British Comedy Guide

Red Dwarf Page 10

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 17th May 2015, 6:42 PM BST

Is that the bald guy?...not that I'm watching this depressing shyte (Eastenders I mean), but from time to time by zapping through the channels I catch some moments of it by accident. I thought this bald man looks somewhat familiar.

Yep. He's also been in The Thin Blue Line and Trevor's World Of Sport.

Quote: Aaron @ 17th May 2015, 6:42 PM BST

Yep. He's also been in The Thin Blue Line...

Yeah, that's true. Just checked it on YouTube. He's one of the "carol singers".

Quote: Steve Sunshine @ 17th May 2015, 12:31 AM BST

What are you replying to Spikers?
Is this some kind of Future Echoes thing?

Indeed!

My two cents on RD: I thought that series 1-6 were excellent, 'Tikka to Ride' was pretty good then it nosedived at an alarming rate. Series 5 and 6 were, in my opinion, the best. Such amazing episodes such as 'Quarantine,' 'Psirens,' 'The Inquisitor,' and to my mind the best RD episode ever, 'Back to Reality.' The main reason for it's decline was probably Rob Grant leaving the writing team. Red Dwarf, prior to series 7, always had a really dark, dystopian edge to it; the crew were alone, exploring the remnants of man's colonisation of space. The comedy was generated organically from the situations in which the characters found themselves. In series 7-10, it degenerated into a generic sitcom that happened to be in space, it lost all edge and the sci-fi parts of it were dumbed down and made silly. I think that basing a whole series on one of the excellent books written by Grant and Naylor could save it and re-balance the comedy and dark sci-fi that made it so brilliant and unique.

Quote: TBone @ 14th June 2015, 8:56 PM BST

'Tikka to Ride' was pretty good then it nosedived at an alarming rate.

Yes, I agree with this and have heard countless others opine similar sentiments. It's strange that Doug Naylor managed to write one decent episode and then 7 terrible ones.

Quote: Ben @ 14th June 2015, 9:05 PM BST

Yes, I agree with this and have heard countless others opine similar sentiments. It's strange that Doug Naylor managed to write one decent episode and then 7 terrible ones.

While it's not a favourite of mine, I think maybe one of the reasons it is so much more popular than the rest of the series is that they spent most of the budget on it. They ended up having to complete the series with an episode set in the ducts to save money after all.

Quote: Nick @ 18th June 2015, 10:47 AM BST

While it's not a favourite of mine, I think maybe one of the reasons it is so much more popular than the rest of the series is that they spent most of the budget on it. They ended up having to complete the series with an episode set in the ducts to save money after all.

The budget was never that big before Series 7 but the shows were brilliant because of ingenious script writing and characterisation.

Quote: TBone @ 18th June 2015, 9:38 PM BST

The budget was never that big before Series 7 but the shows were brilliant because of ingenious script writing and characterisation.

Sure. I was only referring to the perceived difference in quality within Series VII.

I was reading about the episode Camille and the droid Camille, Judy Pascoe was in a relationship with Robert Llewellyn and the Kochanski Camille was played by Suzanne Rhatigan who was in a relationship with Craig Charles at the time.

I don't think either of them had acting experience so wouldn't have been a member of Equity so how would that have worked? Did you need an Equity card to appear onscreen in a sitcom and could one be obtained for them in a 'It's not what you know but who you know' kind of way? I remember there used to be a catch 22 situation with getting an Equity card because you needed professional work experience to obtain one but needed an Equity card to get the professional work experience.

It's good to see them all again,
and now with Hitler.
Lister: I can't jam with you, OK?
Hitler: it's because I'm Hitler, isn't it?

Very average start for me

It was like a mixture of Meltdown and Legion

Not enough Rimmer - and not enough Rimmer is a bad thing

Quite enjoyable, but even better - followed by the new series of Zapped, starring James Buckley who being a fan, interviewed the RD crew on this site.................but now seems to have disappeared. :(

I recognized James Buckley (by voice) in e2 as mechanoid on lower decks

What is it about comeback sitcoms like Red Dwarf, where despite the clever writing and decent storylines, it's hard to take the acting seriously due to their ageing, physical appearance.

Craig Charles and Chris Barrie are just not as funny to look at (not that they were funny to look at due to their looks originally), but it impacts their delivery of their lines.

I reckon if Craig Charles had not have appeared in Coronation Street, I may have bee able to believe he was still Lister, the cheeky and witty lazy slob. I just don't believe that of him when I watch Red Dwarf from the Easter comeback onward. I do however still enjoy it overall. I don't let the ageing of people get me down too much!

I think it was the same with Only Fools in 2001, suddenly, Del Boy (at the time) really did look like an old man, Raquel looked a bit haggy with Rodney no longer looking gangly and youthful (even in '96 trilogy, he was still gangly, youthful Rodney).

I'm rambling here, but I think it is one of the reasons comeback films/shows don't work very well. Not very believable to the naked eye.

Hollllllyyyy crap that was bad

Worst episode ever

Awful plot

Awful script

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