Not Another Top (X) List: Ranking Gravity Falls Season 1

Told ya I had a New Years trick up my sleeve, didn't I?

Greetings, everyone! You're on the Geek Centre, where we're celebrating the new year by doing a bit of a countdown of every episode of one of the greatest TV shows of all time, Gravity Falls! I'm counting down all 20 episodes of Season One. Essentially, this is similar to what I did back in April, with the worst and best episodes of the season. However, this encompasses all of the episodes from Season 1. They go from my least favourite to my, well, favourite. As well, I'll be giving a one-or-two sentence review on these episodes.

I must stress that there are no "bad" Gravity Falls episodes- just weak Gravity Falls episodes.

Alright, Fallers! Let's not waste any time!

Not Another Top (X) List: Top 11 Best Episodes of Red Dwarf (So Far)

Merry Christmas, and welcome back (again) to...

NOT ANOTHER TOP (X) LIST!

At the beginning of our Christmas Spectacular Thing, we took a look at the top 8-ish worst episodes of Red Dwarf. By the end, the questions you were asking were probably... 

1. "Why the hell did you not go completely mad?"
2. "Why look at the bad of this show?"
3. "Why was Red Dwarf still your favourite show, even after you reviewed this tripe?"

To all three of those questions, I present this list. You see, when Red Dwarf was at it's lowest, during the doldrums of Series VII and VIII, I thought back and actually asked myself these questions.

The thing is that, even with those 16 maligned episodes in Series VII and VIII, and with the more lukewarm material that came afterward, 35 of the first 36 episodes of Red Dwarf were some fantastic television. At worst, those episodes were a bit off, but not too bad. On average, those episode were some funny, somewhat deep television. At it's best? Simply put, at it's best, Red Dwarf is some of the best television I've ever seen.

Where else could you see an odious failure of a man revealed to be a man with neuroses, a man held back by the worst that life had to offer? Where else did a seemingly one-dimensional fashionista have some of the best dexterity in the history of TV? Where else could one see a loopy computer pull the occasional trick up his sleeve? Where else could a subservient robot use his order to manipulate the system, and almost crack his programming due to the surroundings he faced every day. And where else could a man who seem to be satisfied with the simpler things in life, an utterly unmotivated slob, actually hold deep-seated values, and coincide the negative side of his id with actions that make him one of the kindest people in fiction?

And what other show would pack it all in with comedy that hits both ends of the scale? Jokes about modern pop culture and sex flow into jokes about historical figures that few may have even known about.

That's why Red Dwarf is so brilliant. Through the doldrums, I never forgot about the brilliance of the best episodes.

I picked out 11 episodes that I feel are required viewing for any fan of Red Dwarf. OK, these are mainly my favourites, but you get the idea. I was originally going to do 10, but I realised that would exclude an episode that I feel needs to be on the list. These episodes are the best that Grant/Naylor have to offer. The highest parts of the list are some of the best TV I've ever seen.

Now, as with my "Worst Episodes" list, my opinions may have changed since I reviewed them, albeit not by too much.

So, here we are...

THE TOP 11 BEST EPISODES OF RED DWARF (SO FAR)

Not Another Top (X) List: Ranking the Series of Red Dwarf (So Far)

Hello, and welcome to...

NOT ANOTHER TOP (X) LIST!

Last time, we took a look at the 8 worst episodes in the history of Red Dwarf, plus one that surpassed the 8 so far in badness that it ranked under the eight (know what I'm saying?) Since I expect the last list to debut on Christmas, I have decided to bridge the "bad" with the "good" by ranking every series of Red Dwarf so far, from worst to best. I think the start of the list is pretty predictable- it's the rest of the series that might throw a curveball or two.

In addition, I have decided to add the "worst episode" and "best episode" from the season. Here's the deal- the best episode from the best season might not (not necessarily "won't") make it to #1 on the "top episodes" list. Likewise, a "best episode" from a lower-ranked series might make it to #1 on the "top episodes list".

Oh, and none of the DVD covers featured here belong to me.

Enough stalling... let's begin!

Not Another Top (X) List: Top 8-ish Worst Episodes of Red Dwarf (So Far)

Note to self: invest in Photoshop!

Hello, and welcome to another edition of....

NOT ANOTHER TOP (X) LIST!

Oh, and it's December! Time for our...

CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR THING!

Over the past two years, I took a look at Red Dwarf. I've seen the highs, I've seen the lows. I've seen the best, I've seen the worst. I've seen Duane Dibbley and the Polymorph. I saw Krytie TV and the Dinosaur. I've watched the characters evolve, devolve, and everything in between.

Now, until Series XI premieres (or until I get around to re-reviewing episodes), it's the end of the road for our look at Red Dwarf.

When Red Dwarf was good, it was awesome. It's characters, plots, and humor were unparalleled in British Comedy, in science-fiction, in TV. The construction of a solid majority of the episodes is awesome, and quite a few episodes are perfection.

Yet, to say it's not perfect would be an understatement. The bad episodes of Red Dwarf ranged from duff episodes to some of the worst TV I've ever watched. Now, debate can range on if and when Red Dwarf went down the tubes, if and when it recovered, and if and when the show's legacy was tarnished by the weaker seasons.

Still, I feel fit to put in my top examples on when Red Dwarf failed to meet the high standards set by the cream of the crop... of if it just failed, period.

Now, a disclosure: this is not in the order that I graded them, nor could the episode that I may have noted was the worst episode ever at the time of review make it to #1 on this list. This is purely on reflection. My opinions may have changed since I originally reviewed these episodes, albeit only slightly.

Oh, and stories=episodes.

Ladies and gentlemen, X=8. After the jump...

THE TOP 8 WORST EPISODES OF RED DWARF (SO FAR)

Gravity Falls Review: "The Love God" (Season 2, Episode 9)

Romance: the sweetest, yet the cruelest, of all emotions.

Airdate: November 26, 2014.

Synopsis: Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, and the rest of the teens find Robbie in a graveyard, mourning his love life (or lack thereof). Imagining herself as a matchmaker, Mabel decides to examine the psyche of Robbie and get him into a love life. Her attempts to match Robbie up with mobilephile Tambry seem to fail, until she manages to procure (read: steal) a potion from a rocker who claims to be a Love God (voiced by John DiMaggio). The two fall in love, but also causes a row within the circle of teenagers.

Review (SPOILERS AHOY): Let's cut to the chase- this episode is among the weakest in the short history of this show, mainly because of the ending. But, let's save why for a bit later on.

This is the first episode written by Simpsons showrunner Josh Weinstein. He, alongside Bill Oakley, ran the last two "classic" seasons of The Simpsons, with episodes taking on a somewhat more "domestic" role, exploring the emotions of the characters and how they interact in the unit of Springfield. This is compared to the episodes run by David Mirkin previously, which tended to using the characters to place themselves in wacky situations that showed the problems of society, and Mike Scully thereafter, which tended more towards campy plots with characters (like Homer, Bart, Homer, Lisa, and Homer) inserted because celebrities are cool. This episode is indicative of Weinstein's run- it's by far the most "down to earth" episode this season, showing an exploration of characters within the town.

Last season, we saw a sizeable portion of the character focus go to the Pines family, with much of the rest going to the antagonists. The teenagers, the Average Joes and Janes of Gravity Falls, were often put in the background. Only Wendy and Robbie got anything approaching development; even then, they were largely denied the pathos that encompassed Stan, Dipper, and Mabel. This episode finally decides to delve into the characters of the teenagers.

Robbie's back, his first time as a "role-player" in an episode since the "CD hypnosis incident" in "Boyz Crazy". Depending on the interpretation of the events of that episode, his actions in that episode showed him at his absolute lowest- willing to hypnotize Wendy into possibly sleeping with him. This episode cements all of his follow-up attempts to get Wendy to date him again- he's literally a broken man.

The thing is, I might have been a bit too harsh in my review of "Boyz Crazy". Don't get me wrong- if Robbie meant to hypnotize Wendy, he deserved his punishment. However, if he didn't, he was merely an idiot that rivals Arnold Rimmer in terms of how pathetic he can be. He has no talent, is a coward, and tries to masquerade it with depictions of grandeur, such as faking songwriting and telling mind-erasing societies that he kicked the ass of a video game character. Beyond his image is that of a man who knows he's broken, who has locked himself out from the world.

