Should they have continued Red Dwarf after Series VI?

[Jawscvmcdia]

I refer to a comment on Den of Geek, which was:

“Once a story’s been done, characters are explored, there’s no point in continuing something just because you liked what came before.

Red Dwarf wrapped up in season six really – the departure of Rob Grant and the lack of enthusiasm of Chris Barrie after that should have meant they left it alone. I understand the draw for continuing – it’s similar to our draw towards re-watching it, but it should have been resisted.

Sometimes it’s just better to leave things well alone and keep them as happy memories. This show should have been quietly taken out to the woods and shot in the head years ago. Since Rob Grant’s departure, laughs have been very rare. It’s obvious from their two separate novels, Last Human and Backwards that Rob Grant was the creative force behind the show.”

Thoughts?

Topic

[International Debris]

It doesn’t really work as an SOS, does it?

“SOS! Help! Help! The ship’s crashing! Let me tell you the intriguing and frankly difficult-to-believe set of occurrences that led to this scenario, using this handily recorded multi-angle footage of said occurences. We-”
BOOM

[flanl3]

It’s a better SOS than the Samsara tried.

“Oh, yes, let’s invite everyone to our orgy. That’ll make them want to come and save us!”

Wait, no, that’s an excellent SOS. Never mind.

[Ian Symes]

Maybe the camera read this thread.

[Phobos And Deimos]

Maybe the camera linked into the time drive and saw Series VIII.

[pfm]

Don’t know if there are any Oasis fans here, but, to me, VII & VIII are essentially what Be Here Now was for Oasis – the overblown ‘bloated’ 3rd album that came off the back of the huge popularity they had acquired by that stage.

Things were starting to go this way in VI… but VII is also where the following mantra was fully embraced – ‘ohhh we’re just a silly sitcom, so let’s be a silly sitcom!’ I believe the main reason VII doesn’t work is due to how this attitude totally flies in the face of the more ‘filmic’ look and feel. It’s such a clash!

Kryten’s character change epitomises the whole thing. Suddenly he’s being written and played like he’s ‘that silly mechanoid from that sitcom who whines, moans and cleans’, instead of simply BEING Kryten and letting the audience come to that conclusion naturally. VII is the series where they all should have been at their LEAST ‘sitcom’y’ stereotypical selves… It’s fine for them to be like that in a series like VIII (which has its own failings, for sure…..) but in VII it’s plain weird.

AH WELL…

[JamesTC]

Series VI is Be Here Now.

Series VII is Standing on the Shoulder of Giants.

[Plastic Percy]

Does that make Back to Earth the documentary Supersonic?

[cwickham]

Should they have continued this thread after Post VI?

[Phobos And Deimos]

Series VI is Be Here Now? Series VI is The Masterplan, Series VII is Be Here Now and Series VIII is a video of Liam Gallagher knocking the fuck out of Patsy Kensit.

Back to Earth is Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, Series X is Heathen Chemistry and Series XI is some arsed-up free with the NME tribute to Oasis by a bunch of no-mark indie synth wanks.

I just don’t understand people who dislike Series VI.

[JamesTC]

Equating Series VI to Be Here Now does not mean that I dislike Series VI.

[International Debris]

VI being Be Here Now works contextually, because it makes VII SOTSOG (the attempt at doing some more ‘serious’, darker and experimental) and VIII Heathen Chemistry (the embarrassingly failed attempt to return to its roots). I suppose BtE being Don’t Believe the Truth sort of works (both were seen as somewhat of a return to form at time but have been viewed less kindly with time), whilst X being Dig Out Your Soul might work, but I’ve only heard it once, despite owning it. Largely because my girlfriend loathes Oasis.

[(deleted)]

I hope we get the XII synopsis on Friday as otherwise we’ll be reduced to discussing what flavour Revel series VII is most like.

[Phobos And Deimos]

Series VI is toffee. You have to persist with them but you enjoy the end result.

Series VII is orange creme. Nice flavour but there’s something amiss, a certain sourness and you can’t eat too many.

Series VIII is coffee, naturally. You like them at first but then you feel sick as fuck after a few and you just throw the whole packet away and makes you appreciate the sweet, Vice Versas goodness of Series V.

Now, if Series VIII was a war crime, what war crime would it have been?

[JamesTC]

Series 1 and 2 is Galaxy Counters
Series III to V is Toffee
Series VI is Malteser
Series VII is Orange
Series VIII is Coffee
Back to Earth is the discontinued Peanut
Series X to XII is Raisin

[Phobos And Deimos]

Series I is Malteser, Series II is more Aero Mint and Series III is a Smarties Easter egg with the classic brown mug.

[flanl3]

Should this thread have continued after post VI?

[Dave]

Series I and II are like Kitkats with ‘Rowntree’ written down the middle.

Series III and IV are like Kitkats with ‘KitKat’ written down the middle.

Series V and VI are like Kitkats with ‘KitKat’ written down the middle after they discontinued the foil wrapper and switched to the peel-off plastic strip.

