tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287999849939481621.post2814695298163910232..comments2023-10-29T04:03:59.255-07:00Comments on Leftwing Criminologist: Review: Red Dwarf: Back To EarthUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287999849939481621.post-21121585516581372172009-04-16T03:25:00.000-07:002009-04-16T03:25:00.000-07:00This is Bernie Clifton - he was a staple of 80s ki...<A HREF="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtsQPt54SBg" REL="nofollow">This</A> is Bernie Clifton - he was a staple of 80s kid TV and royal variety shows. <br /><br />Yes, age does have a lot to do with it (sob). Despite being rather right wing in my young teens I was very into alternative comedy, and Red Dwarf grew out of that scene.<br /> <br />The reason why I lump six in with the previous five is because, despite the change of setting, the production values were the same, it was a Grant Naylor effort and the writing was as sharp as what went before. Series VII on was a more fundamental departure.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287999849939481621.post-89637074034003812302009-04-14T12:46:00.000-07:002009-04-14T12:46:00.000-07:00I posted this on facebook too, and someone comment...I posted this on facebook too, and someone commented on something else i was thinking. basically multi-part red dwarfs are generally crap. if you look at any of the decent episodes there is so much stuff crammed into them, whereas the multi-part episodes have so much dead weight.<br /><br />I still think series 7 and 8 are funny - but it wasn't quite the same kind of show anymore - maybe cos i'm younger than you i have a different perspective on that perhaps? maybe that has something to do with series 8 being the most watched (not sure if it was the most popular)<br />But i think my point about the shape of the show is true - adding kochanski in series 7 changed the shape of the show, as did writing out holly and red dwarf in series 6 (i was incorrect in the main post).<br /><br />who is bernie clifton? (probably before my time too)Leftwing Criminologisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369810078697007763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2287999849939481621.post-9564597617602879592009-04-14T12:12:00.000-07:002009-04-14T12:12:00.000-07:00Perhaps I was being unduly harsh with Naylor. Afte...Perhaps I was being unduly harsh with Naylor. After all TV production is a collective effort - there would have been ample opportunity for someone on the production staff to say this Red Dwarf was turning out to be a little bit crap.<br /><br />Re: my periodisation, this is of course all subjective but my main distinction between the first six series and what followed was that they were funny, and the latter weren't (how it was series VIII became the most rated is beyond me!).<br /><br />I don't know. I just don't think the conditions are right now for Red Dwarf. The cultural context that gave birth to the first six have long gone. This remember was the point where alternative comedy was starting to pass into the mainstream. With the total mainstreaming of its chief protagonists (who'd have thought Ben Elton could become as unthreatening as Bernie Clifton?) and its exhaustion, post-irony has come to rule the day. Under these circumstances Red Dwarf just looks tired. <br /><br />PS Cheers for linking - you've sent dozens of people my way today! Reciprocal link going up!Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06298147857234479278noreply@blogger.com