Red Dwarf Review: Series VI, Episode 1: "Psirens"

Airdate: 7 October 1993

Summary: Two hundred years since that little incident with the Despair Squid, we see the crew again wake up from a 200 year sleep (except for Kryten). Apparently, Red Dwarf had been taken by an unknown party, and the Posse are only now catching up to the ship. All they have to do is pass through an asteroid field to get close. However, whilst in the asteroid field, they are intercepted by Psirens, who are shape-shifting GELFs who try to lure them in with their greatest desires... only to immobilise the crew by feasting on their brains. These GELFs take the form of such figures as Kochanski, Kryten's owner, two temptresses, and even Lister himself.

Review: The first time I watched this episode, I wasn't a huge fan of it. I was turned off because of the lowbrow humour (or rather, the amount of it), the running gags that would dominate the rest of the series, some continuity errors, and the recycled-ish plot. Now... I still wouldn't call it my favourite episode.

This episode is occasionally cited as one that has aged quite well in the eyes of the fandom: the 1999 Better Than Life poll put this episode at 44th place out of 48 stories. Then again, that survey put "Pete" at 17 out of 44. In 2013? The two have almost switched spots: "Psirens" has taken 21st place out of 61 episodes, while the two episodes that comprise "Pete" are ranked dead last.

Now, I can see where they were trying to go with this. Shaking up the formula is not always a bad thing: we saw that with Series III. This time, they may have been trying to create something of a series-long arc, exploring more sci-fi concepts rather than just mocking them.

However, a good chunk (albeit not a majority) of Red Dwarf's comedy was based around making fun of the science fiction concepts in the show. By playing them relatively straight (picking off the crew one by one, for example), there is not a lot to work with in terms of comedy.

But that's fine, what about the characters? They were the centre of Red Dwarf since 1988; they still must be pure comic material!

Well, yes, there still is character comedy. Tragically, it's greatly reduced. Why? Well, the show shifted it's focus from character-driven plots to sci-fi plots. Rather, with the show not being character-focused anymore, there is less "need" for it. Rather, a good chunk of the humour is either sitcom-style gags ("We're deader than (Z)", "Space Corps Directive (X)") or gross-out jokes. And yes, there are a ton of gross-out jokes here. Granted, not all of them are dire, but what made Red Dwarf work was it's balance between high-brow humour and character comedy with lowbrow gross-out jokes. Here, it's too tilted to the lowbrow jokes. It's just not really as funny.

Speaking of character, it's a mixed bag for character here. I do like the Cat's smell being brought in; it reinforces the fact that he's a cat instead of just a dandy. Lister's slobbish behaviour was almost good, except it was one of the reasons why the lowbrow humour was high in this episode. Kryten seems to be formally settled in his role as Mr Exposition, which is actually a decent move, although it does take away some of his depth (i.e: his own neurosis). This one, however, was pretty bad for Rimmer; there is little trace of the tragic character seen in Series V. He's a base coward, with not as much charm as he had in prior series. I'll grant him that he was turned off for 200 years, and thus, may have regressed a bit in terms of character. Still a bit grating.

It's not a total loss. If the lowbrow humour wasn't overdone, it would actually be pretty funny. Almost all of the not-so-overtly lowbrow humour worked. ("This baby's crashed more times than a ZX-81" was a personal favourite of mine.) I liked Claire Grogan's appearance as Kochanski (her last), and the callback to "Parallel Universe" with Jim and Bexley. And, like always, all four actors deliver stellar performances.

The plot itself isn't bad either. It isn't going to light the world on fire; it just seems a bit too similar to the stellar "Polymorph". But, lets remove "Polymorph" from the equation for just a second. You have a damn decent plot here. I'd even go as far as to say that this episode explores the concept of the human id, falling for the desires of a potential lover no matter what the risk is. Also, who doesn't love a good callback to Homer's Odyssey?

Tragically, not even a decent plot nor decent humour or decent callbacks could resolve the main problem... it just seems dry. It's decent, sure. But this first episode doesn't really have the magic that even "Terrorform" or "Demons and Angels" had. Let's just hope it's an anomaly.

Tidbits: Yes, I'm actually doing it. Where this will be placed might change from post to post, but I'm actually doing a "tidbits" section.

