Craig’s Appearance in Series III

[Unrumble]

A question I’ve recently been pondering, and it’s a genuine curiosity, not meant to be insulting to Craig Charles.

Series III has a decidedly ‘grungy’ look about it. From some things I’ve read on here this is due, at least in part, to the use of knackered old cameras, which were upgraded between III and IV.

My curiosity is around Craig Charles’ appearance in III.
There’s something about his face that looks distinctly different from the series before and after (to my eye anyway). The more I’ve thought about/watched it, the more potential reasons I seem to come up with.

So I’m currently considering it’s to do with one, or a combination of any number of the following reasons:

a) Grimy picture quality
b) Him being slightly unshaven (?)
c) Him losing a little weight between III and IV?
d) How he acts Lister

A ridiculous (ingenious) way of wasting time, sure. But I figured if there was anywhere I could raise this as a point, rather than raising (everyone’s) eyebrows, it was here.

[Spaceworm Jim]

I always think of Fearless Lister from Polymorph when I think of series 3, even though it’s only a few scenes in one episode, so you may be onto something. Series 4 I associate with Lister’s philosophical ramblings in DNA and Justice and the first two series I associate him purely on his interactions with Rimmer (probably an obvious thing to say). I’m not sure what I’m trying to say, but I agree that there’s something different about Lister in the third series. I still love series three though, which I’ve noted a fair lot of people don’t lately.

Also, I think Rimmer is the closest to being a lovely person in some scenes in series 3, like when he’s cheerful and engaging at the beginning of Timeslides (even his digs at Lister seem lighthearted, that’s probably the performance) and in The Last Day he seems to really care about Kryten. Even at the confrontation with Hudzen it’s not like he doesn’t care, it’s just his cowardice outweighs everything else. Then there’s Bodyswap, which completely ruins the idea that he is a decent human being in that series.

[Toxteth O-Grady]

Craig to me looks markedly different in every series, particularly 1-8.
I could confidently identify any series just from a cropped image of his head. It’s mostly his hair changes, but sometimes his face and weight too.
It’s actually quite interesting how much his appearance can subtly, but noticeably, change within a year – especially in the years of his life when people don’t really age much.

[tombow]

RE Rimmer in S3, yeah I like a softer Rimmer who isn’t really a bad person, just chirpy and annoying.

[Manbird]

RE Rimmer in S3, yeah I like a softer Rimmer who isn’t really a bad person, just chirpy and annoying.

I like a balance. For me, the Rimmer in series IV seems to embody all the character’s faults and vulnerabilities. Assuming Lister and Cat are interested in his Risk stories and not batting an eyelid when they make it clear to him that really isn’t the case is rather endearing (and frustrating, admittedly). Also, his antagonism towards Ace feels very understandable as that episode progresses.

[International Debris]

IV and V are peak Rimmer. He is awful at times, but it generally comes from a defensive position (his pettiness in Quarantine being from feeling undermined by Kryten), and has lots of sympathetic moments. It’s still hard to escape the feeling that if you knew him in real life you’d hate him, but you see how horrible it is being him because he hates himself just as much.

[Plastic Percy]

Craig has said he remembers III in black and white as he was hungover for most of the studio filming. Bobby mentions in various interviews that when he was leaving the hotel in the morning to go to makeup, Craig and Danny would be just coming back from the Hacienda.

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