Red Dwarf | Back to Earth: Part 3| Series 9 | Gallifrey Pals Get Dwarfed
Added 2024-08-14 17:00:09 +0000 UTCWe've made it! To the end! And even got a couple questions answered!
Thank you all for being here with us on these watch throughs and thank you for always being a supportive and wonderful community!
PAULA DEMING
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KAT ALYSHA
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THE RETCON POD
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Comments
I know you wanted more stuff explained in the 1st episode - but let's be honest. This is a TV movie. Doug probably didn't want to split it up into 3 episodes. What movie explains everything in the first third? You also need to understand the context of the long gap at the time.. they had none of the old sets anymore.. hence having to use CGI/greenscreen on the Dwarf. They had hardly any budget.. hence the idea of filming most of it in the present day on Earth. Dave was a new spin off TV channel from the BBC that had decided to commission new Red Dwarf.. but this was very much testing the waters.. It very heavily paid tribute to Blade Runner. But I think it was a reasonable return after such a long gap with no real money. It kickstarted the new era of Red Dwarf.. it showed the fans were still out there and wanted more Despite some of it being weird, not having the studio audience and so on.. it was just so good to get some Red Dwarf back. I downloaded it off the net when it came out so watched all 3 parts back to back
Wagoo
2024-08-17 02:51:02 +0000 UTCthey did saw it in one piece. they had an entire conversation about how they are happy they did it.
tal goren
2024-08-16 22:13:45 +0000 UTCYeah, that's some important context, and I agree. Ditto Craig's acting - people tend to say "oh, he's a much better actor in later series" and while that may be true (he's older and more experienced, after all), I've thought his acting was good from the start. He's great with emotion and humor, and he's got great physical presence.
Katrine Myra
2024-08-16 20:50:06 +0000 UTCYou know what I meant.
Geraint Harrison
2024-08-16 16:59:21 +0000 UTCBlake's 7 too.
Troy Convers
2024-08-16 16:49:03 +0000 UTCThere's no episode one, it was a TV film chopped into three.
Troy Convers
2024-08-16 16:47:55 +0000 UTCI 100% agree episode 1 was disappointing. It’s all set up and was edited weirdly without music. Most of us didn’t really notice years after series 8, it was just nice to have and wasn’t thinking critically. Craig is a great actor and Red Dwarf doesn’t really let him stretch his acting chops as it were, compared to a soap like coronation street. Great reaction and commentary as usual gals!
Geraint Harrison
2024-08-16 13:29:10 +0000 UTCIt's been ages since I've seen it. I'm probably conflating two different comic relief specials: the Dr. Who one with the Cavalier one.
Lizbeth Marcs
2024-08-16 01:03:55 +0000 UTCI don't believe in objective criticism of media. It's always an opinion.
Ashley
2024-08-15 17:38:00 +0000 UTCWell say that then. In mine, the first few series X eps just feel...off
Troy Convers
2024-08-15 17:25:20 +0000 UTCI don't think it was the whole cast; just Rowan (and others...) as The Doctor, Julia Swalia as his assistant and the chefs kiss casting of Jonathan Pryce as The Master.
Troy Convers
2024-08-15 17:22:50 +0000 UTCThis is me.
Lizbeth Marcs
2024-08-15 15:56:06 +0000 UTCBig fan of Series 10 as well. I put it on the same level as Series 3, easily.
Lizbeth Marcs
2024-08-15 15:55:29 +0000 UTCI noticed a long time ago that I cannot understand where the time goes. And it's not just because I'm watching all these wibbly-wobbly shows.
Mike Connaghan
2024-08-15 03:18:05 +0000 UTCRepeat viewings have made me like Back to Earth overall. It's not the best Red Dwarf but it has some good stuff. The kids on the bus and Craig Charles acting are stand outs for me. Lister deciding to wake up from the fantasy to live was a pretty great moment. Also love Car Bug with my whole being. Lol. Anyway can't wait till next week for Series X.
Travis Boyle
2024-08-15 02:56:51 +0000 UTCLoved the next series.
Travis Boyle
2024-08-15 02:17:06 +0000 UTCBlackadder! Yay! My Sunday nights watching my local PBS station out of Boston was Blackadder, Red Dwarf, The Piglet Files, and Waiting for God. It's why I have Blackadder and Red Dwarf permanently linked in my head. Also Dr. Who alert for Blackadder. The Blackadder cast did a Dr. Who parody for one Comic Relief days in the U.K. The DVD set (which I own) has all kinds of goodies and one-offs like that. One of the odd things about the three episodes (which I think throws some people off), is that both Lister and RImmer are darker characters in this mini. They both have their moments throughout the series, but in this one they're both more aggressive AND they both commit cold-blooded murder (Rimmer with Kremlin Kate and Lister with the Creator) in an effort to keep themselves alive. Unlike in past episodes where it was balanced off with jokes or a little bit of backtracking, Back to Earth plays it a bit more seriously. But, yeah, Craig Charles definitely grew as an actor by leaps and bounds and he really can do the heavy lift in the emotional scenes. If the end of this run made you tear up, wait til you get to a particular scene in the movie. Plus it's nice to see both Craig Charles and Chris Barrie punching in the same weight class going forward. Also, let me add my voice to the people in here encouraging you to watch and react "Can't Smeg Won't Smeg". It's definitely worth the watch.