• This episode seemed to pull not one reset/error on continuity, but rather, three. One, it's stated that Lister dated Kochanski for a few weeks, going against "Balance of Power", which stated that Lister barely even spoke to Kochanski. This I don't mind too much, since Red Dwarf has done resets to "before the wipeout" scenarios in the past ("Justice" increased the amount of dead on the ship by a solid thousand.) However, this series as well as the next two will pretty much run on episode-by-episode continuity, which I find ironic. They might have reset this fact to throw Kochanski in for a bit; this, again, is Claire Grogan's last episode.
• What got to me more was another error/reset, with one of the Psirens (disguised as Peter Tranter's Sister) stating that Lister has not had sexual relations in three million years. All fine and dandy... until you remember not only "Parallel Universe", which featured Lister and his female counterpart getting drunk and sleeping with each other (with hilarious results), but also "Polymorph", where another shapeshifting creature shifted to Rimmer's mother and promptly slept with Lister (to make Rimmer angry, and thus, vulnerable).
• There's also a redaction of "Marooned". In that episode, Lister claims he's not very good with the Guitar. Here, he believes he's a diva. Now, I'll chalk that up to Lister being close to death in "Marooned", as well as his memory not being totally restored after a 200-year stasis. 
• The garbage compacter s a pretty cool Chekov's Gun, with Kryten's post-compacter appearance and actions being quite funny.
• The guy who played Lister's guitar alongside Lister? (Long story.) Phil Manzanera of the band Roxy Music.
• Captain Tau shares the same name as the captain from the unaired pilot for Red Dwarf USA. (Tau there was a stand-in for Captain Hollister).
• Back to "Polymorph", it works as a sequel... that is, if it wasn't for the actual sequel coming up this season.
• It could also work as a sequel to "Camille", with the Psirens being the villainous versions of the Pleasure GELF's seen in that episode. Ironic as that episode parodied Casablanca, where this one parodied The Odyssey.

Favourite Scene: As Lister is getting his bearings straight, Kryten is getting ready to reactivate Rimmer. This ensues:

Lister: Rimmer? Is he my best mate?

Kryten: Sir, you are sick!

Second place? The contest between the real Lister and the Psiren Lister.

Least Favourite Scene:  The joke about Lister putting Tabasco Sauce on his cereal went on way too long. Given that I complained about the gross-out jokes, it's a bit ironic that a relatively mild joke got the "least favourite". It just feels like they wanted to kill time.

Score: 6.

Red Dwarf Review: Series VI Preview

Series VI. Let that sink in for a second. Red Dwarf, the show that few had faith in when Grant/Naylor shipped it off to various BBC offices, has made it through 6 series... more than many brit-coms.

So, it's late 1993/early 1994. Rob Grant and Doug Naylor were obviously trying to land new ideas for their next series. Rumours were that they would go to more of a Series III-type format: there would be more Holly and more Red Dwarf focused stories.

Garant/Naylor bent to fan opinion... which is to say, they kicked Holly out of the show and got rid of the "small rouge one".

What a twist!

Yes, Grant/Naylor decided to make another radical change in the show's format, the first real shift since the Series III relaunch. The show formally lept into Sci-Fi dramedy, a style that Series V had flirted with.

For the first time, episodes were connected with a long-run plotline; the theft of Red Dwarf by simulants. This style would dominate the show for the next three series; Series VII would continue with this idea of getting back Red Dwarf, while Series VIII started a new plotline... one that involves prison comedy.

If you thought production on Series V was stressful with Julie May joining and leaving within 4 episodes, hold on! This series was effectively written on the set. Yes. Entire scenes were cued up and rewritten on the set. This was because of the proposed Spring airdate for Red Dwarf set by the BBC... one that never happened; the show was pushed back to October.

Well, the response?

Very mixed.

I'm serious; fandom is split down the middle, even though this series has aged decently according to the Ganymede and Titan Silver Survey. Half of the fandom loves it for it's sci-fi plot, it's radical change of the formula, and the darker and edgier episodes (in an already dark show). The other half hates this season for what they declare are the following reasons; the reset of character, the basic formula for most episodes this season (done to relax the pressure on production), the running gags, and various controversial plotlines (such as Emohawk: Polymorph II).

