Red Dwarf rewatch

[Avril Lavigne]

#BringBackJulietMayOrAndyDeEmmony

Absolutely agree, I was really surprised at the behind-the-scenes docs & commentaries explaining that Juliet May was apparently really out of her comfort zone directing Series V, that doesn't come across in the show at all.

[St_Eddie]

Absolutely agree, I was really surprised at the behind-the-scenes docs & commentaries explaining that Juliet May was apparently really out of her comfort zone directing Series V, that doesn't come across in the show at all.

Absolutely.  I have always maintained that series V is by far and away the best looking series of Red Dwarf.

[Replies From View]

When Juliet May was fired, Rob and Doug took over direction and there were some reshoots of things she had already done.  So it is hard to know from any of the series 5 episodes where she ended and they began, really.  Certainly not to make an assessment of her skills as a director (of something like Red Dwarf, and at that time).

[willbo]

One of the things that bothers me is the random idea that Rimmer's family are religious. Everything we ever see of them suggests that they're a kind of posh, ruthless military family with a "survival of the fittest" mentality, and a cruel, cold manner, yet they're also devout "hoppists" and in an obscure Christian sect based on selflessness. It seems a little out of character.

[Replies From View]

I suppose they could be Christian in the American sense of just being twats.

[willbo]

they just don't seem like they'd join obscure sects I suppose. Eh...I'm not sure if I like Lemons. I feel like its so big budget and epic for the series yet it just doesn't come off. I feel like "Jesus" should have been middle eastern.

[Ornlu]

One of the things that bothers me is the random idea that Rimmer's family are religious. Everything we ever see of them suggests that they're a kind of posh, ruthless military family with a "survival of the fittest" mentality, and a cruel, cold manner, yet they're also devout "hoppists" and in an obscure Christian sect based on selflessness. It seems a little out of character.

To be fair, that was established all the way back in series 3, so it's not like that element was crowbarred in for the sake of a silly late-series plot.

[Replies From View]

I feel like "Jesus" should have been middle eastern.

A Middle Eastern Geordie?!

[vainsharpdad]

Plenty of SandDancers who'd meet that criteria

[idunnosomename]

To be fair, that was established all the way back in series 3, so it's not like that element was crowbarred in for the sake of a silly late-series plot.

not so much established as a shitty stretch of a joke not far off spit on her wrist

It doesnt even really make sense because charity (love) is called the greatest virtue. So it couldnt really be a typo.

[rue the polywhirl]

Watching series X for the first time. Trojan is a massive step from Back To Earth and pretty much all of series 7 onwards. Looks great and is pretty entertaining throughout. Just the slightly lame stuff with the shopping channel and being put on hold stifling the episode just a tad.

[petril]

One of the things that bothers me is the random idea that Rimmer's family are religious. Everything we ever see of them suggests that they're a kind of posh, ruthless military family with a "survival of the fittest" mentality, and a cruel, cold manner, yet they're also devout "hoppists" and in an obscure Christian sect based on selflessness. It seems a little out of character.

perhaps the latter was the sort of image or front they'd present to others, and that has gotten tangled up in his recollections of his childhood. I know it's comedy, but it makes sort of sense to me that he'd have this doublethink-y mess of both sets of information bleed through at different times but not question it. it's what he would've done at the time to survive

[Mobbd]

I agree with Lemming that this is a good one, even a stand-out. A very good ep.

The -"Jesus!" -"Yes?" joke is utterly fantastic.

This joke though. I remember people going mad for it on Ganymede and Titan. But this isn't really a written joke. Isn't this just a common joke that people say in real life? (And not particularly funny people?)

Me: Jesus Christ.
You: Yes?

or

Me: Jesus Christ.
You: That's Me.

I've heard it loads of times since I was a kid.

[Mobbd]

.

Sorry. Sat on myself.

[Replies From View]

I agree with Lemming that this is a good one, even a stand-out. A very good ep.

This joke though. I remember people going mad for it on Ganymede and Titan. But this isn't really a written joke. Isn't this just a common joke that people say in real life? (And not particularly funny people?)

Me: Jesus Christ.
You: Yes?

or

Me: Jesus Christ.
You: That's Me.

I've heard it loads of times since I was a kid.

Exactly the same thing for me with the tentacle/testicle misunderstanding from Back To Earth.

[Mobbd]

Exactly the same thing for me with the tentacle/testicle misunderstanding from Back To Earth.

Yuss! Point.

[markburgle]

I agree with Lemming that this is a good one, even a stand-out. A very good ep.

This joke though. I remember people going mad for it on Ganymede and Titan. But this isn't really a written joke. Isn't this just a common joke that people say in real life? (And not particularly funny people?)

Me: Jesus Christ.
You: Yes?

or

Me: Jesus Christ.
You: That's Me.

I've heard it loads of times since I was a kid.

Yeah with my mate I go "Jesus" and he goes "Gary'll do". Every. Damn. Time

[Replies From View]

Yeah with my mate I go "Jesus" and he goes "Gary'll do". Every. Damn. Time

This is why you need to say things like "Prick" and "Bellend".  Say these words in a manner that sounds sufficiently like "Jesus" and only you will know the truth!

