Red Dwarf Review: Series XI Wrap-Up

"Our nomination for JMC Crew Of The Year is starting to look unlikely." - Lister, summing up the whole of Red Dwarf in a nutshell.

Well, almost four months after it's debut in Britain, and two months after it was released stateside, I have completed my look at Red Dwarf XI. Six episodes isn't a lot when stacked against seasons of the other shows I've reviewed, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

So, final thoughts on this season?

Simply put, it was rather good.

Steven Universe Review: Season 1A Wrap Up

Poster created by Rebecca Sugar, taken from Wikipedia.

"I summoned my weapon by eating ice cream!" + 24 episodes = "YOU CAN'T TRAP ME HERE ANYMORE!" 

That's pretty much the formula of Steven Universe Season 1A. Over the course of ten-and-a-half months, Steven Universe established itself as a valuable part of the sci-fi realm, as well as the critical centerpiece of the Cartoon Network canon. And, over the past ten and a half months, I have been reviewing it. Yes, that was a total coincidence on my part.

One particular stereotype about the fandom is that they tend to discredit 1A, mainly because of the thought that it is weak compared to the sublime rest of the show. While I totally believe that 1A is pretty great overall, I do think that, yes, 1A is the weakest stretch in terms of writing this show has had so far.

Gravity Falls: A Requiem

"Ah, summer break. A time for leisure, relaxation, and taking 'er easy... unless you're me."

It was the evening of July 13th, 2012 - Friday the 13th, as luck would have it. The time was approaching 9:30. Being the most boring man in existence, I was turning in for bed. (Yes, even during the summer, I go to bed relatively early. You know the quote from Ben Franklin.) However, my brother wanted to watch this new episode of this show on Disney Channel. I was convinced it would be moronic, but I let him have the benefit of the doubt.

At 9:30, "The Inconveniencing", the fifth episode of Gravity Falls, aired. Little did I know that my world had forever been changed.

...OK, maybe that's a bit hyperbolic, but the point still stands.

Gravity Falls Review: Season 2 Wrap Up

(Note - ranking of every episode will be out next post, but given that I did a wrap-up for Season 1, I may as well do one for Season 2. This is going to be brief, since I'm going to touch on more posts in a full requiem of Gravity Falls.)

Screenshot of this image, found on the Gravity Falls wiki.

Thirty long years, and it's led up to this! My greatest achievement... probably should have worn pants. - Grunkle Stan, in his boxers, "Scary-oke".

The first line of "Scary-oke" set the tone for Season 2 of Disney's Gravity Falls - it was going to be more ambitious, more plot-driven, than the act of brilliance that was Season 1. The question is, did it meet my expectations?

Well, how can I put this?

YEAH!

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 VIII Wrap Up

Once upon a time, there was a show called Red Dwarf. Initially thought of by newcomers as a show about a bum trapped in space, it slowly established itself as something more. The interactions between the characters gave us some of the best development of each and every one. Even characters used more for outright comedy got some depth to them, while never truly losing some level of their identity. The plots conceived focused on the characters while also being inventive. The humour struck a perfect balance between character comedy, lowbrow comedy (including slapstick), and highbrow comedy, all while not violating the development of the characters. It juggled comedy, drama, adventure, and sci-fi perfectly. It was the best show out there.

Then the show fell in quality in it's seventh series. Can't fault it too much: production had been stilted for a long time, and there were some cast dynamic issues.

Season 8 then came, and proceeded to take every minor flaw that the show had in the past- awkward sexual politics, somewhat strange continuity, weaker special effects, and the occasional flattening of character- multiplied their frequency by a solid hundred, and cranked it up to irritating levels. The end result? If the Ganymede and Titan Silver Survey is to be believed, Series VIII is considered the worst series in the history of Red Dwarf. On average, Series VIII episodes got 2637 points- the lowest number, and trailing far behind the "classics".

