Information about new series from a cast member who's probably wrong, pt #87249

[cwickham]

So, has anyone else noticed that Robert Llewellyn’s changed his Twitter bio to read “soon to be in Red Dwarf XIII”?

Tweets by bobbyllew

Topic

[International Debris]

Given that Bobby is normally so tight-lipped and responsible when it comes to this sort of thing, I think we can take that as Official Confirmation.

[Pete Part Three]

Quick, everyone ask him when tickets are available!

[Flap Jack]

I think we can take that as a statement of high probability, not certainty.

Or maybe he’ll try to cover himself by adding an extra line that says “P.S. ‘Red Dwarf XIII’ is my pet name for your mum.”

[flanl3]

Well that’s racist, rude to short people, and a lot of women.

[Stephen Abootman]

I met DJJ last weekend and asked if he thought they’d be back in the studio this year and he said they would (then told me to go and wind up Bobby about him being worried that filming dates would clash with Fully Charged ones).

[Dax101]

I feel like at this point there is a very good likely chance that they could start filming by the end this year.

Since Craig isn’t doing coronation street currently it certainly helps.

I feel like either way XIII is happening.

[Moonlight]

I want Series XIII to address the flaws of XI/XII in the way XI/XII did for X.

[bloodteller]

interesting that it’s just XIII and not XIII/XIV- presumably that means there’s already been a decision made somewhere to not record another block of 12 episodes, and instead go back to doing 6?

[Dax101]

That may be the better option this time. although maybe not because if Doug has 18 new storylines you know they may end up being fit into the 6 episodes

[Stephen Abootman]

Certainly the impression given from one of the documentaries was that filming 12 episodes in pretty much one go was not something that anyone involved was particularly keen to repeat.

[Hamish]

> I want Series XIII to address the flaws of XI/XII in the way XI/XII did for X.

I still prefer X as a whole, so I guess what I want from XIII is to like it more than X I guess.

[si]

I feel like at this point there is a very good likely chance that they could start filming by the end this year.

Meta Back To Earth sequel which sees the crew arrive at a Red Dwarf convention.

[bloodteller]

>I still prefer X as a whole, so I guess what I want from XIII is to like it more than X I guess.

yeah, i also preferred X over XI/XII. so i’m hoping XIII will be as good as X, if not better

[Plastic Percy]

Back to Earth II: Reg Wharf Day.

[Hamish]

Due to cast unavailability, they instead just followed around four of the most convincing cosplayers.

[RickLee84]

According to a user on Reddit, Norman appeared at a comedy festival last week and said that he had been invited back for the next series.

[Dax101]

I had guessed a good while ago that Normal probably would be back as a regular now since Norman decided he wanted to be part of the show again.

I dunno how i feel about Norman coming back since it will probably be more pressure to give him screentime to make his return to the show worth it and Doug is already trying to split episodes into sections while speed running to the finish.

[Ian Symes]

Certainly the impression given from one of the documentaries was that filming 12 episodes in pretty much one go was not something that anyone involved was particularly keen to repeat.

Didn’t the XII doc end with Doug and Kerry saying that it was a great idea because they’d really hit their stride by the end?

[Moonlight]

>yeah, i also preferred X over XI/XII. so i’m hoping XIII will be as good as X, if not better

If we’re just talking about Trojan, Fathers and Suns, and Lemons, X is extremely solid even despite the set backs. However, Entangled is a fantastic first half followed by a very shakey second half, Dear Dave is, well, Dear Dave, and even though I really love The Beginning dramatically I think it’s clear that the overall humor suffers from being such an early draft and the pacing is abnormally slow because of the restriction to just those core sets.

While there are definitely things I prefer about Series X to Series XI, I find XI as a whole to be more rewatchable. While Series XI definitely makes up for X’s slower pace and restricted scope, I feel like it’s missing out on having a slower, smaller scale ship-based episode. XII makes up for that with Mechocracy, but then what I really want to see is something more along the tonal lines of Dear Dave but not a rushed mess. I want to have that Series II-style episode in there somewhere.

My ideal Series XIII would try to split more evenly between low key character-based stories and high-concept adventures. I really love that we’ve been able to get more ensemble adventure episodes out of the latest series, but I’m really yearning for episodes more in the vein of the first four series than with Series V and VI.

It’s a bit difficult when you want a new series to have a little bit of everything that came before _and_ some completely new stuff while still maintaining a consistent identity within the scope of just six episodes.

[Moonlight]

I’m actually optimistic about the return of Holly. Skipper proved that not only can Doug write us a Holly much closer to that of the first two series, but that he can actually direct Norman to give a performance in that vein. Doug seemed totally unconcerned with how Red Dwarf actually worked when he was making Series VIII, but that really doesn’t seem to be the case any more.

I have some actual confidence that Holly can be used appropriately in Series XIII, especially in any more low key ship-based episodes we will hopefully get. Holly would be the actual ship’s computer again, and unlike Series VIII not just a disembodied voice fighting for screen time with a dozen other characters while being unable to do anything beyond contribute one-liners.

