Main Menu

Red Dwarf XII

Started by Greg M., 13 October, 2017, 05:57:57 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Greg M.

I enjoyed M-Corp - a solid episode, with a good central concept and an oddly melancholic vibe to it. The fan-pleasing ending, though calculated, was worthy of the cheers it received from the audience.

Interesting to consider the running order - if this happened on Lister's birthday, then either this episode happens just before 'Cured' (in which it had been around a year since his last birthday) or a year has passed since the start of the series.

Jimmy Baker's Assistant

Saw the series XII finale yesterday on catchup.

[spoiler]It's got Holly in it. And Captain Hollister.[/spoiler]

Pretty strong, really. I just hope to goodness this isn't the last ever episode.

[spoiler]A bit too much like the way Peep Show finished - which I hated - for my taste.[/spoiler]

Magnetica

I thought M-Corp was the best episode of Red Dwarf in a very long time. Easily the best of the Dave era. It was as good as something from series 3 or 4. It was funny and had a genuinely good sci-fi plot. it was also poignant in a way I don't think we have seen on Red Dwarf before.

Taryn Tailz

Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 11 November, 2017, 08:25:58 PM
Saw the series XII finale yesterday on catchup.

[spoiler]It's got Holly in it. And Captain Hollister.[/spoiler]

Pretty strong, really. I just hope to goodness this isn't the last ever episode.

[spoiler]A bit too much like the way Peep Show finished - which I hated - for my taste.[/spoiler]

It's not the last episode. Doug Naylor has recently stated that pre-production work has already begun on Series 13. :)

Greg M.

Quote from: Magnetica on 11 November, 2017, 08:47:23 PM
it was also poignant in a way I don't think we have seen on Red Dwarf before.

Red Dwarf at its best has always had an emotional undercurrent, centred on Lister's loneliness, something that was much more prevalent in Series 1 & 2. For that reason, I'm never that keen on the show introducing other living humans to Lister's 3-million-years-on universe - it detracts from one of the core concepts of the series. Of course, complaining about that after Series 8 is pointless - that ship has sailed.

Magnetica

Yes you are right- I had forgotten that. From series 3 it morphed into more of a wacky action driven sci-fi comedy rather than a character driven one with sci-fi trappings.

It's a while since I read them, but I recall the books put quite a lot of focus on that aspect as well.

von Boom

Quote from: Taryn Tailz on 12 November, 2017, 02:54:05 PM
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 11 November, 2017, 08:25:58 PM
Saw the series XII finale yesterday on catchup.

[spoiler]It's got Holly in it. And Captain Hollister.[/spoiler]

Pretty strong, really. I just hope to goodness this isn't the last ever episode.

[spoiler]A bit too much like the way Peep Show finished - which I hated - for my taste.[/spoiler]

It's not the last episode. Doug Naylor has recently stated that pre-production work has already begun on Series 13. :)

So it seems.

http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/877705/Red-Dwarf-season-13-start-date-cast-Red-Dwarf-XIII-UKTV-Lister

Mardroid

They're hoping to do a live show at the O2 next year too, being Red Dwarf's 30 year anniversary, but it's still early plane yet.

The last three episodes of this series have been pretty good. [spoiler]There was some really funny 'space anomaly' comedy with Lister and the Cat in the first part of Skipper before Rimmer went parallel universe skipping in the second half. There was some decent  comedy then, too, although it was a bit more silly, - intentionally so in the case of Rat - but I thought the funniest part was at the start. The scene with a certain returning character reminiscent of another classic scene in The End, being a possible exception. I wouldn't mind him returning for good.  [/spoiler]

sheridan

High definition didn't do [spoiler]Holly[/spoiler] any favours - I know age comes to us all, but I think a little pixelation or soft-focus might have made those scenes a little less jarring (or maybe I'm just morbid as I recently had a birthday!)

As for some of the topics that have come up on this thread - I loved the first two series and immediately liked RDIII less from the moment the leccy guitars kicked in.  Not saying I haven't liked the series, just not as much as the first two.

JamesC

Quote from: sheridan on 13 November, 2017, 01:02:07 PM
High definition didn't do [spoiler]Holly[/spoiler] any favours - I know age comes to us all, but I think a little pixelation or soft-focus might have made those scenes a little less jarring (or maybe I'm just morbid as I recently had a birthday!)

As for some of the topics that have come up on this thread - I loved the first two series and immediately liked RDIII less from the moment the leccy guitars kicked in.  Not saying I haven't liked the series, just not as much as the first two.

I felt the same but warmed to it pretty quickly.
I always thought it was a mistake to upgrade Rimmer to 'hard light' though.

Out if interest did anyone watch Craig Charles's less successful sitcom on Channel 4 - Captain Butler? It was pretty good.

Jimmy Baker's Assistant

I did watch and moderately enjoyed Captain Butler. Seem to recall Robert Llewellyn guest-starred as an admiral. Craig Charles was also awesome in Takeshi's Castle and Robot Wars, although latterly, inexplicably  replaced by white men.

Red Dwarf I and II are by far my favourite. I'd probably go for X next, that was pretty strong.

Roll on XIII, and - I guess - the live show.

Greg M.

I enjoyed Skipper - but it wasn't quite what I expected. For a series that's made so many callbacks to previous ones, I found it really odd that when the subject of a parallel universe where Rimmer wasn't a smeghead came up, no-one mentioned Ace Rimmer. It seemed too obvious not to be dealt with in some way.  (Even the episode title seemed like a reference.) Overall though, the first half of the episode was great, the second half good.

Series verdict - an odd one. Ambitious, inconsistent, heavily indebted to its own continuity, but its best outweighed its worst. Back half superior to front half, but worth it for Mechocracy alone, which is probably the best of the Dave era.

Scene of the season - it's got to be this, hasn't it? I have watched this one scene a ridiculous number of times now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3MU0g5UJtI

Tjm86

Can I thank you for that link sir.  I've not watched any of the most recent series but that looks like a perfect example of what made the old stuff so great. 

(Of course having made the mistake of having a gander at the US remake pilot, I now need to wash my eyeballs out)

von Boom

I really enjoyed Skipper. It wasn't quite as good as Mechocracy or M-Corp (which should have ended the series I think), but still I laughed pretty much throughout the episode. Series XII had highs and lows, but overall I think they did a grand job with this series. I hope they don't take too long with series XIII.

James Stacey

I thought XII was a total triumph and certainly more consistent than XI. Skipper was excellent and it was great to see some nice cameos although I do agree [spoiler]Holly would have looked better with a bit of pixellation or soft focus [/spoiler] :D XIII hasn't been greenlit yet but Doug Naylor says hes already working on scripts and reviews / ratings were so good its not an 'if' but a 'when'. XIII and XIV may be recorded at the same time again but he wants to do a live Red Dwarf show at the O2 which may mean only time for the one season for now.