip'
    'But sir, we lost Mr Rimmer'
    'All in all, a hundred percent successful trip.'

  15. #15
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    "No officer with false teeth should attempt oral sex in zero gravity."

    Si.

  16. #16
    Pip Madeley Guest

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    "Say you're wrong?"
    "Sir, I'll stake my reputation on it."
    "Kryten, you haven't got a reputation."
    "No, but I'm hoping to acquire one from this escapade."

  17. #17
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    'Ah, smug mode.'

  18. #18
    Dave Lewis Guest

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    "That's not a nun, Listy - That's Lieutenant Colonel Mother Theresa..."

  19. #19
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    I'm probably the only person who finds Red Dwarf terribly overrated.

    I'll go now.

    Si xx

    I've just got my handcuffs and my truncheon and that's enough.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by SiHart View Post
    I'm probably the only person who finds Red Dwarf terribly overrated.

    I'll go now.

    Si xx
    Red Dwarf? Overrated?

    Possibly, but also undeniably brilliant in places. The scripts are generally genius, with so many quotable lines it is impossible to keep track of them all! The production improves from season to season. The charaters are so individual that, like all great sitcoms, they all grate on one another at some time, and all get along at others, even Lister and Rimmer. The effects are dated now, but at the time were stunning, some of the model effects are still effective today! The best thing about RD is the comedy, it is fresh, witty, funny and sad all at once. It is a shame that RG & DN felt the need to part company, as they could still be making comedy this good today!

    I thoroughly enjoyed The Strangerers by Rob Grant, but it lacked the steadying hand of Doug Naylor.

    Favourite RD episodes?

    Timeslides
    Bodyswap
    Gunmen of the Apocalypse
    Back to Reality
    Blue
    One Day, I shall come back, Yes, I shall come back,
    Until them, there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties, Just go forward in all your beliefs,
    and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine!

  21. #21
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    Oops! I ought to mention that I meant to say Red Dwarf 6 is somewhat overrated! I really like Red Dwarf in general. Honest!

    Si xx

    I've just got my handcuffs and my truncheon and that's enough.

  22. #22
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    "Don't give me any of that 'Star Trek' crap. It's too early in the morning." - Dave Lister

    "Boarding this vessel is an act of war. Ergo we surrender." - Rimmer

    "Come on bud, you're not doing anything I wouldn't do!"
    "What? You'd sacrifice your life for the sake of the crew?"
    "No, I'd sacrifice your life for the sake of the crew." - Cat & Rimmer

    "I owe Mr.Lister everything sir, if it wasn't for him, I'd be normal." - Kryten

    "Frankenstein was the creator, not the monster. It's a common misconception, held by all truly stupid people." - Kryten


  23. #23
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    What I like about Series 6, and it's a continuation of the gradually honed excellence since Series 4, is that it's got such wonderful ideas that it knocks out in half and hour and then just forgets. A World filled with clones of Rimmer, an entity made up of a gestalt of the crew's personalities etc. All such great ideas, pulled off with scripts that are tight with jokes and contain not a second of padding. I just love "Out of Time", I think it's a great script.

    Si.

  24. #24
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    I suppose what it was, more than anything, for me that was the problem was the reliance on the cheap Space Corp Directive jokes. They were just easy laughs and I thought they got overused very quickly. Not many of them were actually that good. I also didn't like the Polymorph episode, which wasn't brilliant and seemed designed solely to bring back Dwayne Dibbley and I didn't think Gunmen of the Apocalypse was actually all that funny either and I missed Holly (even though she'd barely been in it the year before).

    But it's still a hell of a lot better than the season that followed which contains more poor episodes than any other.

    Si xx

    I've just got my handcuffs and my truncheon and that's enough.

  25. #25
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    "So what is it?"

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