Red Dwarf

[jasmine]

I have been watching episodes this week. And also someone reminded me of it.

I love Red Dwarf.



I'll be back to chat some more.

[Sugar]

I used to really like Red Dwarf, but I got bored of it after a while

[jasmine]

Well I suppose the later episodes (7and on) when kochanski came into it were not as good.

I love the 'Tongue Tied Episode' (think it was from series 2) Danny John Jules was brilliant!

[arcadia]

I love Red Dwarf!

Series 7 and 8 were a bit pants though, I agree, once Grant Naylor stopped doing all the writing.. It wasn't the same without Rimmer in series 7 and Kochanski didn't add much.

Think my favourite episode is Back To Reality from series 5

[Mirela]

I've only ever seen one episode and that was years ago, I was a little young at the time to watch it properly - the episode was "Backwards". What channel can I catch Red Dwarf on?

[Seren y Gogledd]

Is that the one where they're in that parallel universe where everyone does things in reverse? Like drinking etc.? Two of them became famous because they started up an act, the reverse brothers, where they were doing everything the "normal" way but it was really strange to the people in the parallel universe.

[jasmine]

yes. It was from series 3.

"It's not a bar room brawl...it's a bar room tidy!..Unrumble!" – Dave Lister

I agree with you arcadia. Back to Reality was a great episode.

Remember when Lister got space mumps? And when his head finally gave way, the Cat came in covered in yucky stuff crying out "his head exploded"

I also like the episode called 'Legion'. When they are at the dinner table trying to eat using a pair of Mimosian Anti matter Chopsticks! The food is flying everywhere. Only Kryten can use them.. ;D

[Mirela]

huggybird said:

Is that the one where they're in that parallel universe where everyone does things in reverse? Like drinking etc.? Two of them became famous because they started up an act, the reverse brothers, where they were doing everything the "normal" way but it was really strange to the people in the parallel universe.

I remember them seeing a woman eating a cream cake in reverse

What channel is it being repeated on?

[jasmine]

As far as I know its not on tv at the moment Julia. I have been watching DVD's I have the full collection.

[jasmine]

Does anyone know if there is going to be a Red Dwarf Movie. I've heard rumours and looked on the website - but can't really find out anything solid. I started watching the dvd's again and it reminded me.

"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast"

[Storm]

The movie was announced in 1999. The last I heard about it was a TV interview Chris Barrie gave in 2004, when he basically said what we already know; "It's been in pre-production for five years." I think after all this time it's safe to assume they've quietly dropped the idea. Exactly why it never got off the ground they've never been very clear on.

And I thought at the time that the delay between seasons 6 and 7 was a long one...

By the way, you can pick up repeats of Red Dwarf on you UKTV Gold every so often. They don't seem to get shown according to a schedule though, they just get slotted in to fill in the odd gaps during late evenings. Keep 'em peeled, and you'll find them now and then.

My favourite episode is also from season 5. It was called Quarantine, and the scenes with the luck virus and Rimmer in the gingham dress always crack me up like mad; -

"So let me get this straight. You want to fly on a magic carpet to meet the King of the Potato-People, and plead with him for your freedom? And you're telling me you're completely sane?!"

One other favourite line of mine, from The Last Day, season 3; -

"No such thing as Silicon Heaven? Preposterous! Where would all the calculators go?"

[jasmine]

aww thanks for that. Appreciate it. How little do I know huh?? I didn't even know it had been announced as far back as 1999!

I might have known it would never take off. Like you say there was a delay between 6 and 7. Must admit I lost interest in the later series. It just wasn't the same.

I've got all the dvd's - so I can watch any of them anytime

I like Quarantine too - I like Mr Flibble. Mr Flibble says "game over boys" *hex stare* (I've so got to test that out on someone)

I was watching Dimension Jump - I love it when Chris Barrie plays Ace..

And Emohawk - Polymorph - Cat looses his cool and becomes Duane Dibbley....the geek with the teeth!

*shut up jas your babbling*

[Storm]

NO, Jasmine!!!! Keep babbling! Red Dwarf is always worth a babble about in my book.

My favourite topic of discussion with my brother on this subject is which episode was our favourite in each season. Here's my list; -

Season 1. Most people say Future Echoes for this, and that was certainly one of the better ones in a hit-and-miss season. But my favourite was Confidence And Paranoia, mainly because Craig Ferguson was so terrific as Lister's Confidence.

Season 2. By a whisker, Queeg edges out Kryten as the best here. Both were clearly funnier than any other episode in the first two seasons, but Queeg also had one of the cleverest storylines to that point.

Season 3. Backwards used to be my favourite here, and it was definitely a great episode in its time. But I have to say that it's lost a lot of its effect down the years, simply because video recorders and DVD players have become so commonplace that I'm kind of desensitised to the sight of films being played in reverse. So instead I pick Marooned. Stuck-together-in-a-lift type stories are common literary devices that are excellent at allowing rich characters to spark off each other. This makes it one of the strongest ever studies of the complex relationship between Lister and Rimmer. Oh and of course the gag about Alexander The Great's Chief Eunuch remains one of the all-time super-woofs of the series!

Season 4. Not a great season. Rob Grant has often criticised it as too pedestrian in style, and not really developing things from where they left off in season 3. But Chris Barrie's turn as Ace Rimmer in Dimension Jump is truly priceless, and makes it a standout episode.

Season 5. The point when the series shifted to becaome a full-on action comedy, this is my favourite season. Partly because it's the most exciting, but mostly just for the sheer brilliance and variety of the plot ideas. My favourite ep? Well obviously from what I said earlier, it has to be the so-funny-it-should-be-illegal Quarantine. (I've always thought Back To Reality is slightly overrated. Yes, it's a fine episode, undeniably clever, brilliantly thought-out, and shows how intelligent the writers are. However, people who drool about it so much are forgetting that Red Dwarf is supposed to be a comedy show as well, and BTR's not actually got that many laughs in it.)

