There’s been a bit of a mini-hoohah after last weekend’s unofficial and overpriced sham of a convention, Better Than Life. It involved Chloë, Robert, Danny and rumours about a new series. The months of endless speculation and hearsay starts here, everyone…

This is all currently being covered in our forum but I think it’s worth taking a step back, assessing the ‘facts’ and try to draw some sort of conclusion from the affair.

So, the first thing was spotted was something added to the ever-reliable Red Dwarf Wiki page:

On the 14th of June 2009 at the Red Dwarf ‘Better Than Life’ convention Chloë Annett mentioned that she had being approached by her agent for a new Red Dwarf series, although no alther details were given.

Hmm. Ok, it’s interesting but uncorroborated. Obviously *something* was said at the convention, but it’s entirely possible that this mystery Wiki-editor got the wrong end of the stick or exaggerated things slightly. Obviously it was promply removed from the page and so all we were left with was a million little whispers all directed towards one man. BOBBY LLEW: SIR LORD OF TWITTER.

ooooh. Love a bit of mystery, but can honestly say I’ve heard nothing official.

Oh. Considering he was actually *at* the fuckpig of a convention, it’s odd if he did’t picked up on Chloë’s claim. Unless he knows fine well what she said and is now trying to cover up some tracks.

Just want to re-state clearly that nothing was announced at the RD convention last weekend. There is no official news about new series yet

Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, it’s still all flowery language presumably being said to cover for Chloë gaffe. Or, perhaps not:

Speaking at the Better Than Life convention this weekend, Robert Llewellyn (Kryten), Chloe Annett (Kochanski) and Danny John-Jules (Cat) all confirmed that plans were being put in place for a full series.

So it wasn’t just Chloë with the massive flappy mouth, then? Apparently not:

Danny John-Jules told fans: “They’re talking to Dave about doing a new series. I’ve heard they’re discussing six episodes.”

Llewellyn said that he had been approached about it too and, along with Annett, confirmed that he was “very happy” at the prospect of a return of the show.

So, sure, yeah, nothing *official* has been confirmed but apparently these three aren’t beyond blabbing about current plans before anything is finalised. And at a convention that actually segregates different ‘classes’ of fans. Hmm. All things considered, it’s not an ideal way for something like this to be revealed is it?

So, some quick conclusions before my lunch break expires:

  • Something must be going on with regards to a new series. I have no reason to doubt what the guys have said (the most interesting comment being Danny’s about it being a full 6 episode jobby) but I’m pretty convinced that it is information that absolutely should not have been mentioned at this time, especially (and I’m sorry for going on about this) at a convention actively shunned by GNP.
  • Everyone just keep your hats on. Something is happening, that much is clear, but have we not learned from these past few years that we need to stay calm and objective until we get official word on new Red Dwarf? Don’t let Back to Earth cloud the fact that New Dwarf is still a fragile creature that needs to be handled with care, lest we all get our fingers bitten off again. For that reason, I’m remaining heroically stoic.
  • If you ever want to run a fansite, be sure you have a forum full of spoddy nerds you can steal all the news from.

51 comments on “New series?

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  • All in all, probably nothing we didn’t already know. I’m sure nobody thought that after the viewing figures for BtE came in then both sides would back away. All we now know is that GNP and Dave are discussing future episodes, and its far enough down the track for the cast to be consulted (although Craig’s absence doesn’t clear up any of the outstanding issues in terms of prior commitments).

  • It’s all very well GNP not sanctioning this convention, but if their cast members are going to turn up, you can’t really blame fans from doing so too.

  • I’m not a GNP sanctioned fan- this isn’t an ‘offical’ forum (granted, its as near as damn it, and a lot more interesting). Fans and cast are always going to follow their own interests.

  • Do you think Chlo? wouldnt arrive until the last episode of the series?

    Then Dave can kiss her (I would)

  • > All in all, probably nothing we didn?t already know.

    Yeah, this roundup is designed as just that: a round up. We usually try to keep all news, even if it just repeats what’s already been said in the forum written from our own perspective, on the frong page as it’s important for the site not to ‘just’ become a forum and still retain some editorial voice, even if we’ve been a little lax of late.

  • The mentioning of GNP not sanctioning the convention is a reference to the fact that the official convention, Dimension Jump, is a darn sight better value for money and doesn’t attempt to separate the experience according to how much money you can (or will) pay. That sort of practice is all very well if you have a large volume of attendees for a US show, where the guests have very limited time in the UK, but it isn’t really on for RD fans. I think it’s a shame that some of the cast supported it, because I don’t think it’s very fair on the fans, but it’s not something you can stop people doing.