Series VII is like those limited edition orange KitKats

[Dave]

Series VIII is like those limited edition triple chocolate KitKats.

BtE is like a KitKat Chunky.

X and XI are like the new recipe KitKats that are out at the moment.

[Phobos And Deimos]

I dunno, Series IV feels more like a KitKat Chunky and the Bodysnatcher Series I & II documentaries are the foil-wrapped KitKats.

I’m not sure what to think anymore. Series V is starting to imitate the 1985 CD pressing of Dire Straits’ ‘Brothers In Arms’ rather than confectionery.

Or maybe a well-used Commodore 1541 floppy drive.

[cwickham]

Should someone else have made the “Should this thread have continued after post VI?” joke after I already made it?

[International Debris]

Should this thread have continued after post VI?

[Phobos And Deimos]

With the lights out, it’s less dangerous
Here’s Series VIII now, entertain us
I feel stupid and contagious
Here’s Series VIII now, entertain us

[flanl3]

Should someone else have made the “Should this thread have continued after post VI?” joke after I already made it?

Should somebody really have pointed out that I accidentally stole a joke?

Should somebody have noticed that it was in dire need of being made again?

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

I’ve just read this entire thread from beginning to end. Thanks for keeping me entertained for an hour and a half guys.

Got completely with the Oasis comparisons and coffee Revels are the best so fuck the lot of you.

Also, I think possibly the reason people like Tikka so much, despite some of its flaws, is that it’s the most heavily sci-fi concept Red Dwarf has ever attempted I think, at least at the time. I love the idea of JFK shooting himself to fix the timelines, and it plays with history in a somewhat more informed way than you might expect from a sitcom.

Also think it’s the more focused of the episodes of VII, the most Red Dwarfy. It’s a rounded story that’s about putting the characters in a comedic situation, whereas the rest of the series is more character drama with funny elements to it.

To answer the threads title question … yes it bloody well should have. Even if the show is shit it gives us something to watch and discuss as fan. Some of us will love bits others don’t, we’ll get excited and apprehensive for new episodes, but ultimately it gives us something to come together and discuss that’s new and different. Even if we are capable of spending a year discussion post s06 and everything else in one post thread … comparing series to Oasis albums and Revels.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t bought a Radiohead album after Amnesiac. I know the later stuff exists but who gives a shit?

My Series I to VI collection looks very neat without the rubbish that comes after.

Series VII gets a pass but it sits away from the main collection like a purple special needs bus.

[cwickham]

Should Tranter have continued after being banned from account VI?

[flanl3]

yeah

[By Jove its holmes]

Just imagine if it had been cancelled after Series One. Is “Souper” really a good line to finish a show on ;)

[Ben Saunders]

Should they have continued Red Dwarf after Holly’s April Fool’s joke?

[Flap Jack]

Red Dwarf should have ended part of the way through Back to Reality, before it’s revealed to the audience that it’s just a hallucination.

[By Jove its holmes]

Cancelled after Tikka to Ride… Lister’s story ends with his ship mates beating the crap out of him ;)

[Jonsmad]

I love most of Tikka to Ride. I suffered a bit of series VII but it’s mostly watchable. I enjoyed VIII on broadcast though I acknowledge now it’s a broad serial approach not the best stuff and some jokes grated. I loved Back to Earth I’ve watched it’s new dr who style of shooting and story multiple times and love it’s differences. It’s a revival triumph given it’s clip shop commission origins. I attended Berkeley square and A few Dimension Jumps rejuvenated in interest, as well as 4 Great show recordings in 3 more quality inventive series none of them any more patchy than I find half of the original 8 series to be. Just mostly enjoyed a Special.

While it’s true the show’s writing is far more hugely repeating itself and themes these days. I still love it.
Duct soup I loathe and the questionability of parts of time wave need taking out into the woods and shooting. But that’s all. Any completist critic can switch off fuck off and go watch watch Dark Ages with their bullshit Rob was God nonsense, however much I agree that Backwards beats Last Human.

[Dax101]

Honestly, if it came to Doug writing alone or Rob Writing alone. id always go for both writing together. even their solo novels they were not as good as their combined work. and with Doug, i don’t think he has a filter writing alone.

I also think its abit unfair to judge Rob based on Dark ages to how Doug writes Red Dwarf. because how Rob would write Red Dwarf would be different to how he would write another show. its abit like judging Doug on Over to Bill, which i never watched so i have no idea what it was like. but then i also sorta thing Doug has had alot of trial and error with Red Dwarf. if you didn’t like 7? well he had the new improved series 8 to fix that mistake. you didn’t like 8? well BTE is here. oh you weren’t fond of that? well here is the new improved Series X

Its not a simple situation.

[Future Producer of Series IX – aaaaany day now]

Ian other news: The Award Winnianing Ian Ian Symes patched thiangs up with Iain Lee on behalf of Ganianmede & Titian years ago followianing his, Iain not Ian, Googlianing of himself.

We hate Caitlin Moran and Mark Kermode now.

Well, someone had to do it.

[Author]

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