Movie Review – Red Dwarf: The Promised Land

Before we begin, a quick apology. While my intent was to have this out on or around Christmas, I had to deal with some personal business over the past few weeks. With that in mind, I didn’t want to rush out a subpar analysis of The Promised Land. Hopefully, this review going out at the end of the most dramatic year many of us have ever experienced can bring you a bit of a reprieve from the stresses of life. I hope you’ve all had a happy holiday season anyway.

Lister: “I have to play along – act like a god.”
Rimmer: “Act like a god? You’ve scarcely mastered human!”

Airdate: April 9th, 2020

Written and Directed By: Doug Naylor

Plot: Lister discovers that he can reinstall Holly off of an old floppy disc. Unfortunately, it’s an older version of Holly who fails to detect the crew. With the ship gunning for destruction, the Dwarfers are forced to flee to a derelict vessel, the Iron Star. There, they come across a group of Cat Clerics, who hail Lister as their god and are on the run from a malevolent and narcissistic leader, Rodon. With Rodon craving the Anubis stone, a mystical stone that could possess great power, Lister finds himself part of a sectarian civil war as a God he can’t stand being. Concurrently, Rimmer’s experimentation with “diamond light” wrecks his light bee’s battery, forcing him to plug himself into the derelict’s power source just to survive.

Review:

Red Dwarf.

It’s one of the most celebrated and acclaimed sitcoms in UK history. Airing since 1988, the show has become a recognizable fixture on British televisions. It ranked 18th in a ranking of Britain’s Best Sitcoms in 2004. Not a bad showing for “genre” comedy. It garnered some of the highest ratings in the history of BBC Two, and continued to pull in sizable viewing figures on the Dave channel. There’s even a small cult following for the series here in the USA.

You would have expected the powers that be to capitalize on Red Dwarf‘s cultural status and order a movie. Yeah, that’s where things got a bit… silly. To cut a long story short, Doug Naylor had aimed to get Red Dwarf on the silver screen since the production of Series VII. It’s actually a major reason why Kochanski was moved to “main character” status for Series VII and VIII. This especially became true after the show was dropped by the BBC in 1999. However, the theatrical movie never came to be – Naylor couldn’t secure funding.

Ultimately, a quasi-movie came in the form of a three-episode “miniseries”, Back to Earth – effectively Series IX – to air on Dave in 2009. While fan reception was split, BTE proved to be a ratings hit, and three more series of Red Dwarf were commissioned over the next decade, airing in 2012, 2016, and 2017, respectively. The Series X finale, in fact, took elements from the planned Red Dwarf script. Either way, these series proved to be critically and commercially popular. And if the show’s 30-year legacy has demonstrated anything, Red Dwarf ain’t gonna die easily.

Ergo, 2019. A “feature-length television special”. Due to air in 2020. And let’s get this out of the way – making it a television special instead of a theatrical release was probably a wise idea. (Besides, it was filmed in front of a studio audience; it’s an extra-long episode.) Regardless, we have 90 minutes of Red Dwarf.

Have we really entered The Promised Land?

(I should clarify that there are spoilers for The Promised Land. Please track it down and watch it if you can.)

The Prisoner Review: “The Girl Who Was Death” (Episode 15)

“Now I want a good clean fight. No kicking, butting or gouging, except in moderation.” – The Boxing Referee. Hey, if you knew anything that happened in this series, kicking would come as an improvement.

Airdate: January 18th, 1968

Written By: Terence Feeley.

Plot: A cricket game ends quite wrong when one of the batsmen is blown up. He was meant to uncover a plan, where a rocket ship would be launched at – and destroy – London. An explosive cricket ball put an end to that. Thus, an agent is sent to investigate the ordeal. All the while, a rather mysterious woman keeps leading him on from location to location…

Review:

Well, a little over a year since our journey started, we have reached the antepenultimate edition of our little trip into The Village. The Prisoner is truly one of the most fascinating TV series that I have ever seen – not necessarily the best (although I do find it quite poignant), but so captivatingly bizarre, so twisty, so idiosyncratic, and yet after all these years, still quite poignant.

Make of that last point what you will.

Anyway, the last episode we covered was idiosyncratic to the hilt – the series reimagined as a Western. It’s clear at this point that the show was going off the rails further and further and further as the season (and thus, the series) was winding up. You would suspect that any episode after that would come off as more normal. Need I remind us of what show we’re watching to try and quell that train of thought?

Of course, putting it back on track, this episode was adapted from an unused Danger Man script.

And taking it off track again?