Plus, it’ll give us a configuration of the main cast that we’ve never had before. Which is cool.

[cwickham]

Series XII’s ordering was quite odd – we had three episodes that were all almost entirely off-ship (including one ENTIRELY off-ship), then three that were predominantly on-ship (including one ENTIRELY on-ship).

[International Debris]

If I could wish for any particular ‘kind’ of show for XIII, it would be something like the second half of XII, i.e. mostly ship-based character stuff with some pretty strong sci-fi ideas, rather than full-on adventure stuff. M-Corp and Skipper managed to use sci-fi scenarios and some very strange ideas without it being ‘Starbug encounters another craft with a potential enemy on board’.

If I could shape XI and XII into a six-part series, it’d probably be:
Give & Take
Officer Rimmer
M-Corp
Mechocracy
Krysis
Skipper

Which probably gives an idea of the sort of series I’d want. Basically IV, I think.

[Dax101]

>and unlike Series VIII not just a disembodied voice fighting for screen time with a dozen other characters while being unable to do anything beyond contribute one-liners.

Given the circumstances i ain’t sure about that.

Doug claimed holly was written out of series 6 because they felt bad that they never had anything for hattie to do. although perhaps that was more aimed at difficulty inwriting for hatties holly in general but if thats suddenly changed now is doug perhaps being overconfident in his ability? is series 8 an example of what happens when you have a story that doesn’t require holly but still feel like you need to include him?

Skipper worked because it required holly and gave norman his moment to shine, but not every episode is gonna have that scenario.

[cwickham]

I think Doug decided to write the mothership back in at the end of VII, and that necessitated Holly’s return – Dave Dwarf is the only Dwarf set on the mothership where Holly *isn’t* a regular cast member, and that’s only because of that unpleasantness before Back to Earth started filming.

[cwickham]

And, of course, Holly has bugger all to do in VIII again even though Hattie was written out because she no longer had anything to do – but Holly’s screentime in VIII is impacted even more because of the resurrection of the crew, and now Hollister is more or less a regular plus the semi-regulars like Kill Crazy and Baxter. But as per the VIII scriptbook, Doug only got the idea to resurrect the crew during the editing of VII, i.e. AFTER he’d brought back Norman…

I wonder when Doug first knew Chris decided he’d come back for VIII? When “Nanarchy” was first filmed, might he have been planning a VIII where the only regulars were Lister, Kryten, Cat, Kochanski and Holly?

[Moonlight]

>Skipper worked because it required holly and gave norman his moment to shine, but not every episode is gonna have that scenario.

That’s true, but then that’s always been true. Even Series II doesn’t have something important for Holly to do in every episode. As long as he serves a plot-relevant function a few times, he can just hang around and contribute to the comedy the rest of the time. In Series VIII he could barely even do the latter with all the extra characters.

And there’s always the possibility that Doug’s written a very Holly-centric episode to make proper use of Norman, which would be a really neat thing to have.

[bloodteller]

>And there’s always the possibility that Doug’s written a very Holly-centric episode to make proper use of Norman, which would be a really neat thing to have.

problem is, how do you write a holly-centric episode? there aren’t that many episodes you could really do focused around a head on a screen, surely. Queeg and Cassandra do it fairly well, but outside of those i’m not sure if a holly episode would really work.

[Dax101]

Ah you could write a story where Holly has some problem which creates problems for the crew or the ship. but i don’t want Doug to feel pressured to have to find an idea for a holly episode.

Then again i do think the Cat history lesson in Sansara could easily have worked coming from holly… which i dunno if its a good thing or a bad thing.

[A Bailey]

Despite the fact that she is turned off for half of it U consider White Hole a Holly centric episode.

I want them to bring back the Holly log entry/distress call openings.

[Dax101]

Well that is a Holly has a problem and creates a problem for the crew and ship idea so i guess its already been done lol.

[Moonlight]

>I want them to bring back the Holly log entry/distress call openings

I don’t think we need to spend a minute of precious runtime explaining the premise of a show that’s been on for 30 years.

[Hamish]

Instead Holly will open each episode explaining how Officer Rimmer should have ended, which Rimmer is currently on board the ship, what really did happen to the chameleonic microbe, where the revived crew actually is, where the Enconium crew ended up, and if Chinese whispers is in fact racist.

[Warbodog]

I’d still prefer Hattie for III-V vibes and some built-in gender balance that would actually be quite nice to have. But just for continuity’s sake, I have to concede that Norman makes more sense. By Red Dwarf’s admittedly quite low standards of making sense and caring about continuity.

[Warbodog]

^ I’m aware that I should probably get over Hattie Hayridge not having been in Red Dwarf for over a quarter of a century. When’s Rob Grant coming back though?

[Moonlight]

I would wager that Rob wouldn’t want to co-write unless he could be as involved in the production as he used to be, and that it’s the latter part he doesn’t want to put up with.

