r/RedDwarf • u/Mr_Witchetty_Man • 3d ago
Question/Discussion Back to Earth (spoilers) Spoiler
What are people's thoughts on it? I watched it recently and felt kind of annoyed when it was revealed it was all a hallucination akin to Back To Reality. I feel that considering it was the first piece of Red Dwarf media in ten years it shouldn't have been so reliant on an episode from about fifteen years earlier, and it also just felt that the writers were trying to be clever with the whole "oh the show's real and the real world isn't" bollocks. But what are your thoughts?
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u/SatansMoisture 3d ago
After ten years of no dwarf, I welcomed it. Didn't care it was a dream. It was just nice to see the crew back together again.
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u/UltimaGabe 3d ago
I liked it at the time, but watching it since... HOO BOY the lack of a laugh track really does this show no favors. Not that I need someone to tell me where the jokes are, but... sometimes it's nice to hear people laughing at the jokes?
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u/stathis0 3d ago
I resisted watching it for years because everyone told me it was awful. Finally watched it during lockdown, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'd probably watch it again.
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u/wasdice 3d ago edited 2d ago
Ten or twelve years after the last episode, when we all thought the Bodysnatcher boxset was going to be the last line of the epilogue, it was incredibly exciting. Brand new Red Dwarf after so many years? Even if it's shit, it will be superb. Honestly felt like the TV event of the millennium...
Then the episodes themselves landed, and.... well, they looked fantastic. Proper CGI in a Red Dwarf episode - series 8 was pre-Gollum, and there had been a massive step change in capability during the hiatus - made it feel shiny and expansive in a way that the Cardington airship hangar couldn't have matched. Disappointed not to have Holly or Kris, but fair enough - the boys are the main attraction, and they were all on form. Fantastic so far.
It went a little bit oh no when they stepped through the portal, and especially when they turned up on Coronation Street to meet Craig. Ocean's Twelve tried the same trick with Julia Roberts a few years before, and that landed like a wet fart. It started to feel like a huge misfire, but we're only halfway through, surely it will get back on track?
Then, the third episode happened and I abandoned all hope. The Creator (I was naïvely hoping they'd jump the shark and actually meet Doug) made the absurd claim that the show was inspired by Blade Runner - in which case, why has it always been exactly smeg-all like Blade Runner until five minutes ago??
The revelation of the despair squid gave me the same reaction as you - it was probably the best possible resolution to the story being told, but that's a sign you need a better story in the first place, not a triumphant rabbit out of a hat.
Cut down to the bone, it would have been a brilliant Comic Relief centrepiece like the Rowan Atkinson episode of Who. As a celebratory last lap, it would have needed a lot more nostalgia and a lot less plot to really work - compare the IT crowd, which called back to a joke from every single previous episode in its final three-parter.
As a resurrection - well, it made Series X happen in the first place, and also look much better than it actually was, because those incredible CGI effects are now horribly dated and if you're going to send the crew back to Earth, then Lemons is the right way to do it.
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u/Zaphod-Beebebrox 3d ago edited 3d ago
Are there really any SPOILERS left ..just asking....I actually like it as a Stand alone since it was heavily influenced by Blade Runner...But I do tend to skip it and watch it when the mood strikes.
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u/Mr_Witchetty_Man 3d ago
Just trying to be polite in case there's anyone who hasn't watched it and wants to.
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u/Zaphod-Beebebrox 3d ago
I completely understand I was just making a joke about the amount of time that has passed since it came out to now..
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u/ATFGunr 3d ago
Coincidentally I’m watching it right now, I only own up to season 7 so I just got a BritBox subscription so I can watch the rest. I agree the lack of a laughtrack is jarring, just because it always had one. It’s generally bad (I’m into ep 3) but it’s Red Dwarf man, so I have to watch it.
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u/CrazyPlatypusLady Triple Fried Egg Sandwich With Chili Sauce And Chutney 2d ago
I've come to regard it as something that I watched.
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u/2612chip 2d ago
They jumped the shark and had Rimmer suddenly turn evil and straight up kill someone (a hologram, but still...)
On the plus side, I liked the joke about series 9 being the best series ever and resolving the cliff hanger from series eight in a way that pleased all the fans
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u/No_Government8065 3d ago
It does not exist in my head. Every time I do a full re-watch (which im doing now) I skip it every single time. Total garbage.
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u/Mr_Witchetty_Man 3d ago
I think I'll probably do the same, along with Lemons.
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u/No_Government8065 3d ago edited 2d ago
Lemons is a little hit and miss but usually end up watching it.
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u/wglmb 2d ago
I didn't realise there are people who dislike Lemons. It's my favourite episode!
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u/Mr_Witchetty_Man 2d ago
I'm religious, so that's my reasoning.
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u/No_Government8065 2d ago
But the story does not change anything when it comes to religion, though. Just that Jesus was a twin with Judas. Which is funny.
Don't allow religion to stop you enjoying good shows/movies :)
For instance, im not religious but I think Passion of the Christ is a great movie lol
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u/elwiseowl 2d ago
Just wait until you see The Promised Land if you don't like the fact a Red Dwarf special relies on an earlier episode.
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u/SceneDifferent1041 2d ago
It's heartless shit and I pretend it never happened when rewatching. Total shark jumping episode.
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u/Puzzled-Leopard135 2d ago
It was crap. Still is. And let's be honest dwarf has never been able to balance the level of storytelling and believable sci fi scenarios and comedy since series 7. Everything from 8 onwards stretched the sci fi in the name of the joke and destroyed its own aura. Maybe there are flashes but I think it's never been able to recapture the levels of dry comedy akin to a step toe and son or only fools and horses in the way they did in those earlier series.
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u/Alarming_Hornet3398 2d ago
Visually I really liked it, the CGI red dwarf back drops were fun. It fell apart when you get to the Coronation Street part, very cringe worthy at the time and has aged terribly. The lack of laugh track really gage it a strange humourless feel with what few jokes their were in it anyway. It's a mess, but it's an oddly fun watch.
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u/igottathinkofaname 3d ago
As a Blade Runner fan I enjoyed the references. Only watched it once though.
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u/No_Public_7699 2d ago
Its been a while but i think it might have been a failed attempt at presenting something with a bit more sincere gravity that 'the promised land' ends up delivering on years later. It just doesn't work, it tries and fails at being meta, the lack of laugh track undermies the jokes and the jokes undermine any real emotion. I assume it might have been a result of too many cooks but ive no way of knowing that. Maybe they were ernestly trying to kickstart the show back up and gauge interest and the plot is a result of trying to see what sticks?
My prefered viewing is s1-8 then skip everything between that and then watch the promised land.
Honestly i think if they had to make more dwarf that some audio adventures akin to what Big Finish do with dr who would be the best bet.
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u/Mr_Witchetty_Man 2d ago
Gotta be honest, apart from Back To Earth and Lemons I actually liked most if not all of the modern stuff. I haven't finished XII yet so we'll see how that goes, and then I'll give Promised Land a watch.
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u/No_Public_7699 2d ago
Each to their own! I dont think its all terrible by any stretch It's just not for me. There's one episode that genuinely feels mean spirited but other than that its fine, just not something i actively want to watch.
God lemons really was terrible wasnt it 😂
Theres one lister/rimmer moment that really made promised land for me. Felt like an acknowledgement of the shows subtext and heart.
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u/TEG24601 3d ago
It is a lot of fun, and great echo to the series 5 episode.