Again, going back to "Boyz Crazy", how his breakup with Wendy affected him depends on your interpretation of the events of that episode. If Robbie meant to hypnotize Wendy, we see that Robbie made an attempt (albeit a horrible, callous, self-serving attempt) to maintain what he knew was a failing relationship, and may be regretting his deception (optimistically- pessimists may take the road that he was regretting the exposure of his failure). If he didn't, he realized that something horrible happened, he doesn't know what, and that life screwed with him.

Incredibly, Robbie's gothic tragedy contrasts starkly with his parents. Sure, Mr and Mrs Valentino appear to be chipper and happy. Yet, when you get down to it, they are almost sociopathic. They gleefully run a funeral home, smile when people appear to be on the verge of death, seem to ignore the troubles of their son... I could make a good case explaining that Robbie is rebelling against his parent's strange personalities by taking on an ironic gothic image- one that seems to rebel against society, yet one who runs on the id- this in deep contrast to his parents, who seem happy, yet seem moved by the cheques they get from running a funeral home in Gravity Falls.

The eponymous character in this episode, the Love God, is certainly one of the quirkier one-shot characters in the history of Gravity Falls. This personification of Ares Eros, you would expect to be soft and inquisitive. However, the Love God in here is pure id in the other way- he's a slob, he loves to rock, and he'll make pretty much anything fall in love with anything. However, he knows that he has powers that could cause great danger, that putting it in the wrong hands could cause trouble for all involved.

We also see that Dipper finally has gelled with the crowd of teenagers, often falling into the same patterns of behavior and likes as the rest. Is it genuine? Or is it a mere attempt to blend in? I'll go with the former, but it is a decent question worth asking.

Mabel's romantic perspective is also thrown in a loop. Her viewpoint on love is a series of 80s rom-com cliches. She believes that love can occur with a "love potion", that love at first sight can exist, etc. This episode challenges the love at first sight, and she realizes the power that love can have, in both a destructive manner and a positive manner.

Now it seems like I'm giving this episode praise. So why, at the beginning of the episode, did I call it one of the weakest episodes of the series?

Unfortunately, Tambry is effectively relegated to a secondary player in the game of love. Sure, we get insights into her character via her interactions with Robbie, the sarcasm and the snark. Still, she remains an enigma, trapped in the cloud of her cell phone.

This episode also continues on a trend involving Mabel-centered plotlines- a majority of them have involved romance. Hopefully, this episode puts romance in Gravity Falls on the back burner, but given Mabel's goal is to have an "epic summer romance", I doubt it.

The rest of the teenagers also seem to be but mere pawns in the romantic subplot- a pretty weak attempt to create tension. Characters in Gravity Falls normally react less irrationally to situations like this, so why does this cause such a massive rift? I can write some of it off by explaining it as the destructive power of love, but I think Weinstein just needed tension.

Ending an episode without restoring the status quo is a risky maneuver. In this instance, I can't say that the writers succeeded that well. I mean, this episode has Robbie and Tambry hypnotized into loving each other, and it's not reversed. That's a tiny bit creepy. The reason? Because the concept of a love potion is creepy in and of itself. Why?

Well, Rick and Morty actually did a damn good exploration into the drawbacks of a love potion. In the episode "Rick Potion #9", probably my favorite episode of the show, Morty convinces Rick to make a potion, in order to get Jessica to fall in love with him. After that goes horribly wrong (read, almost everybody on earth is turned into Cronenburgs), Rick blasts Morty for even asking him to create the love potion, using the logic that the concept of a Love Potion is essentially a pseudo-date rape drug- essentially forcing the victim to fall in love with the applicant.

Granted, this episode used it's version of the love potion for two external people instead of using it in a "want this person to fall for me, so I'll use a love potion on her" manner. Also, it does provide a bit of irony that one relationship was brought down by hypnosis, while another one was kicked off by hypnosis. Still, that's a bit creepy.

Also, the ending of the "conflict" was also a bit disturbing. The teens are reunited by their mutual love of seeing Thompson as the center of the world's abuse- their picking fence. That's... a bit of a tragic, awkward ending... too awkward for me.

I think the biggest problem with this episode was that it tried a bit too hard to be a comedy-focused episode. Which is fine. After episodes focusing on parental abandonment, mind-erasure, abusive relationships, body theft, extreme nationalism, dangers in romance, and the dangers of ambition, a comedy-focused episode is certainly a necessary evil. Still, it seemed to come at the expense of potential character comedy.

Again, the fact that I could analyze Robbie and his parents as deeply as I could is pretty remarkable, given that this episode was pretty weak. That, and even the weakest Gravity Falls episode is still better than 85% of television.

But, it just didn't gel fantastically.

Who knows? I just think the reason why this episode was weak was because it was Weinstein's first episode. Hopefully, his next episode makes this look like a mere outlier on an otherwise pretty good record.

Tidbits:

• John DiMaggio is pretty much perfect as the Love God. DiMaggio, for those unaware, often voices id-based characters, such as Bender from Futurama and Jake from Adventure Time. It seems like the Love God was made especially for DiMaggio to voice.
• There was actually a subplot focusing on a local indie concert, with Stan trying to get "with the kids" at the concert... for the purpose of making money. I found the send-ups to Oregon-based culture pretty damn funny, and Stan's attempts to get a few extra bucks even funnier.
• Why, when the Love God used the "visions of heartbreak past", did it only show Mabel's crushes? There might be an answer. Is it implying that Dipper never had a crush until Wendy? Possibly. Is it also implying that Dipper is on good enough terms with Wendy that being let down wasn't heartbreak? Maybe... even though "Into the Bunker" still showed him quite solemn after Wendy let him down.
• Dear DisneyXD: Pick a timeslot and STICK TO IT!
• Interesting to note that this is the weakest episode of the season, and it's the 9th episode. Last season brought us the "Time Travelers Pig", the 9th episode of the 1st season, and that was my least favorite episode of the show up to that point. I really hope there isn't a "9th episode curse" developing.
• One last note: it appears we're entering another Gravity Falls drought. No episodes are scheduled for December, so far. If anything changes, I'll edit this.

Favorite Scene: Pretty much every second at the funeral home. Brilliant character analysis and pathos on both sides of the coin.

Least Favorite Scene: The ending of both the romantic plot and the friend breakup plot. Too awkward by half.

Score: 6.5.

(Edit 21/7/15: Score was originally 7. Adjusted down to 6.5. Partially done in hindsight, partially done just to make the scores better fit the reviews.)

Gravity Falls Review: "Blendin's Game" (Season 2, Episode 8)

Airdate: November 10th, 2014

Back and louder than ever! (Image shamelessly taken from Gravity Falls Wiki)

Synopsis: In the year 207012, escaped convict Blendin Blandin manages to temporarily evade remanding into custody by declaring GLOBNAR!!!! on the people he argues ruined his life- Dipper and Mabel Pines, in the year 2012. There, Dipper and Mabel try to get to the centre of Soos's birthday blues. Winding up back with the Time Tape Machine (which is like Red Dwarf's Time Drive), the two morons wind up in the year 2002, where they examine a typical birthday for Soos... while being chased by Blendin and fellow guards to partake in GLOBNAR!!!!!!!

GLOBNAR!!!!, for those wondering, is basically The Hunger Games meets Laser Tag meets koon-ut-kal-if-fee. Winner gets to determine loser's fate, and gets a wish.

Review (SPOILERS AHEAD!): Last time we met Blendin Blandin, we saw him in "The Time Travellers Pig". At that point, I considered "Time Travellers Pig" my least favourite episode of Gravity Falls, due to the many slips in logic prevalent. To recap:

• Why does Dipper give up a chance of a stronger bond between him and Wendy just so Mabel can have a damn pig? I know, Dipper's a kind kid, but that's still a bit too latent.
• Why did we view Blendin as the antagonist when the only bad thing he did was set down his time drive?
• Why does Mabel get off free from learning about sacrifice, when her desires were stupider than Dippers?
• Why set up the Mabel/Dipper/Wendy triangle?
• Why Robbie?