What exactly was the problem with this series, though? Well, let's delve into the problems listed above, plus more, in my favourite list method... BULLET POINTS:

• It sent the original premise of Red Dwarf packing: This is probably the biggest error with this series. When Series VI made something of a shakeup by taking away the small rouge one, it at least kept the character dynamic and the mere premise of the show at least somewhat intact. The show was about a bunch of idiots commanding a spaceship with little contact. This series jettisons that suddenly, in favour of a damn prison sitcom in space!
• The expertly crafted character development was, for the most part, jettisoned. OK, time for some bullet points within bullet points!
• Rimmer has some level of excuse: he was resurrected, yet not in a form that kept his development over the previous few series. As such, he's back to being an ambitious loser and a jackass. However, he never really developed beyond this. He acts like a self-centred smeghead from moment one, and it doesn't let up until the last few minutes- far too late.
• Lister was really just a puppet. His character really shifts with the wind to what the producers think will suit the plot.
• Kochanski... well, she had virtually no development. They just made a bunch of "women" jokes.
• Kryten actually is treated decently: I sorta preferred whatever character was here compared to Series VII. Not saying much, though: he lost all ability to communicate with humans.
• Maybe it's the acting slipping, or the poor material, but the Cat no longer has a sense of "coolness" to his behaviour. He just comes off as annoying.
• Worthless Side Characters: OK, Hollister was decent (maybe it's Mac McDonald's acting), but did we really need Kill Crazy? Again, Red Dwarf's appeal was a bunch of idiots being some of the last representatives from Earth (and the Cat). Now, we just have a poor comedy with side characters messing about and doing nothing.
• The well balanced humour was, well, thrown off balance... and unfunny: With a lack of focus on character, most of the jokes can be summed up in three words: "overt sexual humour". Now, Red Dwarf has always made jokes about sex, but they were normally in the context of their sex lives, giving us a bit of insight into their characters. Now, most of these jokes are "haha, men are perverts", amongst others. The rest of the comedy is slapstick and other vulgar humour. Again, both of these have been done before, but they were balanced out with character comedy, instead of just being there.
• Subtletly is also tossed: Compare Kryten's upset at the fact that he's about to die in "The Last Day" to, well, anytime he gets upset in this series. It's quieter in the former, yet it also has something more of an impact.
• Special effects went down the toilet: Let's put it this way: the BBC should apologise for it's fascination with bad CGI in the 90s.
• Callbacks to far better episodes without knowing the gag's raison d'etre: The Dibbley Family. Does anybody remember what Dibbley represented? Here's a hint: Cat shouldn't be the first to go to the idea!
• Krytie TV: This sexist, pathetic tedium is probably the worst half hour in the history of the show. The only reason why it didn't get the 0 is because I don't blame it for killing the franchise as much as...
• Pete: I'll just steal part of a quote from Ganymede and Titan's Silver Survey:
• "What more can be said about this shambles? It is categorically and undeniably the worst episode of Red Dwarf – rooted to the bottom of the list, and miles away from its nearest rival. If Derby County’s 2007-08 Premier League campaign was an episode of a science-fiction sit-com, this would be it." 

What about good things? Things that this series didn't smeg up? Well, for all few of those, we need some BULLET POINTS!

• Cassandra: Good episode. Not awesome, but good enough, especially compared to the worst episodes of this wreck of a series.
• No more overt comedy-drama: Sure, there's no good comedy, but there's very little bad drama.
• Chris Barrie's back: He puts in a decent performance- although, again, there's little subtlety. I blame the writing.
• It got the show into syndication: The last 16 episodes may have largely been subpar, but this series put Red Dwarf over the top. The show could now be shipped as a syndication package: one episode per week would last an entire year.

Now, the prevailing question: who deserves the blame for this trainwreck? Who's feet should be held to the fire?

I place the blame on the following... yet again, using bullet points:

• Doug Naylor: He supposedly created the series; he should know how to write for the characters and for the show in general. Hell, a small part of me thinks that while Doug came up with the idea, Rob Grant did the "gruntwork", so to speak. Another part of me thinks that Doug needed that quality check from Rob. Either way, the balance is non-existent. I just think Doug saw the big fat cheque given to him, and said "I'll see what I can do".
• Paul Alexander: In two years, his writing went from merely mediocre to outright horrid. "Krytie TV" and "Pete", anybody? What happened, man?
• The BBC: They had to squeeze the syndication money out, eh? While this did ensure Red Dwarf's presence for years to come (see above), did the BBC ever enforce quality control? Did anybody say "hey, can you make these episodes less bad?"