The Prisoner Review: “Living in Harmony” (Episode 14)

Well, this episode made selecting an opening image a hell of a lot easier!

“If you miss, you had better miss very well. Whoever double-crosses me and leaves me alive…he understands nothing about Tuco.”” – Tuco, The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.

Airdate: December 29th, 1967.

Written By: David Tomblin and Ian Rakoff

Plot: In the Western American town of Harmony, a Sheriff is having some trouble leaving his position. You see, every time he tries to turn in his badge and gun, he sorta gets assaulted and dragged back into town. His attempts to escape repeatedly fail, even as he frustrates the Judge by refusing to take up his sidearm. Now, add in a woman who is willing to help him escape for revenge-related reasons? Unfortunately, a psychopath lingers over their actions…

Review:

Last time we looked at The Prisoner, they had decided to experiment with a change in its core actor. Driven by Patrick McGoohan’s filming of another project, the writers decided to script a bodyswap episode, with Nigel Stock playing the man who took Number Six’s place.

I didn’t like it too much. I found the script to be weak, Stock’s portrayal of Six not quite as engaging, and the ending just left too many questions, and not in a good way like The Prisoner normally does. It’s my least favorite episode of the series thus far, and my gut feeling is that it will take quite a bit to dethrone it from its rather dubious honor.

So, what, is experimentation done for this show? Well, given that this series started with “man can be captured, sent to a remote village, and stuffed inside a bubble if they dare attempt escape” and progressed from there, I’m guessing the answer is a solid no. This guess is all but confirmed by today’s outing, “Living in Harmony”, or as I like to call it, “British Gunsmoke.”

Yes. We’re going western today.

The Prisoner Review: “Many Happy Returns” (Episode 9)

Bart Simpson: “I’m here for my free birthday sundae!”
Phineas Q. Butterfat Clerk: (puts tiny sundae on the counter) “Eat it, and get out.”
– “Radio Bart”, The Simpsons. Don’t worry, the leadup to Six’s birthday isn’t that great, either, all things considered.

Airdate: November 10th, 1967.

Written By: Patrick McGoohan (Credited as Joseph Serf)

Plot: Six wakes up to find that the ever-busy and controlled Village has been, well, deserted. Completely so, in fact. As a result, he takes his chance and legs it. One long trip across the ocean (and a failed attempt to rob a boat being driven by gun runners) later, he is back in Great Britain. He tries to catch up with life at his old townhouse, before running to update the government on his exploits in The Village. And all on the day before his birthday.

Review:

Just when you thought The Prisoner couldn’t get any more bizarre…

I really don’t think I have to repeat myself much on just how strange this whole series is. You know the drill at this point. Credit to Patrick McGoohan – he has sold me on this weird, weird serial with quite a bit of political allegory and character interactions. The show has ranged from amusing, to dramatic, to downright terrifying in some spots. Invariably, it has been captivating, brilliant, and maybe moving in the case of one or two scenes.

And now, the ninth episode we’re taking a look at decides to ratchet up the gambles even further… by starting the episode with most of the cast gone.

I’m sorry, I thought this wasn’t Red Dwarf.

The Prisoner Review: “A, B, and C” (Episode 6)

A brief note before we begin: I do want to apologize if the radio silence from this blog came off as longer than expected. I’ll be honest – I took a bit of an unintentional break after posting the Trek 09 review, one of my longer posts in terms of content. I really don’t know why I did it, but I wanted to just unwind for a week or so. And then, this first full week of 2019, I wound up fighting a bit of a cold that sort of dulled my energy to write up my analysis of today’s subject. It’s minor in the grand scheme of things, of course, so I have to keep that in mind.

Either way, I think that I have rebounded, and 2019’s group of reviews are going to be interesting. And we start off now with…

“I know sir, yes. I know I’m not indispensable…” – Two, at the start of the episode, learning what other Twos likely learned the hard way.

Airdate: October 13th, 1967

Written By: Anthony Skene

Plot: Under pressure from Number One, Two decides to delve into Six’s mindscape with the help of drugs that allow for the experimentation thereof. Three does – delivered on three different days to prevent possible overdose – allow Two and his assistant, Number Fourteen, to explore different suspects, the titular characters. Unbeknownst to them, though, their gambles result in side effects that can come back to bite them…

Review:

We are six episodes into The Prisoner and I barely have any idea what is going on. This isn’t a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination. After all, I think it’s clear that the motivations of McGoohan and Company are to throw the viewer for as many curveballs as possible.

