68 replies to this topic

[DavidB]

I gotta say I was surprised, and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. While I was excited for the show coming back, I've tried not to get overly enthusiastic as the quality had dipped before.

I did think the writing was decent, and the actors themselves hadn't missed a beat. All the characters felt right, and there were definitely some funny moments. I'd read about it being more than just a straight comedy, so those more emotional moments etc didn't feel as out of place to me. Same with the lack of laughter track.

But yeah, it will be something that's better judged as a whole, rather than an individual episode. I certainly don't think it was as bad as some thought it was. We all like different things though

[piles]

Much funnier than anticipated, and a surprising amount of pathos. I suppose they need a protagonist (Katerina) and Kochanski being around would make the dynamic around her very different. Though if they can suddenly sustain two HL holograms, why wasn't Kochanski one of them ? This and sooooooo much is unexplained and debatable, but as someone said, RD has always been full of holes - Lister's double apendectomy springs to mind straight away.

But I do think it has to be judged as a single 75 minutes though- which I think is why I think the EOP and the TBC were so abrupt. Damn those commercial stations !! I'm pretty sure Grant Naylor were offered a commission from Channel Four in the 1980s, but they fought to get it on the BBC because the scripts needed that extra 3-4 minutes.

Anyway - I've always been unsure about Cat - whether it was Danny's acting or the "afterthought" nature of much of the character's dialogue, whatever, but he was amongst the best things in this ep. Some decent lines and his physical presence is the best it has ever been. ("What's my motivation for this scene Doug?" .... "OK Danny - She's just come to empty yer bins, and your dressing gown is caught on the fence post ..... ACTION !")

Robert was superb (casual whistling mode) and Chris and Craig's bunk scenes were the best they have been since Wilma Flintstone. But "Rimmer-being-useless-keeping-watch" was a RD clique best remembered from Back To Reality (still their finest hour) and he may as well have just called it King Kong's first dump of the day. Saying "bigger than god" failed to be dramatic, when the line needed more to be funny.

The Mel Bibby reference was subtle, respectful and completely appropriate, as his contribution to the show was immense.

As someone who devoured Kryten and Lister's intoductions to the Smeg Ups / Smeg Outs, the DVD commentaries, and anything vaguely "new Red Dwarf" over the last ten years, I am delighted that it's on our screens at all. It's a shame we didn't get back to our native BBC2 - massive DVD sales and regular repeats of Red Dwarf, coupled with the comeback successes of Dr Who and Battlestar Galactica (and for that matter Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Minder) obviously were not enough to convince the BBC, since you can't ring in to save Kryten in the Smeg Off, with 50p going to Comic Relief. But back is back ! Telly is a different place now compared to 1999 and if it takes a commercial, non-terrestrial channel to look after us, then that's fine. Two fingers up at the BBC when they get a reminder of what they turned their noses up at.

The show needs (and deserves) some sort of conclusion (which has been denied so many sitcoms and dramas in the past) - it has been very good to a lot of people connected with it. Having said that, I would rather this paved the way for loads more Red Dwarf. It just needs this weekend to re-establish itself on-screen.

[Chipwad]

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 03:41 AM, said:

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 01:03 AM, said:

Doug Naylor was involved in Series 8 and to ignore it would be a bad thing because it was really funny.

I thought Season 8 was absolute **** - I can understand why they'd want to ignore it.

Don't worry. We'll rent some space in a church basement and talk you down

[MikeDonovan]

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 02:33 PM, said:

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 03:41 AM, said:

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 01:03 AM, said:

Doug Naylor was involved in Series 8 and to ignore it would be a bad thing because it was really funny.

I thought Season 8 was absolute **** - I can understand why they'd want to ignore it.

Don't worry. We'll rent some space in a church basement and talk you down

Lol - are you serious? You really found Season 8 funny?? It was like watching a sniper setting up in a school clock tower.

[Chipwad]

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 02:51 PM, said:

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 02:33 PM, said:

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 03:41 AM, said:

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 01:03 AM, said:

Doug Naylor was involved in Series 8 and to ignore it would be a bad thing because it was really funny.

I thought Season 8 was absolute **** - I can understand why they'd want to ignore it.

Don't worry. We'll rent some space in a church basement and talk you down

Lol - are you serious? You really found Season 8 funny?? It was like watching a sniper setting up in a school clock tower.

Certainly did, particularly Cassandra, Pete and Krytie TV. And the finale was epic too.

Edited by Chipwad, 11 April 2009 - 02:13 PM.

[Milly123]

Robert Llew has said on Twitter that the viewing figures last night were "2.2 million. Dave's previous best was 1 million. All time cable best 2.3 mill for Torchwood".

That's got to be good news!  Roll on 9pm

x

[Christoff]

Milly123, on Apr 11 2009, 06:02 PM, said:

Robert Llew has said on Twitter that the viewing figures last night were "2.2 million. Dave's previous best was 1 million. All time cable best 2.3 mill for Torchwood".

