Attention Red Dwarf cast members!

Should have gone to Specsavers.

Well, what do you expect? They’re too busy looking for “HAM!” and “pony”.

Although through the commentary I have just found out that Eric Sykes’ daughter - Julie Sykes - was First Assistant Director on VIII!

Ah. I haven’t heard the commentary for that series, so answer me this: Is Julie Sykes pony or ham? =P

Actually, this is a really good commentary! Possibly the best of the lot. Both Norm and Mac McDonald are excellent value.

Ooh, finally—a reason to get VIII from the library! (‘Cos I ain’t doing it for the top-notch episodes, that’s fer damn sure.)

The sad thing is, there’s some really great stuff in each episode. Just not nearly enough. Mac McDonald walking backwards out of a toilet spraying air freshener in BITR1 is *hilarious*… but is also the first thing I laughed at, and is ten minutes into the episode. But we can probably do without another VIII debate! The only thing I’ll say is that the criticisms levelled at VIII - that it’s too broad, it’s too pantomime - I sometimes wish they’d just gone a lot further down that road. Because those bits are usually the funny bits.

It’s brilliant hearing Norm moan away though. I agree with some of his criticisms, but think others are misguided - but it’s never less than entertaining and thought-provoking. And it’s great that he was allowed proper freedom to express his views. Although I doubt they could have shut him up even if they’d wanted to…

Yeah, bless him, Norm’s an irritable old bastard, innhe? (And I mean that in an affectionate way. In a kidding around, joking, friendly, affectionate way.)

I honestly can’t see why there are more than a few fans of Red Dwarf who hold so much disregard for series VIII, I thought some of the episodes were absolutely hilarious.

Oh my God! And Chris has just said that the girl the crew are interviewing in Holoship (“And meeting you guys has really made me appreciate it a whole lot more”) is Richard Briers daughter! A quick check reveals that the character is called Harrison, and actress is Lucy Briers.

This is the most informative Dwarf commentary ever, I think. Why did it take them eight series to get really good?

So we had a reason to buy the Series VIII DVD? The fact Norm gets to rant away on this one has just sold it to me.

Oh my God! And Chris has just said that the girl the crew are interviewing in Holoship (“And meeting you guys has really made me appreciate it a whole lot more”) is Richard Briers daughter! A quick check reveals that the character is called Harrison, and actress is Lucy Briers.

My mate Martin said he always used to fancy her back when he first saw the episode.

Norm’s just had me in hysterics at the start of the Cassandra commentary, with his indignation at the insults he’s getting.

It’s a cheap shot, but it’s also true: I laughed more at that than I *ever* have at the episode…

He’s like the missing ingredient in the commentaries, though. I severely underrated them in my VIII DVD review.

Actually, hearing the cast witter on (quite correctly) about fonts - what is *with* the fonts in VIII? You’ve got the weird computer-style font on stuff like the Canaries case, which isn’t really that appropriate - and then you’ve got the awful digital-lettering style used for captions and stuff. Hadn’t they learnt their lesson against that during the US Pilot?

Meanwhile, the font used for the end credits (the same as for VII) is just *boring* - a far cry from the lovely fonts of the 1-VI era. Odd.

Norman’s views on the VIII commentary are classic. It’s funny when he says a couple of things and the rest of the cast are just silent.

Was watching Krytie TV on UKG2+1x6=EMC-xy last night. When the camera shows the door to the ‘Womens showers’ it appears the font is back to being the Microgramma Font used in earlier series. I only got a glimpse so this might not be the case but it’s certainly not the Prisoner style font.

There’s a lot of the Microgramma font in the props and design for VIII, and some in VII (the JMC initials are usually written in it, on prop champagne and stuff). I love that resurrected I/II style and have been very deliberate in keeping as part of the now-standard style, on merchandise, the DVDs, and on the website.

Bottom line - it’s dated very well, unlike some of the VIII font choices.

We-ell, I managed to get me all three discs of VIII from the library, so I’ll be able to see precisely what it is you’re talking about.

Also, I got a copy of Last Human. Book review time! Everything’s comin’ up roses for this little hologram—can officerhood and sex be that far off? =P

> Everything’s comin’ up roses for this little hologram—can officerhood and sex be that far off? =P

Well, I can see what I can do about one of those.

