New Red Dwarf Episode Announced August 24th 2008

[Mr Flibble]

http://llewtube.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=841#p7784

I won’t post the text, lest I get killed for wasting bandwidth.

Topic

[TheLeen]

Ohhhhhhhhh… splendid!

(And after that one, 5 more, please.)

[Pete Part Three]

Is this mentioned anywhere else? Can it be verfied?

And I realise that it’s the name of the production company, but “Grant Naylor” is finalizing the script?

[Smeg4Brains]

I’m not going to get my hopes up until it’s verified by an official source.

[Smeg4Brains]

While on the topic of new Dwarf, check this out from Outpost Gallifrey:

Doctor Who has been named the show that people would most like to see adapted for the cinema.

A Radio Times online poll in July and August saw some 2,300 readers take part, and they put the revamped series top of their movie hopes. Torchwood came ninth.

A breakdown of the figures isn’t revealed but Friends came second, Red Dwarf third, Heroes fourth, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation fifth, Spooks sixth, 24 seventh, Lost eighth and The Prisoner tenth.

Red Dwarf came 3rd so there is defiantly still interest in new Dwarf.

[Somebody]

BBC Worldwide? They make shows by themselves?

[philmyer92]

One thing in that told me not to get excited. BBC Worldwide. That tells me that it’s going to be dreadfully over marketed, rushed, full of guest stars, product placement i mean just look how it was announced. But if non of that appears then it’ll be a stright to DVD release.

[hummingbird]

I can attest to a cautious glimmer of hope.

With official confirmation I may even allow myself to get excited.

[Andrew]

> BBC Worldwide. That tells me that it?s going to be dreadfully over marketed, rushed, full of guest stars, product placement i mean just look how it was announced

Has it been announced? Or have you just heard about it ahead of its release thanks to a cast member making mention of it?

What BBC Worldwide-funded show contain product placement? BBCWW has been co-funding TV comedy for decades…not least shows like Dwarf (and, I believe, Ab Fab, Partridge, etc. etc.).

[philmyer92]

Just me being pessimistic really. But in my opinion it wasn’t just robert mentioning it. It all seemed very planned. And the fact that it was an event where you had to buy tickets which money went to a tv channel and that the event was advistised alongside a pledge drive. What i’ve been told that bbc worldwide do is when a show gets commisioned bbc worldwide provides extra funds in return for the rights to make lots of merchandise and then depending on how much money they give they often get a big say in the show so they include other things to make the show sell this could mean changes to red dwarf.

[Jonathan Capps]

Jesus Christ. Looking forward to seeing the video of what he said, but… well, Jesus Christ. I feel like we’re on the cusp of going completely fucking fanboy/girl MENTAL when this thing is properly announced.

[Andrew]

> It all seemed very planned.

The event was planned, but it was going ahead anyway, unrelated to any other project. The fact that Robert knows a certain something is coincidental timing, and something he chose to mention. It it were an announcement, GNP would have made it – and included significantly more details.

The event wasn’t advertised along with the pledge drive – it was one of the things being used to raise money. As PBS stations often do with guests.

> i?ve been told that bbc worldwide do is when a show gets commisioned bbc worldwide provides extra funds in return for the rights to make lots of merchandise and then depending on how much money they give they often get a big say in the show so they include other things to make the show sell this could mean changes to red dwarf.

Then you’ve been somewhat misinformed. BBC Worldwide are the reason the show gets sold to TV stations around the world. BBC Worldwide are the ones who make the DVD releases happen. Which shows have been adjusted to include new content based on BBC Worldwide’s desire to make toys, that you know of? And how would it ‘change’ Dwarf when they’ve been involved with the show since the 90s?

[philmyer92]

you?ve been somewhat misinformed

In that case thank you for correcting me, i take back everything i said and i shall try to get excited unless somebody gives me a reason not to.

[Mr Flibble]

Surely if GNP didn’t want the fact it was coming out to be known, they’d have put everyone who knows about it under an NDA. That’s what, oooh, the rest of the world does.

Things still get out the back door, but usually not attributable to anyone important.