Admittedly, the episode grew on me a little bit. I no longer have the deep loathing that I had from it before- I appreciate it addressing the negative effects of causality (stupid as the example given may be), and in hindsight, maybe it wasn't the best idea to have Dipper get the stuffed animal for Wendy, given that he, up to that point, just wanted to sleep with her because he had the hots for her.

I mentioned that because this episode is a sequel to "Time Travellers Pig". Here, while there are a few slips in logic, these are far easier to forgive, mainly because they don't distract from this episode's raison d'etre.

This episode concentrates on extending some Pathos for Soos. For a long time, Soos sort of fit as the "comic relief character". While there were many hints that he was wise, he just seemed to be the go-to-guy for a quick joke or two. This episode is the first one to really peel away at his background- that, as happy-go-lucky as he appears to be, his "unorthodox" family situation has altered him. It has, however, encouraged him to become what his father wasn't- he tries to be a good, if childish, parental figure to anybody and everybody, often being a paragon of wisdom. Again, this is balanced out by his lack of maturity.

"Blendin's Game" is also a total inverse of "Time Travellers" in the motives of Dipper and Mabel. In that episode, both characters were wondering how they could improve their own self interests. Their goals, however, were so irrational (Mabel's even more so) that, not only was logic skipped, but it made almost nobody likeable. Sure, Dipper wanted irrational romance (i.e. to make out with Wendy). Mabel wanted a pig. Granted, hindsight proved that romance was never going to work out. That, and it did expose flaws within the characters, which is not really a bad thing. But a pig? A freaking pig?

OK, back on track. This episode has Dipper and Mabel acting purely in the interests of other people- they wanted Soos to have a reunion with his dad, showing a level of innocent selflessness on both ends. They give their wish, which could've been used any which way, to Soos. That, my friends, is friendship!

And what is the wish used for?

Well, let's just say it shows a great sense of maturity from the immature. Soos, as childish as he might seem, is really the most grounded, well-adjusted character in the show.

Oh, by the way, Blendin's back! This is probably the largest issue I took with this particular episode. In "The Time Travellers Pig", Blendin was way too sympathetic to have received the punishment he got. This episode, he's made as annoying as possible, almost wanting to see Dipper and Mabel die. Whatever little logic he had is chucked out the window in favour of a near-murderous rage. Dipper and Mabel don't reciprocate the feelings- they let him go scot-free, and with a new head of hair to boot! Again, this shows a level of idealism on Mabel's part- it's hard for her to hold a grudge. Still, you would think they went a bit far with rewarding Blendin for wanting the twins dead.

Will I say it's perfect? Probably not. Is it an improvement over "Time Travellers Pig"? Hell yes.

Tidbits:

• Remember a couple of weeks ago, when I declared Justin Rolland a genius for his work on Rick and Morty? He voices Blendin Bladin. They actually do a bit of a send-up to the voice acting found in Rick and Morty, what with Blendin stuttering to get words out.
• Take notice of the various backgrounds found in 2002. Once you notice them, it really is a depressing look at the screwed up nature of the town. What, was everybody having their mind wiped?
• I wasn't a fan of the development between Mabel and Candy in this episode. It really does seem like they're using Candy and Grenda for joke fodder now. Mabel seemed out of character in that particular scene.
• Nothing like cake-flavoured pizza and pizza-flavoured cake!

Favourite Scene: The scenes that involve GLOBNAR!!!!!!!!

Least Favourite Scene: Back in 2002, Robbie shows up, squirts Dipper and Mabel with a water gun, and then says "Young Robbie!" I'm sorry- this is not how kids speak. Hopefully, future episodes expand on Robbie's character.

Score: 8.5.

Scullyfied Simpsons: Season 9, Episode 19: "Simpson Tide"

Airdate: 29 March, 1998.

Synopsis: Fired by the Nuclear ("nuc-u-lar") Power Plant again, Homer sees an ad for the US Navy reserve, and promptly signs up. His friends are convinced enough to sign up, as well. During the "war games" scenario, he is placed on a Nuclear ("nuc-u-lar") sub. This can only end well... by which, I mean can only end in a Cold War revival, complete with the Soviet Union.

"We thought you broke up!"

"That's what we wanted you to think!" 

Cue the Berlin Wall and the threat of nuclear ("nuc-u-lar") disaster!

Oh, and Bart gets an earring to try and be cool. Apparently, The Bartman is "so 1991". Homer is not pleased.

Review: This episode is an unusual one, indeed. It's one of those episodes that I should loathe, but can't bring myself to hate.

Let's face it: it has several traits that would become cliches of the Mike Scully era of The Simpsons. Homer gets a new job, becomes supremely respected by his boss (more than he should), has to take charge because his boss is an idiot, his friends join into his "scheme of the week" for no reason, the plot goes from "relatively grounded" to "street-rat crazy" at the flick of a switch, the progression barely makes any sense, and Homer gets off with a slap on the wrist for almost plunging the world into chaos. Oh, and the show dabbles in meta humour.

Sounds like a trainwreck, eh?

Actually, it's pretty entertaining- one of my favourites from this (so far) otherwise mediocre season. As I implied in my "Principal and the Pauper" review, I am willing to reduce the weight of an episode's flaws in my views if the episode is hilarious enough. Now, there are exceptions, but this episode is not one of them.

I think that most of the reasoning behind this episode's "funniness" would have to be rooted in the showrunners for this episode- Al Jean and Mike Reiss. While their era was not as zany as, say, the David Mirkin Era, they did distance the show somewhat from it's domestic origins, allowing for wider swaths of characters to engage in a plot, as well as characters engaging in less "home-based"/more community-based plots. This episode just happens to take it to the extreme end of the spectrum, dwarfing Mirkin's era in terms of zaniness.

If anything, I'm a bit disappointed that this episode didn't try harder with the jokes about the USSR- a sign of things to come. They could've made jokes about the fall of the union, the failures of central planning, etc. Instead, they chose to colour by numbers- the Berlin Wall, Lenin, the tanks in Moscow, etc. Still funny, but a bit of a low-ball.

Also, while Homer does progress quite far up the command for an "average joe", this episode doesn't exactly use him as a "pain magnet"- a trend in Modern Simpsons episode where Homer would suffer injuries, and walk away unscathed, going on to act like a Macho Sue idiot all the way. Plus, he does give up some of his hubrus- he realises that Bart getting the earring may have saved him in the long run.

That, and it does make note of the influence of the media on modern conflict, what with the Channel 6 News Report pretty much calling Homer a traitor and a communist, followed by the USSR coming back. Or maybe it was just coincidence. Eh, still interesting.

Oh, and character? A little bit mixed. I mentioned Homer and his dubious promotion to captain already. Captain Tenille? Funny, and pretty well developed, what with the relatively small amount of time given to the character. Bart? His rebellion by getting an ear piercing seems to harken back to his rebellious character, yet here, he seems desperate to "follow the leader" of Milhouse... yet failing epically. Maybe it's a sign that his "rebel" character would be phased out in favour of a more "desperate" character. Sad. Still, the other characters did seem to be more than pawns in the adventures of "Captain Wacky", as some have called post-classic Homer.

Let's see- if there were a few changes to the plot, if maybe some of Homer's "progression up the ziggurat" was toned down, if maybe the flow was a bit better, if maybe characters didn't materialise out of thin air (Smithers, anybody), this episode would fit pretty damn well in the Mirkin Era. Instead, I have to take it for what it is- a Scully-era episode (not a Scully episode) that worked pretty damn well, given that I laughed through it. A rare breed, indeed.

Tidbits:

• OK, there was one clever reference to the USSR. When talking about his experience in the Navy, Abe references JFK, and a comment that made his sailors think that he was disloyal to the Allied Forces. Who else was president when tensions between the USSR and the US reached a fever pitch?
• "I'd like to get my ear pierced?" "Well, better make it quick, kiddo. In five minutes, this place is becoming a Starbucks!" That is all.
• Admittedly, I can excuse some of Homer's promotion by a line that indicates that Captain Tenille has some Navy-related trauma.
• One last note: due to personal matters, the review for "Blendin's Game" might not go out until next weekend. I apologise in advance for the long delay.