Episode Rundown? Here goes!

• Psirens: With Red Dwarf stolen by Simulants, the crew are out to chase it after a 200 year deep sleep on Starbug. Their attempts are interrupted by a group of GELFs that telepathically manipulate individuals with their deepest desires.
• Legion: Food and supplies are down, and Red Dwarf slips further and further away. What better way to catch up than to be captured by a strange being?
• Gunmen of the Apocalypse: Starbug is taken over by a virus... just as Simulants board Starbug. The rest of the crew are forced to go into Kryten's mind... and forced to go westward ho!
• Emohawk: Polymorph II: Starbug wrecks on a GELF planet. To get supplies needed to breathe in Starbug, Lister is forced to wed the daughter of the chief of the Kinitawowi tribe. When Lister bails on the union, the chief attacks with a domesticated Polymorph. Remember those guys?
• Rimmerworld: Rimmer takes an escape pod out from a Simulant ship to escape certain death at the hands of a Simulant. He lands on an uninhabited planet, and the makeup of the planet allows him to make copies of himself... right down to the treachery.
• Out of Time: The crew find themselves right next to, well, themselves... from 15 years in the future. Stunned to meet them, they find out about what possession of a Time Drive has done to the crew.

Well, this is the last of the "bubble seasons"; the last season before a shocking change in staff for the show. Let's go!

Oh, and by the way, I'm considering a small "tidbit" section for all future reviews. This might be small production notes, or stuff I found interesting/disgusting. This is largely inspired by Mike Amato of Me Blog Write Good (link on the side), a blog where he reviewed the first 20 seasons of The Simpsons (guy has a lot of stamina: I'm only reviewing the 4 Scully-era seasons.) 

Red Dwarf Reviews: Red Dwarf USA

Airdate: That, my friend, will never happen.

Synopsis: Ah, a seemingly typical day on the Mining Ship Red Dwarf. Android Kryten (played by Robert Llewellyn, what a familiar name) is new to the ship, and tries to make the most of his new assignment. Low-ranked technician Dave Lister (Craig Bierko, best known for The Long Kiss Goodnight) is slobbing around, like always. All he wants to do is get back to Earth, date the unattainable Christine Kochanski, and avoid Captain Tao's command of "no pets". His boss, the still lowly Arnold Rimmer (Chris Eigeman, The Last Days of Disco) wants to take his engineering exam to finally control people other than Lister and two "advanced shoeboxes".

Things go south for Lister when Tao learns from the security tapes that there is a pet on board. Lister's pet Frankenstein is exposed, Kryten blows up trying to hide the fact, and Lister is given a choice; surrender the cat and receive a reprimand, or go into stasis for 18 months, forfeit all 18 months worth of wages, and face the possibility of criminal charges when back at Earth. He chooses the latter... and winds up three million years in the future. What happened? Well, a drive plate blew, and the entire crew (save Lister, his cat, and Kryten's head) were fatally poisoned; Holly (played by Jane Leeves from Fraiser) had to keep Lister in stasis until the radiation was miniscule enough to live in. Ergo, three million years. ("My baseball cards must be worth a fortune!")

Not to worry, though; Rimmer is brought back as a hologram, and Lister's cat was pregnant. Three million years later, and the Cat species has become human-like... although one remains (played by dancer Hinton Battle).

Review: Yes, it happened. There was an attempt to make an Americanised version of Red Dwarf by the NBC network, produced after Series V wrapped up. And, as you would expect, it's pretty damn subpar.

I mean, it's not a total write off; Robert Llewellyn does a damn good job, like always, as well as Jane Leeves. That, and the humour is not as dire as what the internet would have you believe.

Nothing else, though, really fits.

Really, the reason for this pilot's failure? The casting and the characters. As I mentioned, Llewellyn and Leeves do fantastically, and Battle is pretty damn good himself as the Cat. However, Bierko and Eigeman just. Don't. Work.