Hence GNP want us to know about it.

[Rad]

http://www.dragoncon.org/dc_guest_detail.php?id=1848

Looks like Robert’s at Dragon Con next week. Hopefully he’ll mention this again there and hopefully someone will cover it.

[Andrew]

Once again Kirk your understanding of all such situations is impressive and contains no possibility for error.

[Mr Flibble]

Well, perhaps Robert’s in the position where he thinks he’s got nothing to lose by breaking such an NDA, if he is under one. But you get my point. If GNP didn’t want it to get out, they would make sure it didn’t, certainly via major cast members.

[Andrew]

As I say, your logic is impeccable and comprehends totally all aspects of the process as it works for both Grant Naylor, and the media in general. The world is, absolutely, as simplistic as you show it to be.

[pfm]

But why would they not want it to get out? If what Bobby said is true the episode is only a couple of months away from being made, so there isn’t really any need to be oh so secretive. Like Ellard said, it’s not as though it’s an official announcement or anything, more like hints of what’s going to happen.

I’m guessing there are certain details that Bobby can’t reveal yet (plot aside) either because he doesn’t know or it’s not confirmed. e.g. whether it’s a DVD-only episode, if it’s TV what channel it’ll be on and when, who’s in it etc.

Without getting ahead of ourselves… 1 hour Christmas special. BBC2, Boxing Day, 9pm. Highest BBC2 ratings of the year. Series IX commissioned for autumn 2009. You can pay me if I’m right, slap me if I’m wrong.

[John Hoare]

Without getting ahead of ourselves? 1 hour Christmas special. BBC2, Boxing Day, 9pm. Highest BBC2 ratings of the year. Series IX commissioned for autumn 2009. You can pay me if I?m right, slap me if I?m wrong.

Form an orderly queue behind the gunsight.

[Mr Flibble]

Andrew, I give up with you. I don’t think it’s remotely that simplistic, OTOH, if it is done properly, what I said is achievable. My reasoning for this is that it happens all the time.

[Andrew]

Happens all the time. Just as you say. Yep. No production’s information ever leaks out before release ever.

[philmyer92]

Now about this filming business I don’t know whether it was actually announced that the event was being filmed specially for a DVD or whether the person who went just guessed but if it was being filmed for a DVD then that DVD would surely the 1 hour special with a commentary or two, a documentary, smeg ups, deleted scenes, trailers and then that would leave quite a lot of space so ideally we’d all like another few new episodes. But if we tune back into sanity FM what else do you think may show up on a new DVD?

[Daff]

If it is going ahead I don’t see it as a Christmas special as it’s a short turnaround to get effects and stuff done. Could be done for the 21st anniversary though.

Personally I would think they might go down the stargate route, releasing it on DVD first then it being shown on TV a few months later.

But then we are getting far too ahead here really. It (if there is an it) could be an hour long special on how the movie couldn’t get made.

[Mr Flibble]

No production?s information ever leaks out before release ever.

Not generally from the main cast/crew, no. Glad you agree.

[Seb Patrick]

I don?t see it as a Christmas special as it?s a short turnaround to get effects and stuff done. Could be done for the 21st anniversary though.

… although we don’t know how long it’s been in the pipeline… they could have been shooting it months ago for all we know.

Not generally from the main cast/crew, no. Glad you agree.

Yeah, Catherine Tate didn’t say *anything* in interviews that hadn’t been announced by Team Who…

Good to see you know more about the TV industry than the guy that works in it, though.

[Andrew]

> Andrew, I give up with you.

So much for that then.

[Jonathan Capps]

> ? although we don?t know how long it?s been in the pipeline? they could have been shooting it months ago for all we know.

But Robert’s said they’re starting filming in October this year. Unless they’ve been secretly filming without him…

[Mr Flibble]

Yeah, Catherine Tate didn?t say *anything* in interviews that hadn?t been announced by Team Who?

I did think about that when I put it. Which is why I put “Not generally” rather than “Not”.

If you all learned to read what I had written, this would be a much more sensible discussion!

