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My kids (and me!) love Red Dwarf, and have all the DVDs.

They've been really excited since the trailers for the new episodes started on Dave.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... ltn=HBMAGA

Meh, I'm not convinced. It was great up to series 6, series 7 was weak and after that it just sucked. I don't have high hopes that they can go back to pre series 7 form.

The quality of any sitcom is really down to the writers. Anybody know who wrote the new episodes?

Doug Naylor.
The Radio Times seems to share Lorraine's view as they say "Here's hoping writer Doug Naylor harks back to the show's early series that were funny rather than flashy".

Derek Hazell wrote:Doug Naylor.
The Radio Times seems to share Lorraine's view as they say "Here's hoping writer Doug Naylor harks back to the show's early series that were funny rather than flashy".

Then there is definitely hope!

Red Dwarf is probably my favourite comedy of all time, along with Fawlty Towers and Blackadder. I endlessly watched them back in my late teens and they helped me get through some tough times. However, I have to agree with Lorraine that the first six series are the only ones I go back to, later episodes were only sporadically good.

The Grant/Naylor partnership broke up after the 6th series and Doug Naylor then wrote it with other people (like Kryton) so I kind of assumed that Rob Grant must be the funny one...

Well, after such a long break, I'm looking forward to it, even if it isn't as brilliant as the early stuff.

Please, please, please, please, please, please don't be crap. ,

Paul Howe wrote:Please, please, please, please, please, please don't be crap. ,

Red Dwarf could not possibly be really crap, the people involved are too good. I suggest you record an episode of DOND and think of it as a hot spare. If RD doesn't come up to expectations just flip over for a second or two to remind you what crap is.

Rosemary Roberts wrote:

Paul Howe wrote:Please, please, please, please, please, please don't be crap. ,

Red Dwarf could not possibly be really crap, the people involved are too good. I suggest you record an episode of DOND and think of it as a hot spare. If RD doesn't come up to expectations just flip over for a second or two to remind you what crap is.

Alternatively, if you're watching Red Dwarf and it starts to be rubbish, just chant 'blue blue blue' and you'll be sorted.

Rosemary Roberts wrote:Red Dwarf could not possibly be really crap, the people involved are too good.

I think a lot of the episodes in series 7 and 8 were. Some of them were properly bad.

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Rosemary Roberts wrote:Red Dwarf could not possibly be really crap, the people involved are too good.

I think a lot of the episodes in series 7 and 8 were. Some of them were properly bad.

I agree that some of them were well below the standard of the first few series, particularly the ones without Chris Barrie, but that doesn't make them crap.

Rosemary Roberts wrote:

Gavin Chipper wrote:

Rosemary Roberts wrote:Red Dwarf could not possibly be really crap, the people involved are too good.

I think a lot of the episodes in series 7 and 8 were. Some of them were properly bad.

I agree that some of them were well below the standard of the first few series, particularly the ones without Chris Barrie, but that doesn't make them crap.

Being below the standard of the first few series doesn't make something crap, but these were anyway.

Will The Cat win 'best dressed' at the "Rovers Return"? Undoubtedly. Just as Craig Charles will win 'Best Regional Accent'

Actually a bit like Black Adder, the first few series were pretty average; a lot of talk and almost no action. Series 3-6 were probably the best, with the Gunmen of the Apocolypse (sp?) being voted the best ever episode.

Martin Gardner wrote:Actually a bit like Black Adder, the first few series were pretty average; a lot of talk and almost no action. Series 3-6 were probably the best, with the Gunmen of the Apocolypse (sp?) being voted the best ever episode.

Though god knows why, when Polymorph from series 3 was clearly the best episode.

I think pretty much all the episodes from 1-6 were of a high standard. Then there was a steep drop off. So far the new episodes haven't really impressed me. They just have that feel of a series making a "comeback" like the shit later episodes of Only Fools and Horses.

Gavin Chipper wrote:I think pretty much all the episodes from 1-6 were of a high standard. Then there was a steep drop off. So far the new episodes haven't really impressed me. They just have that feel of a series making a "comeback" like the shit later episodes of Only Fools and Horses.

I really don't know why everybody hates series 7 so much. Admittedly there were a few clunkers (i.e. most scenes with Kochanski in) but a lot of it was fantastic.

Ben Wilson wrote:Admittedly there were a few clunkers (i.e. most scenes with Kochanski in) but a lot of it was fantastic.

It wasn't so much the presence of Kochanski as the absence of Rimmer that clunked. Or maybe the writers just couldn't handle female characters.

Rosemary Roberts wrote:

Ben Wilson wrote:Admittedly there were a few clunkers (i.e. most scenes with Kochanski in) but a lot of it was fantastic.

It wasn't so much the presence of Kochanski as the absence of Rimmer that clunked. Or maybe the writers just couldn't handle female characters.

I think most of it was poor. From memory it kept its head above water for the first couple of episodes but then sunk pretty quickly. Also it's not just the absence of Rimmer but the transformation of Kryten into a gibbering wreck. From series 7 (unless it was just 8 but probably 7) his role seemed to be to just get upset about Lister and Kochanski and gibber about it. It was pathetic.

Gavin Chipper wrote:I think most of it was poor. From memory it kept its head above water for the first couple of episodes but then sunk pretty quickly. Also it's not just the absence of Rimmer but the transformation of Kryten into a gibbering wreck. From series 7 (unless it was just 8 but probably 7) his role seemed to be to just get upset about Lister and Kochanski and gibber about it. It was pathetic.

Oh come on, Kryten wreaking havoc in Pride and Prejudice world was hilarious. Not quite worth his near-total Flanderisation, but still hilarious.

Gavin Chipper wrote:I think pretty much all the episodes from 1-6 were of a high standard. Then there was a steep drop off. So far the new episodes haven't really impressed me. They just have that feel of a series making a "comeback" like the shit later episodes of Only Fools and Horses.

So, what did everyone think (apart from Gavin)?

I finally got around to watching it, on last night's omnibus, as we were out on Friday.

My initial feelings were skewed by a 'whooo hooo, Red Dwarf is back!' attitude.
After I'd calmed down, I did sort of think that the 'characters becoming real' stuff was a bit lame, and done before (e.g. League of Gentlemen').
Although kinda cool for them to rock up in Corrie (my second favourite TV show).

Once it got past the slow stuff, it picked up, though, I thought. Great ending, and I'm certainly hoping they do some more.

Derek Hazell wrote:http://thecustardtv.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... -dave.html

Thanks for the link. I agreed with most of that.
Don't see what was wrong with the Bladerunner references, though, since it was actually mentioned in the episodes.
My kids found it quite fun to spot the references.

Julie T wrote:

Derek Hazell wrote:http://thecustardtv.blogspot.com/2009/0 ... -dave.html

Thanks for the link. I agreed with most of that.
Don't see what was wrong with the Bladerunner references, though, since it was actually mentioned in the episodes.
My kids found it quite fun to spot the references.

It seemed a bit pointless.