Let's take a look at Dave Lister and Arnold Rimmer. In the original version, Lister is played by Craig Charles. Charles portrays him as what he is; a lower class bum with no ambition. Charles plays his role to the hilt; slobbish dress, slobbish mannerisms, slobbish everything. (The Scouse accent didn't hurt). It fits because that's the show's premise; instead of the somewhat charismatic heroes from other sci-fi shows (Kirk, Luke Skywalker, and Adama), we get a slob in our leading role. Instead of the refined, cultured Picard, we get lowly Scouser Lister. That, and Craig Charles emotes. His reaction when he realises that he's alone and that Kochanski is dead is that of quiet heartbreak through the entire minute before Rimsie shows up. ("Oh, hey! She was part of me plan... it was me plan. I planned it... So everyone's dead? I'm on me own? It's just me?). He's perfect for the role.

Bierko's Lister is just costumed clean enough to not really match. He looks like a well-maintained, relatively decent-looking man, albeit an everyman. Granted, he's no Picard, but what made the original Lister so fantastic was that Lister was such a slob. This guy's Lister is just a bit too dry. That, and he has a little bit of trouble emoting. When he mourns Kochanski, he does so in a sombre, stoic manner. ("This wasn't the plan. The farm was the plan.") When it comes to realising he's truly alone, he yells at the top of his lungs. ("I'M GONNA GO NUTS HERE ALL BY MYSELF!") Ultimately, there's not a lot of energy here.

Arnold Rimmer, meanwhile, is played by Chris Barrie as an ambitious, yet tragically incompetent, egoist with few redeeming qualities. Barrie plays his character to the nth degree; it's perfect! Eigeman's Rimmer is nothing; he's a bland character. Most of his annoying tendencies are told instead of shown. Thus, Eigeman has little to work with. He's just a typically mildly annoying worker.

That's the problem; the characters are distilled to dry, typical sitcom characters, leaving little in the way of character comedy, which was what made the original Red Dwarf so fantastic!

Character dynamic is also tragically impacted because of this. The dynamic between the original Lister and Rimmer was fuelled a little by the British class system. Lister and Rimmer are on the lower class of society; both are working class vending machine repairmen. However, Rimmer wants to climb the class ladder (despite being inhibited with his own personality failures), while Lister is perfectly content with being resigned to a lowly technician for eternity. While not as important, Lister wanted to date Kochanski, yet was prohibited due to class differences; this was presented as tragicomic, because the original Kochanski felt like she was a cool girl to go out with.

The US version dries the characters up so much that none of them are interesting. Lister and Rimmer now come off as typical workmates, and Kochanski and Lister now seem like a typical sitcom couple full of Unresolved Sexual Tension.

The lack of character also led to more of the humour being plot-based. By plot-based, I mean your typical American sitcom humour. This I didn't mind: I watch a good amount of stateside comedy, and I appreciate it's appeal. Still, the positives of the humour were dried out by the large, large amounts of poorly-done exposition. Exposition is a necessary evil; it's a pilot episode. Even "The End" had exposition. However, the way it was presented in the UK version was through the characters and their traits. Here, it's just spouted at us.

That's the problem in a nutshell; the American script lacked the charm and development of the original show, and what we were left with is just bland.

Production values also weren't great, either. Granted, the original 6 series of Red Dwarf didn't have the best production values, but not only were they still pretty damn good, whatever weaknesses were in the effects and music could be excused a bit; it was 80s BBC! Here, you're talking about NBC: it was the highest-rated network in the late 80s/early 90s! (Granted, their budget must've gone to Seinfeld, but still!) Yet, they not only used paintings to set up the Red Dwarf (which reminds me; why does Red Dwarf here have a mall and a football stadium in a mining ship), but they also reused special effects from the UK version. Again, this episode never made it to air, so I'll give it that they were subbing in some special effects until the pilot was given clearance. That, and the quality of the episode posted online is subpar (it's transferred from a VHS). Still, why cut corners?

Also, Howard Goddall's score in the original was simply fantastic. Even the slow-moving first two series had an entertaining, well-constructed soundtrack. Here, everything is bland and lifeless. The theme song is one of the most boring theme songs ever made.

They also tried to mash some plot elements from other series (some of which were not even close to conception, let alone production, yet) and episodes into the first episode. There's the time drive from Series VI, the fall of the cat race from "Waiting for God", the introduction of Kochanski from Series VII, Kryten's intro from Series III, etc.

