back to article Red Dwarf finally returns to Earth

It's taken them 21 years, but this Easter the crew of Red Dwarf will finally return to Earth in a two-part special which reunites many of the original cast. The homecoming is courtesy of digital channel Dave, which on Friday 10 April will broadcast the first installment of Red Dwarf: Back to Earth - penned by the show's co- …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Excellent!!

    But will it star Kochanshi?

  2. rogueelement
    Alien

    Smoke me a kipper

    I thought Barrie and Charles weren't exactly the best of mates - surprised they would be willing to do this.

    Was never much good after about series IV anyway....left too long between series when charles was on remand.

  3. Edward Miles
    Happy

    Ahem:

    May I be the first to say:

    YES YES YES YES YES YES OH GOOD GRIEF YES!

    To be honest I don't care how badly they screw it up, I will watch it, and let my inner fanboi revel...

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A classic returns

    Sci-Fi at its best. The UK has the talent to pull of interesting stuff, I say we ditch the soap operas and start producing more stuff like this.

  5. Cameron Colley

    21 years?

    Have I travelled into a time warp where it's 2020 all of a sudden?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Alien

    Smoke me a Kipper!

    They'll be back in time for easter.

  7. Craig Roberts
    Happy

    Finally!

    Any new Dwarf is good news as far as I'm concerned - even though seasons 7-8 weren't the best... I'm gonna assume that Dave's budget isn't going to be anywhere near the BBC's (especially in the last few years of the series)...

    ... Although this could be a good thing and force Doug Naylor back to basics...

    All good!

  8. Lloyd
    Thumb Down

    If it's anything

    like season 4 onwards then I'll decline the invite thanks.

  9. Joe
    Unhappy

    I have a very, very bad feeling about this...

    I just don't think it can come close to the originals, especially as series 7 and 8 were so poor once Grant left the writing staff *sigh*

  10. spiny norman
    Stop

    Half the genius

    It was the writing team of Grant and Naylor that produced the best of red Dwarf, up to series 6. After that it went into terminal decline and it would have been a very good idea to let it rest in peace.

  11. Ash
    Thumb Up

    Oh dear god...

    They should have stopped at Series 6.

    Still, i'll watch it anyway. For posterity, if nothing else!

  12. alan
    Alien

    i for one

    welcome our drug taking, smart talking comedy actor overlords

  13. Tony

    Yay!

    Smoke me a kipper I'll be back for breakfast.

  14. CeeJay

    This is all very well...

    ...but it's not going to fulfill my Claire Grogan requirements.

  15. Shaun
    Happy

    Smeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

    heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    Good news - provided it's better than the last two series.....................................

  16. Egons Proton Pack
    Thumb Up

    I can't wait....

    I think Red Dwarf is brilliant..

    So much so I have just bought the 10 disc series from play..

  17. Sooty

    Doug Naylor only

    that's a shame, as his solo stuff has never been as good as what was done with Rob Grant

  18. jai

    smoke me a kipper, i'll be back for easter

    the title "back to earth" makes me worried though

    surely they won't actually get there will they? i mean, the whole point was that we knew they would never ever get home, but they carried on anyway

    still - smegging brilliant news that there's more Red Dwarf coming up. here's hoping it kick starts more seasons of the show

    (to be honest though, you're months late with this news, i'm sure i read about it on the red dwarf website before xmas)

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    hopefully better than series 8

    sweet, something *potentially* decent to watch on telly

  20. Pete Foster
    Thumb Up

    Smoke me a kipper, skipper. I'll be back for more cash.

    I really really hope that the cast have done this because they wanted to, and not just because they needed the cash. Let's hope that Naylor and Dave can do it properly.

  21. nobby
    Happy

    smeg

    smegging great!

  22. netean
    Thumb Up

    she's not mentioned

    As Chloe Arnett isn't mentioned, I'm hoping against hope that she won't be returning for the special!

    Fingers crossed!

  23. Shinku
    Unhappy

    [spoiler]

    Damnit, now I have to go and get catastrophically drunk to forget you said they're going to return to earth!

    Also, old news for hardcore Dwarfers :D

  24. Mart
    Happy

    He's arnold, arnold, arnold rimmer!

    hooray its about time, and glad to see the old cast back, not some dumbass rehash.

    Smoke me a kipper, i'll be back for breakfast!

    What about Kochanski though????

