Mundane observation dome

[Warbodog]

Do you have any miscellaneous insights on the series that may be worth contemplating for a few seconds before moving on with our lives? Here are some of mine.

1. The four regulars have names that can work any way around, though this would have been more obvious if David Ross had stayed and wouldn’t work if Chris Barrie used his real name.

2. The series’ lax attitude to continuity extends to the setting. Outside of Holly’s distress calls, I don’t think three million years is mentioned all that much after series I and before VI (not sure about later years). Instead, we get the extremely fudged “dead for centuries” and “travelling for thousands of years” – not actual retcons, but suggesting a more conventional setting for casual viewers tuning in and the sort of stories they’re telling. It’s only millions when they need it to be.

3. 200 years of stasis between series V and VI means that the earlier series took place in their equivalent of the early 19th century by comparison (e.g. Blackadder the Third). Since they didn’t run into a long-lived Camille or one of her great-great-etc grandchildren, it didn’t come up.

4. Although Lister is routinely slagged off in the series, he’s spared the level of seemingly authoritative character assassination that Rimmer gets, because the audience is aligned with Lister’s viewpoint most of the time. For example, we see Kochanski Camille belittling Rimmer’s interests, but we don’t get the equivalent of Hologram Camille reacting to Lister’s pickup lines, we’re left to form our own opinions on those. This flimsy point has not been considered much beyond this single example.

5. Cat’s costumes are overwhelmingly referenced more than anyone else’s in the series, but the least discussed by fans.

6. Ace Rimmer and Duane Dibbley were so seemingly ubiquitous in canon and tie-in merchandise through the 90s (Smegazine strips, T-shirts) that they still feel overused today, even though it’s been over 20 years since they appeared. Maybe they’re allowed back after all.

7. Only series III & V and maybe XI & XII (not as familiar with those) don’t have any sense of an arc whatsoever (though IV’s minor Kryten disobedience arc was already fucked up by episode shuffling). Series III is just about the only series where no episode directly references any previous episode, but it still has the Backwards scrolling text and general references to Rimmer having died and stuff.

8. One of the series’ most famous and quoted scenes – everybody’s dead, Dave – is a straight-up 2001: A Space Odyssey homage and would have been received that way at the time, but doesn’t work like that for most people coming to the episode later on or new viewers who are young or don’t watch old films.

9. Sometimes dismissed as lightweight and gimmicky today, Backwards was designed as an innovative interactive experience to reward extracurricular effort. As well as inviting fans to work out the backwards events and filming logistics, Arthur Smith’s eugolonom is teasingly long and “you scoundrels” is clearly a cleaned-up translation gag even before you’ve heard it. Unfortunately, by the time technology caught up with the intent and the ability to reverse media files properly on home computers became commonplace, Backwards Forwards came out and everyone just cheated with the walkthrough.

Imagine the quality of the musings I left out!

Topic

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

Did Series V lose the classic flyover in the end credits because it would have looked inconsistent with the new Red Dwarf model? (Doesn’t seem important, but I don’t know why else they would do it).
Despite this, the old model shot is still at the start of the opening titles, but maybe with a specific edit to obscure the major changes (or they’re just faster titles).
IV intro

V intro

I always assumed that was they dropped the fly over credits. It could also be that the original model shots, at least those at close range were looking a bit dated by then. 

[Rushy]

Is… is the London Jets logo just taped on that shirt?!

[Warbodog]

Is… is the London Jets logo just taped on that shirt?!

He made it himself, like the jackets, complete with loose ninja turtles armbands that would surely be annoying.

[Dave]

Looks more like a transfer print than tape to me.

And the elbow bands definitely aren’t there to hide the seams where the short-sleeved T-shirt has been extended into a long-sleeved one.

[RunawayTrain]

And the elbow bands definitely aren’t there to hide the seams where the short-sleeved T-shirt has been extended into a long-sleeved one.

I’d have to look carefully at the episode rather than just the one still to see whether I’m totally wrong, but *in that frame* it looked like they’re on a short-sleeved top he’s wearing over a long-sleeved one.

