NEW RED DWARF

[paulvonscott]

Red Dwarf is an odd one for me.  At the time it came out, I decided not to watch it as I was convinced no SF comedy thing was going to be any good.  A big mistake as the feedback from episode 1 came back and I'd wait a few years to catch that episode.  Loved the first 2 series at the time, hated the way the show went in three, then kept watching with some very good bits along the way, even though I generally was a bit sniffy about the show.

The thing is, it's all there ptetrty much was as far as SF goes apart from some crappy american shows in the 90's.

I was generally appalled and embarressed by series 8. Does anyone know if it's Grant and Naylor (who I met at a signing in my first days of University) or just one of them on his own?

[Mardroid]

Does anyone know if it's Grant and Naylor (who I met at a signing in my first days of University) or just one of them on his own?

I believe it's just Doug Naylor now. They parted ways after series 6.  They did reunite to work on the script of Bodysnatcher for the Bodysnatcher DVD set, but that was just temporary. (That's the most recent release with the remastered first 3 series of RD.) Bodysnatcher had been a script that they worked on during series 1, but it was never finished or shot at the time.  They got back together and the script and storyboards appears on the first disk, voices performed by Chris Barrie.

I think the new episodes will be whole new material, although whether they'll be a continuation of the series (I hope so) of some of the film material (which is set in a different continuity) or a bit of both, I don't know.

I actually watched the first episode of Dwarf when it first came out, and I actually didn't like it at the time (which is interesting as the next episode was Future Echoes, one of the best episodes ever in my opinion.) It put me off watching (partly cos I was a kid and was hoping for whooshy space ships etc,) Then one day I happened to be flicking channels and I came across Marooned from series 3. Loved it. Very funny. Got really into it after that particularly with the release of the DVDs. For me the best series are 3-6, although I don't dislike any of them.

[IndigoPrime]

They didn't have much luck raising money for the movie (BBC weren't interested, and American companies wanted to change the actors for 'big name stars.' )

What was most appalling about all this was that although they couldn't get funding for Red Dwarf, the exact same funding bodies okayed Sex Lives of the Potato Men. It really is amazing how Red Dwarf got screwed over.

As for the new stuff, it's clearly a combination of a pilot (to test the waters) and best-of (to tie directly into a new set of re-runs). Kind of interesting to see how Dave's moving into original content, though, now its rebranding has pushed it into being one of the biggest channels outside of the terrestrial 'big five'.

[johnnystress]

Has this been posted before?

Un-aired American pilot episode


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN3ZUrduNUs


excruciating

[Bouwel]

That's very interesting. Rubbish, but intersting. Thanks for posting.

-Bouwel-

[Mardroid]

As for the new stuff, it's clearly a combination of a pilot (to test the waters) and best-of (to tie directly into a new set of re-runs). Kind of interesting to see how Dave's moving into original content, though, now its rebranding has pushed it into being one of the biggest channels outside of the terrestrial 'big five'.

Since this thread has been resurrected...

There was news at the latest Dimension Jump a couple of weeks back (which I didn't actually go to... I heard this via the forum) that Dave has commissioned Doug Naylor to write scripts for a new series of at least six episodes. It's not official yet, but it seems filming could well start late next year.

I'm glad, although some other Red Dwarf fans aren't keen. Back to Earth had quite a mixed response. I actually rather liked it overall with some reservations. One criticism was the self referencing, (something I thought a bit heavy handed myself) but being anniversary episodes the self referencing is understandable and we shouldn't think all the new episodes will be like that.

One question at DJ was whether or not the fans wanted a studio audience (most said yes).  I missed it a bit in episode one of BtE but I didn't miss it later. I think overall it would be a good thing to restore even if only for the actors benefit, but I'm not fussed. I quite like the comedy drama route, although I hope they keep the jokes coming.

[ThryllSeekyr]

Is that the new series everybody was raving about months ago, the one that hasn't been shown in my country yet?

[Mardroid]

Is that the new series everybody was raving about months ago, the one that hasn't been shown in my country yet?

I think that was Back To Earth. That was a three episode series that came out in Britain months ago, but I think is yet to be broadcast abroad.  (If you keep you eye on  the news section at reddwarf.co.uk broadcast dates should appear there when they're available). The DVD is out now actually. The director's cut (which joins the 3 episodes together but cuts out some of the fluff aiding pacing) is on that disk along with lots of other goodies. Not that I'm spamming.

Dave (the channel which broadcast the specials) were happy with the ratings they got for BtE and they've commissioned more scripts for a full series that will (hopefully) be filmed next year. That was the series I was referring to in my last post.