It's not the worst American adaptation of all time, let alone the worst sitcom. (Coupling and Emril are the winners, respectively). But, it's just so bland!

Obviously, in the end, Red Dwarf USA never made it. The original does air on some PBS stations, such as Dallas's KERA and Washington WETA UK subchannel; look out for Series X on your local PBS station this summer.

Favourite Scene: Kryten's reaction to being told what to do is to have his head explode. Three million years on, and Kryten's head is still waiting to be repaired. His reaction? "Well, I've been reading that fire exit sign over there!"

Least Favourite Scene: I'm too bored to pick.

Score: 4. I gave it some leeway because, well, it's a pilot.

Scullyfied Simpsons: Season 9 Episode 9: Realty Bites

Airdate: December 7th, 1997

Truly brings new meaning to the term "open-air" house.

Synopsis: Tired of either being cooped up in the house all the time or dragged on one of Homer's outings (such as a police auction), Marge decides to take a career as a realty agent. Working for Lionel Hutz's Firm, Red Blazer Realty, Marge's career instantly goes south due to her brutal honesty. Fearing that she may be sacked, she realises she might have to lie, up to and including lying about haunted houses to the Flanders clan.

Meanwhile, at the aforementioned police auction, Homer buys a convertible, loving every second of it. However, the convertible belonged to career criminal Snake, who vows revenge.

Review: The bad news is that Homer is turned up to "Jerkass" through the first and last parts of this episode. The good news is that the A plot is pretty good... when it involves as little Homer as possible.

The plot of "Marge wants to take a second job" is tragically nothing really new; "Marge Gets a Job" did it first (duh) and did it best, taking on a critique of the relatively misogynistic workforce that still exists (to an extent) today. "Realty Bites" is not as relevant, but I can still get the critique of the real estate market; in the late 90s and early-mid 2000s, property owners would do anything to try and move homes, just to make profit. Of course, this wound up collapsing in 2008, causing the property/financial crisis in (among other nations) the US, Greece, and Ireland.

Phil Hartman produces a bittersweet role here as Lionel Hutz, who has taken a break from the legal arena to concentrate on property. It really fits his role as a snarmy, desperate man out for a quick buck despite being incompetent. The "bitter" part comes in here... this was Hutz's final speaking appearance. Five months after this episode aired, Hartman was shot dead by his wife, who proceeded to commit suicide. It's ironic that one of the funniest actors in the show died as the show was slipping in quality, yet it makes the circumstances of his death no less sadder.

Anyway, back to the review.

This episode's A-plot is almost good, if somewhat pedestrian and rehashed. The B-plot, tragically... isn't. The reason? Homer.

He literally does nothing except act like a complete and utter maniacal idiot during the entire episode. He buys Snake's car, drives on the sidewalk (amongst other things), and gets into a long, boring car chase with Snake (who manages to walk out of prison.) Crazy crap happens, and the car single-handedly destroys a house... by crashing into the front, not damaging anything that might be a support beam. Reality? What's THAT??? Nobody is arrested, and you can take a guess at the person that suffers from it. Here's a hint; it ain't Homer.

In the end, it's a watchable, somewhat funny episode, dogged down by Homer being far too annoying... which would not get any better anytime soon.

Favourite Moment: As Lionel is showing how house flaws can be spun by realtors into positive traits, he shows Marge one particular house.

Marge: "That one's on fire!"

 Hutz: "Motivated seller!"

Least Favourite Moment: Am I the only one who didn't care for Kirk Van Houten's arm getting sliced off? The worst part? According to Scully, that scene, when suggested, caused mass laughter in the staff room due to how unexpected it was. It just seems unnecessarily dark and THOH-ish.

Jerkass Homer Meter: 3

Jerkass Homer Moment: Homer drives on the sidewalk while his family is in the car. Yeesh!

Zaniness Factor: 2.5

Zaniest Moment: The car chase. All of it. It's. Just. Stupid.

Score: 6.5

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.

Not Another Top (X) List: Top 6 Best Episodes of Gravity Falls Season 1

Well, yesterday, we looked at the top 5 worst episodes of season 1 of Gravity Falls. It was hard to pick the 5 worst, simply because the season was so good

Now, onto another hard task; the top 6 episodes of Gravity Falls season 1. This was hard merely because the season was so fantastic, it produced god-knows-how-many candidates for the title of "best episode". Narrowing it down to 6 was a hard task.

