posted
So, the British tv channel Dave showed three new episodes of Red Dwarf around Easter, commemorating the 21st anniversary of the show. I guess they were also pitching their first original programming (normally play reruns).
I just saw the three eps; and as an old fan, I'd have to say it was pretty good.
No spoilers, or anything, but some of the things that caught my eye included: - Jeeze, the cast is getting old. You didn't notice after awhile, but it was shocking at first. - The special effects were great. - The humor doesn't work the same without the studio audience / canned laugh track. It disturbed me at first, but it was preferable by the end. - Doug Naylor penned the eps. Now, originally Red Dwarf was helmed by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor under the pseudonym Grant Naylor. Doug Naylor wrote the later (and inferior) seasons 7 and 8. Doug's writing has sharpened up a bit since then, but it would have been great to have the original team back together. - No iteration of Holly. At all. Lame.
From looking at Dave's website, they may be making more Dwarf down the road. That would be fantastic. The new Dwarf started off a little shaky, but it ended well, and there was an emotional value that had long been missing.
Here's to the boys from the dwarf: the far superior big brothers to the Hitchhiker's Guide.
Now, Rowan Atkinson needs to bring back Black Adder.
Posts: 688 | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I was utterly disappointed by those three episodes. They were disappointing on nearly every level.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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They were far less disappointing than series 8. FAR less.
They weren't series standouts on par with series 2, but they were better than par --- and my expectations. And certainly better than the Black Adder "Back and Forth" comeback nonsense.
Posts: 688 | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I thought they were awful. I hardly cracked a smile, let alone ever laughed. Series 8 was pretty bad too, but these new episodes were on a whole new level. As far as I'm concerned, they don't exist, and I hope they don't try to continue the show if this is the level of quality we can expect.
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Are you sure that you just didn't forget to laugh? Because there was no laugh track?
Space Corps directive 196156 specifically states that 'Any and all persons viewing an episode of Red Dwarf are required to laugh regardless of the inclusion of a laugh track or studio audience. Any violations of this policy will result in complete restriction of toilet privileges.'
posted
Nevermind, I was wrong. Directive 196156 in fact states that 'Any officer caught sniffing the saddle of the exercise bicycle in the women's gym will be discharged without trial.'
Posts: 688 | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
I seem to be the only person that enjoyed series 8. However I *hated* series 7.
This was watchable but the underlying concept was tedious and predictable, I thought. I don't really want my sci-fi/fantasy stuff interacting with the real world; it's just so Beastmaster 2.
SPOILERS
I thought it was dumb that they all believed *they* were fictional characters, I figured instead they were in a parallel universe where they are fictional, but in their own universe they are real. They accepted their own fictionality far too easily. Sure, it turned out to be because of an hallucinogen, so I guess that can explain it, but it still curtailed my enjoyment.
Also, no explanation of what happened between series 8 and now was too cheaty, at least have a scroller like in series 3...
Posts: 454 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Herblay: The humor doesn't work the same without the studio audience / canned laugh track.
My first exposure to Red Dwarf was the radio adaptation of the book adaptation of the TV series, which (the radio version) I loved.
I tried watching the TV version, but the canned laughter was so annoying that I couldn't get past the first episode. Alas.
Posts: 884 | Registered: Mar 2005
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