It forces us to think, both on the level of the script and of the meta-level. What is causing this madness, and what is piling all this madness on top of our protagonist? It forces the viewer to tune in week after week – a precursor to contemporary sci-fi shows such as LOST and The X-Files. The difference is, with a pre-planned 17-episode block, there was no opportunity to interweave several insane plot threads – we instead get the overarching one and a couple of smaller branches on the side that don’t get long enough to destroy the broader narrative.

At least, that’s what I’m gathering from these first few episodes. Anyway, here is episode 6 – the first of the “unnecessary episodes” according to McGoohan.

Weirdly enough, it might be the most distinct episode of the six I’ve covered so far. So… point against McGoohan, I guess?

The Prisoner Review: “Checkmate” (Episode 4)

“Psst. If it’s any help, I’ve been studying his tactics, and there’s a pattern emerging. Every time you make a move, he makes one, too!” – The Cat, describing to Holly the intellectual pursuit that is a chess match, Red Dwarf (“Queeg”. Guess who he’s playing?)

Airdate: November 24, 1967 (ITV)

Written By: Gerald Kelsey.

Plot: Turns out, there’s more entertainment in The Village. A game of chess goes on, controlled by a chessmaster who manages both sides. The rare errant rook is sent to a mental facility. Concurrently, Six tries to formulate a coalition of possible escapees, based on their behavior. But is he being monitored for errant patterns of behavior, as well?

Review:

We are a mere four episodes into our seventeen episode look at The Prisoner, and we have not abated on the insanity within. In fact, the last episode might have cranked it up to insane levels – and no, that’s not really a redundant statement, even given what we’ve seen so far in the village.

Going into this episode, therefore, I had to conclude that anything, anything, would be toned down compared to the “Dance of the Dead”. In effect, the question now becomes… was I right?

Well, let’s get one fact down – this episode deals with a game of human chess.

Literally.

The Prisoner Review: “Free For All” (Episode 2)

Number Two: “Are you going to run?”
Number Six: “Like blazes – the first chance I get.”
– Insert your own joke about every Twitter user who threatened to leg it to Canada in 2016 here.

Airdate: October 20th, 1967

Written By: Patrick McGoohan.

Plot: An election is being held for the position of Number Two. Yes, this weird Village actually does hold council elections, even for the leader! Encouraged to run, Six decides to do so on a provocative platform. This, naturally, gets him in the crosshairs of the council… but not in the way that most of us would expect.

Review:

Amongst the enduring legacies of the Ancient Greek cultures is the concept of democracy. Derived from the word “demos”, referring to the people, Democracy has its roots in the Athenian states, with direct democracy allowing for the Citizen’s Assemblies (for starters.) While quite limited by contemporary standards (women and non-landowners were excluded), the concept of Athenian democracy was radical for the time, contrasting the idea with the absolutism of other ancient societies.

Today, democracy appears to be the popular form of government, at least in terms of public image. Even nations that tend towards autocratic measures at least claim to have some form of democracy, even if the laws within rebut those ideas. That said, the allure of democracy is much more appealing to those outside of the halls of power than those within. I’d go into more detail, but I think Detective Cornfed from Duckman demonstrated the ultimate issue with democratic societies.

That said, I would argue that Democracy is the best system of governance out there. Yes, I’m biased. But if you were to poll me, I would defend to the death the idea of presenting the common man with the ultimate power to choose his or her representatives, to chart the course of national policy in economics or societal platform. Even if I disagree with the final results of elections (as in the election of Donald Trump to the US Presidency), I still love to romanticize this democracy that we live in.

However, democracy certainly isn’t perfect. I mean, nothing is, but there are certainly valid critiques levied at the Anglo democratic system that can be levied… something that “Free for All” takes on.

Red Dwarf Review: “Skipper” (Series XII, Episode 6)

“As you know, I’m not one for long farewell speeches, but I have written this…

…

…see ya!“ – Rimmer, sending himself off to other hells.

Airdate: 16 November 2017
Written By: Doug Naylor
Plot: The Red Dwarf encounters an anomaly that plays with the dimensional theory of reality. For every decision the crew make, the alternative plays out in front of them. Of course, this turns out to be tied to Kryten’s attempts to repair a Quantum Skipper, allowing for somebody to hop dimensions. Rimmer takes ahold of this, in one attempt to find a universe where he’s not a failure.

Review:

Well, here we are. The end – not just of the series, but possibly of Red Dwarf. Sure, there have been murmurs about a Series XIII, but nothing’s guaranteed at this point. There is a very real chance that this review could be the very last review of a Red Dwarf episode on this blog (barring any future rewatches).