[bloodteller]

> I’m aware that I should probably get over Hattie Hayridge not having been in Red Dwarf for over a quarter of a century.

she was in Beat The Geek only 12 years ago. but then maybe Beat The Geek doesn’t count, i don’t know.

[International Debris]

I’m sure that with the confidence he displayed in XI and XII, Doug can put together a cracking set of shows knowing he only has six to do, and utilise Holly well in that. Even in VIII he has really good moments when he’s actually being Holly, rather than just another character doing one-liners. The cell inspection joke is a series highlight.

God, I wonder what VIII would have been like if they hadn’t brought the crew back.

[Warbodog]

>she was in Beat The Geek only 12 years ago. but then maybe Beat The Geek doesn’t count, i don’t know.

And Rob Grant was on the Bodysnatcher Collection 11 years ago. It’s nice that they’re keeping their respective exits and reprisals synchronised, at least. (I’ll ignore A Life in Lamé, because I’ve already been doing so since 2004).

[bloodteller]

>Even in VIII he has really good moments when he’s actually being Holly, rather than just another character doing one-liners. The cell inspection joke is a series highlight.

“A breakup is very much like a bereavement…it’s usually followed by a cremation and some sandwiches.” was quite good too. I thought most of the stuff Holly does get in VIII was quite good, to be honest. it’s just a shame he,’s barely in it. i don’t think he appears at all in Back In The Red-Part 2

[Dax101]

Well its like looking at an episode like Siliconia and figuring out where holly could appear in the scenario of that episode.

Is holly gonna get a little mini sketch at the start of the episode so norman can get his comedic moment to shine before the actual story begins? or is it gonna be a series 8 situation of holly appears to make jokes. or would doug try and find a way to fit holly in which could also end up feeling abit silly if it doesn’t organically fitt and its just Doug knowing he needs to find something.

As for Rob Grant i feel like we are abit too far into the new era of Dwarf for Rob to just come back like nothing changed, but at the same time with all the nostalgia in Dave Dwarf there is nothing that would nostalgically beat getting Rob Grant back to Co-Write.

[cwickham]

I’m now imagining a version of Siliconia where Holly was also Krytenified…

[cwickham]

Holly *is* in Back in the Red Part 2, but his only contribution is the fake “reported prisoner sighting” – so he’s only a voiceover, rather than appearing in-vision.

[International Debris]

I thought most of the stuff Holly does get in VIII was quite good, to be honest.

It’s sometimes hard to see past nostrilomo / moon impression / theory of relativity / mime artists crap to get to the good jokes.
After Back in the Red though he really does nothing, doesn’t he? I’m not sure any of his lines are remotely related to the plot. In Cassandra he has the Roverostomy joke; he has five lines in Krytie TV, of which only the breakup/bereavement line is memorable (‘what have you done with our Rimmer’ is a pretty half-arsed gag); he has ten lines in the whole of Pete combined (only three of which are in part 2, although admittedly that’s the wonderful ‘You’re finished / bye’ joke); six lines in Only the Good, five of which are the cell inspection / brylcreem interaction, which would all be great without the over-explanation of the brylcreem gag.

21 lines in the last five episodes of the series combined, though, that’s fucking appalling. I don’t think I quite appreciated how underused he was in VIII until now.

[Ben Saunders]

and here i thought Norman was just moaning as usual on the dvd, about not having much to do. but he sort of had a point.

[bloodteller]

>21 lines in the last five episodes of the series combined, though, that’s fucking appalling. I don’t think I quite appreciated how underused he was in VIII until now.

surely that should be the last four episodes? five in Krytie TV, ten in Pete and six in Only The Good makes 21, meaning you didn’t include any of the lines from Cassandra.

i just skimmed through the script, he only gets 9 lines in Cassandra. so it actually adds up to 30 in the last five episodes of VIII, which is still pretty meager i suppose.

[cwickham]

He has quite a few lines in the deleted scenes, doesn’t he? Although the only ones I can remember are the extended version of his scene in Cassandra and that fucking appalling joke about what happens in a mirror universe from Only the Good.

[Dax101]

Well Doug said in the series 8 documentary that Norman didn’t want to do exposition, he just wanted to make jokes and for the most part i think he got his wish.

Holly is a crucial part of the show but there should definitely be some boundaries to how Doug uses the character otherwise it may end up being very ego driven for Norman.

[cwickham]

I think you can argue that Holly *isn’t* a crucial part of the show, given that 45% of the episodes don’t have Holly in them.

[bloodteller]

>He has quite a few lines in the deleted scenes, doesn’t he? Although the only ones I can remember are the extended version of his scene in Cassandra and that fucking appalling joke about what happens in a mirror universe from Only the Good.

if i recall correctly, those are the only Holly bits in the VIII deleted scenes. the joke from Only The Good about the mirror universe is especially strange because nobody even reacts to him saying this- he just spurts out a crap joke and everyone ignores him.

[cwickham]

Were it not for his line about the Yellow Pages in Only the Good, Holly would disappear *completely* from the narrative before they even break out of the Tank. Wow.

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