[willbo]

not so much established as a shitty stretch of a joke not far off spit on her wrist

It doesnt even really make sense because charity (love) is called the greatest virtue. So it couldnt really be a typo.

my head-canon is that Rimmer made up the "advent hoppists" story because he was bored and wanted something to contribute to the debate.

[Polymorphia]

Given the Red Dwarf discussion about its discussions on religion, just thought I'd drop this scene from S202 Better than Life:

Archeologists near mount Sinai have discovered what is believed to be a missing page from the Bible.  The page is currently being carbon dated in Bonn.  If genuine it belongs at the beginning of the Bible and is believed to read "To my darling Candy.  All characters portrayed within this book are fictitous and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental." The page has been universally condemned by church leaders.

Though after writing that, I realised that most of Red Dwarf is essentially totally hostile to religion: Parts of S03E06 The Last Day (ignoring the 7th Day Advent Hoppists with this) with Kryten being essentially controlled by his "silicon heaven"... and going back to  "Waiting for God" with the laundry list... Lemons is basically business as usual for RD, and probably a bit more considerate that it used to be

[JohnnyCouncil]

I'm shocked how much I enjoyed X. Mrs Council too, smirking away as she does her work. As people have said the racist vending machine voices without even a decent payoff is really really poor, and worrying that people weren't lining up to say so during the production. It's a shame because I thoroughly enjoyed the later series vending machine storyline - although remember disliking it back in 2012.

[Replies From View]

Series 10 is somewhat unique in its use of really quite transparent B-plots that ultimately resurface to resolve the main story.  I'm not a fan of them.  The mechanisms of the writing feel too laboured or smarmy or something.  In 'Fathers and Suns' suddenly the vending machine says something indecipherable with 'stasis' in it, then we get an inorganic flashback to something that wasn't memorable that also had the word 'stasis' in it, and because of this Lister has a revelation.  Thanks vending machine subplot for being so useful!  It worked in Doug's mind but the mechanism is insufficient on its own - the storytelling is too rushed, the foundations for setting up that reincorporation were too weak - and it clunks.


The best two episodes for me - 'Lemons' and 'The Beginning' - stand out partly because they avoid that formula.

[JohnnyCouncil]

The young Rimmer scene opening The Beginning is spot on and a lovely joke too. The hammy, 'My Dominator' stuff is less good.

[Lemming]

I feel like its so big budget and epic for the series yet it just doesn't come off. I feel like "Jesus" should have been middle eastern.

Funnily enough, I felt like it was the opposite of epic, which is part of why it appealed so much. In any other sci-fi show this would have been a huge dramatic two-parter with a grand sweeping plot full of agonising moral dilemmas about whether or not to allow Jesus to go ahead with becoming the messiah, and no doubt a series of grand world-changing decisions to be made. In Red Dwarf, it's just a trip to get some fruit, during which they meet Jesus who's "a bit of a knob" and, of course,

Spoiler alert

the whole thing was a cock-up caused by a misunderstanding, and the crew's actions are almost totally irrelevant to the course of history. No crucial historical figures to meet, just a woman who sells lemons and a guy who's got the same name as someone much more important

[close]

.

Vaguely remember it being advertised quite heavily in the run-up to Series X, though, which gave off the impression that it'd be a big showstopping episode rather than just a very enjoyable mid-series entry.

[Replies From View]

I feel like its so big budget and epic for the series yet it just doesn't come off.

There was no budget!  It was all filmed in the studio with bloody massive lights, no location stuff.  The people offering their talents for set dressing etc. were doing it for mates' rates.

[Replies From View]

Vaguely remember it being advertised quite heavily in the run-up to Series X, though, which gave off the impression that it'd be a big showstopping episode rather than just a very enjoyable mid-series entry.

I'd call it the 'Gunmen' of series 10.

[bgmnts]

Obviously the laugh track is important because Red Dwarf is nore interesting than it is funny, but I still think Tikka to Ride is one of the best episodes going.

[willbo]

I never rewatch "Gunmen" because I did a school project on it when I was 11 (which was just me writing up that "making of Gunmen" book that came out, along with a bunch of background history of the show copied from the "programme guide" book)...it was our first real assignment at secondary school, and my Dad got this obsessive idea that it was the decider of my whole future and would decide which groups I got put into for the rest of my educational life. For some reason, he didn't care that I chose RD as a subject - he just cared about how neat it looked and that I was using nice pens etc. But I only got 6/10 and my teacher said the stuff about special effects was confusing. I remember my Dad yelling about it now 25 years later.

[JohnnyCouncil]

I also used Gunman for schoolwork, basically stole some of the lines 'toilet stop in rattlesnake country' and a few others peppered about a piece of creative writing. The fit English teacher just looked at me with disgust and went back to flirting with the sporty lads.

[willbo]

to be honest though, I'm not a fan of special/unusual earth-set episodes in general. Gunmen, Tikka and Lemons just aren't my favourite type of episode. Waxworld is one of my least liked as well.