So, without further ado, here are...

Not Another Top (X) List: Top 5 Worst Gravity Falls Episodes of Season 1

Remind me to add graphics to this image. (Image taken from Google Images. I apologise.)

Well, I've done it. I have covered 10 hours of television. The first season of Gravity Falls was fantastic. From the plot, to the characters, to the drama, to the humour, everything was close to (if not outright) well done.

However, I don't believe in perfection. Between that belief, and the fact that as an internet reviewer, I must produce a decent output of "negative" content, I have decided to look back and see what 5 episodes were the weakest this season. I might say something different compared to what I said in the review; I apologise for that. Again, these episodes are not necessarily bad. Flawed? Yes. Bad? Not really. This season was, by TV standards, excellent; these are just subpar compared to the high standards of this awesome show.

So here we are, back at another segment of "Not Another Top (X) List!" This week, X=5, and we're looking at the...

Top 5 Worst Gravity Falls Episodes of Season 1!

Gravity Falls Review: "Gideon Rises" (Season 1, Episode 20)

Airdate: August 2nd, 2013

Took a page out of Duloc, eh?

Synopsis: With Gideon now in control of the Mystery Shack- uh, I mean Gideonland- the Pines Family (and Soos) have to crash at Soos's Grandmother's house. The world seems to be falling apart; Gideon has Waddles, the kids have nowhere to go, Stan's store is gone, and Wendy will be shipped off to her cousin's logging camp if she can't hold a job in Gravity Falls. (In this economy? Enjoy the logging camp!) Threatened with being sent back to Piedmont, CA for the rest of Summer, the twins have to resort to drastic measures to try and take down the shack.

As this is happening, Gideon reveals the reason de jure for his takeover of the shack... as the last traces of his sanity evaporate. Stan, meanwhile, is trying to get used to the fact that his life is all but trashed... when he notices something fishy with the Gideonland buttons

Review (SPOILERS MIGHT BE AHEAD): Let's get this out of the way; the ending. I can't say I enjoyed the basics of it that much, given that everybody and their mother expected it. In a show that twists and turns every other day of the week, this just seems like a weak end. Still, can't fault the excellent music and the creative visuals.

Hell, you can't fault the episode that much. It really is pretty damn good.

Again, the raison d'etre for my love of Gravity Falls comes in the characters and their development and interactions. And might I say, these are some of the finest we've seen our characters at this point. First would have to be Gideon. Between his knowledge of the history of the secret in the Shack, and the construction of the Gideon-Bot, we see just how manipulatively intelligent he is.

To segway a bit, remember the beginning of the first book?

In Gravity Falls, there is no one you can trust.

We'll go into this line a bit later in the season wrap up. Rather appropriately, that applies to Gideon and his relationship with the town. He manages to con and manipulate the town over god-knows-how-long to try and access a great power. The facade and propaganda manages to keep the town by his side, even after the robot is wrecked, Gideon accuses the twins of trying to assassinate him via dynamite.

Dipper, meanwhile, loses his trust in himself after he not only loses the book, but is also given a verbal beatdown from Gideon himself over the simple fact that he possessed the book. Gideon puts it best;

Every victory you've had was because of your precious book... No muscles? No brains?... You're nothing without this book.

Yet, without the book, Dipper managed to take down Gideon. How? Going back to character development, unlike Gideon, who has committed god-knows-how-many felonies, Dipper has honour. Once Gideon captures Mabel, Dipper finally goes in for a full-blown attack against the kid. Here's a tip for those who value their lives; Do. Not. Mess. With. Mabel.

Mabel takes less of an action-oriented role than in "Dreamscaperers". However, in a moment where the two seem to be close to death, Mabel pulls out the Grappling Hook from "Tourist Trapped". Truly, the Chekov's Gun trope has been applied in full force.

Soos seems to retain his role as the "jack of all trades" - strangely enough, despite being a master of nothing, his roles help save the plot. His seemingly goofy persona helps make his heroic actions that much more awesome.