Lizbeth Marcs
2024-08-15 01:33:55 +0000 UTCCloe Annette after series 8 got married to the manager of the band Oasis. She cut back on acting had kids and became a full time mom. Apart from guest starring bits and of course this cameo she basically retired from acting.
Skyrous
2024-08-15 00:51:03 +0000 UTCI don't think've seen Blade Runner when I first saw BTE so I can say I did enjoy this slightly more on rewatch. But now we're over this, onward to better seasons! (Also hooray for Blackadder!)
Makhiel
2024-08-15 00:00:47 +0000 UTCOverall? Absolutely. And the ending is superb.
Katrine Myra
2024-08-14 22:52:01 +0000 UTCI'm so glad you got some joy out of it in the end... uh, in an entirely non-squiddy way. And on that note, I was entirely too pleased with myself for correctly guessing that it was all a squid-induced hallucination from the very first episode. (Possibly because Back to Reality is one of my favorite episodes.) I very much enjoyed rewatching it all though fresh and less biased eyes - I tend to remember Back To Earth as being better than it, objectively speaking, really is. Your critique is spot on, all of it - the first episode didn't drag as much for me as it did for you, but I agree there are major pacing issues throughout. Chief among them, as you point out, is the baffling editing and ending of the first episode. Why in the world wouldn't they end it as the crew enter the (fake) alternate universe? While I enjoy the Blade Runner references, they get a little too heavy handed, even for a fan like myself. And the series suffers from lack of internal coherency; they want to do a sly 'oooh, did they go to our universe and we're the ones who are fictional' thing at the end there, but it doesn't make sense: The world they went to is not our world, very clearly. Like VIII, there are a lot of ideas thrown together without much spit, polish or even thread. I see Back to Earth, flawed though it is, as an attempt to show the sides of Lister that are more deeply explored in the novels, and less so in the show, at least explicitly. The loss Lister experiences as the last human in the universe is devestating. He is 25 years old at the start of series I, and then the world ends, and the possibility of ever improving his life is torn away from him. In one instant, all the things he’s never done in his life; all the chances he’s let slip past, all the things he’s delayed or procrastinated from doing all hit him at once. Throughout the show he arguably struggles with depression to various degrees. His increasingly desperate optimism and holding on to the idea that he can still get Kochanski and go back to Earth when she and the rest of humanity has been dead for three million years becomes symbolic of that. Lister copes by rejecting reality; a recurring theme in the show. And of course, that eventually catches up with him. Repeatedly. In the novels, without spoiling the plot for those who haven't read them, Lister has a comparable experience to the one he has in Back to Earth, albeit much more elegantly (and eloquently) written. He has to let go of the past in order to allow himself not just to grown, but to survive. I will leave you with my favorite Rimmer quote from BTE - and honestly it's up there on the list in general: "Male squid, female squid; what's the difference?" *Rimmer salute for accidental gender-queer allyship* Sorry for the TED-talk, and thanks for remaining awesome!
Katrine Myra
2024-08-14 22:50:50 +0000 UTCIn my opinion it is. What of it? 😎
Ashley
2024-08-14 22:11:30 +0000 UTCLove me some Adders Black!
Mark Ten
2024-08-14 22:08:59 +0000 UTCMy copy combined the 3 episodes into a single movie which I found easier to enjoy. Anyway, love the next series. Cant wait.
Mark Ten
2024-08-14 22:06:48 +0000 UTCBefore you move on to Black Adder, which is a great series don't get me wrong. Might I suggest you try "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" NOT the 2005 movie but the 1981 BBC series. That was an inspiration for Red Dwarf in the early days Red Dwarf was often compared to it. It's 1 series 6 episodes total. It looks like Dr Who because they used Dr Who sets, one of the classic doctors even makes an appearance though you won't recognize him. It's less gross but even wackier than Red Dwarf. You'll never look at a mouse in quite the same way again.
Skyrous
2024-08-14 22:00:41 +0000 UTCThe first few eps feel like a sitcom pretending to be Red Dwarf; they almost feel 'American' in style.
Troy Convers
2024-08-14 21:57:38 +0000 UTCStill the weakest RD has been for me, but so much better than I remember. It still feels very "off" in places, but I don't hate it. Interesting to see you considering Blackadder. It's been a long time since I watched the first series of that show (Usually I skip straight to series 2) so I'm up for that.
Chris Devlin
2024-08-14 21:57:25 +0000 UTCIs it? 🤔
Troy Convers
2024-08-14 21:55:50 +0000 UTCSecond that one. I think it's even cannon
Frank Murphy
2024-08-14 21:33:10 +0000 UTCIt was alright! Lemons though golden
Frank Murphy
2024-08-14 21:31:20 +0000 UTCI assumed that many who watched s1e1 on utube didn't watch any more on utube and watched on patron instead.
Graem Peters
2024-08-14 21:09:56 +0000 UTCYou know. I kinda like BTE more after these reactions. Onward to S10. S10 is all bangers.
