New Red Dwarf Episode Announced August 24th 2008

[Tonguetied]

I think it should be shown on BBC2, are BBC Word Wide co-funding it with an american company?

[Jason aka Smeg4Brains]

I think having a bit of Ace in there would be good.

[hummingbird]

I think having a bit of Ace in there would be good.

As much as I love the characters, unless they can do something fresh with them then I think Ace, Dwayne, et al should be put to rest.

[Pete Part Three]

Kryten: Welcome back Mr Lister sir. That was quite an extensive period in Deep Sleep.

Lister : You’re telling me, Kryters. What’s happened to my hair?

Rimmer : Count yourself lucky, Listy. A wire was loose in my lightbee and I’ve lost most of mine.

Lister : Y’know this reminds me of that time when you lost control of your legs.

{clip from Queeg}

Lister : Now that’s what I call a sticky situation!

(They laugh. I die a little inside).

[Tonguetied]

Ace would be a great idea Smeg4Brains, I can imagine the story involving the original hologram rimmer returning as Ace saving the crew or something. But then again, would be good if the human Rimmer of series 8 died in the special and was resurrected with the original big gray H glued on, even though it looked naff.

[Squeaky Gibson]

Ace would be good if there was a second special, as it would see the return of the original Rimmer and it would be great to hear, how he fared as Ace. for this special it would be wise to play it safe and then do more backstory in a possoble second special. the reason I keep on mentioning a second special, is that last year’s return of The Royle Family was mean’t to be a one-ff (I think) but hasn’t Carloine written/writing a second special, to be broadcast this Christmas?

[Ian Symes]

Red Dwarf and adverts are a horrible mix and totally ruin the show.

That’s because adverts in Dwarf so far are inserted in higglety pigglety. When a show is designed to have adverts in, in the right hands they can be timed and paced very well.

what about the Fan?s who don?t have Freeview/FreeSat, how are they going to watch it?

By buying a fifteen quid Freeview box from Tesco? In fact, how are fans without Freeview going to view ANY telly in a couple of years time?

Not that I wouldn’t prefer new Dwarf to be on terrestrial, of course. But beggars can’t be choosers.

[Tonguetied]

There’s meant to be a Jonathan Creek special this christmas too isn’t there?

[Seb Patrick]

By buying a fifteen quid Freeview box from Tesco? In fact, how are fans without Freeview going to view ANY telly in a couple of years time?

The telly reception in our area is so crap that we barely get any digital channels despite owning a hundred quid recording box thingy. Dave is not one of the ones we’re able to get. But if there were any new Dwarf, and it was only available on Dave… do people REALLY not think it’ll be on the internet within hours of first broadcasting? And if I’m desperate to see it at the moment of broadcast, as with Who… well, I’ve got mates, haven’t I?

[John Hoare]

With the clips stuff – it’s important to remember that this hasn’t been confirmed officially anywhere!

But *if* the special includes any clips, then I don’t neccessarily have a problem with it. Yes, we’ve all seen them to death, but if it’s for a mass audience that hasn’t seen it all endlessly, it serves a purpose. (It’s true that Red Dwarf doesn’t clip easily, mind you – context is everything.) Let’s just hope that if clips *are* there, then there’s enough other meaty stuff – if there isn’t, I’ll complain massively, but I don’t have a problem with them being there per se.

After all, the ‘Allo ‘Allo special a while back had its fair share of problems – but the format was absolutely sound. It was a good show, and with a bit of tweaking (mainly to do with how the clips and interviews were presented), could have been a great one.

And *if* the show does end up being a retrospective – who knows, as Robert says, it might open the way to another series, or the Movie in some form. You never know. It’s obvious that the special has stirred up interest – if it proves Dwarf is still viable, who knows what will happen?

[Squeaky Gibson]

I’ve got Freeview, so I?m not concerned. I was just saying for those who haven’t got it yet, it will be a shame, though I dare say it would soon become available.

[Tonguetied]

Yeah it will have to be written with the mass audience in mind, which will inevitably affect the series/specials after this one, if they are indeed made. I wonder how much of the story will be more directed towards the red dwarf fanbase who know about the history of the show.

[Ian Symes]

You *can* have it both ways though – the first Futurama film is a great example of reintroducing the characters and the universe for newcomers, whilst also being very very fan-pleasing.

[Pete Part Three]

>Yeah it will have to be written with the mass audience in mind…

Well, Red Dwarf WAS…up until VI, VII and VIII and peaking with Nanarchy (which is so fanboyish it’s irritating).

>With the clips stuff – it?s important to remember that this hasn?t been confirmed officially anywhere!

I’m struggling to think of any original content that’s been produced for Dave, so clip-shows make sense. As a result, this has made me even more pessimistic for this revival than ever.