This is sad. This is a series I would never show to my own worst enemy. It's one of the worst groups of episodes in the history of British TV. As good as "Cassandra" is, it is little solace for the utter stupidity that is Red Dwarf VIII.

With the exception of "Cassandra" (maybe), I will never watch one second of this series again. In a fairer world, this series would have been struck down from canon or written off as a dream. In a far fairer world, this series would've been made, but would've been radically different... and so much better.

Red Dwarf Review: Series VII Wrap Up

I have to admit, I normally do have a tinge of sadness when I finish reviewing a series of Red Dwarf, as I look back and recognise that, while I do have these episodes at my disposal at any moment, that's another chapter closed in my progress of reviewing every episode of one of the greatest shows ever made.

This time, though, it's not really a tinge of sadness as much as a sense of melancholy about the end of the series. Why? Well, let's put it this way...

This might be the worst series of Red Dwarf.

I'm serious. I knew from the moment Lister messed around with Kryten's programming that this series was going to be the first series that I would not give a decent amount of praise to. After "Barely a Joke", this series sealed another milestone: I had grown to hate this series. Hate it. It's probably the worst group of episodes in the history of British TV (except for maybe "The Twin Dilemma").

Why? Well, let's romp off the reasons... after the break.

Red Dwarf Review: Series VI Wrap Up

Well, into the history books goes Series VI. My god, we're getting a little bit close to the end... maybe. Will there be an 11th series? (Come on, DAVE!)

Series VI was by far the most controversial series. For those that watched Series VI first, it is considered a favourite. For those that watched since the beginning, it is considered the beginning of the end of the show.

Where do I stand on this? I pick the latter... BUT WITH CAVEATS!

The thing is, the writers took a risk here, changing their setting and shifting the humour a bit. I give them credit. They thought the show would not grow stale. Again, credit.

It was just a weaker series, though. Why? Well, let's list the reasons.

• A solid plurality (if not majority) of the humour of the first five series was based on character comedy. The sixth series shifted the humour to gags and sitcom-flavour jokes. While not really bad, it just takes quite a bit of getting used to.
• The primary obstacles in previous series were the character flaws that brought the crew down. Here, the primary obstacles are flavour-of-the-week villains. It's not really as deep.
• Some already established characters don't really shine. For example, Rimmer really gets one episode that shows a deeper side to him. In fact, "Rimmerworld" nearly resets his character, although I chalk that up to a rushed production schedule.
• Likewise, Lister wasn't really developed further. I chalk that up to the character being developed far enough.
• Kryten himself was turned into a Data-type character, mainly being there to provide exposition. 
• Plots jump around quite a bit... and yet there was still filler.
• And must we mention the over-reliance of rehashing older scripts?

However, it was not a total write off of a series. In fact, it's strengths weigh heavier than it's weaknesses.

• "Legion", "Gunmen of the Apocalypse", and "Out of Time" showed what this series could've and should've been. The former two come close to striking the old balance between character comedy and sitcom-style humour, while the latter gives our main four characters striking emotional depth.
• Following on from that, while Kryten was mainly there to provide exposition, this series did see him take the mould of a parental figure on the Dwarf.
• Likewise, the Cat's feline senses came back into focus, being that he was the primary pilot of Starbug.
• I admittedly love the idea of a story arc. I think, despite the rest of the series's faults, it was implemented in a decent, if somewhat underwhelming, manner.

Overall, would I consider this the "beginning of the end"? A little. Still, it's better than most of TV nowadays. And besides, we have Series VII and VIII to get through.

Be afraid, mates!

Gravity Falls Review: Season 1 Wrap Up

Remember: in Gravity Falls, there is no one you can trust.

So, you have a show airing on the teeny bopper vehicle Disney Channel. Alright, some scepticism is always expected.

It's a cartoon. OK, Disney is known for it's good cartoons.

First season, most Disney Cartoons (hell, most shows in general) are trying to find their footing, gain some depth, etc.

Well, Gravity Falls has just finished it's first season... and it has already established itself (at least in my insane mind) as not only a fantastic show, but quite possibly, the best show on American TV.