Favourite Scene: OK, I'll bite: the scene with Tenille getting shot out of the torpedo tubes was a brilliant piece of dark comedy.

Least Favourite Scene: I still can't buy the Village People actually singing "In The Navy" while on a submarine, plus Smithers, plus the sub going underwater while they're all still outside. That was too dark for me.

Score: 7. Again, given mainly for the comedy.

Red Dwarf X: Wrap Up

Well, that, my friends, is a series!

Red Dwarf X, the first "real" Red Dwarf series since 1999, is finally finished. So, after all this speculation, after all the waiting, how did this series turn out?

Admittedly, not too bad.

I think some of what worked for Red Dwarf X was the expectations... in that the fans really didn't have too many expectations. Given the shaky quality of VII, VIII, and (to a lesser extent) BTE, it would appear that the only way this series could fail is if every single person onboard was incompetent.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case, given the limitations.

I think that, if this season was any indication, this was largely a case of "playing it safe" actually working.

• Some revelations about Rimmer's family aside, the series really used the current traits of the characters, rather than build on them. Sure, Lister took up a robotics course, but that was more for brief gags.
• This season was very much like a hodgepodge of various series, with emphasis on I-III's "ship-based" comedy. Few scenes were shot outside of Red Dwarf, and there were fewer scenes with location shooting.
• The show tread on familiar concepts- the computer gone rogue, meeting a famous figure, Rimmer battling his inner demons involving his family, etc. While there was some mismanagement involving these ("Dear Dave"), sometimes, they worked out quite well ("The Beginning")

I think Doug Naylor saw the complaints levied to Series VII and VIII, and decided to go "back to basics". Which is fine, but...

...I wasn't so livid at the changes during VII and VIII as much as I was the fact that they were implemented horridly. Kochanski could've been a fantastic character. Instead, she was reduced to a bland character, her one trait being that she was a female on a male's ship. Putting the crew in prison, while a questionable idea, might have worked. Instead, the comedy was reduced to the lowest of levels, and the characters were obnoxious.

Here, the characters weren't annoying, and the comedy worked. Safe to say that the execution was decent.

In hindsight, the main thing about this series is that it feels like the last hurrah. It ended on a satisfactory note. There's really no need for an 11th series.

That, and it seems like they've told all the stories that can be told. I mean, the return was good, but it seems like any more would, again, be unnecessary.

Hopefully, Series XI lives up to the standards of Red Dwarf X.

Which leads me to the TL;DR: Red Dwarf X held it's own against the classics. It wasn't perfect - "Dear Dave" was weak - but it was still a nice return to form.

But we're not really done.

This December, our Christmas Spectacular Thing will be lists related to Red Dwarf. The first list? The top 8 worst episodes of Red Dwarf.

So far.

Red Dwarf Review: Series X, Episode 6: "The Beginning"

Airdate: 8 November, 2012

Synopsis: In the year 2200-ish, at IO Tech, Rimmer's teacher, Mr Rimmer, uses Rimmer as a guinea pig to make him unsure of his decisions through life... as punishment for being late to class.

Three million years later, a rogue droid named Hogey wants apparently another duel across time and space with the Dwarfers. They aren't even fazed. Making matters stranger this time around is that Hogey stole a map of the various black holes through the universe from a Simulant Death Ship. Said simulants weren't too pleased, and begin attacking Red Dwarf. The crew escape in Blue Midget, where they fear death. Rimmer, in particular, fears death so much he brings a holo-lamp that his father gave him to play the day he became an officer. With his father on his mind, he is unable to concentrate on a plan of action. Thus, he decides to take the ultimate dive, and play the holo-lamp early, proving that he doesn't care about his father's opinion anymore. There, Rimmer's father reveals something stunning about Rimmer's lineage.

Review (SPOILERS): There are three absolutes in life: death, taxes, and Red Dwarf episodes being constructed as "last episodes ever".

Ever since Series V's epic "Back to Reality", every series of Red Dwarf (bar VII) ended with an episode ambiguous to the future of the series. Ironically, the even numbered series since V have ended with Rimmer called upon to save the ship. "Out of Time" was an epic ending for Rimmer. "Only the Good", eh, not so much.

Thankfully, this is quite the improvement over "Only the Good", by giving us actual character development for Rimmer.

We've learned through the history of the series just how Rimmer's parents mistreated the guy. This episode goes beyond the exposition that was featured in "Better Than Life", instead showing that, as punishment for being late, Rimmer's father wants to make him unsure of the choices in life. Now, one could argue that this was an attempt to make it so that Rimmer wouldn't be gung-ho in everything. Yet, the rest of the abuse that he got already made Rimmer insecure. This pushed him over the edge- he became unsure of any of his answers.

It's here where we get a moment where he "mis-gets" the note his seatmate gives to him as an insult. He delivers a far crueller one back. Thus, we see the spark that kicks off Rimmer's odious behaviour- a really bad day in class pushed him over the edge.

Flash forward three million years, and the time comes for Rimmer to formulate a plan against the damned simulants. The thought of his father has weighed him down. He wants to get his acceptance, he's driven down by the fact that he's dead. Yet, at the same time, he barely conveys his hatred of the man's abuse. We saw that in "Better Than Life". We saw him say how he looked up to his father, despite railing against his abuse.

Here, he drops any pretence of a good relationship with his father. He drops the contradiciton between either side. He ignores his father's pressure.

And it turns out... he has nothing to worry about. Why?

Rimmer's father was actually the family gardener.

With that realised, Rimmer now knows that he's already probably made his father proud. Simply not being a dopey labourer, actually proceeding up the career ladder (albeit only one step) would've made him proud. He no longer has to live up to the high standards of Mr Rimmer.

Thus, he's able to formulate a plan that relies on his personality... surrendering with the threat of bureaucracy. This time, it really works.

Oh, and Rimmer's not the only one to get character development. The Cat manages to convince Rimmer, a man he has despised from day one, to give up on pleasing his father. All while playing with a string and a stick. While the Cat might have not gotten too much in the way of character development through the history of the series, it's moments like these that make the character that much more loveable.

Lister and Kryten were somewhat stagnant here. It wasn't their episode. While not a huge problem, it just seemed like they were, at best, bystanders to Rimmer's action. They got some funny lines, but not too much in the way of development.

That, and the simulants were still simulants. At least here, though, there was some interaction between them. It gave us a chance to look into the seemingly everyday actions of the primary antagonists of Red Dwarf.

Looking back on this episode... I really think that Red Dwarf XI might not have been necessary. This provides enough of an open end to continue on. Yet, here, as with "Out of Time", we saw Rimmer finally overcoming his neurosis to provide a great heroic moment. There, it was an impulse, a genuine care for his friends, that got him to step up to the plate. Here, it's realising that his father only served to trash his life, and does not deserve to be given the time of day via reaching the highest of high standards. He banished the ultimate demon from his past.

I'd have been perfectly satisfied if this was the last Red Dwarf ever. It's not "Back to Reality". But, I'd be willing to say that it's on par with "Out of Time". Maybe if there had been a somewhat more unique antagonist like in "Out of Time", it would surpass it.

Will I review Red Dwarf XI? Yes. Will I go back and re-review the early years of Red Dwarf? Likely. Still, for now, after 61 episodes, after the highs and the lows, the good and the bad, the TIVs and the dinosaurs... we have completed the outlook on Red Dwarf.

Look out, Dwarfers.

The slime's coming home.

Tidbits:

• Again, this episode replaced a Kochanski two-parter. It may have given us "Dear Dave", but this more than makes up for it.
• Oh, there's a c-plot about some wacko GELF named Hogey pestering the crew for a duel across time and space to waste time. At least that led into the plot. No commentary about call centres, accident report forms, and Chinese Whispers here!
• Rimmer's father reappears. He had previously appeared in "Better Than Life", played by John Abineri. Abineri wasn't exactly alive at the time of filming this episode, however. So, they brought in Simon Treves, who has done some writing and directing work for other British TV shows. He also acted in the Fry/Laurie show Jeeves and Wooster.