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    A Title,

    Lets hope they set it at wizards school and not ruin it

  26. Tom

    Opening

    Opening sequence I will say will show the ending of the last episode.. and then cut to 10 years later

    Lister "Well that was a boring trip"

    Kryton "But Sir, what about 7 years ago when you ripped your pants, that was amusing"

    Lister stares blankly

    Cat "Well at least ive aged with grace, you look like you have been dragged through a cupboard of dead hedgehogs"

  27. s
    Heart

    Such a shame it's not on the BBC

    Thery don't have Dave over here (NL) so I guess I'll have to miss it :(

    Must admit though that with only one half of grant-naylor I don't expect it to be great - but I'm such a dwarfer that I don't care I'd still watch it given half a chance...

    Boys from the dwarf!

  28. Mike

    Great news, but ...

    For smegs sake I hope they leave Kochanski out of this ...

    "Is it me or are those frogs saying useless?"

  29. Thomas
    Thumb Up

    As long as its not like Series 7....

    ....This is some awesome news.

  30. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    @ Cameron Colle

    21 years to get back to earth, not 21 years for the next installment

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Hope it doesn't suck

    Also hope that it carries on from the cliff hanger from series 8, but I'm betting it won't

    It's crazy that we've had to wait 10 years!

  32. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Break out Racheal

    Puncture repair kit on standby, Sir.

  33. paul
    Heart

    Boys from the dwarf

    [Wave hands]

    "For smegs sake I hope they leave Kochanski out of this ..."

    Agreed.

  34. Dennis
    Happy

    Please rush me my portable walrus polishing kit.

    Four super brushes that will clean even the trickiest of seabound mammals. Yes, I am over eighteen, though my IQ isn't.

    I don't hold out much hope after the last 2 series but maybe that because...............

    "My brain's rebelled. It just won't accept nice things happening to me."

  35. Luke
    Thumb Up

    Fell off a cliff after series 6...

    ...even so, I really, really want to see it.

    Please though, no Kochanski, no Max from Eastenders, and no more Duane Dibley (it was funny twice, leave it now.)

  36. hikaricore
    Thumb Up

    yay

    yay!!!1

  37. StooMonster
    Joke

    Other sci-fi returns to Earth

    BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 1980.

    Oh the horror.

  38. bobbles31
    Thumb Up

    And back on Earth....

    "Where is everyone?"

    "They're all dead Dave, Dave everybodys dead."

    "What, the President, the Police all the Activists?"

    "They're all dead Dave. Dave, everybodys dead. Everybodys dead dave."

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Better Smeg Than Dead

    *message ends*

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Alien

    As good as "This Life" revisited?

    It's going to be shite. You know it's going to be shite. Everyone will say it's very good at the time but we'll all know it's being said through gritted teeth. Then after a year everyone will admit it was shite and start slagging it off, yet still remain hopeful for a film version.

    That's sci-fi fans for you.

  41. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    :-o

    smeg...

  42. jai
    IT Angle

    spin my nipple nuts and send me to alaska

    someone's going to ask what the IT angle is, aren't they?

    and the answer is, of course:

    "If Silicon Heaven doesn't exist, then where do all the calculators go?"

  43. Yorkshirepudding
    Go

    Committee for liberation & intergration of terrorfying organisms & their reintergration into society

    i pray to silicon heaven this doesnt end up like a complete fail! red dwarf has to be one of britains best shows in the 20th century. please dont much up this chance!!!

    i gues chloe anette didnt want to come back?

  44. Craig Vaughton
    Coat

    Just a thought...

    Pity its not April 1st they say their showing the program...

    ..then pull it at the last minute and show a repeat episode?

    Then it would be April, May, June, July and August fool :- )

    Mines the one with a Tension Sheet in the pocket.

  45. John

    some questions

    which Kochanski? (if either)

    which Holly?

    will the Red Dwarf itself even feature? Starbug was cool and all, but it wasn't the Serenity.

    plus, they've already been back to earth: everything went backwards.

  46. Stephen
    Thumb Up

    Nice one Dave

    Good to see the boys from the Dwarf back for a special.

    They never really wrapped up the series with season 8's ending, but I have to agree with the commentors above it wasn't the same since they introduced Kochanski in 7 to replace Rimmer. (bringing back the crew from the dead in 8 was the kiss of death to the show)

    My hope is that for the specials they go back to basics of what the show was about.

