A show insider has emailed us to reveal the following exclusive news: the Back To Earth DVD will be released on June 15th – a mere two months after the last episode is broadcast. There are no details as to extras so far, other than the promise that there will be “in-depth bonus material guaranteed to inform and entertain”, much like the regular series releases. Excellent.
So, let’s speculate wildly. We can expect the usual trailers, deleted scenes (if there are any) and smeg ups. A cast commentary is probably a given, providing they find another day to get them all together. A commentary involving Doug would also be bloody excellent, whether he’s on his own, with the cast, with other crew members or even with Ellard or something. Please, please, Doug: do a commentary!
Other than those, who knows what they’ve got up their sleeve? The best bits of the regular DVDs mostly came from unearthing fascinating items from the archives, but this release has the advantage of being the only Red Dwarf DVD to be compiled alongside a production. The possibilities are endless. Hopefully, the Making Of element will be much heftier than the half-hour version screened on Easter Monday, and hopefully the development of the specials – the thoughts and dreams floating around Doug’s brain and how he came to realise them – will be covered as well as the actual shooting and editing.
In other news, TOS have confirmed that Back To Earth will now have three episodes, at the expense of Unplugged. Not much new information – just the assurance that the decision was made for creative reasons rather than budgetary or scheduling reasons. They’d already booked two days to make Unplugged, so there’s no problem there, and much of the material for an extra part was already planned to be used on the DVD.
Interesting titbits to dissect: the extra filming days will all be on location, which is interesting – more outdoor stuff! Plus, there’s a mention of the sets being struck by the time of the extra shooting days, which confirms that there WILL be sets of some description, after the confusion generated by Robert’s MacBreak Weekly interview. Doesn’t mean there won’t be extensive greenscreen elements for the shoot, of course – I love how there’s so many details of this production that we’re still completely in the dark about.
Ooh, I wonder what this DVD’s musical featurette will be!
bicknell / February 20, 2009 at 12:06 pm / #
YES!!!! June the 15th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope there will be a doc on the Movie.
thomasaevans / February 20, 2009 at 12:19 pm / #
Im really thinking a Blu-Ray release is on the cards. If so… I will be purchasing a PS3. I’ve been wavering fr a while now, but THAT will certainly encourage me.
Very happy about the 3 parter, Andrew has sold It quite well there. No dissapointment for Unplugged right now. The Red Dwarf trilogy is here!
SoundableObject / February 20, 2009 at 12:37 pm / #
This release date scares me, it has a very real possibility of being released on the same day as Doctor Who: The War Games or the Dalek Wars Box set, the two DVD I am looking forward too most out of this years Who releases, I know Red Dwarf will always come first, I might have to wait a week for one of the best Who releases (though I probably won’t care since I will have Krytie to keep me occupied).
Pete Part Three / February 20, 2009 at 12:51 pm / #
Yes, it’s certainly a scary release date.
TheLeen / February 20, 2009 at 1:19 pm / #
Oh, bliss.
In other news, this is brilliant news!!!
littlesmegger / February 20, 2009 at 1:33 pm / #
I was prepared for a wait before it came out though to be fair. We know full well how much effort they put into the DVD releases. And now that the Beeb have nothing to do with it, you could be looking at a much more meatier product than before!
We all know what the BBC are like for pressuring releases for their sales figures…
And I also have a feeling a Hi-Def version will be released in some format, Blu-Ray sadly being the only one now. Unless just for the sheer hell of it we get a Red Dwarf HD-DVD release out of the Blue haha!
si / February 20, 2009 at 1:42 pm / #
*faints*
performingmonkey / February 20, 2009 at 3:03 pm / #
This is so so good! A year ago who would have thought this could ever have been on the cards? I hope there IS commentary as IMO they were a big part of the series 1-8 DVDs. GNP certainly have their work cut out for them!
SoundableObject / February 20, 2009 at 3:06 pm / #
I wonder if this will be a 2 disc set.
si / February 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm / #
But the BIG questions: What colour will the sleeve be? And will it be infitting with the other sleeve designs?
bicknell / February 20, 2009 at 3:27 pm / #
dose anyone think a documentary on the move is realistic?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Bob Loblaw / February 20, 2009 at 3:36 pm / #
The Smeg, It Is.
Fingers crossed for Blu-ray release. Maybe a visual commentary ala Serenity.