Red Dwarf X
Nov. 15th, 2012 01:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andrasteSo, a mere thirteen years after the last full series, we finally get more Red Dwarf. And it's pretty good! It may not always hit the heights of the first six seasons, and it may have regularly reminded me that the show is better at female characters when it doesn't have any, but crucially, it IS a proper series of Red Dwarf. It returns to the classic formula of the last living human stranded on a derelict mining ship three million years into deep space with a hologram of his dead bunkmate, a cat and a mechanical lifeform for company. It's the first time since 1997 that they've attempted that, and arguably the first time since 1993 that they've actually succeeded.
Also, I'm delighted to say that Red Dwarf X has the best writing for the Cat since Kryten showed up. He's been consistently hilarious, and the scripts have remembered to include all his personality traits. (Yes, he has more than one.) Really nice to see after so many years of him being an afterthought.
I thought the first and last episodes were the strongest, although that might be the Rimmer fangirl talking in the case of Trojan. Episodes two through four had some good ideas but didn't always execute them effectively, and episode five was pretty terrible. The Beginning, though, was good stuff that I wouldn't hesitate to put on a list of my favourite Red Dwarf episodes ever.
The model work is fantastic throughout (thank goodness they ditched the cheap CGI) and Hogey the Roguey is a cute idea, but the episode really belongs to Rimmer.
Philip Labey is adorable as young Arnold, and manages to pack a lot of performance into a couple of minutes of screen time. (I just want to pinch his cheek and pat him on the head. I'd attempt to ruffle his hair, but I'm not sure that's actually possible for hair like Rimmer's.) I really hope for a return appearance in a future Series XI - find someone to play a young Lister, and we could finally get the story of how Our Heroes met on screen.
Once again we get proof that Rimmer is a useless git 99% of the time and a stone cold hero the other 1%. I love the battle plan timetable, I love his reaction to his father's message, and I love that for the first time ever he takes charge of the crew and inspires them to follow his plan ALL WHILE REMAINING COMPLETELY IN CHARACTER. The strongly worded letter and calling the Simulant commander 'meladdo' were classic Rimmer.
I think my favourite bit, though, was the scene between Cat and Rimmer, where Cat gives the most intelligent advice he's offered in twenty-five years ... while playing with a piece of string attached to a stick. Oh, Cat.
Also: "But sometimes you live, you die, and then you live again. I know. I've done it myself." Rimmer has achieved so much more growth post-mortem than he ever did when he was breathing, and it's wonderful to hear him say it.
I gather some fans are annoyed with the mocking non-resolution of the Series VIII cliffhanger, but I thought it was one of the funniest parts of the episode. And at this point, who the smeg cares? I have even made peace with not knowing exactly where this version of Rimmer comes from. (He seems to remember both dying in the radiation leak and the events of Series VIII, so maybe he's an amalgam of some kind. The important thing is that he's Rimmer and I want to draw sparkly pink hearts around him.)
All in all, Back to Earth worked as a tribute, but this is proper Red Dwarf. Here's hoping it actually is The Beginning.
Also, I'm delighted to say that Red Dwarf X has the best writing for the Cat since Kryten showed up. He's been consistently hilarious, and the scripts have remembered to include all his personality traits. (Yes, he has more than one.) Really nice to see after so many years of him being an afterthought.
I thought the first and last episodes were the strongest, although that might be the Rimmer fangirl talking in the case of Trojan. Episodes two through four had some good ideas but didn't always execute them effectively, and episode five was pretty terrible. The Beginning, though, was good stuff that I wouldn't hesitate to put on a list of my favourite Red Dwarf episodes ever.
The model work is fantastic throughout (thank goodness they ditched the cheap CGI) and Hogey the Roguey is a cute idea, but the episode really belongs to Rimmer.
Philip Labey is adorable as young Arnold, and manages to pack a lot of performance into a couple of minutes of screen time. (I just want to pinch his cheek and pat him on the head. I'd attempt to ruffle his hair, but I'm not sure that's actually possible for hair like Rimmer's.) I really hope for a return appearance in a future Series XI - find someone to play a young Lister, and we could finally get the story of how Our Heroes met on screen.
Once again we get proof that Rimmer is a useless git 99% of the time and a stone cold hero the other 1%. I love the battle plan timetable, I love his reaction to his father's message, and I love that for the first time ever he takes charge of the crew and inspires them to follow his plan ALL WHILE REMAINING COMPLETELY IN CHARACTER. The strongly worded letter and calling the Simulant commander 'meladdo' were classic Rimmer.
I think my favourite bit, though, was the scene between Cat and Rimmer, where Cat gives the most intelligent advice he's offered in twenty-five years ... while playing with a piece of string attached to a stick. Oh, Cat.
Also: "But sometimes you live, you die, and then you live again. I know. I've done it myself." Rimmer has achieved so much more growth post-mortem than he ever did when he was breathing, and it's wonderful to hear him say it.
I gather some fans are annoyed with the mocking non-resolution of the Series VIII cliffhanger, but I thought it was one of the funniest parts of the episode. And at this point, who the smeg cares? I have even made peace with not knowing exactly where this version of Rimmer comes from. (He seems to remember both dying in the radiation leak and the events of Series VIII, so maybe he's an amalgam of some kind. The important thing is that he's Rimmer and I want to draw sparkly pink hearts around him.)
All in all, Back to Earth worked as a tribute, but this is proper Red Dwarf. Here's hoping it actually is The Beginning.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-11-17 03:51 am (UTC)Isn't that, like, how Red Dwarf has always done it? I've been catching up on the old seasons, and retconning (or totally ignoring) the previous episode's ending in Holly's intros or adding twice the plot onto the end in text that flies by too fast to read is just how it works in almost every episode during the first few years. So that sounds like they're annoyed at it being... too Red-Dwarf-like?
I'm kinda looking forward to the new season, when I manage to get my hands on it. I'd forgotten how much I adore most of those people. Especially the Cat, whose greatness I had underestimated. Gosh, they're so adorably stupid and messy and selfish and wonderful. And Chris Barrie is hardcore awesome.
the show is better at female characters when it doesn't have any
By and large true, but, gosh, I have a huge soft spot for Original Kochanski. (I've just been watching some of her guest episodes. She was so awesomely perfect for the show.)
(no subject)
Date: 2012-11-22 10:10 am (UTC)Yeah, fans are weird like that. It's not like resolving cliff-hangers properly is something the show normally does!
I'm kinda looking forward to the new season, when I manage to get my hands on it. I'd forgotten how much I adore most of those people. Especially the Cat, whose greatness I had underestimated. Gosh, they're so adorably stupid and messy and selfish and wonderful.
I am delighted to report that they are all of those things in the new series. I'm just so happy to have them back on my TV. (Well, my monitor. Whatever.)
And Chris Barrie is hardcore awesome.
My love of Chris Barrie actually pre-dates my love of Red Dwarf. The ABC (the Autralian one, that is) used to show The Brittas Empire around dinnertime when I was a kid, and once I found out he was in Red Dwarf I demanded to watch that as well.
By and large true, but, gosh, I have a huge soft spot for Original Kochanski. (I've just been watching some of her guest episodes. She was so awesomely perfect for the show.)
Yes, Original Kochanski was great :(. (Also Holly, assuming she counts as a she.) It's really only once they get to Series Seven that it all goes off the rails a bit in that regard.