HAPPY BIRTHDAY RED DWARF.

[si]

Why else are we here? Happy Birthday to the Dwarf, giving my life an inkling of a purpose for the last 25 years.

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[Karnie]

Happy birthday to my one, true obsession!!

[MANI506]

It remains my only full on TV obsession to this day. I definitely came to the show through a love of sitcom via Blackadder, Colin’s Sandwich, Only Fools & Horses, Dads Army and whatever else was on at the time.

We’ve been extremely well catered for even in the barren years with the superb DVD releases. Who would have thought that series 8 would be a must buy? I still can’t really believe The Bodysnatcher DVD came out – what other fan community would get a treat like that!

Series X pretty much defined 2012 for me. I genuinely quivered with excitement when Trojan aired!

But enough of this tot, happy birthday to the small rouge one and a small toast to those who sadly didn’t make the full journey.

[ori-STUDFARM]

God, I feel old!

[Stephen R. Fletcher]

I’ve said this on Facebook with that lovely cast photo from ‘Back to Reality’ and I’ll say it here (sans photo): “Merry 25th to my beloved Red Dwarf – one of my favourite shows of all time and one of the shows that had the biggest impact on me.”

I’m sure other people here can sum up what the small rouge one means to them better than me.

[si]

An interesting thought in Doctor Who’s golden anniversary year – Red Dwarf is now older than Doctor Who was when Red Dwarf started. That’s…interesting.

[HelloMabel]

And still going strong. Many happy returns!

I already shared how I was introduced to Red Dwarf, but if you’ll allow a bit of self-indulgence, here is how I was re-introduced to a decade later (and introduced to G&T):

1. I was chronically depressed after failing to earn a degree at a music conservatory. All my friends were musicians and suddenly I couldn’t bring myself to spend time with them. Finding that I cheered up listening to Bonzo Dog Band and Rutles albums I had enjoyed as a kid, I looked for and found a friendly group of people online in a Neil Innes forum.

2. Here I read that some of the Bonzos reunited and toured around England. I wished I could have seen this. Some months later, I looked for reviews of these concerts and found a particularly good one written by a Tanya Jones.

3. Meanwhile, realizing I felt much better revisiting things from childhood, I went YouTube trawling for Red Dwarf episodes. Why had I given up on my favorite show? I think because I hadn’t liked Series VIII very much, because the movie was dead in the water, and because in the conservatory there was no time for TV. But now I thought I would watch some of VIII again to see if it improved with age.

4. What I found instead: srmcd1’s music videos. These I watched over and over again, because they reminded me of how in love with the show I’d been. Then, one day, something called “Back to Earth” came up in my suggested videos. Oh my God, when was this made and how did I miss it?

5. I went to TOS and got caught up. Then I peeked into the TOS forum… and quickly ran away. There was major vitriol being flung in every direction.

6. It must have been from TOS that I first linked to “Ganymede and Titan: Ain’t no place in the whole of cyberspace.” Hey, that’s clever. Hey, these guys write *very* well. Hey, is that the same Tanya Jones who wrote that awesome concert review? That’s a weird coincidence; I think I know what I’ll call myself…

7. I joined up… and got lambasted (not really, but it felt that way). I lurked for a while, figured out that we do that to everybody around here, developed a backbone, and rejoined.

8. (Epilogue) Over the next two years, I went back to college, finished off my credits, reconnected with my friends and made new ones. Some of them like Red Dwarf, but not well enough to join up here. It’s their loss.

So, Happy birthday, Red Dwarf… and thank you for leading me to my people.

[Jonsmad]

Not many shows last as long, with as much effort and depth as Red Dwarf from TV to DVD and beyond. Unique and brilliant.

[Claire]

Mabel – pleased that RD helped you through a difficult time in your life. I’ve always found it great comfort viewing – some eps more than others, of course. :)

[HelloMabel]

Cheers Claire! And yeah, on my laptop I have my “Just the Mac ‘n Cheese” episodes, so I can watch them all in a row without having to change out the DVDs. :)

[takerdemon]

Red Dwarf is the one show that I could sit with my entire family and watch without one person moaning… that’s quite exceptional given that I have 4 younger sisters. Looking at it in hindsight, entertaining 5 kids and 2 adults with 1 program was nigh on impossible but the Dwarf managed it!

[Pete Part Three]

I bought my Dad “Just the Shows” for Christmas last year. I gave him explicit instructions on how to watch it mind. And what episodes he wasn’t allowed to like.

I’m nice like that.

[si]

Twenty Seven years ago, Craig Charles was telling the press, “yeah, we’ve got the scripts for the next series, they’re looking really good, we start filming in a few weeks” for the first time.

[Pete Part Three]

And DJJ was describing the scripts as “quite funny”.

[si]

It’s been 10,227 days…

…since Red Dwarf first found it’s way onto our TV screens. 28 years. Happy Birthday.

Of course, the question we have to start asking is “What merchandise can we look forward to/would we like to see for the Thirtieth anniversary?”

[MANI506]

I just want Pecospete back on the RD30 Dwarf Cast.

[Kris Carter]

Nothing has had as much influence on my sense of humour, understanding of television production, writing, and my own creative streak as Red Dwarf has.

It’s a show that (while having it’s good and bad years) I’ve always had a huge connection and love for, and always will.

It’s a show that’s introduced me to several wonderful people, and a funny take-no-shit community that I’m proud and privileged to be a part of.

It also introduced me to my first wife, but that was around the time of Red Dwarf VIII. Did nothing good come of that series?!?

Anyways, happy birthday RD. Keep ’em coming.

[Author]

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