That's got to be good news!  Roll on 9pm

x

Even better news if the other episodes are just as popular, not so good if the 1st put anyone off though.

[MikeDonovan]

Christoff, on Apr 11 2009, 07:09 PM, said:

Milly123, on Apr 11 2009, 06:02 PM, said:

Robert Llew has said on Twitter that the viewing figures last night were "2.2 million. Dave's previous best was 1 million. All time cable best 2.3 mill for Torchwood".

That's got to be good news!  Roll on 9pm

x

Even better news if the other episodes are just as popular, not so good if the 1st put anyone off though.

Agreed - the viewing figures were always going to be relatively high for the first show (just like they always are for a pilot) - the drop off percentage for part 2 and 3 is going to be the important number I think.

DavidB, on Apr 11 2009, 10:47 AM, said:

I certainly don't think it was as bad as some thought it was. We all like different things though

Like I say it wasn't the train wreck I was expecting - my expectations were pretty low, and so far it's exceeded them (although it was a long way away from the best of the show). We'll see what comes with the next 2 parts. To be honest, I'm cringing at the thought of the crossover with Coronation Street.

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 03:13 PM, said:

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 02:51 PM, said:

Lol - are you serious? You really found Season 8 funny?? It was like watching a sniper setting up in a school clock tower.

Certainly did, particularly Cassandra, Pete and Krytie TV. And the finale was epic too.

Are you sure we're not talking about different shows?  

[Christoff]

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 07:26 PM, said:

To be honest, I'm cringing at the thought of the crossover with Coronation Street.

I kind of was too but I think it could be an interesting twist, we'll have to wait and see though I suppose, lets just hope it works well.

[Christoff]

My sister's watching some stupid singing competition programme so I have to wait an hour longer to watch Red Dwarf

[Lizzy]

I'm so confused!!

[Count Fooku]

Better than last night but I can't help but feel The League of Gentlemen did this kind of storyline with their film a couple of years ago.

[Milly123]

LOVED it!  2nd episode was way better than the first.  Can't wait for tomorrow x

[Phantom]

I missed the first 10 minuites as i was watching Piers Morgan getting all emotional over not Jordan confessing she was flashed at (which she forgot to mention in her first two autobiographies...shes probably saving it for the third )but this time some old bird getting her knockers out on Britains Got Talent.

It was slightly better than last nights which i gave a second chance but it was so in need of a laughter track that i half expected tumbleweed to blow past in a Shooting Stars stylee(which also came back last year and equally misfired).
Count Fooku beat me to it that THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN did it so much better and it leaves me thinking that after the Star Wars prequels,Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the whatever,Michael Jackson and David Van Day that some things should stay in the past.

Edited by Phantom, 11 April 2009 - 08:56 PM.

[Chipwad]

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 07:26 PM, said:

Chipwad, on Apr 11 2009, 03:13 PM, said:

MikeDonovan, on Apr 11 2009, 02:51 PM, said:

Lol - are you serious? You really found Season 8 funny?? It was like watching a sniper setting up in a school clock tower.

Certainly did, particularly Cassandra, Pete and Krytie TV. And the finale was epic too.

Are you sure we're not talking about different shows?  

The Crimson Short one: Series 8 (eight)

Just watched the new one. Genius! Utter genius!

[Christoff]

Strange storyline I suppose but I enjoyed it, much better than the 1st episode, and as much as I hate Smart cars I have to get myself a Smart Starbug!

[Spotter]

First of, the last series was awful, with not one better than poor episode.
These new episodes have been enjoyable, but seem far too different to previous Red Dwarf episodes for me, so I hope that if it does well they try and get the show to look and feel more like the earlier series.

[Phantom]

Why the constant riffing on Bladerunner ?
The scale in the bath,the zooming in on the photo stuff,the oriental guy with the fur coat,the origami?
Whats that all about?

[DavidB]

As someone who didn't bother with the League of Gentleman movie, I didn't have the comparison issue last night. I thought it was a lot of fun actually. Didn't feel quite as different by the second episode, and the lack of laughter track wasn't as jarring for me.

I definitely think they'll all work far better as one piece, but I admire them for trying something different. It's never going to be what it was in Series 1, so there's not really much point in trying to replicate that. We've got DVDs for that.

I found the second episode funnier and far more intriguing. Definitely less set-up, and more story continuation. And I could remember a lot more things after that than I did the first episode.

I suppose the Blade Runner stuff makes sense in terms of questioning reality and what you really are etc. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

[Lizzy]

I just felt to me like part advertisement of the Dave Channel, and partly a ploy to get people to commission a 9th/10th season cos "here are the storylines we're thinking of" and they need to save themselves... I love the dwarf and it woulda been a good ep, had it not seemed a little... desperate?

I guess we'll wait and see! And if the 3rd doesn't give any answers, we can ask them at BTL lol!