  47. Big_Boomer Silver badge
    Happy

    Well Spin My Nipple Nuts And Send Me To Alaska!

    Well done DAVE. First Argumental, now Red Dwarf.

    Glad to see that they are moving away from being just a "repeats" channel.

    Since Red Dwarf 8 I haven't seen anything on the BBC that IMHO qualified as even remotely funny, and before anyone mentions "The Office",... I'd rather have testicular electro-shock torture!

    Even if it's crap, the worst of the Dwarf is better than pretty much anything that's on our 400+ channels today. Can't wait! :-)

  48. Andy Barber
    Thumb Up

    @Such a shame it's not on the BBC

    I expect it will be on the torrents by the end of the day!

  49. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Please make it more like the original

    In later series we had such nonsense as Kryten choking on his own throat to talk Gelf, even though they sounded like they had a more structured language when first encountered. Everything else falls apart the same way, like the Kat being a shadow of his former independent cool self.

  50. Znort666
    Happy

    I guess its time to...

    dust of my old "Better smeg than dead" t-shirt...oh the memories of a great show, will have to record for my in-law as he loves it too...

    Do hope they don't spoil it though, would be a shame after all this time to go a balls it up.

    Maybe the G.E.L.F could make a re-appearance...

  51. Alicia

    Keep Kochanski out!

    Please. Please keep her out.

    And if we get the ratings high enough maybe they'll finally get the funding for the film *fingers crossed*

  52. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Prediction

    As is normal on these occassions, they will, after two episodes on Earth, get back in Starbug and blast off into the sunset, grinning wildly.

    Thus the pointlessness of the whole endeavour is revealed while still leaving the possibility of a sequel.

  53. Neil
    Paris Hilton

    Is it true

    That Paris Hilton is being lined up to play Kochanski?

    Otherwise I fail to see the Paris angle.

  54. dervheid
    Thumb Up

    !sega ni swen tseb eht s'tahT !tnallirB gniggemS

    Let's just pray that it doesn't end up being like the cat's final experience in 'Backwards'.

    I suspect that the cast are all going to need considerably larger costumes this time round.

    Pass the fresh mango juice!

  55. Haku
    Go

    "Come on you reeee-eeeeds!"

    Twins! (two episodes) Fan-smegging-tastic!

    P.S. Would you like some toast?

  56. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @ haku

    How about a muffin

  57. Alan Potter
    Happy

    Cue cards?

    What is this rubbish about cue cards? I saw one episode (Camille) being recorded - and that was great fun - and there wasn't a cue card in sight!

    If they can drop the "joke" that was in the last two series about Cat detecting things through his whiskers, that would be good. And while I liked Hilly, Holly was better.

    And if they were to return to Earth, wasn't it supposed to be flooded - certainly at Fuchal?

    I think Queeg should make a little appearance too.

    Great news as long as they don't f it up they way they did with the various visual versions of HHGTTG...

  58. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I don't have a good feeling about this

    I love RD but the quality started to show serious signs of deterioration in series 6. After 6 it was on steep decline until it became a shadow of its former greatness. The less said about Kochanski, the better.

    I'm willing (and hoping) to be proven wrong.

  59. john bertelsen
    Flame

    Chicken Vindaloo

    I will be brewing a big batch of chicken vindaloo in celebration!

  60. Joe
    Coat

    @AC

    Ah, so you're a waffle man??

  61. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    @ haku

    Would you like a crumpet?

  62. Michael Habel
    IT Angle

    Screew all this talk about Flying Cars!!

    When are we going to get the Talky Toaster?!?!

  63. Alan Potter
    Happy

    Smirk mode

    I just hope they don't "last chicken in the shop"-up

  64. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    (untitled)

    The writers had clearly run out of ideas in the last series, almost went from comedy to tragedy, still they've had a long time to find something suitable for the script. Just wonder how the cast will cope without the zimmer frames after all this time. And not sure what the point of going to Earth is if the human race has long died out. Still I shall be tuning in to see come April, it was a great show overall.

  65. Pabs
    Thumb Up

    Smegtastic!

    Marvelous!

  66. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    @Screew all this talk about Flying Cars!!

    Has Talky Toaster been upgraded with USB and are there drivers for him in Windows 7?