  • I’d imagine she’d e in there in some form before the last episode, be it flashbacks dreams or being found before the last one.

  • “Hi guys, I’m back. Sorry for throwing a strop a while back. I guess it was a bit daft of me to just bugger off to explore the depths of deep space for eternity ON MY OWN. My time of the month. Um, anyone for the Opera game?”

  • > I?m pretty convinced that it is information that absolutely should not have been mentioned at this time, especially (and I?m sorry for going on about this) at a convention actively shunned by GNP.

    I think the cast should be allowed to talk about pretty much anything they want to at these things. There will always be people who are disappointed because they didn`t hear the news first but that sort of attitude contradicts some of the criticisms made of that convention anyway.

  • And to think all I was wanting was clarification on the wiki facts that people had been there, and instead I’ve caused talk across three websites! Haha!

    I just think Bobby has realised he wasn’t tight lipped enough regarding Back to Earth, and so he’s covering his back with ‘flowery language’ in regards to things not being “officially’ mentioned. Also known as GNP not officially saying anything on their website.

    Although it’s a little odd trying to deny something, when 2 others have also said things, AND people who were at the flippin’ thing will have heard it! Me thinks DJ this year may be where news becomes official… well, that’s if they don’t have to announce things earlier then planned thanks to all this going on… whoops! *slaps wrist*

  • > I think the cast should be allowed to talk about pretty much anything they want to at these things.

    Even if it means they (well, Robert) has to backtrack after the event to state that it’s not an official announcement? Can’t you see how mentioning a project that could well still be in the fragile early stages could be damagaing or, at the very least, incredibly unhelpful to the production? Look at the constant tongue wagging and eventual no-show of the Movie.

    > There will always be people who are disappointed because they didn`t hear the news first but that sort of attitude contradicts some of the criticisms made of that convention anyway.

    It’s got nothing to do with that. I used this to have a dig at an event I dislike, but the fact that this all started there is irrelevant.

  • >I think the cast should be allowed to talk about pretty much anything they want to at these things.

    Yeah, fuck contractual obligations!

  • I’m sure if the cast had been contracted not to mention this they wouldn’t have done so before an audience.

  • But if it was ready to be made public, which would have to be at GNP’s say-so, it’s a strange place to do so.

  • (and by “contractual obligations”, I don’t just mean “a clause in a contract that says Don’t Talk About This. I mean the previously-mentioned question of the delicateness of ongoing negotiations that can often be undone by making matters public before things have actually been signed)

  • Well, I think it’s odd that none of the users of this site were present at the convention and able to confirm whether or not this is true…

  • What’s that over there, another dummy on the floor? Soon there’ll be enough for a whole cr?che.

    There’s absolutely nothing wrong with what was said and where it was said.

  • Sirs, haven’t we learned over the past six months that if we all pull together we can become greater than the sum of our parts? That if we are of one mind and one intent, there are no boundaries to what we can achieve. This series is going to happen – do we believe?

  • Just thought I’d mention that someone on another forum posted that she got an e-mail reply from Chris today. Apparently he said that there’s certainly a chance that there is going to be more Dwarf in the making, that they’re in talks at the moment, and he’ll update his site when there’s any new info. I’ve replied asking if she could give me an actual quote as I’m curious about how he worded it exactly.

  • How ANY negativity arises when there are rumours abound of a new Red Dwarf series I do not know.

  • > How ANY negativity arises when there are rumours abound of a new Red Dwarf series I do not know.

    So you learned nothing from the movie debacle then?

  • I think it’s safe to say that it will be talked about. It’s inevitable. It’s even conceivable that they have an offer, rough dates and the like sat about. But, especially with Craig, there’s a lot of delicate work to do if they were making a new one…

  • Yerp. Craig is the real problem imo but hey, I swear characters disappear randomly for months in soaps anyways. Suppose the other thing is working outside the soap “world”.

  • Usually, it’s just their holiday/leave. It’s very rare for someone who’s playing an ongoing character in a soap to do any other significant acting work before they leave the soap.

  • It’s a strange situation at the moment given the success of BTE as everyone assumes there’s going to be more anyway *read the threads following the release of viewing figures etc*

    It would be hard to believe that ‘DAVE’ wouldn’t at least look into another venture and more stuff has been mooted albeit on a non-official basis since Easter.