Admittedly, Wendy does not get much of a role in this one. However, whatever scenes she did have gave me hope for the future. Why? She proves that the last ties between her and Robbie are cut. Apparently, being lied to in terms of creativity does nothing for her. Let's just hope this marks her shifting into more of an independent role and less of a "thrust Dipper into puberty" role.

And Stan... whoa. Stan proves once and for all that he will protect and defend the twins... even if it means sending them back to California, as he has no money to raise them. Hell, contrast his reaction to the twins having no food against a line in "Dipper v. Manliness", where he orders the kids... ketchup for breakfast. That's certainly not the character we see here. Once Stan realises something is fishy with the Gideon buttons thanks to his hearing aid, he goes out and tries to get Gideon locked up. Is it selfish because he always wanted Gideon out of his hair? Maybe. However, it also shows another example on how not every hero is a selfless knight in shining armour; that they can be selfish, slobbish, and rather manipulative.

But how did Stan figure out the truth about Gideon's buttons so suddenly? That's a pretty damn good question... which might lead to further questions if and when it's answered next season.

This episode also relies a bit on call-backs... and they are really used effectively. They could've used the Manotaurs to try and take down Gideon. No. They used the foot-tall gnomes. Admittedly, it also shows that as awesome as Dipper and Mabel are, they are still kids, and thus, may not think things through that well.

The visual effects are pretty good, albeit not the best this show has done. The Gideon-bot, to be honest, sort of reminds me of Futurama, what with putting CGI special effects in an otherwise cartoonish show. However, background shots are the strength of this particular episode. Look at this one, for example.

Not only is this the image of a man that has hit rock bottom, but look at the kitchen. That is not an acceptable kitchen, especially for two 12-year olds.  Add to that the presence of the shadows, and the shading, and you have a screenshot that shows just how well animated this show is.

Again, the ending was a tad bit predictable, and that does drag the score down a tiny bit. However, the rest of the episode is fantastic. A wonderful end to a great first season!

Favourite Scene: Hard to pick, but it would have to be Mabel using her grappling hook... to help rescue herself and Dipper.

Least Favourite Scene: Personally, I wasn't a fan of the reveal that Soos was the bus driver, but only because the Pines twins should've known when they first boarded the bus. Really though, it's not a bad scene; it's just my least favourite.

Rating: 9

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 V, Episode 6: "Back to Reality"

Airdate: 26 March, 1992

Synopsis: Starbug is investigating the wreck of the SS Esperanto, which was conducting seeding experiments at the bottom of an ocean-covered moon. Apparently, despite the success of the ship, all the members committed suicide, apparently as a result of a toxin. Suddenly, Starbug (who's members suddenly become depressed) has to evade a giant squid. They crash...

...and thus, ends the Total Immersion Videogame Red Dwarf. Final score? 4%.

The people playing the game wake up, and slowly not only realise that they outright played the game wrong, they also get oriented to who they once were. Kryten was played by half-human cyber-cop Jake Bullet, who was a mere traffic officer. Lister was played by Sebastian Doyle, the voter colonel of a fascist state who headed a secret police to take people away. Rimmer was played by Billy Doyle, a miserable failure and the half-brother of Sebastian. And the Cat? Horror of all horrors, he was played by Duane Dibbley, a geek with no sense of fashion nor grace. Despair sets in, especially once Jake Bullet kills somebody that reveals the pure horror of the world they exist in.

Review (SOME SPOILERS MAY BE AHEAD): This was the first episode written for Series V, which was thought to be the last series due to cast issues (for one, Robert Llewellyn was going to do Red Dwarf USA, and Chris Barrie was to work on The Brittas Empire. Thus, the episode was pushed back to the last one, in case it was truly the end for the Boys from the Dwarf. Juliet May, who directed this, had trouble confining to the sci-fi atmosphere of the show and resigned midway through the series.

So, how low could this go? Well, let's just take a look at a review or two or four of this episode.

"If there is one show to watch again (and again and again), then this is most certainly it."  -Stacy Kidd, Den of Geek's "Top 10 Red Dwarf Episodes". 

"And so, one of the immutable laws of the universe asserts itself - poll Red Dwarf fans on their favourite episode, and 'Back to Reality' will win." - Fan site Ganymede and Titan, on the episode placing 1st in the 20th anniversary survey.