And if it is a clip-show (regardless of how much new stuff is shoved in there), we can stop referring to it as an “episode” and start referring to it as the “Red Dwarf Selection Box”.

Using a clipshow to introduce people to a show is piss-poor. The primary reason why these abominations are in existence (and, sadly, it’s a US thing that seems to be being used more and more here) are to save money.

[Squeaky Gibson]

true, that is a work of Genius and easily trumps The Simpsons Movie. though i’ve yet to get the second film, after reading the reviews. what’s the general opinion on the second film, hit, miss or may be?

[John Hoare]

I do disagree with you Pete, but I’ll wait until any official announcement before I get into that debate. No point having it until we know what the show is going to be!

[Tonguetied]

How many Futurama movies have there been? Is it just the 2? The series is finished right, just has direct to dvd movies concluding the franchise. I always thought Futurama was a interesting beast compared with The Simpsons, very different.

[philmyer92]

I think intro to series 6 was brilliant for introducing the chracters except the cat wasn’t mentioned.

[Squeaky Gibson]

in total there will be 4 Futurama straight to DVD movies, which have been made so that they are Blu-Ray ready, Yay! once all the movies are out, each movie will be cut in to 4 shows, this will then give Comedy Central 16 “new” shows to be broadcast on TV. the same thing was done with the Family Guy DVD movie.

[Andrew]

Anyone who hasn’t GOT Freeview, but has an internet connection to moan about what they’re not seeing, deserves a slap. Anyone who has neither…hmmm, not sure how we prove they exist. :-)

(This excludes those who are out of the service area, obviously. Though Freesat now is only slightly more expensive that digiboxes were when I bought mine, oh so long ago…)

[Jonathan Capps]

Fucking hell, it’s all happening tonight, isn’t it?

[Danny Stephenson]

I’ve never seen an explosion of news hit us that quickly. I feel quite overwhelmed with it all, frankly.

[Andrew]

God I do hope we can correct all the misleads soon. It’s driving me nuts watching it!

[Mnoooah]

Well, since teletext thinks Robert Talked to Canadian TV and confounding Canada and the US is obviously an EPIC FAIL (to Canadians) AND the sun is just basically horrid, I would council against having any of it. As for Andrew, misleads are regrettable for us all. However as the gatekeeper of the sacred revelations you have been a colossal and inverterate TEASE over the past several months so if this is at all frustrating may I just say, nah nah nah… nahnahnah.

[Danny Stephenson]

as the gatekeeper of the sacred revelations

Are you the keymaster?

[pfm]

> what about the Fan?s who don?t have Freeview/FreeSat

Fuck them.

> I?m struggling to think of any original content that?s been produced for Dave

That’ll be why it won’t be on Dave. As I mentioned before, the new UKTV channel, Watch, is aiming for 50% original programming, so it MAY be on there. However, the clips idea (hopefully something that would be seperate from the 1 hour special) sounds like something that would be on UKTV Gold (to be rebranded simply Gold in October). So either Gold or Watch, that’s how it’s looking.

Of course, the best place for broadcast is, and always will be, BBC2. But if BBC TV aren’t playing ball (no-one’s as of yet said that they’re not) it’s not as though we’re not gonna accept Dwarf elsewhere. Please don’t whine about advert breaks FFS…

[ChrisM]

Adverts are fine. Time to pop of for a nice cup of PG Tips.
It’s the taste.

End of ad.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

Clip shows? Sounds like a new Smeg-Ups tape, but more pointless.

Ah well.

[Tyrell Corporation]

If it is a clip show, I shall NOT be watching.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

I’d still watch it, record it and buy the DVD. My love of Red Dwarf transcends all bounds of logic and taste.

[Tyrell Corporation]

The Bodysnatchers Collection was the logical conclusion to Red Dwarf, it was a gift for the fans, chock-a-block with documentaries, commentaries, extras and various geeky options.

I can only hope for a one hour special, written by Doug Naylor using elements of the ‘Earth’ script, and series IX comissioned for Autumn 2009, written by Doug, co-produced with Rob Grant and directed by Ed Bye.

But there’s no effing chance of that…

[peas_and_corn]

As long as we’re thinking in terms of awesome possibilities, how about a one hour special, spurring a rich person commissioning a red dwarf trilogy of movies?

[Pete Part Three]

And for dessert; a cure for cancer.

[peas_and_corn]

Only three types. But you can choose which ones!

[Zombie Jim Undead]

Bum, cock and ear.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

I am very fearing that it’s going to be a retrospective of the show, like the DVD documentaries except naff….interspersed with short sketches featuring mobisode-quality writing.

I very much hope that I am a massively wrong tit.

[Tyrell Corporation]

You’re probably right.

You’re still a decomposing tit though.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

Hey!

*arm drops off*

[Phil]

One thing I don’t understand is that we have something that sounds like a clip show (new sketches and “best bits”) but we also have…ahem…”confirmation” that it will be four specials.

