Professor Flibble

[Professor Flibble]

Tbh if they did audio stuff, I’d be content with complimentary slideshows using screencaps. 

[Professor Flibble]

I know it’s unlikely but I’d love it. 

[Professor Flibble]

Yeah, I’m the same. A lot of visual gags might get lost on audio too.
Who else wants a sequel to Return of the Giant Hand Monster?

[Professor Flibble]

I think animation would be unnecessary expense and effort when we could have audio or novel and our imaginations, which would also likely look better. It does have better meme potential though.

I’m not sure it’d be unnecessary when it’s ultimately a different format with its own merits. I’m a guy who values visuals, and given Red Dwarf’s had books and audio stuff already, why not an animation? It’d be great nost to actually see something new with the cast as they looked in the 90s and the audio could still be recorded in front of an audience.

[Professor Flibble]

Yeah I agree, I don’t think any of them really work as show-ending finales. Promised Land is essentially an episode that, if it’s the final one, it’s a good one to go out on, but part of me would want a final episode that feels like it’s really supposed to be the final episode. 

[Professor Flibble]

Very sorry to hear about that, Podey. I don’t think I’ve been on here much recently anyway, but I haven’t noticed any snappiness from you.

[Professor Flibble]

I think an animated series done on the cheap (well, might still be expensive) could still work if you limit it visually as much as the show does. Mostly just the four (and Holly) hanging around Red Dwarf or Starbug with an occasional trip to an abandoned vessel and a deranged droid or something. I’d love something set during the Series III-V period because the age isn’t a concern at that point. 

Hell, if scheduling is still an issue with the others, you could always just get Chris Barrie to play them all. 

[Professor Flibble]

Animated Red Dwarf would be good. Maybe not the Mobisodes again but would save Bobby needing to put the prosthetics on. 

[Professor Flibble]

It’d be a good place to end the show on, but there’s still more I want. Namely bringing back Hattie. 

[Professor Flibble]

I still want more TV Red Dwarf, I only recently read Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers for the first time so I don’t have the same kind of relationship with the novels others have, and while I loved Promised Land, I’d like at least another special or two to round the series off, with the intent to end the show (on what note, I have no idea). 

Doctor Who’s gone for the forseeable, no sign of Red Dwarf, yeah other than those, there’s not too much television I care about to quite the same degree so it’d be difficult.

[Professor Flibble]

Been listening to all the Classic DVD commentaries in serial order, listening to The Dalek Invasion of Earth one rn.

The ones that are moderated are much better, particularly with Toby Hadoke, I find. The Aztecs one suffers from extended moments of silence where they just watch, and some of the same anecdotes and points get reiterated. I guess that’s inevitable when you’re bringing in these people 40-50 years after the point to commentate on separate stories across about 10-15 years. I think it’s about 3 times so far William Russell’s talked about the DeGaullek newspaper cartoon.

The Davison era commentaries tend to be the most entertaining, though that’s if you can handle their constant derision of the show. Tom Baker commentaries can be funny but also a bit frustrating with his absolute lack of memory or care of the production of the stories, especially past the Hinchcliffe/Holmes era.

[Professor Flibble]

Actually, I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t know what Clare was like on the set of Psirens, unless I read about it and totally forgot.

[Professor Flibble]

Oh, I thought it was just cause Clare didn’t want to commit to doing the role full time. If it was for age reasons, that’d be pretty disappointing. 

[Professor Flibble]

Glitz loses all of his sauce when he’s not being written by Robert Holmes. Watching the interactions between Ace (sixteen) and Sabalom Glitz (age unknown, actor 49) is a little different when cursed with the knowledge that she loses her virginity to him in one of the VNAs. Apparently it’s hinted at in the original script outline and/or novelisation, according to Google.

I’ve never really considered any information established by Virgin books, either VNAs or VMAs to be canon, tbh. 

[Professor Flibble]

Based on this image, I think.

[Professor Flibble]

Different opening credits too, I think, to match the original broadcast which accidentally used a prototype version where the bit with Sylvester’s face looks different.

Oh yeah, that’s also on the normal version of Part Four on both the 2010 DVD and the Season 24 box set. Apparently the VHS version replaced it with the proper version of the opening titles.

