Chris Barrie has updated his website

[Bargain Bin Holly]

http://www.chrisbarrie.co.uk/

He mentions the weather, tanks, and his dislike of people requesting his appearance on podcasts; but he also included this tidbit on future Red Dwarf and Brittas Empire:

“At the risk of repeating something I seem to have said many times over the last umpteen years, I simply do not know if/when we will be doing more Red Dwarf. Over the winter of 2015/16 when we made series 11 and 12, some common sense momentum seemed to be building, but, since then, the project seems to have juddered to a halt. In the desert of silence I do encounter the occasional droplet of positivity but that’s it. If the droplet ever becomes a trickle, I shall of course leap to the keyboard and let you know.

The Brittas position is not dissimilar. Since the promising newspaper articles of a couple of years ago and the enthusiasm of the Reunion last year, it all seems to have gone all quiet on the Whitbury front. All I can do is continue to express my desire to recreate the chainsaw voiced ogre and that is something I shall certainly keep doing.”

Thanks to Chris Barrie Fans for making this known on Twitter.

Topic

[Stephen R. Fletcher]

Might as well just have this be the ‘Tiny Teaser’ for his updates these days:

[Asclepius]

“Chris! The BBC’s longest running sci-fi comedy starred two actors of colour, had a Trans computer in it, and also featured a robot whose gender was assigned against his will, but he was able to take autonomy and change it back.”

[Technopeasant]

What was the second longest running BBC sci-fi comedy?

[Ian Symes]

Hyperdrive?

[Dave]

What was the second longest running BBC sci-fi comedy?

Probably Red Dwarf, after H2G2.

[Flap Jack]

According to Wikipedia it’s Goodnight Sweetheart, both by total number of episodes and the gap between its first episode and most recent. It almost got beaten by My Hero for the latter, but it saved itself with the one-off 2016 special.

Although that’s not guaranteed to be correct, because nobody even bothered to add Hyperdrive to the Wikipedia category I found. Understandable, but still.

[Flap Jack]

Oh! And if you include radio Red Dwarf isn’t even the longest running… yet. Hitchhiker’s, of course, had a more than 40 year gap between its first and last episode.

[Ian Symes]

It’s also debatable as to whether Red Dwarf is a BBC sci-fi comedy that’s been running since 1988, or a BBC sci-fi comedy that ran from 1988 to 2020, or whether it was only a BBC sci-fi comedy between 1988 and 1999. 

[Dave]

Oh! And if you include radio Red Dwarf isn’t even the longest running… yet. Hitchhiker’s, of course, had a more than 40 year gap between its first and last episode.

[Dave]

It’s also debatable as to whether Red Dwarf is a BBC sci-fi comedy that’s been running since 1988, or a BBC sci-fi comedy that ran from 1988 to 2020, or whether it was only a BBC sci-fi comedy between 1988 and 1999. 

Or indeed, whether the comedy part qualifies after 1993.

[Ian Symes]

Anyway, Hitchhikers should be disqualified, because the sixth series doesn’t count. It is stricken from the record, in the same way that Only Fools and Horses ended in 1996. Therefore the gap between the first and last episodes of Hitchhikers is only 27 years.

[Flap Jack]

Sorry, Dave! I started my first reply before yours had been posted, and then for the second I didn’t think to scroll up and check…

It’s also debatable as to whether Red Dwarf is a BBC sci-fi comedy that’s been running since 1988, or a BBC sci-fi comedy that ran from 1988 to 2020, or whether it was only a BBC sci-fi comedy between 1988 and 1999. 

There’s also the 4th ‘1988 – 1993’ option, because if the show is on hiatus it’s not really running as such. Like a year without new episodes, fine, but 3 years? So by that measure both My Hero and Goodnight Sweetheart actually beat Red Dwarf.

Anyway, Hitchhikers should be disqualified, because the sixth series doesn’t count. It is stricken from the record, in the same way that Only Fools and Horses ended in 1996. Therefore the gap between the first and last episodes of Hitchhikers is only 27 years.

lol, brutal. I understand not counting it for Douglas Adams purity reasons, but if OF&H is the comparison then it must be purely for quality reasons. And you didn’t even advocate for a ‘1988 to 1997’ option for Dwarf.

“The Hexagonal Phase of Hitchhiker’s is good” isn’t a hill I’d be willing to die on, but for the “The Hexagonal Phase of Hitchhiker’s is better than Red Dwarf Series VIII” hill I could see myself sustaining some serious injuries on it.