Favourite Scene: "Arnold... I'm not your father." With that, the episode, and the franchise, are forever changed... maybe for the better.

Least Favourite Scene: The scene with one of the Simulants apologising to the Head Simulant just turned me off. It's the darkest thing I've seen on Red Dwarf in a long time.

Score: 8

Red Dwarf Review: Series X, Episode 5: "Dear Dave"

Airdate: 1 November, 2012

Synopsis: Lister's having one of those days where he mopes around about being the last human alive. To interrupt his sadness, he realises that two vending machines are fighting for his affections. Making matters worse? He gets a letter from the past, telling him that he may have sired a kid. Meanwhile, Rimmer is threatened with demotion by the ship's on-board computer (not Holly, sadly) for failure to perform duties, putting him on par with Lister. He realises that he'll be able to avoid being put on equal footing if he can convince the computer that Lister's nuts, thus giving him an excuse as to why he didn't perform.

Review: Let's get this off the bat - this is the weakest episode of Red Dwarf X. The reason? It seems like they wanted to siphon elements from Series I and II, yet forgot what made those series... quirky in the first place.

Gravity Falls Review: "Society of the Blind Eye" (Season 2, Episode 7)

You see? Nobody suspect the quirk.

Airdate: October 27, 2014

Synopsis: After realigning any and all evidence found, Dipper deduces that Old Man McGucket might have wrote the journals about the mysteries in Gravity Falls. After meeting up with the man, McGucket claims amnesia before 1982. Deducing that his mind was wiped, the gang wind up in the innards of the Gravity Falls Museum of History, where they find a secret society dedicated to wiping the memories of the townsfolk.

Review (MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK): I could gush endlessly about this episode, to the point where the review would be just me squeeing for about a novella's worth of words. Instead, I will just plow through the plot basics quickly, and review the more in-depth afterwards.

The plot? Fantastic. Fantastic buildup, fantastic twist, fantastic climax... fantastic all around.

OK, you want more? I'll give you more.

Red Dwarf Review: Series X, Episode 4: "Entangled"

Airdate: 25 October, 2012

SYMBOLISM!

Synopsis: Kryten and Cat wind up in sync due to an experiment with the quantum rod. The two are full of coincidence, say the same thing at the same time, etc. Lister, meanwhile, winds up on the wrong end of a poker game against Biologically Engineered Genetic Gobblers, losing both Starbug and Rimmer. Making matters worse? A bomb is attached to Lister's crotch. If he doesn't turn over Rimmer within 24 hours, or tries to tamper with the bomb, he gets blown to bits... thus ending Rimmer's life, as Lister's lack of existence terminates Rimmer's runtime. (We can also presume that the bomb could do decent damage to the ship, putting the lives of Kryten and Cat in jeopardy.)

With little hope, Lister has to go down and renegotiate a poker game. However, the Cat mentions that Lister has a tendency to choke. Thus, the BEGG's choke to death. Literally. They eat power cords and choke on them. Kryten and Cat, thankfully, are able to use their newfound power to find the maker of the ship, a chimp who was once a forgetful scientist named Professor Edgington (Sydney Stevenson).

Review: It's often said that "Pete" and "Back in the Red" are the worst ever Red Dwarf episodes. One of the (many) complaints against the episodes is that they had too much material for the originally planned timeslot (one for "Pete" and two for "Back in the Red"), so they were extended to an extra episode. Now, though, this gave them two much time, so they had to add tons of filler. Thus, we got the claymation crew, a wretched Kryten story, and tons and tons and tons of Rimmer and Lister walking into the damn captain's office.

This episode shows that singular episodes with tons of material, while a bit rushed, can actually work... that is, if you pump in tons and tons of comedy, as well as a very quirky theme.

"Entangled" deals with the concept of coincidence, irony, and the antithesis. Oh, boy does it deal with it. I could go into detail about it, but that would require me posting the entire transcript of the episode.

Instead, I will say that "Entangled"'s concept is a microcosm of the entirety of Red Dwarf, if you think about it. Red Dwarf is something of a counter to Star Trek: whereas Star Trek has a very optimistic outlook on the future of humanity, displaying civilisations as enlightened (or at least passionate), Red Dwarf has all of it's characters be people who, well, let's just say wouldn't lead the Enterprise. Coincidently, Red Dwarf premiered mere months after Star Trek: The Next Generation, and both shows hit their stride around the same time. Series VII premiered months after Star Trek: First Contact, with both showing a more "dramantic" turn for the franchises. Series VIII, considered the worst series of Red Dwarf, aired mere months after the premiere of Star Trek: Insurrection, considered one of the weaker Star Trek movies. Both were attempts to return to what made the early years great... and didn't work out too well.

In-universe, meanwhile, this episode's use of coincidence is pretty good. While I do think there could've been a bit more creativity and variety in the coincidence jokes, whether it's the acting, the timing, or the characters involved, almost every joke hits where it's supposed to. Prime examples? Again, I can't list them all... so I'll list three of them.

• The "report forms/lost-ya-in-a-poker-game" double conversation.
• Cat holding Roestler's book on Coincidence just as Kryten points out said book.
• The only person to be traded is the one nobody cares about.

Now, what problems exist in this episode? A few. For one, the pacing makes for a bit of a weak ending. Once you get the tactic, it seems like they're trying too hard to create tension. Secondly, if nobody will miss Rimmer, why would they aim to stop the deal from coming through?

Also, there's a small plot hole. You see, why wouldn't they just return Rimer to the BEGGs, disable the light bee when far enough, and activate Rimmer on a new light bee? The only thing missing would be Starbug, and it would appear that Red Dwarf still has a shuttle or two, as we saw as they were travelling to the BEGG planet!

Yet, this might be solved by the following in-universe explanations:

• The ship really isn't being maintained by a computer- a Holly, a Queeg, a Pree. Granted, we've seen Lister repair Kryten before, so computer repair might be in store for him. Yet, he still might not be "mature" enough to really focus on repairing the computer when it's unnecessary. Thus, the crew might not have the ability to activate a new light bee.
• That shuttle the crew took to the BEGG planet looked small. We know how close to insanity they got in Starbug during Series VI and VII. Using that shuttle long-term would drive them beyond spare.

Again, so far, the second-best episode of the series (surpassed only by "Lemons"). Series X is actually doing decently, if not up there with the "golden years".

Tidbits:

• The "C-plot" of the week? The accident report forms. Boy, Rimsie really is neurotic. Eh, at least it wasn't as pointless as Taiwan Tony.
• Look closely, and Professor Edgington's glasses are upside down. It's the little things like that which make Red Dwarf such a brilliant series.
• This episode had a few production oddities:
• The chimp was restricted to only a few hours on set due to regulations. The original end of the plot was Lister and Rimmer bickering like a divorced couple about how to take care of a chimp. Thank you, animal regulations!
• Stevenson was not available at the time of the transformation from the chimp to Professor Edgington, so they got a model for that scene.
• Also, because details were still being hammered out, the final five minutes were not taped in front of an audience- rather, a copy was shown to a studio of people.
• Steven Wickham comes back as the BEGG chief. He previously played the Kinitawowi Chief's Daughter in "Emohawk: Polymorph II". 

Favourite Scene: The entirety of Rimmer realising he was gambled away in a poker game. Special mention goes to Cat spelling out his Curriculum vitae.

Least Favourite Scene: The ending. So much unnecessary tension!

Score: 8.5

Gravity Falls Review: "Little Gift Shop of Horrors" (Season 2, Episode 6)

Airdate: 4 October, 2014

Well, another year, another trilogy! This time, a tourist gets trapped in the clutches of Grunkle Stan and his salesman tactics. Trying to convince him to buy something at the shack, he tells three tales concerning the items he finds.

Note Ahead of Time: For the purposes of this review, I am considering everything encompassing this episode not even remotely close to canon. However, I will analyze the segments, first on their own merits, and how they fit into the overall scheme of the episode.

