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[Red Dwarf] Stoke me a clipper, I'll be back for Christmas. ... Whatever!
Krathoon
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Registered User regular
Red Dwarf X is coming in the fall. Actually, I think the actors being older will add some edge to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-qQ_twvleg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsgRgAC7uqc
I hope, at some point, they do that Cat episode they story-boarded on the DVDs.
This link has a bunch of behind the scenes videos:
The season is already in the can and will come out in the fall on Dave. Discuss.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-qQ_twvleghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsgRgAC7uqcI hope, at some point, they do that Cat episode they story-boarded on the DVDs.
This link has a bunch of behind the scenes videos:
The season is already in the can and will come out in the fall on Dave. Discuss.
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But hey, we can use this thread to celebrate the finer points of the show.
...How did I do what?
I'll be honest, the opening minutes of Back To Earth were great, mainly because when there was no laugh after Lister's tomato gag, it felt like they were going for "this isn't so funny anymore" and it was gonna be like super dark comedy. But then it wasn't and it all got pretty bad.
If the rumour of this series finale being
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
So pumped for this. I must be the only person who really liked BTE.
Do we know who's writing it?
EDIT: Naylor. Hmmm.
This here is the problem. It's not the good part of the writing team who wrote the last one or who is writing this one. This just makes me incredibly sceptical as to whether it will be funny or not.
The difference between Grant and Naylors styles is even more apparent if you read both of their individual "conclusions" to the book trilogy. Naylors book is all wacky hichhikers guide to the galaxy slash alien of the week adventures. Grants is a lot bleaker but ultimately funnier in a dark kind of way.
The series kept going with Naylors wacky stuff and I get the feeling that Grant was the one in the duo who stepped in a lot and said "woah, too far".
The earlier stuff always felt like more inventive, flowing, situation comedy whereas the later stuff tended more towards bumbling between scenes built around a couple of good lines.
The last couple seasons left me pretty unimpressed and Back to Earth was what it was. :P
I'm not getting my hopes up, I don't want to know what it feels like to watch a beloved childhood show (like, say, Winnie the Pooh) die a horrible death before me.
I won't hold my breath for this one either.
I had a very odd problem with it (on top of what you've already said there) and the more I think about it the more stupid my reason seems but I just can't get it out of my head...
Unlike every other season of Red Dwarf, Back to Earth... didn't have a laugh track. I know it sounds stupid right? "This guy's an idiot! What he wasn't to know when to laugh? What a marooooon!", but it's just a very minor thing that from the very start really put me off it >_<
Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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Although now I have an excuse to rewatch gunmen of the apocalypse for the millionth time.
Ohplzohplzohplzohplz be at least enjoyable. I'll take fun but flawed, I'm not picky.
"I don't really care if its good. I'll watch it anyway."
I hate to admit it, but he's right. I'll watch it even if its terrible.
As much as I gripe I know I'm going to watch every new episode at least once.
But if the reviews suggest that it's awful I might wait till it's on Netflix or something.
I agree. From series 7 on they started losing the depth and were primarily relying on gags. Hopefully, they have realized this and have added in some new writers to flesh things out.
The whole thing with Rimmer kicking death in the nuts pretty much encapsulated that. The series ended with a one off gag that came out of nowhere.
There are two things worth keeping mind about the series following Rob Grant's departure.
Firstly, series VII was made with a team of writers. Doug Naylor wasn't sure about writing an eight-episode season alone, and my understanding is that the BBC basically convinced him that bringing in an American-style writing team would be better. Obviously not the case (although I love the dramatic tone of series VII, it doesn't quite manage to balance it with the humour).
Series VIII was written by Naylor more or less on his one. This time Naylor was deliberately trying to step away from his established style and make something different. Obviously whether or not he succeeded is largely up for debate - fans more or less agree that the only good episode in the series is "Cassandra", and that's basically a retread of "Future Echoes".
Back to Earth, which is retroactively Series IX, was written by Naylor alone, and produced on a budget of virtually nothing (much of the CG was done by a guy in New Zealand in exchange for a signed copy of the script). Dave and BBC Worldwide had virtually no money to give them, and so the story was more or less forced down a path that required a lot of location shots. For my money, this is some of the best Red Dwarf since the show's sixth series. Yes, it's a little masturbatory and self-referential, but as an anniversary special that's more or less expected, and it does a pretty good job of it.
Series X is once again written by Naylor on his lonesome, the first time he's written a full series on his own since "The 10%ers", where he basically ended up rewriting all of Rob Grant's scripts. It's worth noting that the reception from people who went to studio recordings has been almost universally positive. That they've also not spoiled anything so far (at the request of the production team) is something of a minor miracle and a bit of a blessing, too.
My favourite part of Crystal Skull was Indy's senior moment with the whip in Warehouse 51. "Damn, thought it'd be closer." Some of that in Red Dwarf would be much appreciated.
There are some people complaining that the cast are now simply too old to play their respective characters, though it's worth noting from reading the original script for "The End" (which is included at the end of the Omnibus edition of the Red Dwarf novels) that Rimmer and Lister were originally supposed to be in their 40s. Also of note, Lister was specifically written with Christopher Lloyd's performance in "Taxi" in mind, while Rimmer was written as Dan Aykroyd (not that that's who the writers imagined they'd cast, of course - that's madness - but those two actors kind of form the basis for the proto-Rimmer and Lister).
"There is a book, and then there's nothing..."
Now, I loved Back to Earth, but it was very clearly made for people like me - hardcore fans of the series. It was choc-a-bloc with back-references and continuity, which I liked, but isn't necessarily accessible to a wider audience. That the show is returning to its roots circa Series III, IV and V is probably wise.
Agreed. I doubt anyone will disagree that series 3-6 was where Red Dwarf really shone. I don't expect the new series to be anywhere near as good without Grant on-board, but if Naylor can at least appreciate why those were the best seasons, and the stars align correctly then maybe, just maybe we could have the best series since VI.
But probably not
I'd like to consider myself a fairly hardcore fan of the series and I found BTE to be soul-crushingly terrible, most other fans of the series I know would agree. It started so promisingly too, I enjoyed the bits back on the ship at the start of the first part but everything after was awful, just utterly terrible.
I want this season to be good, I really do. The teaser-trailer they've showed looks 'ok' but I've a feeling I'll still be wishing they ended the show on the last shot of season 6 (I wasn't a fan of the alternate, deleted end either).
And no Kochanski in sight, thank God.
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This starts tonight and I am smegging stoked.
Liked it though, I felt it has kept the old feel or vibe