I was so excited to hear that Red Dwarf was back on our screens, I knew as it was going to be on DAVE that the budget would not be half of the BBC TV episodes, but still I had high hopes.
Original Cast members Craig Charles (Dave Lister), Chris Barrie (Arnold Rimmer) and Danny John Jules (Cat) along with long term companion Kryten played by Robert Llewelyn with notable absence from either Norman Lovett or Hattie Hayridge as Holly
I made my first mistake, I watched the 3 parts on 3 separate days over the Easter weekend. This was not a great idea, hence my rating for the individual episodes as follows.
Red Dwarf: Back To Earth Part 1
[Rating: 1/5]
Red Dwarf: Back To Earth Part 2
[Rating: 2/5]
Red Dwarf: Back To Earth Part 3
[Rating: 3/5]
Not good as you would imagine. But as mentioned on another Red Dwarf episode the sum of its parts is greater than the whole as I would overall give Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
[Rating: 4/5]
Why? Well simply it was down to expectation, coupled with the breaking up of just over 60 minutes of new Red Dwarf (Dave has adverts) This meant that the first episode was just some physical gags relating to the giant squid, buffered with a little plot. Also the third episode dropped the user into a Red Dwarf that had no continuity with the rest of the series – a little explanation may have helped at the time – but being frank explanation in the first part would have dampened later revelations.
I am hoping that the fact that this Red Dwarf was set after a fictional ‘series 10’ actually gives me hope that series 10 will be made. Even if it isn’t please Doug Grant PLEASE give the go ahead for comics, audio (Red Dwarf as done by Big Finish – fantastic idea) or what ever to fill the gap, time is ticking on.
Overall if watched all together in one bulk (on DVD without adverts would be great) the story would reveal itself instead of being completely absent from part one).
I can see why Dave put it over 3 nights and if I weren’t so impatient I would have watched it on the Monday night where all three parts were shown back to back.
Roll on the DVD and its extras.