It's incredible to think that such a little show could be so fantastically crafted, so deep, so funny... it's pretty damn close to perfect. Barring a couple of clunkers (and a slight dip in the middle), this season was pretty damn good.

Probably my favourite aspect of this season would have to be the character development and the relationship between them.

• While Dipper and Mabel seem like your typical twin siblings, the animosity between them is realistic; it's not dry and boring, nor is it nihilistically sadistic. That's what makes the interactions between them so awesome, so heartwarming, so funny. 
• We see Dipper start to come of age; he gains his first crush, learn the definition of masculinity, defend the ones he loves, and gain a knowledge of the insanity of the town.
• Mabel seems to develop into a more complex character than the goofy tween she first presents herslef as; she can be selfish, intelligent, and surprisingly mature... maybe even more so than Dipper.
• Stan, at first, seems totally inept when it comes to child-rearing, being a jerkass and all that. However, slowly, he becomes concerned with the state of the twins. Is he still greedy and aloof? Yes. However, he would trade anything and everything in for the well being of Dipper and Mabel. His knowledge of the events of the town remains relatively ambiguous through the season.
• One of my main complaints this season was the underuse of Wendy, and how her main role was as a potential love interest for Dipper, throwing her in a love triangle. However, the chance of a romantic relationship between the two is damaged - possibly beyond repair - when Dipper just about lets it slip that he wants to date Wendy... mainly because Wendy realises that Dipper saved her from what could've been a horrible situation (although that's all up to interpretation of what actions were committed by Robbie) and a lying smeghead (that is a much more solid fact) just to get a shot at her. Hopefully, the next season will show a much more well-written character.
• Soos establishes himself as some sort of combination between Red Dwarf's Kryten and Lister; he's a slobbish, childish man, yet he also has a strong moral centre. He slowly establishes himself as quite possibly the most "normal" of the people that live at the shack.
• Gideon, at first, just seems like a one-off villain that just has powers and wants to date Mabel. However, we slowly learn that he is looking to take down Stan... and get something located in the shack. He also reveals himself to be more crafty and manipulative than he lets off at first.

The plot... there is little to say about the plot except that it is quite complex, quite twisty, and very, very brilliant. Whether you're 5 or 55, the appeal of the plot development is quite broad. Same goes for the comedy; it appeals on every single level possible, from pop culture to character-based comedy, from highbrow humour to lowbrow humour.

Really, this was (and is) a fantastic season of what might be one of the best (and one of the most underrated) TV shows out there. Even the two "clunkers" ("The Time Travellers Pig" and "Dipper vs. Manliness") are decent enough by TV standards. Let's just hope the momentum carries over to season 2!

Well, on that note, that's it for my coverage of Gravity Falls for the next few months. Alex Hirsch has already confirmed that the second season should air this summer. I might do another Top X List, one related to the show. Coverage of Red Dwarf Series VI (the last of the "original" six) should begin within the next few days, so I have that to look forward to.

...mmm. What else can I do to pass the time between now and Summer?

May as well watch The Simpsons continue to crater in. That's what we need - a reminder on how the once greatest show of all time became a shell of itself.

Red Dwarf Review: Series V Wrap Up

Well, we've reached the end of Red Dwarf V. Considered by fans and critics alike to be the best series of Red Dwarf, it's pretty hard to disagree.

So I will make a small disagreement.

On one hand, Red Dwarf V was not really that consistent when it came to quality. Red Dwarf III was much more consistent, with not a single episode ranking below a 7.5 score (and only 1 episode reaching that low, the somewhat inconsistent "Timeslides"). Two episodes in Series V ranked below a 7; the somewhat cliche and/or dry "Terrorform" and "Demons and Angels".

However, the four episodes this season that didn't receive low scores are among the best episodes of Red Dwarf ever. "Holoship" took a tragic look on the love life of Arnold Rimmer, showing his emotional complexion. "The Inquisitor" gave us a look on the complexities of Lister's character, and how and why he is considered the hero of the show, no matter who gets top billing. "Quarantine" gives us a deeper look inside just how messed up Rimmer can go, especially under a holo-virus, as well as the overall dynamic between the Boys from the Dwarf. And "Back to Reality", the best ever Red Dwarf, gave us an idea of what would happen if our main characters had a pivotal part of their characters inverted or nullified.