Also, there are spoilers. For that reason alone, I am putting a "jump" on this.

Red Dwarf Review: Series X, Episode 3: "Lemons"

Airdate: 18 October, 2012

"Oh, Jesus!"
"Yes?"

Synopsis: The crew of Red Dwarf manage to acquire a Swedish rejuvenation shower. Being the Red Dwarf crew, they assemble it... haphazardly, to say the least. End result? They wind up in Britain in the year 23AD. The remote that can transport them back? Lister tossed the battery, thinking it was used up. Rimmer suggests making a potato battery to power the remote.

Kryten: Britain in 23AD, sir, doesn't have any potatoes and won't get them until the 16th century.

Rimmer's backup plan- lemons.

Kryten: Britain in 23AD, sir, doesn't have any lemons, either. They won't get those until the 14th century.

Cat: He's getting closer!

The nearest lemon source is India... 4000 miles away. At a local lemon market, they manage to procure lemons. Whilst talking about how primitive 23AD is, they manage to attract the attention of a certain fellow. He calls himself Jesus.

Review: No matter what your thoughts on Christianity (or organised religion) might be, it's pretty much a fact that The Bible is the most quoted and referenced book/anthology in the history of modern media. It's influence extended beyond typical media, and has created numerous tropes- forbidden fruit, the Judas archetype, the house divided, etc. Name a trope, it probably originated in The Bible.

Red Dwarf has routinely referenced the book, both via jokes and as plots. Rimmer's middle name? Judas. The religion of Mr Rimmer? Based on a misprint in 1 Cor 13. "The Last Day"? Total send up to the idea of puritanism and the afterlife. Red Dwarf, when dealing with religion, leans heavily to the "atheist" side of the spectrum- bashing organised religion as a means of controlling the masses, as seen in "The Last Day". (Robert Llewellyn is a self-described atheist.) The show also seemed to encourage people, however, to not use their "one life" and completely waste it- "The Inquisitor" was proof of this, with the titular character erasing those whose lives were spent totally slobbing around, unlike Lister.

Most of the brutal critiques of religion were done in the vein of "silicon heaven"- the afterlife for robots.  So, how could Red Dwarf take on the figurehead of arguably the largest religious belief in the West?

Amazingly, he's treated pretty well, and yet they were still able to write a damn good script surrounding the character.

What makes Red Dwarf work is it's combination of subtle humour and louder comedy. There are several send-ups to the bible, several of which your average viewer won't firmly get unless they've been paying attention in Church. Of course, they also make some more... obvious send-ups. One in particular caught my eye.

Of course, The Last Supper has been sent up by almost every piece of media in existence. The Simpsons, for one, used it as a parody of The Da-Vinci Code. (Too bad it was a Season 16 episode, and thus, probably is subpar.) Take a closer look at this, however.

In Da Vinci's painting, the man who's face is right next to Jesus is Apostle Thomas, who is pretty miffed about Jesus's plan. The man sitting next to Jesus on his left? Rimmer, who is not only always miffed about something, but still is a bit stunned that he appears to be meeting the most famous man in history. To the far right, Cat, who is just as confused as anybody else... much like the three disciples to the left of Jesus were. Sitting right next to Jesus on his right? Kryten, who Jesus declares a man of peace- possibly his favourite. To the right of Jesus in The Last Supper were Judas, Peter, and John, who Jesus regarded as his closest disciples (two of whom betrayed him). To the far right? Some guy who also looks surprised.  Lister's just there for comedy purposes.

The characterisation of Jesus is actually pretty brilliant, from a comedy standpoint. Here we have this group, possibly in the presence of the wisest man in history. They send this man from the Roman ages to the future. What is his reaction to the year 3 million? He's fascinated with the bags. You can store stuff in them! Oh, he also needs a kidney stone removed. Joy.

Of course, there's a twist at the end that puts all the puzzles, all the characterisation, in place.

This episode features some well-spread out character development. Compared to "Fathers and Suns", which focused quite a bit on Listy, and "Trojan", which focused more on Rimmer, this episode splits the development between the two. Lister, for one, is again back to his loveable characterisation- one that tries to focus on positive impacts of issues of conscience, even if he has disagreements. He maintains that Jesus's teachings helped the world, despite the wars fought and despite his belief that he's "the ultimate atheist".

Rimmer's revelation that his middle name was Judas because his mother wanted him to be named after somebody honourable is actually pretty deep in and of itself. You see, Rimmer, through the series, is shown to be cowardly and callous, quick to sell out. This comes at the cost of whatever virtues he has, such as those shown at the end of "Out of Time". Same with Judas. While Judas's betrayal was pretty low, little is known about any potential virtues that he had. It's actually a pretty deep naming trick.

Only cons? Well, did we need the Shakespeare gag? Not really. Oh, and why did they have to name-drop eBay? Why? I'm just glad they didn't name-drop IKEA.

Still, this is easily the best episode of Series X so far. Fantastic plot, great humour, great structure, great character... what more do you need?

Tidbits:

• They actually made a battery out of lemons. It did put out eight volts.
• This episode actually used... location filming. I wouldn't be surprised if that ate the budget of half the series.
• Interestingly, the "tongue of Albion" wasn't spoken in 23AD England. The tongue spoken back then was Gaelic.
• This episode actually shares some traits with "Tikka to Ride". Both episodes feature the Dwarfers going back in time, meeting a historical figure known for their idealism, trying to set history right, and cannibalism may or may not have been involved. The differences? Well, this episode was funny, and didn't make me want to slap Lister.

Favourite Scene: Pretty much every scene involving Jesus. The "last supper scene" was fantastic.

Least Favourite Scene: Again, what was with the Shakespeare gags?

Score: 8.75

Red Dwarf Review: Series X, Episode 2: "Fathers and Suns"

Airdate: 11 October, 2012

AHHHH!!! DATA DOCTOR FLASHBACKS! GET EM OFF! GET EM OFF!

Synopsis: Every year, Lister sends a Fathers Day card to himself, then proceeds to get wasted so that, when he sees the card on Fathers Day, he has no recollection on what he put in it. With Rimmer telling Lister that he's a pathetic father, and with the help of the Medi-Bot, Lister decides to give himself tough love. Meanwhile, Rimmer and Kryten install a new computer, Pree. Compared to Holly, Pree has extreme intelligence, yet with a twist: her mission is entirely tied to the crew, such as repair standards and final destinations. This proves problematic when, in Lister's act of tough love to himself, he resigns his position on the ship.

Oh, and Kryten is also wondering... is a table game that he played with various vending machines the night before offensive?

Review: This was a bit of a strange episode to organise my thoughts about. While the episode had a plot (two, even) that could've fit solidly in the first two series, the end result felt a bit more awkward than it should have been.

This episode is a follow-up on "Ouroboros". In hindsight, I think "Ouroboros" was the moment when Series VII heavily lurched toward it's negative reputation. ("Beyond a Joke" sealed it.) This episode decides to focus on how Lister tries to act like a parent to himself. Thankfully, the result here is much better than the result seen in "Ouroboros"- Lister actually acts on the fact that he's the victim of the "grandfather" paradox. I have to say, the scene where Lister keeps popping in the tapes he made the previous night, with his "father" self in sync with his "son" self, is brilliant in both comedy and character. It shows that, as slobbish and as seemingly unmotivated as Lister is, Lister actually wants to improve- he's just a bit too comfortable in his current state. That, and it's probably the best gag in the show since at least "Cassandra".

"From now on... Red Dwarf is run by Pree!"

Speaking of which, I think the "Pree" plot could best be described as "Queeg" meets "Cassandra", with doses of "White Hole". I think that's why that particular plotline felt a bit off- I think Doug was midway through writing the episode, noticed the similarities between this and "Cassandra", was short on time, and decided to rip off "Queeg", because who gives a damn about creativity anymore? Hell, if The Simpsons can rip of plotlines for 15 straight years and still get nominated for Emmy awards for 14 years after the sell-by date (not saying I like that theory), Red Dwarf can ape from two episodes once and get away with it.