[Dave]

I was thinking about Backwards recently and I feel as though when Lister and Cat arrive in the daytime, the day is structured forwards (day to evening to night) as they see the posters in the daytime and then go to the pub to find Kryten and Rimmer in the evening.

But surely if they had arrived in the daytime then they’d have to wait for morning to un-break at dawn, and they’d then have to un-wake up and un-sleep overnight somewhere to get through to the next evening performance by the Srehtorb Esrever Lanoitasnes.

[Rushy]

I was thinking about Backwards recently and I feel as though when Lister and Cat arrive in the daytime, the day is structured forwards (day to evening to night) as they see the posters in the daytime and then go to the pub to find Kryten and Rimmer in the evening.

But surely if they had arrived in the daytime then they’d have to wait for morning to un-break at dawn, and they’d then have to un-wake up and un-sleep overnight somewhere to get through to the next evening performance by the Srehtorb Esrever Lanoitasnes.

If we assume time goes in reverse like that, then they may have arrived in the early morning (say, at 7 o’clock) and found the pub in the late evening, say 10-ish. 

Let’s not forget that Backwards is set in reverse 1993, and Lister is from the 2180s (or later), so he may have had trouble navigating. Or he simply got distracted. That would account for the missing hours. 

[Rushy]

and the Cat never went because he’s well trained. 

[Dave]

they may have arrived in the early morning (say, at 7 o’clock)

Perhaps the sleeping couple with the tandem by the picnic weren’t having lunch, but had set out breakfast the night before, ready for when they wake up.

[Technopeasant]

I was thinking about Backwards recently

Never a good idea.

[Rushy]

[Dave]

I have literally only just realised that Pree is called Pree because she reacts to things before they happen – “pre-“.

[Jenuall]

Her full name is actually Frank Pree

[Dave]

[Flap Jack]

Actually, Pree is just an abbreviation of her full name:

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

I have literally only just realised that Pree is called Pree because she reacts to things before they happen – “pre-“.

wait until you here about Camille

[Ben Saunders]

Did you think it’s called the Emohawk because it listens to The Cure?

[Jenuall]

Why does a rejuvenation shower need a “returner remote”?

[clem]

I have literally only just realised that Pree is called Pree because she reacts to things before they happen – “pre-“.

wait until you here about Camille

And Jim Reaper. (I’ve never realised that about Pree either.)

[Nick R]

wait until you here about Camille

Camilleonic life forms? No thanks!

[Warbodog]

Wait until you hear about Irene E. and how that was the one they decided to point out.

[Technopeasant]

Why does a rejuvenation shower need a “returner remote”?

In case you didn’t like the rejuvenation.

[Jenuall]

Why does a rejuvenation shower need a “returner remote”?

In case you didn’t like the rejuvenation.

Seems a stretch, surely you’d just use the interface on the shower itself, rather than needing some way to do it remotely? 

[Rushy]

Seems a stretch, surely you’d just use the interface on the shower itself, rather than needing some way to do it remotely? 

I have a portable DVD player. It came with a remote. 

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

Maybe you want to rejuvenate something from a distance 

[Technopeasant]

Maybe you want to rejuvenate something from a distance 

[Meteo]

Is… is the London Jets logo just taped on that shirt?!

Re: Rushy

I thought the armbands were made of Blue and White Duck Tape.

[Rushy]

What does an “online editor” do?

[sleepey]

I only recently noticed that the restaurant in Better Than Life is playing an arrangement of Tongue Tied. Did Cat already have that dream & the game pulled it from his memory? Or did the song originate in the game & he subconsciously appropriated it for his dream? Who’s dreaming this chicken?

[Warbodog]

Basically, acknowledging any dates given in Stasis Leak is a futile exercise.

[Ian Symes]

What does an “online editor” do?

An offline edit is a basic assembly of the show, often using lower quality versions of the rushes, to nail down the choice of takes, the edit points, the timing etc. When everyone’s happy and all the decisions are locked, the online editor then turns that into the final product, replacing the media with the full quality versions, grading the footage, adding effects, all that jazz.

