what is your opinion of "Red Dwarf"

[Oh, Nobody]

I've got grey hair manifesting on one side of my body.

The outside?

[Captain Z]

It takes a while to find its feet, you have to stick with it. I'm up to Series 8 and I'm finally beginning to see why you guys like it so much.

[superthunderstingcar]

Cat's best moments are in 4 and 5.

I think the delivery of the single word "Heartbreaker!" is a highlight of Camille. But his best moments for me - maybe his defining moments - are in s2's Queeg when he's forced to do "the W-word."

i remember a long period in my life when we could have no more Red Dwarf because Craig Charles was a rapist. alas he was not a rapist.

I reckon you must be about the same age as me, because I too recall that being a long period of Red Dwarflessness. Really, though, 'twas but the blink of an eye.

Unless, I suppose, you were on remand for a rape you didn't do. Then it might have seemed like a while.

[Pink Gregory]

First episode I got shown was Quarantine.

Maybe being series 5 it's a little bit on the whacky side, but it's a good example of taking the setting fairly seriously while the humour's otherwise somewhat broad and not too nerdy or reference heavy for an SF themed comedy.

Obvs. when I was 15 or whatever I would have been more onboard for "Mr Flibble's very cross..." and such but now I find more joy in 'You're getting TETCHY' and the smaller, more human interactions.  Truly kind of something for everyone.

[Cloud]

Loved it.  Aside from series 8 of course.   Oh and that Coronation Street one

[Small Man Big Horse]

When I was 13 I was going through an awful time of it, my OCD had got so bad that I wouldn't leave the house, and by April it got so traumatic that I was carted off to a psychiatric hospital for three months. The reason I mention that is during that time when I wasn't going out, and wasn't spending time with friends, the only thing that kept me going was tv, and I can still remember reading through the Radio Times and discovering that for the first time in ages a new sci-fi show would be airing. Back then in those Doctor Who-less times there was very little sci-fi tv, and so my expectations were high, but I absolutely loved it, and the first two series are still some of my favourite comedy. Seasons 3 and 4 were broader but I still mostly really enjoyed them, though I remember having issues with Meltdown and thinking it was the first episode that felt a bit too ridiculous, a bit too silly.

After that it's been a show I'm fond of, but I'm prepared for the fact that there might be a real stinker (and as much as I struggled with series 7 and 8, Red Dwarf Back To Earth was the absolute nadir for me), but I've been surprised by how much I've enjoyed the Dave episodes (well, I've liked on average three episodes per series) and seeing Officer Rimmer being filmed was a genuine pleasure.

If it never came back again I wouldn't be upset in the slightest, but if it does I'd still watch it, and I do sometimes dip back in to series one and two, but it's doubtful I'll revisit any of the other series.

[jobotic]

Hated it when I was young and haven't watched it since. So there you go.

Quite like Chris Barrie though. And the theme tune is good.

[idunnosomename]

Babe it's a Cook'd and Bomb'd Red Dwarf thread, time for your Swampy Jo

https://www.universalproductionmusic.com/es-lae/discover/albums/1378/house-techno-2

yes honey

[Tony Tony Tony]

I had the hots for Kochanski... the Claire Grogan one not the other one.

[sevendaughters]

Likeable comedy that worked almost impeccably well as a meditation on masculinity and performance for a few series before developing into an oddly robust sci-fi drama for a few more series, before disintegrating into space junk.

Had they not made such a solid effort to make the characters whole between writers and performers, I might be less forgiving on some of the joke forms that are more repetitive than a Czechoslovakian stutterer on a treadmill (ie. this joke form).

Some of the intended comedy is very good though.

[Pink Gregory]

It always bothered me, Lister describing the Better than Life how getting one of the rare games is like finding 'Brooke Shields' buttocks'

There are a few jokes that that started creeping in from outside the universe of the show, apart from being weak jokes in themselves.

[RetroRobot]

First two series are some of my favourite comedy episodes ever written.
3 to 6 are also up there. Anything past that is shite.

Funny how both UK and US stand out sci fi sitcoms (Red Dwarf and Futurama) both got brought back more times than they should have. Which is zero. Zero times. Both had the same issue of the characters all becoming flat, boring exaggerated idiots too. And both were first brought back as dogshit movies!

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Did an episode of this have a time warp that made a bar-room brawl happen in reverse, or am I getting mixed up with something else?

[Applemask]

Did an episode of this have a time warp that made a bar-room brawl happen in reverse, or am I getting mixed up with something else?

That would be the episode "Backwards".

[Pink Gregory]

First two series are some of my favourite comedy episodes ever written.
3 to 6 are also up there. Anything past that is shite.

What makes you choose 6 over 4 or 5?

[Capt.Midnight]

Just randomly started watching S7 and it's better than I remember. It does get a bit weirdly naval gazing and serious with some of Lister's storylines. I think they perhaps tried pivoting it more like a movie than a comedy series. Cat has some of the best lines in this series.

I remember young me was pretty disappointed when it first aired. The change in tone felt a bit off.

[TommyTurnips]

Not everyone who watches Red Dwarf is a paedophile but 100% of paedophiles watch Red Dwarf.

Groomer! Oh shit, wrong thread.

Red Dwarf then. I enjoyed it as a kid, but the only episodes that were on TV were the later series where they do that cringe inducing reservoir dogs bit. So it was only when I got the box set that I was able to enjoy the better early series. However the box set was BBC so it didn't include the even later "Dave" series of Red Dwarf. Judging by the drop off in quality in the last BBC series, I haven't even attempted to watch the "Dave" incarnation.

[frajer]

Just randomly started watching S7 and it's better than I remember. It does get a bit weirdly naval gazing and serious with some of Lister's storylines. I think they perhaps tried pivoting it more like a movie than a comedy series. Cat has some of the best lines in this series.