In that plot, we get more of a view into Rimmer's latent control freak tendencies, sexism, and attempts to conceal both. The execution seemed a bit broad, but it is a reminder that, as much as we feel for Rimmer after we see his family life, we have to recognise that he's a git.

Pree, as a character, is actually pretty interesting. After learning that she did a shoddy repair job, she reveals that she takes her personality from the crewmen. Lister was able to predict what he was going to do with the tapes. Rimmer orders everything done, no matter what the cost. Kryten holds everything up to the letter of the law. The Cat is very strategic. Pree holds all of these characteristics- a gestalt, if you will. (And yes, I recognise that this is similar to "Legion".)

The C-plot did split opinion when it first aired, with several reviewers claiming that it toed the line of good taste. In hindsight, I actually sort of liked it for what it was- a running gag that also exposed some aspects of the Red Dwarf universe. I did like how Red Dwarf presented itself as the anti-Star Trek; in Trek, racial issues are seen as largely cosigned to the 20th century, with racism symbolically represented with episodes such as "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield". Red Dwarf, though, still has racism as a question in their universe- that, and the characters are certainly at least a bit ignorant. Fits well with the more cynical universe of Red Dwarf. Yes, it did reach points that bordered on awkward and dated (Taiwan Tony, for one). However, the pay off manages to fuse all three plots in a manner that's pretty damn creative.

So far, Red Dwarf X is holding it's own; not outstanding, but not wretched. Will the next episode break the streak of good episodes? Who knows?

Tidbits:

• This episode also gives some more input as to what happened with Rimmer between "Only the Good" and "Back to Earth", as we learn that he knows about Lister's parental situation. So, he does have some knowledge of the events of Series VII and VIII.
• Craig Charles actually had the flu during filming of the "tapes" sequence. Strangely enough, this made his scenes during and after Lister's rant more convincing.
• If I had to choose between the Medi-Bot and the Data Doctor... I'll choose the Medi-Bot. Simply because I never want to so much as look at Series VIII. Ever.
• It's worth noting that this is the first episode of Red Dwarf since VIII to take place entirely on Red Dwarf itself (barring a brief sequence where Lister is jettisoned out of the ship). If VIII is ignored (which it should be), then it is the first episode since "The Last Day" to take place entirely on the small rouge one.
• One more note: I will be putting off my review of the Gravity Falls episode "Little Gift Shop of Horrors" until we get closer to halloween.

Favourite Scene: Tapes. Sequence. Excellent acting, excellent writing, excellent timing... excellent.

Least Favourite Scene: I'll admit- Taiwan Tony was a tiny bit dated.

Score: 7.5. It would've gotten an 8.5 if it wasn't so derivative.

Red Dwarf Review: Series X, Episode 1: "Trojan"

Airdate: 8 October, 2012

Synopsis: The scouters aboard Red Dwarf pick up a derelict ship, the Trojan. Despite the derelict being unworthy of flight, this ship fascinates the crew, who are still stuck on a ship "slower than the speed of dark". After Rimmer fiddles around with a quantum rod, the Trojan comes in close contact with the Columbus III. The hologram on that ship is Howard Rimmer. Yes. Rimmer's brother. Already dejected from failing the Astro-Navs again, Rimmer's resentment fills up his hard drive, causing him to suffer a crash. After being cleared of some of the "malware", he realises he has two options- fess up to his failures, or lie to his brother.

No prizes for guessing what he chooses.

Review (SPOILER-ISH): One of the central tenants of Rimmer's character has always been the conflict between the guy and his family. It's strongly implied that, as much as he uses them as a crutch for his aloof and insensitive behaviour, that his strained relationship really did mess his psyche up. His father physically abused him, mentally abused him, his brothers tortured him beyond typical "brotherly" fights, and his mother was aloof to the whole situation, sleeping around to avoid the situation. Bringing Rimmer's supposedly more successful brother to the centre of an episode- the premiere of the first "regular" Red Dwarf episode in 13 years, mind you- was, in hindsight, a bit of a daring manoeuvre. Does it work?

Mostly.

Being that Red Dwarf has traditionally made Rimmer the centre of an eccentric ensemble, it's no surprise that he gets the first episode out. They had no choice- if they had focused on, say, Cat, enough viewers might have been alienated to put the franchise in danger. In some regards, the writers had no choice but to play it safe. Yet, again, they also took the risk to introduce us to Rimmer's brother, Howard. That was cool of them.

This episode drops a damn huge revelation on us concerning Howard, however. Let's just say that he never really was the person he was hyped up to be. Yet, he also manages to do something that would take a lot of chutzpa for anyone- especially Rimmer- to do. What we see is the impact Rimmer's poor childhood had again, through Howard. His life was a lie- what makes you think Rimmer's other brothers were failures themselves? Did Rimmer's parents lie to him in a failed attempt to motivate Rimmer to succeed? Or were they too selfish about their own failures, that they would lie to their own son? It's a pretty interesting twist.

Rimmer's character, yet again, has to be reset somewhat, just to give a feel to potential new viewers. As such, as awful as we saw Howard in previous episodes (and as awful as Rimmer said he was here), we saw Rimmer return the favour. Granted, it blows up in Rimmer's face, but Rimmer still pulled a cruel manoeuvre. In fact, in my first ever edition of "Not Another Top X List", I placed Rimmer's betrayal of his brother at #1. Yet, if what we know about Howard is true... he totally deserved it.

The big problem with the episode lies with Lister and his stupid call centre plot. Really, there was little humour to mine from it. Granted, I loved Kryten freaking out at the call centre operator. However, it also forces him to act way out of character in order to resolve the plot (here's a hint- it deals with jumping at the risk of getting hit with phasers.)

After two series of slapdash/nonexistent comedy and a series that tried too hard to be a postmodern drama, the comedy here is back to form. It's not really too hysterical- there's not too much character comedy here- but I'll take this far over "Beyond a Joke" any day of the week. Favourites of mine include the "Trojan moving gag", the "orange glow paint" joke, Rimmer's interactions with Trojan, and Rimmer trying to revise for his test.

So, was "Trojan" worth the wait? I'm willing to say so. It's probably not too much of a masterpiece (the call centre was pretty stupid, for one), but it serves it's purpose- bring Red Dwarf back to it's roots. Driving the point home, the episode was given a generally positive reception after three series of divisive-to-scathing reviews. That's just how pleased the fans were.

Welcome back, Red Dwarf. Nice to review episodes of you again.

Tidbits

• I forgot to mention- the acting in this episode is pretty damn good. Strangely enough, compared to the first 8 series, Craig Charles did give off a bit more of a "dramatic", toned down vibe to Lister's character. Granted, Charles does play Lloyd Mullaney in Corrie. Oh, and Lister is at least in his mid 40s (physically).
• Like always, the Cat makes pretty much everything funny. Danny John-Jules just has that midas touch.
• The question is- will I review Series XI when it comes out? If I'm still doing this blog (which I probably will), then the answer is a resounding yes.
• Again, very pleased to see that the models for the ship are back. CGI? Who needs CGI?

Favourite Scene: Going to have to go with Rimmer, post resentment-removal. Lots of character comedy there.

Least Favourite Scene: Three words. Call. Centre. Plot.

Score: 7.5

Red Dwarf X Preview

No matter what the critical response to Red Dwarf: Back to Earth was, the ratings were deemed to be extraordinary. Gaining the highest ever ratings for the Dave network, speculation was rampant and immediate concerning a tenth series. First word came out in June 2010, when the actors stated that more Red Dwarf would be made. However, nothing was confirmed then. It wasn't until April 2011 when UKTV finally confirmed that Red Dwarf would be back for a full series.

The reaction was cautiously optimistic. TV series have been revived before due to strong interest. Doctor Who was brought back in March 2005, Family Guy was brought back two months later, Futurama was revived twice, etc. However, the quality of these revivals has been debated time and time again. While Doctor Who came back to rave reviews for it's more character-focused plots, Family Guy and (to a lesser extent) Futurama got a more lukewarm reaction, accused of lacking the magic the original seasons had, or going in a more crass direction. On top of that, the past three installments of Red Dwarf have been blasted as being far weaker compared to the original six series. (You saw me getting more frustrated with the show as we ended the eighth series!)