[Warbodog]

[Unrumble]

Or indeed, whether the comedy part qualifies after 1993.

[Moonlight]

I think Red Dwarf hasn’t been funny since that one with the planet that was a giant fat man in a Hawaiian shirt.

[Technopeasant]

Wearing a grass skirt playing hula hoops?

[sleepey]

Red Dwarf stopped being funny when the cat people turned their ship into a big H & flew off. I tend to stop watching after that.

[Technopeasant]

As for H2G2, it’s definitely the longest running BBC sci-fi comedy where the creator went and snuffed it.

[Stephen Abootman]

Are you sure your sanity chip is fully screwed in, sir?

[Technopeasant]

At least he is reassuringly vague.

[Rushy]

Honestly, I love that Chris sounds like Rimmer when he talks. He is the only right wing conservative who brings me genuine joy

[Warbodog]

[Dave]

[International Debris]

Ah, the thread I always dread being updated.

[Stephen R. Fletcher]

Ah, the thread I always dread being updated.

I genuinely said “oh no” out loud just now when I saw it updated. 

[Ridley]

Why hasn’t he made the connection between the globalist agenda and the pervasiveness of the international convention circuit yet?

…What?

[Flap Jack]

Sad, we could have banded together and overthrown the globalist psychopaths by now, but regular comic cons in Portsmouth and Scarborough are keeping the populace pacified.

[Asclepius]

“British people”.

Is that a dog-whistle use of the term? As in, there are people in the country who he doesn’t consider to be British? Or is he not far enough gone for that just yet?

[Jonathan Capps]

I assume the globalists don’t count… whatever that may mean.

[International Debris]

It’s weird that there’s someone moaning about the state of the UK getting worse and I still have to completely disagree with him. I wonder what these changes that have accelerated the enslavement are, exactly. 

[Asclepius]

It’s weird that there’s someone moaning about the state of the UK getting worse and I still have to completely disagree with him. I wonder what these changes that have accelerated the enslavement are, exactly. 

It’s tricky, isn’t it? For the past 14 years people have been, like, “Government is shit. They is all bastards” and I’m like “Yeah! Right on! Get them out!”

And now people are saying the same thing and – as someone who’s substantially on the left, I agree. But not if it’s coming from the right! It’s a confusing time. If you’re saying “Government is shit…” I have to wait to hear either “because schools don’t have enough funding and social care is catastrophic” or “they haven’t banned the boats and there’s a black guy on my street”.

Or, indeed, “there’s been a globalist enslavement”.

Times are hard when you hate the government but can’t even band together with other people who hate the government.

[Asclepius]

Danny – Decca

Craig – Nancy

Robert – Debo

Chris –

[Ben Saunders]

The Labour party and the Democrats and other “leftist” parties are shit, but not really for the reasons rightwing conspiracists think. It’s a toughie, because you have to say “yes, but” rather than being able to categorically say “no, actually…”

[Moonlight]

Democrats are shit because the politicians who actually have any sway usually agree with Republicans on more things than they agree with leftists. Their style is to loudly and correctly identify an issue and then either do absolutely nothing to fix it, or cave to the right in the pursuit of “bipartisanship” that only ever seems to go one way.

And that’s ignoring the Democrats who are actually just blue Republicans.

[Technopeasant]

“British people”.
Is that a dog-whistle use of the term? As in, there are people in the country who he doesn’t consider to be British? Or is he not far enough gone for that just yet?

Oddly local for these globalists to specifically target British people.

[Technopeasant]

And now people are saying the same thing and – as someone who’s substantially on the left, I agree. But not if it’s coming from the right! It’s a confusing time.

Try living under Justin Trudeau for nine years. 

[RunawayTrain]

“British people”.
Is that a dog-whistle use of the term? As in, there are people in the country who he doesn’t consider to be British? Or is he not far enough gone for that just yet?

I assumed (hoped?) it meant as in, life in this country, in contrast with mentioning globalists … although now I think about it, I don’t actually know what exactly ‘globalists’ is supposed to mean so I may have completely misinterpreted, being too charitable.

[International Debris]

There’s literally no definition of the people he’s moaning about. They’re pushing a pro-trans agenda, despite trans rights being erased left right and centre. They made a conspiracy about covid and vaccines, despite the fact that every government in the world is pretending covid no longer exists despite it still killing people and causing long Covid in people every day. They’ve come up with this climate change conspiracy to stop petrol lovers, despite climate activists being constantly portrayed as lunatics.