Now FOUR clip shows, as we all know, will probably cause severe diarrhea to everybody on this forum. (Though I guess it is possible…each clip show featuring the “best” of two series’…gah! Why am I rationalizing THAT?)

Or maybe it’s just one reeeeeeally long clip show broken into four parts?

The most likely answer is that we’re getting wrong information.

Here’s to eventual clarification.

[Ian Symes]

The most likely answer is that we?re getting wrong information.

This.

Why are people getting angry about unsubstantiated rumours? This is new Red Dwarf, you stupid twats.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

Exactly, I’m so overexcited that I want to take any available snippet of information and rub myself against it in a sexual manner.

Sometimes, these little snippets are disappointing or oddly-shaped, and they chafe the engorged genitals of my imagination.

[Pete Part Three]

>Why are people getting angry about unsubstantiated rumours? This is new Red Dwarf, you stupid twats.

Well, fair point…but I was “angry” about NEW Red Dwarf long before the clip-show rumours.

[Baz]

Highlander 2 was new Highlander. And it was an abomination that turned a marvellous fantasy epic into a tacky science fiction adventure. Yes, I want more Dwarf, but not at any cost.

A clip show with extra bits? Not exactly thrilled but IF this is what’s going to happen then I’ll wait to see what it’s like. It might be a skillfully crafted celebration of our favourite show which ties up the loose ends and brings the whole thing to a satisfying conclusion.

Or it might be a pile of crap that goes down like a lead balloon dragging the whole franchise with it.

We shall have to wait and see.

[Phil]

>This is new Red Dwarf, you stupid twats.

So was Red Christmas.

I think it’s safe to say we’re all very excited by the prospect. But, at this point, you have to excuse a certain amount of healthy skepticism as well.

[Tonguetied]

I think whatever happens with this new show it’s always going to go down a route that some people will be pleased with and others won’t. But then again that’s the case with past Red Dwarf series too. However I think that however good or bad it turns out, at least it’s something new. Something we can rant on about. I honestly thought we’d never get to see Dwarf returned to tv whether that be on the BBC or a satellite channel. I’m grateful for whatever happens.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

As I said before, I will watch whatever it is cos I’m a Dwarf fan, but I would say that if it’s shit, I’d rather have nothing – which was my stance on the mobisodes. Saying that “any Dwarf is good Dwarf” is a bit like saying that you’d fuck a combine harvester because it still constitutes getting laid.

But, hey…it may well be brilliant.

[Tonguetied]

I’d rather have something than nothing, even if it doesn’t meet expectation, just to have a conclusion would be great.

[Ian Symes]

This is all true – better dead than smeg, as it were. And if this special turns out to be rubbish, I’ll be the first to say so. I’ve never been anything other than scathing about the quality of the mobisodes. But to make judgements about the quality of the show based on unconfirmed rumours is plain stupid. It’s daft enough to make judgements based on *confirmed* rumours before you’ve seen the show, but this takes the biscuit.

I’m not saying that because it’s new Dwarf it’ll automatically be good. I am not a cretin. I’m just saying that in the last couple of weeks we’ve gone from “no new Dwarf ever, the franchise is dead” to “full cast reunion special being shot next month, with a possible series to follow”. Being cynical is fine, but deciding that’s it’s going to be shit at this point is just as stupid as deciding that it’s going to be great at this point, no matter what the rumours.

[Zombie Jim Undead]

But nobody has decided anything. I can only speak for meself, but all I was saying is that they fear it will be naff if it turns out to be a clip-show special as suggested by the current unsubstantiated rumours. Not that it WILL be shit, just that a clip show doesn’t sound too promising. Bollocks those rumours may be, but they’re all we have.

Besides, anyone is quite withing their rights to say “that sounds like a bad idea”. You don’t need to have seen the finished product to form a speculative opinion on it. Of course, the finished product may change that opinion…but that remains to be seen.

Nobody knows anything for sure at this stage.

[Jonathan Capps]

Listen to this dude Ian, he knows what he’s talking about.

I don’t think Red Christmas is even CLOSE to giving us a fair indication of the quality of this special. They’re completely different things with completely different circumstances. It’s a different SHARK!

So: assuming the rumours about it being a clip-show/new material type affair, this is what I’d most like to see: We carry on from the end of Only The Good (I don’t mind if we don’t see the cliffhanger resolution. They could cut to them all in the bunk room saying “phew, that was a close one!” for all I care) and we see them partake in a big adventure that gives them the in-universe excuse to fit the clips in. Say: they return to Earth and we see clips from a ‘documentary’ interviewing the characters and remembering past events (old episode clips) and how they got back to Earth (the new material).

God knows how that leaves the other specials that are rumoured, though.

[Author]

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