Series X Best And Worst Scenes

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

To mark the second anniversary of the first airing of Red Dwarf X (I know, where the hell have two years gone?), G&T have just published an article about the high and low points of that series.  It's worth a read so I'm linking it to here.

(Please note that due to computer setting issues (don't ask) I can't post links in actual entries, so the link is in the first comment.)

This has reminded me how much I enjoyed Series X and made me even more impatient for XI, assuming it happens.  *Sigh*

Comments

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

The worst-acted scene might be Rimmer's "Shakespeare is OVER!" What the hell, Chris? Way too angry.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

Yes, I feel as though there should be fic explaining how he went from his opinion of Shakespeare in "Marooned" to that. ;)

More seriously, it does show that Chris and Robert were out of practice at acting compared to Craig and Danny, but they both improve as the series goes on.

[rosecathy1.livejournal.com]

I would agree with that. And it's unfortunately right before the "Stain! Speck! Smear! Smeg!" scene, which is one of my faves.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

One of my favourite scenes too. I like all the ones which show how the crew has basically become a family. :)

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's interesting... I LOVED the "Shakespeare is over" scene and hated the Stain! Speck! Smear! Smeg scene...

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

Really? I'm not keen on Chris's delivery of "Shakespeare is OVER!" but I do like most of the rest of the scene, replete as it is with slashy undertones.

Why don't you like the "Stain! Speck! Smear! Smeg!" scene? I take it as lighthearted teasing and find it amusing.

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, I dislike it for some of the reasons I'm seeing people state for disliking the Shakespeare scene; I thought it was exaggeratedly acted (by Robert), too obvious, too OTT and too unsubtle. I guess after VII I tend to be a bit too critical of exaggeratedly cleaning-obsessed Kryten, maybe?

The "Shakespeare is OVER" delivery was one of my biggest laughs of the ep, TBH. I rarely laugh out loud, and I did for that one. I think it's that, for me, that represented another one of Rimmer's bizarre neuroses, and I had so much fun imagining what it might be. It was so unexpected. I love it.

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

I suppose, also, that I love unexpectedly angry!Rimmer. The reaction was so extreme, and that's one of my favorite things about Rimmer; how he projects his emotions on entirely irrelevant things. He's the only person who could be genuinely enraged at Shakespeare. I love it.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

I see. When you put it like that it makes more sense. :)

[lordvalerymimes.livejournal.com]

The Shakespeare is OVER scene made me laugh too for much the same reasons. It reminded me of one of my absolute favorite Rimmer moments: in DNA when he starts going on about how the ship is probably aliens trying to return Glen Miller, and then he yells over the intercom for them to, "Go away! We don't want him! You kidnapped him, you can keep the smegger!"

It's just the most random and inane thing to get upset and start ranting about. Glen Miller? Really? Only Rimmer.

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

YES. Exactly. :) :)

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

You know, that's a good observation. Rimmer does have previous in this area. :)

[(Anonymous)]

sorry i'm coming on anon, but i can't remember my l username. anyway i agree with this as fitting with Rimmer's overreactions to certain things :) another one i think of (and absolutely love) is the Quagaars outburst in Waiting for God. his outrage is hilarious!

[kahvi.livejournal.com]

I actually thought that was intentional; it certainly made me laugh. I really liked it. There were some other bits in that scene I didn't like tho, so I'm not disagreeing in general...

[kronette.livejournal.com]

I remember at first viewing thinking the exact same thing. I mean, we know Rimmer's high strung, but that was way, way over the top. That was the only instance of possibly 'bad' acting, though, and some of that may have had to do with nerves. Yes, he does public speaking at corporate functions and he does voices and talks about Red Dwarf and Brittas, but I'd think that those few forays into 'acting' don't equal pages of scripts that have to be said right. Off the cuff you can wing it, written down lines you can't.

The highlights have to be meeting Howard, the moose joke (easily one of the best from all of Dwarf) and Lister's discussions with his dad. As awkward and cliched as it was, I even liked the "Jesus!" "Yes?" bit from Lemons. Oh, and Hoagie's combover and constant, tired prodding to get the Boys to duel across time and space.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

Good point about scripted acting as opposed to adlibbing. I just remembered the BTS bits in "We're Smegged" where they're all preparing to go on and looking nervous. Awww.

I agree with your highlights and would add the "Young Rimmer" scene. Great acting from Philip Labey and Simon Treves. :)

(I am never going to watch "Trojan" the same way again now that I have my headcanon about Howard, even if it is an AU version.) ;)