[Seb Patrick]

Ah, okay. I’ve not read the original thread because I haven’t been at a proper computer all day ;-)

If so, then yeah, it does seem quite a short timeframe. It wouldn’t appear to me, then, that this is being aimed for the 20th anniversary year. But stranger things have happened, I suppose…

[ChrisM]

that DVD would surely the 1 hour special with a commentary or two, a documentary, smeg ups, deleted scenes, trailers and then that would leave quite a lot of space so ideally we?d all like another few new episodes.

I hope it’s kind of a pilot, i.e. testing the ground if there’s a market for more Dwarf, more episodes to appear depending on viewing figures etc. (Ok pilot isn’t the correct term considering the programme has been around for years, hence the ‘kind of’ qualifier. I’m sure you know what I mean.)

I hope the whole thing won’t be wrapped in the one episode certainly, an hour doesn’t seem long enough to cover everything. (Assuming it is a sequel to the series rather than something completely different.)

Hope that doesn’t come across ‘half empty’. I really am very pleased, and I’m happy to wait and see what happens. Nothing wrong with voicing hopes though. Best thing we’ve heard in a while. (Not including Bodysnatcher, which was also good.)

[Andrew]

> I did think about that when I put it. Which is why I put ?Not generally? rather than ?Not?.

So in what way did that prove your point, or show I agree with you?

Go attack someone else. I don’t work there any more, so your special brand of pissed-off-ness is misdirected as well as ill-thought-out.

As a general point – if I can address the thinking people for a moment – cast leaks are one of the FIRST places to look when information gets out. Lead cast are, after all, indispensable – an NDA only makes so much difference. What with this being the real world and all. (Right now we all know Tyrese Gibson’s been cast in the new A-Team production despite no casting announcement having been made. How? He’s twice said a touch little too much to journalists. Yet his contract ain’t even signed.)

Still, what we’re talking about is a ‘fact’ that’s ‘known’ by Dwarf fandom, and mostly just its internet-based sub-group. Yet there’s been no full announcement, no press release. Any visitor to AICN or CHUD.com will see information about projects appear long, long before the studios are in a position to announce – info that, ultimately, only touches a fraction of the audience the projects themselves will ultimately be seen by. The ‘news’ is among a relatively small community. When you talk about information getting out, the scale of the spread matters.

Will the papers report on new Dwarf now, based on a comment at a Q&A, or will they wait until there’s confirmation? Of the papers who would publish sooner rather than more accurately, how many readers would take the story as fact right away? (“Holly Valance to Take Over As Buffy”?!)

Just because information cannot always be contained, doesn’t mean the same as someone wanting it leaked. There has never, in the history of the medium, been a TV or film production that has managed to keep all information back until ‘official release’. Never. Not one. Doesn’t happen with, oooh, ANYONE’S production, ever. How wide it spreads, and how much interest there is, varies, but NO production is air-tight.

And this is all talking generally. Anyone who’s spent a little time around Red Dwarf in its most prolific years will know the sheer amount of information that came out versus the quantity that turned out to be true. No little part of that was due to the cast chatting to fans at various events – they are, after all, the most visible of those involved, and so the most pestered.

I get it – it’s a rare thing these days and the current fans aren’t used to it. One leak feels like a flood. But there was a time, and maybe will be again, where GNP had so much going on that there would be something like this three times a week. We watched it all come out, debated it just you all are doing now…and we were wrong as often as we were right. Even if the information was accurate, our interpretations were not.

So, y’know, good luck!

[Tarka Dal]

Okay can someone just cut out all the guff and confirm what we know?

[Andrew]

> Okay can someone just cut out all the guff and confirm what we know?

Fire pretty?

[Tarka Dal]

Oh give me a break :P I’ve spent two nights sleeping on bedroom floors and I’m shattered. So Robert’s said he’s involved in a 1 hour new episode right? Yet GNP haven’t said a word? Are GNP going to say anything word anytime soon?

[Andrew]

> Are GNP going to say anything word anytime soon?

That would be up to them, I imagine. ;-p

[Smeg4Brains]

I agree with everybody…and nobody.

