Your Unpopular Red Dwarf Opinions

[Piplup2003]

The title says it all. What opinions do you have about Red Dwarf that no-one else seems to agree on?

For me, it’s that VIII is my second favourite series (behind V) and that I prefer Chloë over Claire as Kochanski (this may be partially influenced by the fact that I’ve met Chloë).

And please, no arguing.

Topic

[Moonlight]

When you say chopped up do you mean for Dave? Only I think it was built to come apart in segments for storage as opposed to being one huge piece.

The Series X documentary literally shows them sawing pieces of it off so I don’t think disassembling the segments took off everything they needed.

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

When you say chopped up do you mean for Dave? Only I think it was built to come apart in segments for storage as opposed to being one huge piece.
The Series X documentary literally shows them sawing pieces of it off so I don’t think disassembling the segments took off everything they needed.

That’s what I mean. I just wanted to clarify when you were talking about. Yes, it was built to come apart and yes they chopped it up further for Dave.

[Technopeasant]

Next to the Casket of Cronus.

[Warbodog]

I don’t know why they did that for V, it’s like they’re aiming for a generic Star Trek ending, but comes off more like when Doctor Who similarly replaced its iconic titles for whooshing stars in the 80s.

For VIII, they could have used the CGI flyover used for Remastered, but for some reason didn’t.

[Moonlight]

Because it looks like fucking dogshit.

[Warbodog]

Fair enough, I would have had my standards lowered across the half hour to not notice. I only remember that bit where part of the ship briefly passes over a sun and it blinks out and back in again too abruptly.

[Moonlight]

They actually do fade to the very end of the Remastered credits in VIII, after the fly-over.

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

I don’t know why they did that for V, it’s like they’re aiming for a generic Star Trek ending, but comes off more like when Doctor Who similarly replaced its iconic titles for whooshing stars in the 80s.
For VIII, they could have used the CGI flyover used for Remastered, but for some reason didn’t.

I think they did it for S5 because they were using the new model ship for a lot of the model shots and the closing credits would not only highlight the change but also look a bit ropy compared to the new model work. That’s just my theory, I don’t know for certain. 

[Moonlight]

A bit odd to open on this shot then.

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

A bit odd to open on this shot then.

With that low lighting and ar that angle the change isn’t as obvious. As a fan you can spot some changes a mile off of course. This is the best pic I have of the entire S5 model, as you can see, the side is much the same. However, the scoop is quite different and the top of the “nose section” is completely different as are the structures on top which would be obvious during the closing titles.
Side note – it looks like they salvaged rhe OG engine section as on this model it is disproportionately large, something that would also stand out at the end of the credits.

Edit – comparison pics for scoop/bow.

[International Debris]

With that low lighting and ar that angle the change isn’t as obvious.

… it’s just a shot of the original model.

I think you’re over-estimating how much the rebuilt model was used. Most of the model shots in V are the same ones used throughout the earlier series, so there’s no reason they couldn’t have just used the same closing credits shot either.

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

I watched S5 a few days ago and I’d say most shots of the ship were of the new model and it stands out a lot because the lighting and colour of the new model is very different. 

[International Debris]

I stand corrected.

[Moonlight]

Yeah, V prefers the new model. Shame they blew it up. I also don’t think I ever noticed the booster being oversized but then they don’t really focus on it on-screen.

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

I’ve always liked the S5 model over the OG for some reason. 

[Android 72264Y]

Androids should’ve had a second season.

[Ben Saunders]

Androids should’ve had a second season.

[Android 72264Y]

On an unrelated note, Adachi has a lot in common with Rimmer. 

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

I don’t know if this would be unpopular but I like it when Holly looks a bit pixilated. I know that even today we have AI that can generate a more realistic face but I just think it looks more like a computer and less like some bloke. 

[Rushy]

I just think it looks more like a computer and less like some bloke. 

You’re not wrong, but also there’s something really funny about it just being some bloke. 

[Quinn: Clochebusters World Champion]

I just think it looks more like a computer and less like some bloke.  

 You’re not wrong, but also there’s something really funny about it just being some bloke. 

Which was Norman’s point to some extent really wasn’t it. 

[Technopeasant]

Could have just replaced him with a really low poly 3D model for full effect.

[Rushy]

Or better still, Norman literally kneeling on set, wearing a cardboard box on his head. 

[Technopeasant]

A cardboard box? On a BBC budget?!

[Cardinal_Hordriss]

We are talking about an era of the future where they revived a lot of old tech – clunky keyboards, VHS tapes, clunky monitors… so there’s no reason Holly wouldn’t look a bit pixelated. Plus, as Kryten said in S6, humans often don’t like exact recreations of human beings when it comes to AI. I don’t mean those occasions when he was so pixelated you couldn’t make out the edge of his face but perhaps somewhere in the middle, like Hattie in S3. Though I think she looked her best in S5, that bleached look, slightly pixelated but without half the y-axis being her hair and blank screen like in S4 lol.

