Why did it suddenly get so crap?
Well, to answer my own question; because Rob Grant and Doug Naylor stopped writing the scripts as a team, but I also have another reason.
Now, all fans of this classic show pretty much agree that you can split the various series up into 3 categories.
1) Series 1 & 2 - The formative series.
The real classics, where the characters were introduced, the sets were built for £1.97, everything was grey, the main characters never left the ship (until series 2 at least), and the jokes were a bit flat. Brilliant stuff, don't get me wrong, but the audience isn't really laughing, in series 1 particularly, so the show has room to improve.
2) Series 3, 4, 5, & 6 - The golden series.
A solid, 4 series run, of quality, funny, well written, comedy. Krtyen comes in as a main character, Hattie takes over as Holly, Starbug gives the cast a way to get off the Red Dwarf, and everything’s rosey. Classic episodes like Polymorph, Back to Reality, etc. All good these series.
3) Series 7 & 8 - The utter ****e series.
Oh dear. Series 7 was below par, but series 8 was embarrassingly bad. All there is to say really.
But why? As I said, apart from Doug and Rob not writing as a team, I think one of the major reasons why these series (8 in particular) were so bad, is that for some reason, the decision seems to have been taken, to aim the show at a target audience 15 years younger than the previous series.
So, rather than aiming it at the 17-25 year olds, they starting aiming it at the sort of people who laugh at the Chuckle Brothers.
As a classic example, look at these two jokes, the first taken from Series 4, an episode called 'White Hole', and the second taken from Series 8; not sure what episode, they are so bad I've not watched them more than once.
Anyway, typical Series 3, 4, 5 & 6 joke:
Kryten: I'm sorry, Sir.
Rimmer: Sorry? Why are you sorry?
Kryten: Well, Space Corps Directive 195 clearly states that in an
emergency power situation, a hologrammatic crewmember must lay down his
life in order that the living crewmembers might survive.
Rimmer: Yes, but Rimmer Directive 271 states just as clearly, "No chance
you metal bastard."
Funny, adult humour, and the sort of quality gag we know and love. Now a typical Series 7 & 8 joke:
(Half Time during a game of Basketball between the Guards and Inmates)
Kryten: Where were you?
Kochanski: Where was I?
Kryten: You were supposed to be picking up Rice!
Kochanski: I did. We're meeting up for drinks on Thursday.
Kryten: Not that kind of 'picking up', you ninny.
Not very funny, rather childish, and all a bit embarrassing really.
But do you see what I mean? It’s not just the quality of the gag, it’s the style. The word 'bastard' has become the word 'ninny', the joke isn't clever, and it really does sound like a Chuckle Brothers gag.
Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.
I think this is as much to blame for the state of the last 2 series of Red Dwarf, than the breaking up of Grant-Naylor as a writing team.
Do you think it would have been a conscious decision? Did some marketing executive tell the script writers to tone down the gags to appeal to annoying tweenagers, or are the various no-marks who had a go at writing the scripts, simply not as talented as Rob and Doug together?
Like I say I think its pretty much 50\50.
Shame really, as the gap between Series 6 and 7 was many years, and I was looking forward to it for so long; what a disappointment it was. Of course, Series 8 was even worse, and the classic series that went before were spoiled.
I've been collecting the DVDs, as they are released, buying each one on the day of release. Brilliant they are as well; the classic episodes, cast commentaries, behind the scenes stuff, everything. I am honestly undecided if I am going to even bother buying the Series 7 and 8 DVDs when they come out though. Be nice to have the full set, but spending money on comedy that poor...
Anyway, what do we think?