    Flippy (B.S.C)

  67. Gordon Crawford

    put it on DvD

    put it on DvD and I will buy it . [or send round trip airfare from BA MD usa to nearest dave repository for me ] yeah I am in usa , but I love sci-fi and British humor ! Red Dwarf is both ! I hope they do as good as Serenity .

  68. Ben

    Good news

    Good news, people - it's on Dave, so will have a budget of about 10p and a small ball of lint. This means it should have the charm of the early series and have to rely on writing instead of effects...

  69. Nordrick Framelhammer
    Thumb Up

    About smegging time!

    It has been too smegging long since this most excellent of shows graced our screens and tickled our spleens.

    I would love to see Holly back as well.

  70. jon

    and the REAL news is......

    after googling past all those that had just done <ctrl-c> <ctrl-V> , I finally found a bit of the REAL truth...

    who me, cynical??

    http://blog.ryanajarrett.com/tv/red-dwarf-back-to-earth/

    gives it proper, and even almost up to date pics of the crew! :D

  71. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Never understood...

    Why people bash the last two series but leave six unmentioned I'll never understand. It's got its moments (as does series seven) but so much of it is so terribly formulatic it's painful. Very very obviously different from the last couple series at the time, which were getting pretty tired anyway.

    These characters are fun to watch, and the humour is always good, even if the plot has become a little dogdy. I'll be tuning in.

  72. Yorkshirepudding
    Coat

    what is with...

    these comments to serenity? undoubtedly a great program in its own right but whats teh relation to red dwarf?

    red dwarf before serenity kiddies

    mines the one with the bazookoid

  73. Simon Tandy
    Alert

    RE: 21 years?

    RE:

    21 years?

    By Cameron Colley

    Posted Tuesday 27th January 2009 10:03 GMT

    "Have I travelled into a time warp where it's 2020 all of a sudden?"

    21 years since 1988 when they started out!!!

  74. Moss Icely Spaceport
    Thumb Up

    Series 7 and 8 bad?

    Maybe on a purist RD scale of supreme goodness they were.

    But on the intergalactic scale of TV crappiness they were brilliant.

    Chicken Marengo please!

    Chicken Marengo please!

    Chicken Marengo please!

    Chicken Marengo please!

    Chicken Marengo please!

    Chicken Marengo please!

    Chicken Marengo please!

  75. Tom Austin
    Thumb Down

    Take a big hit...

    ...from the inky Despair Squid, folks. If the last three series signified anything, it's the law of diminishing returns.

    I'm off to stare moodily out of the observation dome, hoping I'm wrong.

  76. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Thank smeg me Mum's got Dave...

    ...and I'm back home to Blighty for Easter!

    No (especially 2nd incarnation of) Kochanski, that's all I ask.

    Other than that, it can be barrel-scrapingly bad and it will still beat what passes for sitcom these days.

    Totally agree that the "This Life" reunion was shite - changing backup tapes was more fun than watching that drivel, so that's what I went upstairs and did!!!

  77. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Call me cynical, but...

    Judging by the comments, the Red Dwarf team have pitched the wait about right - despite everyone saying it'll probably be naff, they'll still be tuning in to watch. So Dave makes a mint in advertising and the Red Dwarf production crew get paid - they don't care if it's going to be good or not because there'll always be hundreds of Dwarfers willing to watch regardless. Hook, line, sinker and copy of "Angling Times".

    I'll still be tuning in to watch, though.

  78. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    This Life special

    I had a winter vomiting bug when the This Life reunion was on, so I spent half the time rushing to the loo and yakking up my guts. Guess which half of the time I was having more fun.

    Expect nothing of the RD reunion and you won't be disappointed. I think these things are just a weird prurient nostalgia thing - people like to wallow in the weirdness of it with the chemistry of the cast disrupted by years away and everyone looking older. It's always poignant to see the lines around people's eyes when they're still all baby-faced in your head. It's very mild televisual self-torture, basically, and an excuse to whinge about how stuff is never as good as it was and things are only going to get worse and less entertaining.

    Whee!

  79. Ssithl Koumori

    Holoship - S5E01 ..

    One of the most memorable scenes - the Binks / Lister scouting report ..

    (Talking into a fag packet with one pulled out antenna - esque) "Lister to Red Dwarf. We have in our midst a complete smegpot. Brains in the anal region, chin absent presumed missing. Genitalia small and inoffensive. Of no value or interest"

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