Back to Earth: Episode Two

Interesting. I strongly believe the origami however its spelt that Cat did has significance to the pyramid in the thames and its jsut an alternative reality where they its a tv show. etc like they thoguht it was a game in back to reality type episode. But wasnt there rumors that a series 9 script was done n bbc didint want to know. so im presuming that'll tie thingd together with cliffhanger etc i shouldn't wonder. Cos its been writen n half the movie been filmed kind of so.. hmm interesting stuff well done!

Watched it again and here's my blow by blow thoughts on it.

The psi scan bit and penis enlargement cream thing made me laugh out loud

The dvd vs vhs bit was funny but a bit crap at the same time. it's just making a joke out of the fact that red dwarf became outdated because shows can never predict the future. red dwarf were using cd's (which look like dvds) in the 2nd series (wasn't gordon's message on one?)

When they find out they're not real, they accept it all very well as if it's not the earth shattering news it really is. Also why do they pause and stay still just before the adbreak?

The bit with Lister telling rimmer about the toilet is really funny. No idea why Rimmer takes condoms when he's a hologram...

The "guess who" bit in the shop was sort of funny but the actor was a bit crap, especially when saying the word "Weird" The Blade Runner scanning and zooming in bit was funny, a bit like the lister escape plan from "Rimmerworld" with the same sort of payoff from Kryten.

The bit with the kids is pretty cringe worthy, no children please, what is this a Speilberg movie? And mentioning Dave (the channel)? pretty tacky plugging, and if this is sold all over the world and seen many years from now, it's a pretty silly thing to insert and totally unneeded, what wrong with saying "we see you on tv"?. Plus the kids explaination of Kochanski and everything was a bit weak. They also think he's not just an actor. Please, they're not 4 years old. When I was their age, I knew they were actors..

Rimmer pushing Katerina into the traffic was unexpected and funny.

I'm dreading the coronation street bit though.

I didn't like the first episode - it just wasn't for me and I think I may have said as much on here yesterday. But I am so glad I didn't burn my bridges by slating it; tonight's episode more than made up for last night's disappointment - a truly excellent show.
The jokes were funnier (even if some were a bit obvious) and everything just seemed to be a bit more "natural" and enjoyable. I agree that the space corps directive joke could have been even funnier if this was the one time Rimmer got it right, but hey it was OK as it was.

I have to admit, when it was first apparent that the crew were going to discover that they were merely characters in a show I cringed and thought "Oh no! The rumours are definitely true". But I thought the breaking of this "fourth wall" actually worked - I normally hate this sort of thing, but in this instance it was well written, plausible and entertaining. It was a very brave and well constructed script, and it turned out to be an excellently performed show - if not a little self-indulgent (but I think that can be forgiven).

We have finally got an answer to all our plot continuation worries, and in a unique way too. I like the idea that there is a missing series 9 (missing in our dimension anyway) which answers all our questions. It's not complete closure, but it is good enough for me - and there is a hint that Kristine is still alive (a totally under-appreciated character IMO) - which has got to be good news.

My only criticism is Dave. I don't know if I lost my TV signal for a second, but the ad break seemed to be a bit abrupt and appeared to cut off Rimmer mid-sentence. I suppose after writing 8 series for the BBC it is tricky to get into the habit of writing to incorporate breaks, but surely someone from Dave or the editing team could have done a better job here (this is assuming that it wasn't my TV that was at fault)

On the whole, a fantastic 2nd episode, which I like to think is my reward for extraditing Mrs Southblue to the portable to watch the end of Britain's got talent - after yesterday's episode it would have been so easy to let her have her way.

A big pat on the back to everyone involved with the show and (if I may indulge myself) well done to all the fans who, like me, stayed loyal after a below par first episode.

Only question now is what comes after tomorrow? A catch-up series 9, or straight on to series 10? Either way, it is obvious that there must be another series!

Smeggin' brilliant.

Wow, how much better was this episode? last night was OK, this one was so funny I didn't even notice the lack of a laugh track - because this time me, my sister and my dad provided our own.

As for the storyline, I hope there is a neat twist at the end, as it is bordering on being too self-indulgent and self-referential to be completely comfortable, although I loved the hint that Chloe Annett may make an appearance - when Lister saw her picture in SFX it was rather poignant. And I agree with another poster who said that scene did go on too long.

Questions:

1: How COULD Lister read Chinese?
2: What was it with that weird guy making noses? Eh?
3: Is this some kind of Back to Reality dream? I hope it isn't real, otherwise it's going to suck.
4: How DID the rouge one sustain two holograms or even bring another on board when Holly is down??

Here's hoping part three is as funny as two, and ties up loose ends. Oh, and I really hope the boyz don't die. Judging by a scene on Youtube involving bullets (I'm not spoiling anything - it's part of Dave's behind the scenes stuff) I'm feeling a tad nervous.....

Wow, how much better was this episode? last night was OK, this one was so funny I didn't even notice the lack of a laugh track - because this time me, my sister and my dad provided our own.

As for the storyline, I hope there is a neat twist at the end, as it is bordering on being too self-indulgent and self-referential to be completely comfortable, although I loved the hint that Chloe Annett may make an appearance - when Lister saw her picture in SFX it was rather poignant. And I agree with another poster who said that scene did go on too long.