I just wanted to join in.

[Daff]

I must say it makes this article on the official site more interesting. Looks like some announcement was definitely planned.

http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2008/08/01/kcts-gets-anniversarial/

[Stabbim the Skutter]

ABOUT. SMEGGING. TIME.

That’s all I have to say.

[Mr Flibble]

Go attack someone else. I don?t work there any more, so your special brand of pissed-off-ness is misdirected as well as ill-thought-out.

And I have never mentioned you as having worked there, nor have I attacked you in any way. I have mentioned GNP throughout, not yourself.

Again, if you read what I wrote, you would have realised this.

Idiot.

[Smeg4Brains]

Can’t we all just get along?

[Andrew]

> Again, if you read what I wrote, you would have realised this.

And if you thought about you wrote, you’d reduce the number of stupid things you said by fully 3%.

[Steve Harris]

This is indeed astonishing news despite it leaving me confused again…

Surely a ‘leak’ can’t be a leak if it’s pre-advertised and clearly GNP had enough time to stop (or attempt to stop) Robert from saying anything!
The fact that GNP backed up in advance the fact that Robert was going to say something smacks of a set up however you look at it.
Announcing it as exciting etc seems to aim at wetting the appetite.

Anyway, whatever the reasons behind it all, it has to be great news and probably not the best time to start bickering. Providing it does happen, I can’t wait for an official announcement..

[Turk Thrust]

> Anyway, whatever the reasons behind it all, it has to be great news and probably not the best time to start bickering.

Amen to that. Hopefully people can put their toys back in the pram and just concentrate on discussing things which are more important.

Personally I hope that, if the ep does come about, Doug doesn’t think beyond this and just puts everything into it. By that I mean that I hope that any good jokes from the movie script which can be lifted will be and that the ep won’t be seen as a way of putting Dwarf in the shop window for future projects.

I also pray that it won’t be a ‘best of’ episode with repeated catchphrases and appearances by Ace, the Dibbley family etc.

[ChrisM]

The fact that GNP backed up in advance the fact that Robert was going to say something smacks of a set up however you look at it.

Ah, but he’d already published the fact he was going to on youtube at that point hadn’t he? It wasn’t so much a backing on GNP’s part as informing us of what Robert had already instigated.

I am curious as to why he would choose to speak something that was meant to be kept under wraps however, (possibly just a confusion of information as to how secret was secret or somesuch) but that doesn’t mean it was in GNP’s plans.

Anyway, whatever the reasons behind it all, it has to be great news and probably not the best time to start bickering. Providing it does happen, I can?t wait for an official announcement..

Absolutely! It’s out now (well…in part… probably ) and it’s (potentially) the most exciting news we’ve had in a while. Lets just go with it, and see what else comes up in future. And continue to speculate of course…

[Jonathan Capps]

No matter how wonderfully promising this news is, I’m still really nervous to get too excited about it. It’s a strange feeling, as it feels like we’re on the brink of the best Dwarf news since 2002, but it’s still just out of reach until we get something official.

It’s really odd.

[philmyer92]

It?s a strange feeling

Ambivulance?

[ChrisM]

Give that dog a toffee. Hee hee.

[Jonathan Capps]

> Ambivulance?

There’s a joke about paramedics having mixed feelings about their vocation here, but I’m not going to make it.

> Give that dog a toffee. Hee hee.

Hell, I’m feeling generous; give him two!

[Andrew]

> Ah, but he?d already published the fact he was going to on youtube at that point hadn?t he? It wasn?t so much a backing on GNP?s part as informing us of what Robert had already instigated.

Chris M shoots and scores!

And yeah, ‘secret’ and ‘not’ is too simplistic a way to look at it. It’s all a matter of degrees.

> It?s still just out of reach until we get something official.

As it should be, to be honest.

[Kris ‘Drivaaar’ Carter]

What great news!

Here’s hoping this new episode is great, and ties things up well. And please Doug…. do NOT end this on a cliffhanger. Give it an ending that’s an ending, and if further shows are greenlit later, all the better.

[Author]

Replies