You mean…*gasp!* I’m going to become an officer!?

Anyone else think that the Smeg Ups to series VIII are sum of the funniest, or are my brains leaking again?

>> Everything’s comin’ up roses for this little hologram—can officerhood and sex be that far off? =P

>Well, I can see what I can do about one of those.

You are a helpful fella aren’t you Cappsy :oP

> Anyone else think that the Smeg Ups to series VIII are sum of the funniest, or are my brains leaking again?

We’re talking a full on Stasis leak… No, they are actually quite funny, but I prefer the first few series.

>Ah. I haven’t heard the commentary for that series, so answer me this: Is Julie Sykes pony or ham? =P

She’s the daughter of a British comedy genius, so make up your own answer.

A few things:

(a) On the book front, I used my birthday gift card to order me…yes, it was Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers, Better Than Life, and Backwards. You can’t see it, but I’m doing a happy dance right now. It’s rather complex and involves quite a lot of hip waggling.

(2) Listend to the first part of the VIII commentary, and found out how Chris Barrie broke his fingers. Let this be a lesson to you all: Don’t go outside. It will kill you. For safety’s sake, stay indoors, on the computer.

(ptebvhpft!) …Actually, there is no third thing. Sorry.

> You are a helpful fella aren’t you Cappsy :oP

Didn’t you know I’m a Space Corps Admiral? I can promote anyone. That *was* what i was talking about, you know…

>Stace Corps?

…I’m not getting my officerhood, am I?

Still that just leaves the alternative…

>Still that just leaves the alternative…

You expect that to go right for me? Arlene “Shmucko” Rimmer, tosspot by royal appointment?

Haha, I’ve now changed my post, Karl. Who looks stupid now? HAHAHA, I HAVE THE POWER.

Well Arlene now thanks to you. Tsk!

> I can promote anyone.

…what even Leyton Orient?

Andrew:
There’s a lot of the Microgramma font in the props and design for VIII, and some in VII (the JMC initials are usually written in it, on prop champagne and stuff). I love that resurrected I/II style and have been very deliberate in keeping as part of the now-standard style, on merchandise, the DVDs, and on the website.

Bottom line - it’s dated very well, unlike some of the VIII font choices.

So why are the credits of all the DVD extras done in VII/VIII style Times/Times New Roman (only more poorly spaced) then?

I always thought it’d be nice if the end credits to the DVD doccos were done in *exactly* the same style as the series that docco was covering. Some Doctor Who documentaries do this.

But I never mentioned it. Partly because once they’d done the credits for All Change and Built To Last in that style, I knew they’d want to keep the same style for every other main documentary to tie them all together as a family.

> So why are the credits of all the DVD extras done in VII/VIII style Times/Times New Roman (only more poorly spaced) then?

Because, as you can see from VII and VIII, the Times font is Doug’s preferred choice for credits.

(Though, actually, only the doccos and IDW have credits; the main DVD credits were built by Deluxe and go for something different again.)

I think the Times suits the feeling of VII actually. That’s not a diss or anything (girlfriend, or something) - I honestly think it suits the feel of that series.

Not sure about VIII, though.

It’s interesting though - most TV shows stay pretty much the same throughout their life - and that includes the end credits. Red Dwarf is one of very few shows that changes drastically in look throughout the series - and so the end credits reflect that.

I always thought the worst end credits were actually for V. Lovely font, but the moving blue nebulae aren’t rendered that well. And whilst that series has a more Starbug-driven narrative, there’s enough Red Dwarf in there to justify using the classic ship shot used previously. (And I mean *classic*.) Especially as they didn’t come up with anything better.

Actually, I think VIII should have had a Perry/Croft ending - each of the characters doing something silly, with the actors name at the bottom. Kryten hoovering, Rimmer doing this, etc.

It would fit in well with my theory that I would have loved VIII a lot more if they’d gone a lot further down that kind of road in other areas…

YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING… a bunch of shit.

>We can bang on forever about how much we’d love to see a new Red Dwarf special, or even a new series or movie, but when you think about it, it’s probably never going to happen.

I get the distinct feeling that Doug Naylor, among others, would respectfully disagree.

Also—

>After series 8 ended on a massive, painfully crap cliffhanger we wanted more.

Fixed that for you ;P .