In terms of character, barring the two duff episodes listed above, this series really showed the zenith of the characters. Rimmer is as complex and rounded as ever, going from a tragically sympathetic figure that was moulded by outside circumstances into the character we all know and love, to a deranged egoist who makes you wonder how the Boys from the Dwarf haven't pulled the plug on his hologram yet. Lister takes the role of the moral and strategic centre, as he displays a desire to do good for the common man, only kills in strong situations, and can plan ways to get out of sticky situations. (He still forgets to add parts when reconstructing Kryten). Kryten establishes himself as the smart guy, providing whatever scientific exposition is needed for the day, as well as humour surrounding his knowledge of the Space Corps and technoid concepts.

Even the Cat, who doesn't get a lot of development in this series, gets full mileage out of every line he gets in the show. He is the plucky comic relief of the crew, so that makes sense. Even then, we are reminded in "Back to Reality" just how shallow the dude is.

The only series that this was bad for was Holly; reduced to little more than a gag character, by the end of the series, Grant Naylor had decided to finally retire the character.

Production wise, this was a darker season... literally. There was stronger use of dark-lit rooms. Even the ship's beige seemed to take on a darker tone to it. Set development was pretty damn creative; even the clunkers had well-developed visual effects.

Really, elaborating more for this series would be worthless. This series is all but fantastic. Even if you never watched the show before... watch this series. Even if you dislike sci-fi, or are not a fan of Red Dwarf, watch "Back to Reality". The four episodes that are good in this series are sublime TV. The two that aren't still had a ton of potential, as well as tons of funny lines.

Still, is this my favourite season? Not really. Series III was much more consistent in it's quality. Still, this season was pretty fantastic.

Red Dwarf Review: Series IV Wrap Up

Well, we have reached the end of Series IV of Red Dwarf. We are, in terms of series amounts, halfway through Red Dwarf's original run. (In terms of episodes, we reach the half point after "The Inquisitor".)

So, what do I think? Well, not much, other than this series was wonderful.

Sure, some episodes were weaker compared to the high standards of the golden age (Camille, anybody)? Overall, however, this season produced some wicked good episodes, including the uber-memorable "Dimension Jump". All of the other episodes, however, are very much brilliant.

As I said in my preview, this season often gets overlooked, sandwiched between the critically acclaimed series 3 and 5. This series, however, was just funny. Granted, the series began and ended with two of the weaker "classic" episodes ("Camille" and "Meltdown"), but even those episodes were very, very funny.

Like series 3, the development given to the characters is awesome. Rimmer gets the brunt of the development, however. We get to see just how deranged he is in episodes like "Meltdown", yet get to see how self pitying he is and "Justice". Making a character that is sympathetic, annoying, and funny at the same time is a hard feat. Red Dwarf simply excels at it.

The plots also got better and better, and more into the sci-fi territory. We had "Dimension Jump", which analysed the idea of alternate universes; "White Hole", which used a kooky twist on sci-fi that only Futurama could do better; and "DNA", which showed Kryten go from machine to man, with hilarious consequences.

This series is just a joy to watch. If you have iTunes cash, buy it. If you have actual cash, get the DVD. If you have a Netflix account, watch it.

Red Dwarf Reviews: Series III Wrap Up.

With Red Dwarf Series III out of the way, I might as well reveal that this is my favourite series to watch.

Granted, this is not the series of the highest quality (Series V was better by a thin margin), but this series is still brilliant from one end to the other.

This series managed to redefine what Red Dwarf was. The slow pacing and sitcom-y format of the first two series is diminished in this series. It feels more like a science-fiction show, albeit with every cliche played for laughs or criticised.

And yet, the character development given to each of the characters is brilliant. This is the first series to reveal that Lister was orphaned at a young age, that Rimmer's mother was just as off-calibre as his dad, that Kryten is a complete and utter suck-up, that the Cat can fly Starbug, and so much more!