"Well, this is it - the pinnacle of human endeavour. The videotape containing this one should be behind bullet-proof glass in a museum. It's no less than perfect, with an inspired mix of ingenious plotting, brilliant writing, and stunning performances. This video could cure cancer." Reviews by Gavrielle, taking a look at Series V. 

"It's just shy of 1000 points ahead of it's rival - by far the biggest margin - and it's the favourite episode of 18% of Red Dwarf fans. It won the "Smegzine" poll in 1992, the Better Than Life poll in 1999, the G&T poll in 2008, and it's our second non-mover. Back To Reality is quite simply a remarkable piece of television." - Ganymede and Titan, on the episode placing 1st (again) in the Silver Survey in 2013.

(Apologies to those whose quotes I used. Shoot me an email if you want them removed.)

So, all those quotes indicate that this episode is quite popular. And you know what?

They are right.

I don't believe that things can achieve pure perfection. However, "Back to Reality" comes pretty damn close to breaking that threshold. It is one of the most well-constructed TV episodes ever.

The reason de jure of Red Dwarf's popularity are the well-crafted characters and the humour that revolves around them. "Back to Reality" takes this to the hilt, all while adding plenty of drama surrounding the characters.

First, there's Jake Bullet. The centrepiece of Kryten's character is that, no matter how much of a superego he is, he is simply unable to bring himself to kill humans; it's in his programming. Jake Bullet has the option to stun a human with a weapon he uses. He instead kills. Thus, he is driven over the emotional brink, contemplating terminating himself (i.e. suicide).

We then have Sebastian Doyle. As much as Lister is an unambitious slob, he is also a firm believer in the goodness of the average man, as well as independence and a scepticism of authority. He is quite clearly the most moral character of the core four. To see him in an absolute dictatorship, overseeing a secret police out to kill dissenters of a fascist state, goes against every single one of his principles.

Now, Billy Doyle. Rimmer and Billy are both pathetic lowlifes who have quite clearly failed in their life. However, Rimmer has tried to justify this by blaming other people. To an extent, Rimmer has a good excuse; his upbringing was pathetic. Now that Billy and Sebastian had similar upbringings, with Sebastian being more successful in theory, he could no longer blame his past for his failures. He puts it best:

"This is a nightmare! I'm on the run from the Fascist Police with a murderer, a mass murderer, and a man in a Bri-Nylon shirt!"

On the subject of the Bri-Nylon shirt, we now go to Duane Dibbley.

Duane Dibbley?

This episode pretty much states what we have long known/feared; the Cat's personality is as thin as a New York Pizza (relatively speaking, of course). The Cat's focus is on his self-image and grace, as well as being the most action-oriented of the three. Duane has none of that; he wears suspenders, has an overbite, and a bowl cut. He has no sense of action or grace. With the one outstanding trait of the Cat nullified, Duane has no sense of self worth.

Beyond character, the writing is brilliant. There is little unnecessary exposition; even Andy's "Welcome Back to the Real World" sets the tone for the "We really suck" attitude that encompasses the characters over the next 15 minutes. The twists and turns add to the humour and character development.

Production-wise, this episode really stretches it. The acting of everybody is fantastic. The cop, played by Lenny Von Dohlen (Harold Smith from Twin Peaks), is shown with a borderline lust for his cruel job... and it is fantastic. Nothing is overt; emotions are first seen in the faces. When Sebastian realises what his job his, his face quickly becomes pained.

It's a very small detail, but look closely at Sebastian's face. you can tell that he is truly shaken by the reveal that he was only a mass murderer.

The car chase that follows, well, is unique. Let's just say it really helped with the budget. It really is fantastic and helps bring the episode to it's final twist.

This episode has it all; fantastic characterisation, superb humour, sublime drama, effective special effects, awesome acting. In short, this is...

...the best Red Dwarf ever.

Favourite Scene: I should really just provide a link to the episode on iTunes. It really is that fantastic. However, since I have to pick, I will simply say that the car chase is sublime.

Least Favourite Scene: Saying this has a least favourite scene would be an insult to this episode. It's simply fantastic.

Score: 10.