[Professor Flibble]

The extended version of Time and the Rani Part Four on the Season 24 box set has an unused version of the end credits, which is pretty interesting. They repurposed it for the special editions on the Season 25 box set too.

[Professor Flibble]

I definitely have seen The Promised Land more than the rest of the Dave era. 

I think I’ve actually seen it less than the rest of the Dave era. Probably on account of it both being a movie and it being the very latest TV Red Dwarf thing.

[Professor Flibble]

Gutted he never reprised the role of Duggan in Big Finish. Could’ve made him a proper companion like H.G. Wells, Ray or Mags.

[Professor Flibble]

Nooo, not Duggan!

RIP Tom Chadbon

[Professor Flibble]

[Professor Flibble]

Penny Gadget, I think (I was 6, alright).

I think I was about 8 when I was first made aware of Inspector Gadget’s existence. Loved it as a kid.

[Professor Flibble]

Think I overreacted a bit there, it was genuinely a staple of my childhood and very good for what it was. Loved all the characters and the sci-fi elements, and it had a great theme tune. Jenny might’ve even been one of my first crushes, I think.

[Professor Flibble]

I grew up watching Bucky O’Hare on DVD, it’s still a favourite of mine. 

Bucky O’Hare was a big (albeit short-lived) craze at the time. Even if it was a bit shit.

A bit shit? What do you mean, a bit shit? It was fantastic.

[Professor Flibble]

It was just a budget thing. Redressing the drive room to be Starbug wouldn’t work, partially because Starbug is so established and also because it was more cramped than even the Series III Starbug, nevermind VI and onwards. 
Whereas Blue Midget has always been a broom closet. 

Never really considered that, especially given X’s fraught production. Still though, I’m glad they were able to knock up a Starbug set eventually. 

[Professor Flibble]

Recently revisited X, I still enjoy it a lot but there’s something about XI and XII that feels a bit closer to classic Dwarf. I honestly think part of it might just be the greater use of Starbug and how much more dynamic the locations are. It felt like Series X tried to make a point of having Blue Midget be the more prominent ship but I’ve always been more of a Starbug kind of guy.

[Professor Flibble]

Commonwealth? Idk, some sports thing idk, King Charles? Royal bollocks I don’t care

McCOY!!!!!!!

[Professor Flibble]

I watched the ever-loving shit out of X-XII in the 2010s so I remember them all pretty well. There was actually a period I was watching mostly XI and XII just because they were fresh.

I still regularly revisit XI and XII because while they’re not as good as the bubble episodes, I still get a similar kind of comfort from them, but yeah also it’a cause they’re still quite fresh. I don’t even mind a lot of the jokes, I just don’t find them quite as memorable as the bubble era.

[Professor Flibble]

The only bad version of the Doctor Who theme is that godawful Big Finish McGann theme they used on the Mary Shelley audios.

[Professor Flibble]

[Professor Flibble]

or “Lister is so gross even a Kryten is grossed out”
speaking of which, has Lister’s grossness ever genuinely made any of you feel sick? I don’t like that sneeze ironing thing he does in BTE and I hate that whole stuff with his teeth and the floss in Ouroboros.

Yeah the sneeze ironing is iirc pretty much the only thing he’s done that’s ever grossed me out

[Professor Flibble]

It’s not the garb that’s problematic, it’s the idea that Europeans are “civilised” and those from the outer colonies are “savage”. You can wear a crevat if you want to.

Oh yeah, no, just I do see people make out the idea of an old-fashioned Doctor is in and of itself a bit old hat. I want a Doctor who calls people “my dear” again.

[Professor Flibble]

Unironically, yes

[Professor Flibble]

I have an issue with people problematising the idea of a posh, Edwardian-style Doctor as though it’s an outdated idea. Like something we should move on from. No, it’s a vibe. I love all those waistcoats and cravats and things, the character is supposed to be timeless. It doesn’t even need to be a white man wearing them.

Btw this isn’t to say I’m against them not doing it, but I do sort of miss that interpretation of the character these days. The proper professory vibe.

[Professor Flibble]

I have an issue with people problematising the idea of a posh, Edwardian-style Doctor as though it’s an outdated idea. Like something we should move on from. No, it’s a vibe. I love all those waistcoats and cravats and things, the character is supposed to be timeless. It doesn’t even need to be a white man wearing them.