[Ian Symes]

I only recently noticed that the restaurant in Better Than Life is playing an arrangement of Tongue Tied. Did Cat already have that dream & the game pulled it from his memory? Or did the song originate in the game & he subconsciously appropriated it for his dream? Who’s dreaming this chicken?

There’s also a version playing in the reception at the Ganymede Holiday Inn. It must have been a well known tune at some point between now and the accident.

[Dave]

The promotion to officer clearly works quickly on Red Dwarf. Rimmer seems to think that if he passes the exam, he’ll not only find that out same-day but will also be immediately shipped off to new quarters by that night.

[Flap Jack]

It’s because he knew Lister was going to be put into stasis that day, because he’d just reported Frankenstein. 😏

[Unrumble]

Basically, acknowledging any dates given in Stasis Leak is a futile exercise.

Unless that diary is just a decoy diary, and Rimmer keeps the real one hidden, where he actually journals his thoughts, which Lister doesn’t find until Stasis Leak. Seems like the sort of precaution he might take.

[Warbodog]

Unless that diary is just a decoy diary, and Rimmer keeps the real one hidden, where he actually journals his thoughts

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

The promotion to officer clearly works quickly on Red Dwarf. Rimmer seems to think that if he passes the exam, he’ll not only find that out same-day but will also be immediately shipped off to new quarters by that night.

I’d always heard it as “good morning” being sandwiched into another sentence as Lister wakes up

“I know everything about Astro navigation [Good Morning Lister] for probably the last time”

because he’ll pass the exam and won’t need revise to remember it all. 

[tombow]

US vape shop owner mocks suspected undercover cop with Series 8 Dwarf joke!!

Most Obvious Undercover Cop in History… (@Youngarab)

[Dave]

mocks suspected undercover cop with Series 8 Dwarf joke!!

This definitely constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. 

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

Isn’t there a scene in Brooklyn 99 where Jake does the whole “flour” thing in lieu of flowers for Amy?

[Dave]

Isn’t there a scene in Brooklyn 99 where Jake does the whole “flour” thing in lieu of flowers for Amy?

It’s also in Stranger Than Fiction.

[Technopeasant]

[Rushy]

I wish we saw more of Philip Labey as Rimmer. Something about Rimmer as a snooty 20-something Head Boy type just feels right. 

[Warbodog]

This is so blatant, but the chameleon circuit of disbelief meant I never dwelled on the anomaly. For some reason, Lister has duct tape or something on his head in Cassandra, almost as if his dreadlocks aren’t real and had to be hastily secured before filming.

It’s also in Can’t Smeg Won’t Smeg, but I didn’t know they resorted to that in an actual episode. It doesn’t seem to be in the rest of VIII, at least.

[Ian Symes]

Is it not a bit of ribbon or something that’s gone out of place?

[Warbodog]

Hmm, maybe. It isn’t there earlier in the scene, I don’t know what could–

Oh yeah.

[Rushy]

That moment when you realise that Rimmer is really just a chatbot

[tombow]

I’ve always been haunted by the thought that there’s no real consciousness in (holo) Rimmer, even though the novels seem to confirm there is. But what if the even emotions and inner thoughts are just empty processes with no self awareness?

[Rushy]

I’ve always been haunted by the thought that there’s no real consciousness in (holo) Rimmer, even though the novels seem to confirm there is. But what if the even emotions and inner thoughts are just empty processes with no self awareness?

In life, that would be true (not just of Rimmer, but Kryten and Holly also). But fortunately Red Dwarf is better than life. 

[Renegade Rob]

Just watched Backwards again the other day and I forgot how much it bugs me just how quickly Lister comes up with that “do with the snamoR do” line. Like within ten seconds of figuring out it’s a backwards reality he already has backwards quips ready to go and didn’t have to stop and figure them out. He’s a smart guy but of all the plot holes in that episode, that’s the only one that actually sticks in my craw. Totally unrealistic, as if. 

[Author]

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