Ashley
2024-08-14 21:09:40 +0000 UTCIt was better than I remember though the director cut is probably the best way to watch. Coronation Street is a tv instruction in the uk having be running continuously since 1960 and even still having an original actor with William Roache still playing Ken Barlow after 64 years.
Alex Bennett
2024-08-14 20:51:15 +0000 UTCBeing that Blade Runner my favorite film, I loved all the nods to it throughout "Back to Earth". Excited that you have "Black Adder" penciled in on your watch calendar. Don't forget that it also has a Christmas special. It would be a fun thing to watch over the holidays.
Bruce Bromley
2024-08-14 20:02:02 +0000 UTCFunny lil Gal is reacting to Farscape now; I think it's a bit of a pallette cleanser for her as she watched BSG04 and it wrung her out like a dishcloth. 😄
Troy Convers
2024-08-14 19:21:37 +0000 UTCBlack Adder!?? yay so excited for that one. I have so many family memories watching that show. From when i was just a kid, to just a few years ago when I did a rewatch with my Dad in hospice in his final weeks. We bonded so strongly together over it, and brought us some much needed levity. So I am hype to go through it again with you guys! It never fails to cheer me up. This ending to BTE was a lot better than i remembered. the vibes are still a little off, and there were some odd choices, but i did still enjoy it. I honestly cannot remember the rest of the Red Dwarf instalments and i know i stopped at one point. So it's gonna be interesting to see where it goes. Much love to you both! Im glad my comments are basically said to your face because I only ever want to say nice things to you both <3
GillyBean
2024-08-14 18:46:23 +0000 UTCputting in a second request for "Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg"!
GillyBean
2024-08-14 18:41:32 +0000 UTCOoh I dunno, Series X starts out a bit rough. Ep 1 is well off.
Troy Convers
2024-08-14 18:31:44 +0000 UTCoh wait, i just realised, the awkward fades to black are for ad breaks. this was the first time the show was on a channel with ads
GillyBean
2024-08-14 18:13:34 +0000 UTCAll up hill from here on in lol
Frank Murphy
2024-08-14 18:07:22 +0000 UTCPersonally, I'd love to see them tackle Farscape, which I don't think gets nearly enough attention. Although the bonus of that is Stargate and Farscape (eventually) share some actors!
Raven Stromdans
2024-08-14 18:06:34 +0000 UTCI feel as though the strongest part of this little miniseries is this ending, especially the bit with Lister's struggle between returning to an uncertain reality and staying in a false but comforting hallucination. This is arguably some of Craig Charles most emotive acting to date in the show and it's really unexpectedly moving. Maybe I'm extra susceptible to it because I found the description of Kochanski in the books really stuck so strongly to my psyche ("the girl with the pinball eyes" I think she was described - when she was excited, her eyes positively lit up a room). I'm admittedly less impressed by the Blade Runner allusion than probably a lot of sci-fi fans, but nevertheless I enjoyed the miniseries as a whole and in particular found the resolution (with a great call back to a very popular previous episode) really worked for me. So happy you two came around at least a bit by the end. So looking forward to seeing the beginning of the next series. Still wondering if y'all are going to check out "Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg", which personally I think is a lot of fun. Keep Calm and Smeg On, Gallifrey Pals! Me and Mr. Flibble will be here trying to create synthetic Joy Squid ink to sell on the black market! What's that, Mr. Flibble? The fuzz! LEG IT, WE'RE RUMBLED!
Raven Stromdans
2024-08-14 18:00:46 +0000 UTCI've been waiting for you for ages to get to this bit, just for the Kochanski reveal; it always leaves me in tears. There's no way that Clare Grogan could have bought this level of gravitas to that scene that Chloe Annett does, and Craig's acting game has improved in the nine year gap because of his role in 'Corrie', one that he did on and off for 10 years. FYI, Coronation Street is a British institution, much like General Hospital or Days of Our Lives in the US, and The Priory is like Betty Ford, as Craig was (and still is) battling addiction issues. Rimmer, Kryten and Kat in The Kabin newsagents is just fucking hilarious and Rimmer's impersonation of Bet Lynch is just chef's kiss. At least now you see why the whole story was so surreal and again, you would have so benefitted from seeing it in one piece.
Troy Convers
2024-08-14 17:51:44 +0000 UTCFor me, Lister's arc in this, along with Craig's acting, is the highlight of BTE. Forgetting real world logistics, I headcanon the timeskip between 8 and BTE as being Lister thinking he's lost Kochanski and getting depressed (he says in this he'd been 'dead for ages' and that he was basically sat around waiting on the end), but by the end of this he's in a much better place mentally, and we've learned that Kochanski is still alive... and that's why the adventures pick back up. A show I'd recommend for when you're done with BSG would be Stargate SG-1 if you've not seen it.
Sue the Scottish Geek
2024-08-14 17:44:31 +0000 UTCCool onto S10. Think that's 3 years after these specials. So 12 years from the ending of S8. What a show 👏
Jonathan Giles
2024-08-14 17:08:09 +0000 UTC