The plots get a lot more interesting compared to series I and II. Backwards, much like it's episodic predecessor, "Parallel Universe", analyses the concept of dimensions, except time travel is involved. It's sort of like a reverse parallel universe. "Marooned" does a BRILLIANT job at the "bottle episode" cliche, with humour and tearjerkerness all around. "Polymorph" is a brilliant send-up of Alien, with every character bouncing off each other once affected by the polymorph. "Bodyswap" just shows how the writers can make you feel bad for Rimmer one episode, and make you want to kick him the next. "Timeslides" is another interesting take into time travel, with something as common as a darkroom (more common at the time of the episode's airtime) being used as a life-changing device. And "The Last Day" takes a brilliant look at religion and devotion to beliefs, offending none but sparing nobody.

If there was a defining flaw in this series, it was mainly that Holly was reduced to more of a gag character, in favour of Kryten. Kryten comes into his own within a few episodes, but Holly is still hilarious. (And to answer the question, I have no preference over which Holly is better). Other flaws include screwy logic in the episodes, but then again, Red Dwarf tends to skim the MST3K Mantra.

Overall, a brilliant series that was a sign of things to come.

Score: 8.75

Red Dwarf Review: Series II Wrap Up

My reviews of individual episodes of Series II of Red Dwarf are done, so it is time to take a look back on the series as a whole.

Series I laid the foundation of the show. Series II laid the framework of the show.

Series II was quite an improvement over Series I. Series I tended to be more formulaic, revolving over the fact that Lister and Rimmer hated each other and were basically stuck together for eternity.

Series II, however, seemed to take a lot more risks with the setting. Starting with "Kryten", the trio left the ship. The only episode that does not feature the crew leaving the ship 100% is "Queeg". "Better Than Life" has the crew going into virtual reality, which is close enough to leaving the ship.

Science-fiction cliches was used, but all for the sake of parody. From virtual reality collapses, to androids, to parallel universes, almost everything in this series is played for total comedy.

The two greatest episodes of the season are those that delve into the main character's back story. "Better Than Life" is one of my favourite episodes of the show because it is the first episode that managed to show just how screwed up Rimmer's life was. "Thanks for the Memory" also makes you feel bad for the lonely, lonely Rimmer, alongside delving into Lister's history. "Queeg" gives Holly more character development then he will ever get for the rest of the show's history. "Stasis Leak" gives a focus onto Lister's life before he was frozen in stasis. When all is said and done, the odd man out is the Cat, who is reduced to Plucky Comic Relief and utter fashion victim.

Probably the worst episode of the series is "Parallel Universe", if you cut out the music video in the beginning. However, it still gets a 6, a passing score. With the video at the beginning of "Parallel Universe", then the worst episode is "Stasis Leak" with a 7.5. The best episode is "Better Than Life".

Overall, a brilliant second series.

Score: 8.33

Red Dwarf Review: Series I Wrap Up

Having finished my review of Red Dwarf I, I may as well give a glance at the first series as a whole.

For starters, the show feels like it is missing something, especially if you watch an episode from Series III on. The pacing just feels off. The show is still funny, but it feels less full. The sets feel depressing, with ocean grey/military grey being the colour of choice.

And the first three episodes were pretty weak. "Balance of Power" is the worst episode of the Grant/Naylor Era by far, because of the weak amount of humour. However, it does give some development to the arc as a whole. "Future Echoes" itself is pretty weak on the humour, but it does add in the Sci-Fi elements. "The End", however, was pretty funny, and a good intro to the franchise.

The show really takes off with "Waiting for God", one of the most underrated episodes ever. The character development is sublime, the take on religion is hilarious, and it feels like a Red Dwarf episode. "Confidence and Paranoia" gives us a great performance by Craig Ferguson of "Late Late Show" fame, even if the plot is a bit thin. And "Me2", being the episode which showed Red Dwarf clearing orbit, gives us a deep look in the disturbed psyche of Arnold J Rimmer.

The interaction between Lister and Rimmer does get a tad bit old, but it is still very funny to see these complete opposites be trapped for the rest of eternity. The cat, being the most selfish character in exisitence, is always hilarious. You have to love Holly's deadpan humour!

Ultimately, despite being weak in some spots, Red Dwarf I is a good indicator that this show was going somewhere.

Average series score: 7