I remember young me was pretty disappointed when it first aired. The change in tone felt a bit off.

That's interesting, I had the exact opposite trajectory. I was absolutely obsessed with Series 1-6 and so excited it was coming back that I lapped up Series 7 (and, to my shame, Series 8 and all. I was only young!)

Rewatching Series 7, it just doesn't work on any level for me. The mostly absent Rimmer, the reimagining of Kryten as a jealous irritant and his dynamic with Lister as a result, a Kochanski written as a permanently sour posho who Lister sometimes gets to trick into a snog. Also a general lack of humour, which does feel deliberate, but doesn't excuse the shiteness of the jokes that are there. Just a really unappealing mix.

[pepperweasel]

I recently bought the series 7 & 8 DVDs from a charity shop. Not because I ever plan to watch them but my wife always hated that the logo was incomplete on the spines (just spelled "RED DWAR".)

As for the show itself, I never get bored of it but I hardly laugh at it either. A lot of it is probably just a cozy feeling of nostalgia.

[JamesTC]

However the box set was BBC so it didn't include the even later "Dave" series of Red Dwarf. Judging by the drop off in quality in the last BBC series, I haven't even attempted to watch the "Dave" incarnation.

Give the episode M-Corp from Series XII a go. If you don't like that, then the Dave era probably isn't for you.

[JamesTC]

As for the show itself, I never get bored of it but I hardly laugh at it either. A lot of it is probably just a cozy feeling of nostalgia.

Decade and a half ago, I lived with my mum and had this crazy neighbour. Was watching Holoship and laughing heartily as usual. Then every time I'd laugh, the neighbour started cackling like a witch.

[idunnosomename]

I watched Krysis for the first time last night on iPlayer. Odd experience. I forgot they started using the S1 horn music cues again. Felt a lot like fan fiction, Nova 5 reference etc. I liked the virtual set on the universe convo ship, but don't really remember any jokes (haha mid life crisis buy a sports car!! how do you come up with this stuff?!?). And like Officer Rimmer (the furthest I've seen before) did not wrap up very well (although, slightly better I suppose). Does make you appreciate S6 a lot more, because as generic as the dialogue becomes, they still work better narratively than absolutely any of the Dave episodes.

The second mechanoid was very like Legion though except he was just a smug cunt and not funny.

[TommyTurnips]

Decade and a half ago, I lived with my mum and had this crazy neighbour. Was watching Holoship and laughing heartily as usual. Then every time I'd laugh, the neighbour started cackling like a witch.

This reminds me, when I was a kid in the mid 90s, probably around what I would guess was the height of Red Dwarf popularity there was a Neighbour kid about two years older than me who was obsessed with Red Dwarf in the same way kids of that age might be into Nirvana or some other band. He had Red Dwarf posters and a t shirt that I think said "smeg off" on it. I'd seen Red Dwarf and was familiar with it but I didn't know they had merchandise like that. There weren't any other 90s sitcoms with merchandise from what I remember, there weren't any kids with a keeping up appearances beach towel for example. Once I remember this kid just walking around in his garden chanting "I love Red Dwarf" over and over again.

I wonder what name he posts under on here.

[Kankurette]

Used to be good until Rimmer left and Kochanski joined. She just wasn't funny.

[JamesTC]

The second mechanoid was very like Legion though except he was just a smug cunt and not funny.

I loved Dominic Coleman as Butler. Thought he pitched the role perfectly. He is smug but in a sort of kindly way. He is trying to be friendly but he is just a smart arse who has evolved way beyond Kryten.

[JamesTC]

This reminds me, when I was a kid in the mid 90s, probably around what I would guess was the height of Red Dwarf popularity there was a Neighbour kid about two years older than me who was obsessed with Red Dwarf in the same way kids of that age might be into Nirvana or some other band. He had Red Dwarf posters and a t shirt that I think said "smeg off" on it. I'd seen Red Dwarf and was familiar with it but I didn't know they had merchandise like that. There weren't any other 90s sitcoms with merchandise from what I remember, there weren't any kids with a keeping up appearances beach towel for example. Once I remember this kid just walking around in his garden chanting "I love Red Dwarf" over and over again.

I wonder what name he posts under on here.

It can't be me. I never had a garden when I was younger.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I remember hearing about the actor who played Cat having a bit of a row with his bin-men.  I suspect they were emptying them without checking if he was in there scavenging.

[LordMorgan]

Fucking love it to this day.
I rewatch the first series if not yearly,then  every other year
Curiously around October for some reason

Series one and 2 were never my favourites when I was young. I actually used to skip them and just go straight to 3
 Now I'm an old cunt, they are my favourite


The drop off in quality is astonishing after series 6. I can't quite believe it. And yes there are a couple of decent episodes post S6. I just can't get through a whole rewatch proper.

I see the full shebang is on iplayer, Dave episodes and specials included. So maybe I will push through this year

[idunnosomename]

I loved Dominic Coleman as Butler. Thought he pitched the role perfectly. He is smug but in a sort of kindly way. He is trying to be friendly but he is just a smart arse who has evolved way beyond Kryten.

not so much the performance but the writing. He did okay with what he had. Mildly diverting, a lot better than anything in the first Dave series.

I continue to have a soft spot for VIII because it is so egregiously, exerably bad. It's almost impossible to imagine how it would have been worse, except if it didn't have partly ok Cassandra episode. Otherwise it constantly finds ways to top itself in sheer unfunny cringe. Incredible.

[Pink Gregory]

Is it still the case on the DVD that if you want to watch the 'extended' versions of episodes from S7 they take the laugh track out?

Sinister.