Season 6. This was the point when the series was showing signs of losing something. It was almost as good as season 5, but was brought down by a tiresome overuse of running gags, such as the Cat always referring to things as being "as dead as" some unfashionable item of clothing or another, or Rimmer always invoking the wrong Space Corps directive number. My favourite episode was Gunmen Of The Apocalypse, which was a brilliant parody of artificial reality.

Season 7. One of the weakest seasons, it failed to adjust to the loss of one of the writers and one of the central characters. But Rimmer's swansong, Stoke Me A Clipper, was a hilarious return for Ace Rimmer, and served to underline just how difficult things were going to be once Chris Barrie was gone.

Season 8. The slightly screwball feel to the humour in this season wasn't everyone's cup of tea - it could even be argued that it wasn't really humour, just farce - but I really liked a lot of it, at least until around the halfway stage. I probably should know better, but Krytie TV has me in stitches every time I see it. The three episodes that closed the season were undeniably poor fare though.

Anyone else got a list of favourites from each season?

[jasmine]

Ok. Here are my favourites from each season.

Season 1. I’ve chosen Confidence and Paranoia. Lister has caught a mutated strain of pneumonia. He has a nightmare and mumbles in his sleep that he needs an umbrella. Then suddenly, fish start raining down from the ceiling. I thought that was so funny.

Season 2. Got to be Parallel Universe for me. Only because of the singing and dancing by Danny and the boys. Craig looked a bit awkward in some of the dance moves ha!. I rather liked the song Tongue Tied too! Queeg a close second.

Season 3. Backwards I loved the bar room scene. The backwards fight was hilarious. And at the end when the cat has to go for a ‘whatever’ behind a bush – and Lister and Rimmer realise something and try to stop cat. But its too late – cat pops out from behind the bush with a look of horror on his face and walks out from behind the bush with a very stiff legged walk. He just says “don’t ask” …funny

Season 4. Dimension Jump without question. ‘Ace’ makes his first appearance and of course his “smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast” quip is great ….what a guy!! Even more funny when Ace is aboard Starbug, Rimmer hates him.

Season 5. Quarantine. I love this episode.
Rimmer wearing a gingham dress and he has a glove puppet ….Mr Flibble!!

What happens to naughty boys who've been naughty, Mr. Flibble?
Flibble: Uncle Arnie fries them alive with his Hex Vision.
Rimmer: That's right, Mr. Flibble. Rimmers eyes then glow red.

Season 6. I liked a couple on this series. I would have to say Legion is one of my favourites because it still makes me laugh. The sight of Rimmer, Lister and the Cat trying to use the Mamosian anti- matter chopsticks gives me the giggles. And then when the chopsticks cross paths and all the food splatters down on Rimmer. Also in Legion is the light bulb gag: RIMMER: Go to amber alert.. KRYTON: Are you sure sir? that does mean changing the lightbulb!
Running second would be Emohawk – Polymorph – only because ‘Ace Rimmer’ makes a welcome return.

Season 7. Started going down hill really didn’t it ?
But has to be Stoke me a Clipper.
Rimmer: You’re dying?
Ace: You’ve got it Arn. Your brain is quicker than a nun’s first curry

Season 8. Only one I haven’t got on dvd. (I think its out now) But have it on vhs. Haven’t seen it for a while though – so really can’t pick out a favourite.. It just wasn’t the same for me in the later episodes. I also think the canned laughter (done for American audiences) spoilt it too.

As you know I'm no good at analylising programmes and such, these are just my brief thoughts on my chosen favourites. They have given me some giggles - and they still do.

[arcadia]

About 5 years ago when I was between jobs I sat down and analysed all the Red Dwarf episodes, making a note of my favourite lines and giving each one a mark out of 10 so that I could compile a list of episodes from best to worst. And I've still got that list, because I am a giant dork.

Aaaanyway, according to that list my favourite episodes from each series are:

Series 1: Future Echoes (5/10). Fun and imaginative. First episode of RD I saw and it made me want to keep watching.


Series 2: Parallel Universe (7/10). Meeting their female equivalents was a great idea and both actresses did a great job. Plus, they did an MPreg storyline, which makes me giggle.

"The thought occurs that we haven't actually reached Earth. The further thought occurs that we haven't budged a smegging inch."


Series 3: Marooned (9/10). A great character piece for Lister and Rimmer This is the kind of episode that I missed in later series when we got too much special effects and trying to be clever rather than just concentrating on the characters. Too many good lines to list.


Series 4: White Hole (8/10). I really like Dimension Jump, Justice and DNA as well. My second favourite series.

Talkie Toaster: "Ah, so you're a waffle man".


Series 5: Back To Reality (9/10). It's still my all time favourite episode I think. Dwayne Dibbly was inspired. This is my favourite series - I also loved Terrorform, The Inquisitor and Quarantine.

"Oh my god, my name's Billy Doyle and my cologne is Eau de Yak Urine"


Series 6: Legion (9/10). Rimmer being repeatedly splatted with food never gets old for me. Neither does Kryten repeatedly hitting Rimmer over the head. Plus I think the "Step up to red alert!" "Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb" exchange may be my all time favourite Red Dwarf moment. My third favourite season and Gunmen of the Apocalypse is great as well, but things were beginning to go downhill.


Series 7: Meh. I was really disappointed with this series. My favourite was Tikka To Ride, and that only got 6 out of 10. Too much action and not enough jokes.


Series 8: Better than Series 7 (and probably series 1) but still not great. My favourite was Cassandra (7/10). Rimmer thinking he's finally going to get some always makes me giggle.