The only real thing they seem to actual be absolutely, definitely doing is making vague attacks on middle class, well off, cishet white people who don’t actually have much to complain about but still want to feel they’re the victims of something. 

[Rushy]

‘Globalists’ refers to the One World Government conspiracy theory, which is that world leaders are secretly plotting to abandon the notion of countries in favor of everyone being united under the same laws and principles.

But first they have to brainwash everyone using the internet, to get rid of humanity’s cultural and social differences. Or anything making us distinct human beings. (Hence Barrie’s references to androgyny and everything becoming homogenous)

I know this because I have a Catholic friend who believes this stuff. 

[Technopeasant]

in favor of everyone being united under the same laws and principles. 

We don’t even all drive on the same side of the road and use the same plugs yet.

[Hamish]

[Asclepius]

The Labour party and the Democrats and other “leftist” parties are shit, but not really for the reasons rightwing conspiracists think. It’s a toughie, because you have to say “yes, but” rather than being able to categorically say “no, actually…”

Absolutely.

I was at a big run the other day. Someone had a placard saying “You’re running better than our government”. No emojis. No exclamation marks. It was a bit weird. Were they a leftie or a Reform/Tory? It was hard to tell. Which was frustrating.

[Asclepius]

And now people are saying the same thing and – as someone who’s substantially on the left, I agree. But not if it’s coming from the right! It’s a confusing time.

Try living under Justin Trudeau for nine years. 

I think of Trudeau the way that other countries probably look at Starmer. “They’re doing ok. Could be a lot worse!”. So I entirely take your point!

[Asclepius]

“British people”.
Is that a dog-whistle use of the term? As in, there are people in the country who he doesn’t consider to be British? Or is he not far enough gone for that just yet?

I assumed (hoped?) it meant as in, life in this country, in contrast with mentioning globalists … although now I think about it, I don’t actually know what exactly ‘globalists’ is supposed to mean so I may have completely misinterpreted, being too charitable.

If we strip it down, what would a “Globalist” want? I don’t know the specific rabbit-hole definition. I would assume it’s about the breaking down of borders, the change in a country’s identity to something less traditional and with more of a mixture of cultures being added to that brought by the majority ‘native’ population?

In short, I bet there’s at least one early draft that contains the words “boat people” or “illegals”, but he’s too smart – and, of course, *far* too polite! – to let it slip through to the published version.

[Asclepius]

‘Globalists’ refers to the One World Government conspiracy theory, which is that world leaders are secretly plotting to abandon the notion of countries in favor of everyone being united under the same laws and principles.
But first they have to brainwash everyone using the internet, to get rid of humanity’s cultural and social differences. Or anything making us distinct human beings. (Hence Barrie’s references to androgyny and everything becoming homogenous)
I know this because I have a Catholic friend who believes this stuff. 

Thank you. That’s really helpful to read without me having to google it. Looks like I wasn’t a million miles away from guessing it.

Presumably by marrying an Aleksandra Petrovic (who looks a bit foreign), and then presumably kids who also look a little bit foreign, he isn’t helping his own aims here? But I suppose it’s the same as Farage marrying a German woman and getting an EU passport for his dual-nationality kids.

Farage is very polite, too.

[Asclepius]

Before I prise myself out of this rabbit hole I’ve found myself going down again, here’s a review of an Indian restaurant in the town where Chris lives. So Indians aren’t globalists and they’re allowed to bring their food here. Unless the food was here *before* Chris as born, or became aware, so it’s acceptable because – to him – it’s always been here?

Always, *always* these people are full of exemptions for stuff that would actually affect them. “Less globalism! Countries should only consume what they can grow themselves! Oh, except for the Best Restaurant in the world. You can stay!”

CHRIS BARRIE
(RED DWARF)

What can I say? Brilliant food, even better service… Certainly the Best Restaurant in the country!… Europe, the world…

Well done Malik and the Team.

[Ian Symes]

But now that we’ve got the recipe…

[Jenuall]

I blame the electronic old men

[International Debris]

‘Globalists’ refers to the One World Government conspiracy theory, which is that world leaders are secretly plotting to abandon the notion of countries in favor of everyone being united under the same laws and principles.
But first they have to brainwash everyone using the internet, to get rid of humanity’s cultural and social differences. Or anything making us distinct human beings. (Hence Barrie’s references to androgyny and everything becoming homogenous)
I know this because I have a Catholic friend who believes this stuff. 

[Future Producer of Series IX – aaaaany day now]

[Author]

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