Questions:

1: How COULD Lister read Chinese?
2: What was it with that weird guy making noses? Eh?
3: Is this some kind of Back to Reality dream? I hope it isn't real, otherwise it's going to suck.
4: How DID the rouge one sustain two holograms or even bring another on board when Holly is down??

Here's hoping part three is as funny as two, and ties up loose ends. Oh, and I really hope the boyz don't die. Judging by a scene on Youtube involving bullets (I'm not spoiling anything - it's part of Dave's behind the scenes stuff) I'm feeling a tad nervous.....

am i the only one thinking the origami things Cat was making resembled Hologramatic Light Bees? But Lister reading chinese makes me think he's not actually Lister, but no idea what he is then. Can't be an android again, can he?

jmc2000 wrote:

The mind boggles, it really does. Am I watching the same episodes as everyone else?

The 'cheapness' of them running around the real world probably had a budget ten times that of yesterday's 'visual magnificence'

Anyone else noticed that all the people who hated part one loved this part!!

I think they were both great. When part two started i was like.. oh my god WHY!!!???

but it was soooooooooo funny!!! Can't wait for part three - it's going to completely change everything i just know it!

Quote:

Couldn't agree more. I said yesterday I was 75% happy, well, after tonight's episode it's more like 90%.
I agree that the whole 'knowing that they're characters' thing is a bit naff but the plot isn't really important, it just allowed for some great gags. More please!

I don't agree that its 'special' status excuses this second part, unless you re-interpret the term 'special'. There's so much good sci-fi out there, and this was a way of reintroducing Red Dwarf to people as a show you want to watch. I don't think self-referential 'break the fourth wall in a painfully cringeworthy way' really does that.

It's like watching a Red Nose Day special version - and I really really don't see that as a good thing.

Oh. And I quite happily assumed they were 'real' without breaking the fourth wall - just 3 million years in the future. Don't get me wrong I love Lister and would love to meet him on a bus! But...

re: Lister reading Chinese, I decided it was a fantastic reference to the first book, which talked about the time Lister spent on Mimas stealing taxi hoppers and bumming around the chinese district taking fares incl. a be-moustached Rimmer who wanted to go to a brothel

Dan wrote:

because they were just talking about how cliffhangers in 3-part episodes were annoying, then halfway through a sentance it goes into an ad-break. I reckon that was originally intended to be the end of part 1, when it was only gonna be a 2-parter.

Wow.

Well done, that's all I have to say.

southblue wrote:

It wasn't your TV. I'm certain Rimmer actually paused mid-sentence and they all just stood there before it went to adverts. I wonder if this is supposed to hint at the fact that maybe even this "real world" is part of another script?

I'm wondering where the Blade Runner getting-shot-and-jumping-through-glass scene fits in. My guess is that since the boys from the Dwarf are fictional, their "creator" can write them into a scene to try and kill them off. If they're in the "real world" 2009, where would the big Tyrell Corp pyramid and the neon-lit crowded street fit in? Not to mention the bloke trying to kill them? Who knows?

Best bits:
> Psi-scan
> Zooming in on the photo
> Rimmer - "I wasn't even neurotic when I was a kid... didn't have time, I was too busy washing my hands"
> Killing Katerina
> "Carbug" (c'mon, that's brilliant even if you knew it was coming)

Worst bits:
> KIDS ON THE BUS (just awful, so bad in all respects)
> The way the Dwarfers accept their "unreality" in about 2 seconds
> Destroying a fictional reality rarely works, and this is no exception.

Things I still want to know:
> What were those gold origami things that Cat was leaving around (in the furniture shop, on the bus)?
> What was the deal with Katerina - where did she come from? Why was she so evasive with Rimmer's questions about 2 holograms? What reason did she have for wanting to destroy Rimmer's data files, rather than just switching him off?

southblue wrote:

It was making a joke about the show going to adverts.

Mr E Smeg wrote:

That's a very moot point. Just goes to show we all want different things from it.

I have to say that compared the the first episode, which was a little slow, this episode was fantastic. The plot was very clever and the jokes came in thick and fast. Its so good to see the crew back.

Mr E Smeg wrote:

That's a very moot point. Just goes to show we all want different things from it.

Elwood wrote:

I wondered about the little origami markers too, I'm sure that all will be revealed. Oddly I wasn't so intrigued about Lister being able to read Chinese - it was obvious he was surprised he could read it himself - so I'm positive it's part of the bigger picture. Perhaps in this dimension Lister prefers Chinese food to Indian and as a result he can recall Chinese words from Menus he hasn't knowingly yet read, who knows? But I'm sure we'll all have a laugh finding out.

I think BTE is steadily improving. This part was much funnier and the story has now hooked me. Great idea about setting it after series 10.

I thought the two kids in the bus gave great little performances, they didn't annoy me like some other posters. Although the guy in the Sci-Fi shop I didn't like, would be better if he was shocked at seeing the boys from the dwarf standing there... but I suppose it worked in the scheme of things that he was a nutter and believed they were the actual Red Dwarf peeps.

But I personally am really impressed with the show so far. It's so damn good to have it back and if part 3 maintains the standard of part 2 I will be very happy indeed! Great job