[Moonlight]

I don’t know if this is actually as unpopular a view as I think it is but there are several episodes in Series V I like better than Back to Reality. It’s a great episode but I don’t think I ever quite understood the hype behind it as the greatest of all time.

[Rushy]

I don’t know if this is actually as unpopular a view as I think it is but there are several episodes in Series V I like better than Back to Reality. It’s a great episode but I don’t think I ever quite understood the hype behind it as the greatest of all time.

I low-key wanted the dystopia world to be real. 

Sort of like Twentica, but with the series 5 atmosphere and dramatic approach. 

[Warbodog]

I wonder if I’d feel differently if I’d found V Byte 1 at Blockbuster in 1999 rather than Byte 2. Losing my V-irginity felt like a big deal and Quarantine was my new favourite episode before they even left the research station. Back to Reality was eventually squeezed between various other gits on a IV-VI completion binge the next year and those new episodes stood out less between the old favourites I was happy to see again.

[Ben Saunders]

Yeah, Back to Reality is good but three of the other episodes of that series are better. 

[International Debris]

Yeah, it’s not even a top ten Red Dwarf episode for me.

Mind you, neither is Gunmen.

[Ridley]

Do you not like that one? Gunmen?

[Moonlight]

Quarantine and especially Holoship and The Inquisitor I’d rank higher.

[Jenuall]

V is of such a consistently high standard that I can definitely understand someone having an episode above Back to Reality in their series rankings. Holoship, Quarantine and Inquisitor all push it hard for the title of “best one” IMO. (EDIT: Hah, just spotted your post after I submitted mine Moonlight – great minds!)

Speaking of V, I’ve never quite understood the middling view some have of Demons and Angels. It’s not the best of the run for sure but it’s still a great concept with some amazing moments

[Dave]

All of V is pretty great really. Inquisitor is absolutely an all-time top episode for me but so are BTR and Holoship. Demons & Angels and Quarantine are both great too. When Terrorform is the weakest episode you know it’s a strong series.

[sleepey]

I ripped off the plot of Demons & Angels for a creative writing thing when I was 9 & I still feel guilty when I watch it

[Rushy]

Holoship is currently my all-time favourite episode. Red Dwarf can be very cynical, but I think that scene where Nirvanah talks about something good trying to get out of Rimmer – someone who deserves a chance to grow – taps into something fundamentally human in all of us. And it helps that the actors play it completely straight in that moment. 

[Warbodog]

I ripped off the plot of Demons & Angels for a creative writing thing when I was 9 & I still feel guilty when I watch it

I mainly got through a “creative” writing degree by copying the Fist of Fun Book. 21 years old I was.

[Ridley]

 especially Holoship […] I’d rank higher.

No you wouldn’t.

Holoship

Lies.

Holoship is currently my all-time favourite episode.

It wasn’t and never will be.

[Ben Saunders]

Holoship is definitely a contender for best episode. I mark The Inquisitor down a few points for not being especially funny, but the drama side of it is very good. Demons & Angels is a bit silly. Gunmen is good but another one that doesn’t 100% live up to the recieved wisdom of it being the greatest. Meltdown always seems to rank lowly despite obviously being one of the show’s best episodes. My opinion being final, naturally.

[Rushy]

Meltdown always seems to rank lowly despite obviously being one of the show’s best episodes. 

Meltdown should rank high just for the lineup scene. It’s some of Barrie’s most phenomenal scenery chewing.

[Warbodog]

I only really love the gallows scene in Meltdown, but that’s enough to put it above some others in the bubble. My worst of I-V is Backwards, but that’s just finding it really meh rather than disliking it.

[Ridley]

Holoship is definitely a contender for best episode.

74th best, yes.

[International Debris]

Quarantine, Holoship, Terrorform, Back to Reality, The Inquisitor, Demons and Angels, in that order.

[Ridley]

You accidentally put Quarantine last by mistake. Controversial to say it’s the second worst episode but that’s the thread, I guess.

[Warbodog]

Quarantine, The Inquisitor, Back to Reality, Holoship, Demons and Angels/Terrorform (last two prone to switching).

[Technopeasant]

The Inquisitor, Holoship, Quarantine, Back to Reality, Terrorform, Demons and Angels.

And V is the worst of the bubble, after IV.

[Moonlight]

And V is the worst of the bubble, after IV.

Nobody said anything about not beating people to death in this thread.

[Rushy]

I or III would be my candidates for weakest bubble seasons, both because they were still working out the kinks of their respective formats

[Moonlight]

I’d honestly agree but I like III a lot more than 1, although I do like 1 a lot.

[Technopeasant]

After 2 and VI.

[Author]

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