Five years, I’ve been doing this blog – the first review (a dreadful one, in hindsight) was that of “The End”. (What a way to start off, eh?) To give you some perspective, back then, I didn’t know who Steve Bannon was. (I still barely know who he is.) The only year without a Red Dwarf review was 2015, and that was because there was no more Red Dwarf TV to review. The possibility of 2019 being the second year without Red Dwarf… it’s actually a little moving, the more I think about it.

What’s probably stirring these feelings up is that, when you get down to it, “Skipper” does feel like Red Dwarf‘s parting salvo, just in case Dave decide to call it quits.

Red Dwarf Review: “Siliconia” (Series XII, Episode 2)

“When you say “recalibrate”, what exactly does that entail? It’s just I’ve got a health condition that allows me to skip anything that involves torture.”  – Rimmer, bringing in the rather radical argument

Airdate: 19 October 2017
Written By: Doug Naylor
Plot: While reluctantly retrieving Lister’s guitar from the depths of space, Starbug and the crew are kidnapped by a Mechanoid liberation front, “rescuing” Kryten and arresting the trio. Accusing the trio of enslaving Kryten, the front proceeds to enslave them, all while trying to “convert” Kryten.

Review:

(Warning: This review deals with topics that are “poignant”, often sensitive. Any parts of the review that might give off a sense of insensitivity are completely unintentional. I reject extremism in all forms, there are issues in our society that need to be questioned and fixed, etc. That said…)

Red Dwarf is a show about a spaceship populated with odd men out.

Lister is the last survivor of the ship’s manifest, lucking out because he was punished in Stasis. Rimmer is the second lowest-ranked technician, being revived solely because of the number of conversations between him and Lister. Cat is the last survivor of his species, as well as probably the least traditionally “masculine” of the group and the largest source of comic relief. And last but not least, Kryten is the only non-humanoid of the quartet. In effect, he is a minority on board the ship.

Now, this is where reviewing Red Dwarf gets interesting. Consider the fact that our characters are not what many of us would call “elites”. Lister is a proud working-class slob whose moments of moral integrity are balanced out by a desire to live a simple life, Rimmer aspires to climb up to the middle class (and fails at doing so on a consistent basis), Kryten is a servant trying to break his programming, and Cat, well, doesn’t give a damn where he is as long as he has his clothes and others admiring him.

I bring this economic schism in the grand scheme of Red Dwarf up today, because this episode tries to go in a somewhat more political direction with Kryten’s character, tying him and the Dwarfers in with a liberation movement for mechanoids.

Movie Review – Star Trek: First Contact

“Resistance is Futile” (Taken from the Memory Alpha)

“And you people – you’re all astronauts on some kind of star trek?” – Zefram Cochrane, reminding moviegoers what they paid obscene amounts of money to see.

Premiere: November 22nd, 1998

Written By: Ronald Moore and Brannon Braga

Directed By: Jonathan Frakes

Plot: The specter of the Borg still lingers over Captain Jean-Luc Picard – largely because he was kidnapped and assimilated by them for a while. Thus, when the Borg comes back to attack Earth, he defies Starfleet orders ad demands that the Enterprise lay waste to a Borg Cube. Unfortunately, a Borg Sphere (seriously, what is with the Borg and simple geometry) comes out of said cube before it gets destroyed, and the Enterprise follows it into the past where they intend to assimilate all – not to mention, ruin the first contact between Vulcans and Humans.

The crew try and keep Dr. Zefram Cochrane on track when it comes to the launch of his epochal ship, despite him being a bit different from his idolized portrayal in the 24th century. Picard tries to take on the Borg. However, he slowly goes mad with revenge much to the concern of Lily, a resident of Cochrane’s settlement who wound up on the Enterprise. In the mix-up, Data gets captured and is tempted by one particular Borg – the Borg Queen, who fancies herself the end and the start of the collective.

Review:

Well, Generations was a bit of a misfire to pass the torch. Not that I won’t ever watch it again, but it really was just a double-length episode of TNG. Really, the only things film-worthy were a) the cameo by Captain Kirk, who proceeded to fall victim to poor lair construction, and 2) the Enterprise-D getting trashed by the Klingons. Still, the movie made a decent profit, and a follow-up was commissioned.

With Johnathan Frakes in the Director’s Chair, Braga and Moore back in the writer’s room, and the franchise arguably just coming off its cultural apex (with Voyager and Deep Space Nine airing at the same time), the sequel finally embraced the cinematic atmosphere by doing a deeper analysis of the series’ most well-known and well-renowned antagonist – the Borg.

(Warning: minor spoilers for TNG are in this review. Continue at your own risk.)