Red Dwarf episode Back To Earth, made especially for the re-branded UK Gold channel Dave. Good job Dave made its name from repeats; don’t think they’ve stopped playing all three parts since their original airing. And don’t worry Mooko, I’ll watch it again with you…So was it any good?
Unsurprisingly yes and no: It was good to be watching an episode of the Dwarf again and it was good to see the full cast reunited, plus from a geek point of view it was interesting to see how it had changed and to see new sets and special FX. Sadly as with the latter series this triple bill lacked that certain something that made the original shows so brilliant.
The first thing that hit me was the lack of canned/studio laughter. Without checking back I’m not sure if this was the style adopted for the last few series but it was quite jarring and created a quiet and empty feeling. I’m sure writers would argue that if the gags are funny enough you shouldn’t need an audio prompt to signal a joke, but it didn’t work. I remember when Only Fools And Horses tried it for a special, think it was Miami Twice and it didn’t work there either.
Similarly to the Fool and Horses special were Back To Earth’s production vales. Miami Twice was the first Fools to be shot entirely on film, rather than a mix of video/studio cameras and 16mm for the location stuff. This Dwarf was shot using the revolutionary Red camera systems, which can offer a camera capable of shooting images 14 times higher resolution than current HD. I’m fairly sure the production would have shot at the recognised UK HD standard of 1920x1080 but this is still 6 times more detailed than the SD we would have seen the old series on. So it has a very different look, and I suspect because it’s progressive, a more filmic quality to it.
Red Dwarf has gone through a few stylistic changes in the past; series one looked low-fi and flat with sets recycled from Prisoner Cell Block
H. It wasn’t until series 3 that we saw the arrival of the iconic white sleeping quarters, reminiscent of Alien and the brilliant Star Wars style model work. Back to Earth has gone even further in opening up JMC’s huge red mining vessel. The bunk area, corridors, lift and cargo decks look good, passable even for a low budget serious science fiction film. Using modern FX techniques such as virtual sets, digital matt painting and 3D modeling Red Dwarf looks better that ever. And that’s a problem. When the special edition of the original Red Dwarf series was released with touched up SFX – Lucas style – it was interesting but not necessary. Replacing the model work with crude 3D CGI was a bad move. Although Back to Earth’s FX are better executed, it still lacks that hand made quality. The look of Back to Earth is too filmic, to well shot and too well graded, I’m impressed but it doesn’t fit the series legacy.Aside from the look and the style the main problem with Back To Earth is the writing. There are a few laugh out loud moments and the story is okay. It could almost be taken straight from the past series, and almost has been, there was certainly a feeling of been here before, but generally this it was lacking something.
This as all Dwarfers know, is not a new problem, since season 7 aired in early 1997 Red Dwarf has been lacking a key member; co-creator and writer Rob Grant. Originally the two man team, current writer/director Doug Naylor and Rob Grant split after an alleged fight over series 7. Grant later denied this and was quoted saying he 'wished to have more on his 'tombstone' than Red Dwarf on its own'. Fair enough, but with him went a part of the Dwarf. We’ll never know who was responsible for which aspect of the writing, who did the science and who did the jokes, but Grant certainly shared some of the heart and whatever it was that made Red Dwarf so good.
I also found the Blade Runner referencing a bit much. All science fiction filmmakers look to Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece for inspiration and insight, the occasional nod or homage is fine but this was unashamed wholesale rip-off. I realise it was integral to the plot but just because it has been written in to the script doesn’t make it any good. Homage’s should be subtle or ironic or at least funny. Even down to costume, scenes, lines and plot devices. Lazy…
So Back To Earth is passable in a nostalgic sense, reminding you of all the great writing and performances of the brilliant first 6 series. A must if you are a die-hard Dwarf fan but not really worth it if you were only a causal viewer.
Alternately if you loved series 7 and 8 then go for it, you bastard…