    Now that the media coverage has died down a tad, a few murmerings from the cast will, if nothing else, spark further conversation which has to be good as long as no ‘secrets’ are given away. In fact, if I didn’t know better, it’s as if Bobby Llew and co are deliberatly feeding the rumours, any later retractions simply add more fuel to the fire. (it’s a similar pattern to the build up towards BTE).

    As for the ‘spurious’ convention, each to their own, but I have serious reservations about it all and think it is a a bit of a kick in the teeth for the official fan club and I am opposed to it (but who cares what I think).

    Did I imagine reading that Norman pulled out at the last moment?
    Surely, after what he’s said recently (over the last 12 months), even contemplating going is laughable and two faced beyond belief.

  • >> All in all, probably nothing we didn?t already know.

    >Yeah, this roundup is designed as just that: a round up

    I mean that this is something we could have assumed before this arose- no-one has said that Dave have agreed to a new series, just that GNP and Dave are discussing further episodes (granted, the six episodes format is a scoop). The confirmation that these talks are happening is no suprise, as I said the success of the specials makes it inevitable. Whether they come to an agreement is another thing.

  • >It?s a strange situation at the moment given the success of BTE as everyone assumes there?s going to be more anyway *read the threads following the release of viewing figures etc*

    This whole post. Very much this.

  • The person on the other forum replied. The exact quote from Chris is “There is certainly talk of more Red Dwarf. As soon as I know anything I’ll put it up on the site.”, so I guess there was just a lot of added enthusiasm from her side. Well, it certainly didn’t hurt to ask.

    If nothing else at least we’ve learned that they’re apparently talking about doing a whole series rather than another special.

  • So, it’s official that talks are going on for a full series with DAVE then..

    But we guessed that anyway didn’t we

  • Totally wild guess here but I’ve just read the new ‘Behind The Scenes’ section of BTE on TOS. It mentions that the June 15th release date was CGI’d into display case shot in the DVD store for the Directors Cut.

    Above June 15th is another prominent date ‘July 27th’. Could be utter bollocks but any reckon this could be a hint at an announcement date?

  • It mentions that the June 15th release date was CGI?d into display case shot in the DVD store for the Directors Cut.

    Does it? I can’t see that anywhere. Also, I’m 99% sure it said June 15th in the broadcast version, because we all commented on it at the time…

  • Yes, the 15th was broadcast, but they do say on the commentary that it was CGI’d in – I presume just before broadcast. The 27th July was for the Lady with a Face DVD.

  • Bountyhunter, you’ve, um, kinda totally misread the article. Hummingbird, the cast don’t say it was CGI’d in. Just that it had to be corrected…which may have happened on the set, I guess. But it’s one of those stumbly commentary moments.

    There’s a little release date sign in front of the DVD in the cabinet, but on the broadcast show you don’t see the lower, date half – the shot is re-framed to avoid showing it. It’s visible in the Director’s Cut, though, which has the shot without the reframing. It isn’t a CGI effect. Didn’t need to be – the date was well-known (and announced) by the time the scene was shot, and, erm, in fact I ‘borrowed’ the little sign once shooting was done. As a souvenir…and a nagging reminder that we had to get a move on with making the DVD Lister just nicked.

    Compare the shot panning down the cabinet in the two versions on the DVD, you’ll see what I mean. Or just wait for P2P to post screengrabs. :-)

  • Sorry, was at work so speed reading while listening out for bosses footsteps….

    But yeah, no, um July 27th significant or is it just the prop makers daughter’s birthday?

  • As hummingbird said – it’s the release date for The Lady With a Face.

    Heat Magazine called it “A film that accurately includes all the elements of its title” and gave it three stars. I recommend pre-ordering to avoid disappointment…

  • There?s a little release date sign in front of the DVD in the cabinet, but on the broadcast show you don?t see the lower, date half – the shot is re-framed to avoid showing it.

    Didn’t stop us from spotting it on broadcast though :)

    You dont know how much we poured over that scene the next day, spotting all the DVD covers and such stuff… :D

  • I absolutley SHIT my self when i saw the scene after the credits on the directors cut. thank god for dougs explanation on the comentary *sigh of relief*

    love the extended credits, it has the dimension skid music :-P

    but on a diferant note, whats Doug taking about as they enter the lift in the last scene ? is he refering to which Rimmer were watching?

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