[Professor Flibble]

I could do without the pen clip.

Ahem, Troughton, ahem

[Professor Flibble]

Also nice to have a sonic screwdriver that actually looks like a sonic screwdriver 

[Professor Flibble]

I like that the Fugitive Doctor’s getting her own things now, an outfit variant, a sonic screwdriver, stories with Daleks, a multimedia event centred around her, she’s on all the Doctor posters. I don’t care for the Timeless Child arc but I like that she can exist as a legitimate incarnation beyond it

[Professor Flibble]

Ooh the Fugitive Doctor’s got a sonic screwdriver 

[Professor Flibble]

I mean, they forgot to apply the H for an entire series

[Professor Flibble]

Like Adric, she was best suited for the Doctor she had initially, and spent far too long with the one she wasn’t suited with. 

It’s funny because Tegan suited Colin far more.

As in, the Doctor, not her cousin.

[Professor Flibble]

I’ve heard a few people call Peri annoying and idk, I only feel sorry for her. Half the time, she’s being lusted over, the other half she’s with this man who’s constantly criticising the way she speaks

[Professor Flibble]

The Two Doctors is an odd case where I feel Holmes was too restrained in some areas (forcing the Sontarans and Seville into it), but also far too unrestrained in others. 

I think Seville was a mandate by JNT cause he wanted another story set abroad. Holmes wanted it to be set in New Orleans originally, but it was too expensive

[Professor Flibble]

One of Rushy’s favorites I presume.

Hey, I like them too!

[Professor Flibble]

It’s weird cause it’s always been the cosiest bunkroom set to me. 

[Professor Flibble]

I haven’t been keeping count, but Colin Baker continues to do Peter Davison’s thing where he points in one direction/makes a decision to go one way and then goes the other. Lots of flipping coins to decide what to do, as well.

Iirc Colin said that he tried to include something from each Doctor. 

He also puts his hands in his trouser pockets like Davison did.

[Professor Flibble]

Original: Repetitive but fun

Animated: Repetitive but fun. And it has M’ress in it.

Original films: Voyage Home is my favourite, rest are very mixed

Next Gen: I mean it’s pretty solid, innit? Except the first season. 

Next Gen films: First Contact is good. The other three…ehhh

DS9: The best one, I think it speaks for itself 

Voyager: Generally as enjoyable as the other 90s Treks, but its premise falls flat rather quickly

Enterprise: Underrated, gets better as it goes along. Its finale is the worst Star Trek episode ever.

Abbrams films: Their existence doesn’t offend me, in fact I kinda forget they exist sometimes. But they’re alright.

Discovery: Watched the first 3 series. Yawn.

Picard: Watched the first series and a bit of the second. Ugh.

Lower Decks: I like it. The jokes are essentially just references but still it’s probably the most Star Trek feeling one I’ve seen since 2017. 

Prodigy: I’ve not seen it.

Strange: I’ve seen one episode, the musical one. I like that it tries to be Star Trek. Anson Mount is perfect recasting but the rest of the recasting is very shoddy.

Section 31: Heard about its existence in passing. Did it actually come out?

Academy: Not seen it.

[Professor Flibble]

The Space Museum is fascinating, because Robert Shearman talks about it like it’s a self-aware parody of Doctor Who, with how formulaic it is, the oppressed vs. oppressor stuff, the Moroks (Morons) and the Xerons (Zeros), how everything is old and everyone is bored etc. But it’s only season 2, and the show hasn’t been on long enough to over-do the things it’s supposedly parodying. It might just actually be shit. (Although I like it very much!) 

I’ve always unironically liked it. Drags a bit around the middle but it’s got some great ideas, and I’d also say every cliffhanger is great, and not just the first one cause that’s the one everyone goes on about.

[Professor Flibble]

It’s only season 2! Give them a break!

In fairness, the seasons were gargantuan in length back then. I mean, look at season 3. That’s at least three eras in one year. 

It’s mental to me Vicki and Ben and Polly are in the same season.

[Professor Flibble]

Oh and here’s the full picture because I’m quite happy with it. TARDIS is by Aidan Wilkinson

[Author]

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