bazookoidI bring great news. Yesterday, Richard Naylor tweeted a couple of pictures showing bazookoid props in various stages of construction. This in itself was good news, considering how brilliant the props looked, and how close to the classic design aesthetic from the early days they seemed. Today, we know why the props are so good. They were made by The Model Unit.

Yes, Mike Tucker’s company today posted three bazookoid pictures to their Facebook page – one the same as Richard’s, and two new ones. They accompanying caption reads:

These photos might give some hint as to the nature of our current project…

This is big news indeed. The people behind the best visual effects Red Dwarf has ever had are back on the show for the first time since Series VII, nearly twenty years ago. With The Model Unit on board, not only can we expect some gorgeous looking props and models to hit our screens for the next two series, but hopefully they can also avoid the type of behind-the-scenes problems detailed so extensively in We’re Smegged. Who better to do the visual effects on Red Dwarf than the people who built Red Dwarf? Welcome home, boys – it’s been too long.

In other news, the pre-production news continues to dribble slowly out, as excitement and interest builds in the countdown to the studio dates. Danny John-Jules has been talking to Digital Spy, but has managed to say very little of interest. Nevertheless, there’s a couple of nuggets to pick at:

“It’s going back to the old school, the four guys and loads of banter. That’s what we want.”

1) That’s what Series X was – you’re not going back to it for XI and XII, because you were already there.

2) Please do not use the word “banter” in relation to Red Dwarf.

“Basically, it’s going back to have my teeth cast, and my head cast. I can’t tell you why I had to have my head cast, but you’ll be very pleased when you see it!”

Well, it’s because the crew are going to be turned into Kryten in one episode, isn’t it? Do keep up. As for the teeth, that’s hopefully just for his regular fangs rather than any Dibbley antics, but let’s not go there again.

“The Cat’s a virgin! Let’s just say that gets explored. The whole thing about his standing in the world of reproduction is definitely touched on.”

So they’re making Identity Within after all. Or, more likely, some completely different that will cover the same themes. It seems like we’ve been promised a Cat-centric episode every series since time began, but if Danny is saying this post-readthrough, then it looks as if it’s actually happening this time.

Ah, we’ve missed this. We’re going to try and get at least two of us in the same room to do a pre-studio Dwarfcast at some point soon, so if you spot any more tasty morsels of news, post them up in the comments on this article, and we’ll discuss them with our voices. Also, any questions or discussion topics you’d like us to tackle? Post away – we promise to be just as insulting to our contributors as we were last time.

13 comments on “Tucker’s Luck

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  • Amazing news! Excellent headline too! Possibility of series V style action adventures is a potentially interesting talking point I think.

  • In the series X semi retrospective I remember you discussing how the model unit should be hired from the start for series XI. So good to tick this one off the wishlist.

  • Purely in the interests of satisfying my own continuity-driven pursuit of happiness – as these shells appear to have been pulled from the Series VII/Mark II/snub-nosed/Bazookette moulds, that potentially means that this particular model gun body has interchangable barrels/nozzles, dependent on operational requirements, but independent of emergency dismantling procedures.

    Also, dun’t th’y louk noice?

  • You know, having The Model Unit back onboard is a great thing for more then a few reasons. Not only does it mean for better effects this time around but also means the can avoid another botched model shoot like the first one for series X.

  • Hopefully we’ll get a RD fly-over for the credits!

    I’m just so incredibly excited for them to be onboard for XI & XII! I mean, the shots done for X were lovely so imagine having Mike and the team doing them with an increased budget. I’m drooling.

  • My favourite model shot for X was the very first one at the start of Trojan. The two ship shots at the end of Entangled look a bit rough. Incidently I think Deane Thrussell has put all the X model shots together in one video. I’ll see if I can find it…

  • The model shots in that video look better than they did on TV on Dave HD. Which is kind of the reason why I hated the majority of the model shots in X, but now I see them like that, they do look a bit better. Why did they look all blurry and shit on the TV even though it was in HD?

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