So, would Red Dwarf get the same critique as other shows? Or would it be a return to form?

Well, before we dive in, let's just see how the production went. This will be quick, because the fact of the matter is that it all depended on the budget... which was, yet again, barely there. Doug Naylor had to fight just to get a studio audience. Once the sets were dismantled, any extra scene had to be shot in front of a green screen- any episode containing these were aired to a studio audience, not taped like the other episodes.

However, this series did go "back to basics". The Red Dwarf models were brought back (thank smeg), the sets gained vibrant colours again, Howard Goodall was brought back to do the music, Howard Burden was back to do the costumes... it really felt like the show was being returned to the "tried and true". Granted, budget limitations constrained the episodes. Ambitious projects such as "Back to Reality", "Gunmen of the Apocalypse", and "Dimension Jump"? Not done this time around. This was more like Series II- back to basics.

So, what was the end result? Was the show back to form? Or was it proof that Red Dwarf should've ended with Rimmer blowing the Time Drive out of the sky?

Well, here's the episodes!

• Trojan: Rimmer gets an SOS call from a ship... where his brother is the ship's hologram. He realises that he needs to beat his brother at his own game, and pass the astro-nav exam... the one that he failed several times.
• Fathers and Suns: Lister decides to help himself on Fathers Day, by trying to be a better father to himself. Makes sense. Oh, and Rimmer installs a new computer, Pree.
• Lemons: After a time-travel incident involving flat-pack furniture, the gang are sent back to 23AD England. They have to travel to India to get some potatoes to get a battery to go back to Red Dwarf.
• Entangled: A game of poker goes deadly when Lister loses Rimmer. He is given 24 hours to turn over Rimmer, or have a bomb that's attached to his pelvis blown up. Oh, and Kryten and Cat become quantum entangled.
• Dear Dave: Lister gets in a love triangle with an old girlfriend and two snack dispensers. 
• The Beginning: Simulants finally begin playing war games with the Dwarfers. This seems like the end for the gang... even Rimmer, who never accomplished any of his goals.

Gravity Falls Review: "Soos and the Real Girl" (Season 2, Episode 5)

Airdate: September 22nd, 2014

Synopsis: When Soos gets an invitation to his cousin's engagement party, he realizes (with help from his grandmother) that he needs to find a date. After initial attempts prove fruitless, he winds up buying a Japanese dating simulator (against the game store's warnings). Said simulator involves the player interacting with Giffany, a "schoolgirl" at "School University". However, Giffany is more than just a character in the game- through the magic of electricity, she becomes possessive of Soos, especially once Soos meets a real woman, the quirky Melody. Once Soos decides to send the disc back to the game store, Giffany snaps, realizing that she must destroy Melody and trap Soos.

Meanwhile, in yet another quest for money, Stan realizes that he needs to steal an animatronic from Hoo-Haw's Jamboree Pizza Time to replace his old animatronic. It's so stupid, not even Wendy will dignify his insanity.

Review (SPOILERS): After a string of generally awesome episodes, Gravity Falls took something of a retreat back into merely "great" territory. Strangely, the past four episodes were more focused on the fantasy and mystery elements in the town, while this episode seemed to embrace the sci-fi wing of speculative fiction.

Red Dwarf Review: "Back to Earth"

Airdate: 10-12 April, 2009

Synopsis: It's been nine years since Rimmer kneed Death in the pelvis on board a burning Red Dwarf. Since then, Red Dwarf seems to be back in order... albeit empty again. Holly is out of commission, flooded out thanks to Lister. Kochanski is dead, and Lister is still in mourning. After noticing low water supplies, the crew discover that a giant squid is in their water tank. Said squid is rapidly replaced by a former crewmember, Katerina Bartikovsky, who declares that Rimmer's run time is to be terminated due to his incompetence, and that Lister (with the help of some squid DNA) is to go back in time and repopulate humanity. Learning that they inhabit an "invalid" dimension, the crew (and Bartikovsky) are sent to a "real" dimension- Earth 2009, where they learn they are part of a mere TV show.

Review: Ten years is a mighty long time in between episodes- essentially, a generation change. The internet became a true necessity, the economy rose and fell, terrorists committed high-profile attacks in London and the Northeastern US (amongst other locations), London had begun to prepare for the Olympic games, there were two American presidents, the office of the UK PM changed hands, and the popularity of the Labour Party slowly cratered... amongst other events.

Once BtE premiered, it polarized fandom beyond any fears. Those that didn't love it hated it.

So, the question is, can Red Dwarf still hold it's own after a 10-year hiatus (and 15 years since the last truly great Red Dwarf episode)?

Well, let me put it this way: I liked it quite a bit more than I was expecting to. Or maybe I was so let down by shlock like "Krytie TV" and "Pete" that anything would be an improvement! More after the break!

Red Dwarf: "Back to Earth" Preview

"Remember: only the good die young."
"That's... never happened before."

With those two sentences (and "The End"/"The Smeg It Is" slides), on 5 April, 1999, Red Dwarf VIII faded away into Britcom history. Initially hailed as a return to form by many a fan, it's reputation slipped quite a bit over ten years. By 2009, those that hated Series VIII loathed it. I consider "Krytie TV" and "Pete Part II" to be the worst episodes in British sci-fi history, and British comedy history. Yes. Worse than "The Twin Dilemma". Worse than The Wright Way. The only worthwhile episode in that entire piece of schlock is "Cassandra", and even that's held back by off pacing and awkward character moments.

Yet, at the time, it was popular enough to bring up a question: will there be a movie?

Wait, There Was a Red Dwarf Movie Planned?

Movie spin-offs of TV shows are relatively commonplace. Yet, it would be a testament to the power of Red Dwarf if there was an actual theatrical spin-off. Theatrical movies directly spun off from sitcoms are something of an unusual breed (correct me if I'm wrong), and almost unheard of when it pertains to Britcoms.

Ultimately, the film never really went through.

Actually, if Doug Naylor is to be believed, a script was written, and they had plans for production. However, setback after setback, false funding after contract failure, damned the project. The BBC didn't feel the script was up to par for a theatre. Maybe they learned their lesson from Series VIII. Or, maybe they were too busy concentrating on what appeared to be their new cash cow in the making, some little show called Doctor Who.

So, the project was going nowhere. However, between February and August of 2008, BBC Worldwide appeared to strike a deal with Naylor: produce a mini-series consisting of three episodes, at least two of which could easily be strung into something resembling movie.

Thus, Back to Earth was born.

So, How the Hell Was This Thing Produced?

Intended to be two episodes and Red Dwarf Unplugged, the movie was expanded to three episodes.

A big problem facing production? The thing barely had a budget. With the script's plans, the writers decided to (yet again) kibosh the studio audience to save money they barely even had. By kibosh, I mean it was decided not to even bring an audience in to record their reaction as the episodes aired. Thus, for the first time in history, Red Dwarf was literally laughless.

Sets were done on the cheap: half of the sets were built out of things they found in the closet. Camerawork was done to try and make it seem the thing had a bigger budget than it actually did. The crew was brought in to be extras. Yes, they didn't have money for extras.

Speaking of which, the casting was, well, troublesome. Norman Lovett was told to clear his schedule for filming dates. Ultimately, it was decided that he wasn't needed. Thing was, he was never informed that he wasn't needed until it was too late. Infuriated, Naylor went on record to declare that, as far as his acting career went, the franchise was dead. (He appears to have since reconciled with Naylor.)

Chloe Annett was also asked to join up. It would appear that her experience with the movie went far more smoothly. Why? Well... they used a picture of her at the beginning, for one. The producers and her agent must've gotten along well.

This episode also seemed to eschew the "traditional" camera yet again, going back to a filmised-style seen in Series VII. This time, the red-camera system was used. Effects seemed to reach a happier medium, with a cross between CGI and models used. Red Dwarf, for example, had it's model rebuilt (thank god).

So, what was the end result? Guess it's time to watch.

It's back to Red Dwarf.

It's Back to Earth.