Comments on: The Joker’s back for Batman – Death of the Family

By: Hal

Hal — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:23:19 +0000

Cont’d
In fact with the possible exception of a rather muted at-times Craig Charles, all four seemed more *in-character* than at any point since perhaps Red Dwarf V. John-Jules’s Cat is hilariously dumb while Llewelyn seems to inhabit Kryten better than he has in years, and this despite a rather odd make-up job and changes to his physique and costume that lead to a rather porky-looking android (check out his chestplate!). Most notable is the fact that – some flaws aside – Doug Naylor’s script feels more like “real” Red Dwarf than *any* of his previous post-Grant material. This show’s Rimmer (who isn’t the *original* hologram Rimmer presumably) may lack the emotional nuances of the II-V version but Naylor writes him very well, Chris Barrie is as usual brilliant (even if broad, mostly), and he is *very* funny. Naylor for the most part nails it with the comedy throughout, the first scene is a little awkward (with some odd-sounding audience laughter – and it *isn’t* a laugh-track) but this serves to set-up a hilariously silly joke later on involving Rimmer, a question on his astronavigation exam, and an answer involving a moose. Without wishing to spoil anything the episode’s plot – though flawed – ends up delving into Rimmer’s familiar personality problems and resentment of his long-dead but successful-when-alive brothers, the problem with Quantum Rods, and the perils of sexy simulants. It may not be perfect but it is very funny, it has impressive model shots, memorable charactes, and is, all in all the best Red Dwarf for 19 years. Recommended. Well done to the cast, Doug Naylor, and Grant Naylor Productions. I hope you like it, Jameson.

By: Hal

Hal — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 02:56:34 +0000

Ha. And there you go…!
Jameson, I don’t know if you’ve got Red Dwarf X over there yet (and the internet streaming situation’s all greek to me ) but I saw the opener tonight. So if you haven’t seen it and have read none of the reviews, here’s a reviewette that spoils nothing important.
Red Dwarf was one of the most successful small sf shows of the late eighties/early nineties; launched in 1988 the year before Doctor Who ended its original run, it was by its sixth series in 1993 not only really the last British sf series standing but also an award-winning international hit. Quite amazing when one considers that it began as a small-scale character-based sitcom with a budget that Blake’s 7 would have laughed at. As you know, creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor wrote every episode of Red Dwarf I-VI but there relationship disintegrated so when VII aired in 1997 it was without Grant. Although VII and VIII were popular neither were up to the standards of earlier runs with format and cast changes suggesting that Dwarf’s time was past and that Naylor without Grant was like French Fries without Salt. Naylor’s deluded quest for a Dwarf movie kept it off-screens for years, and when it did return as the Back to Earth mini-series, well as you remember, it was fitfully entertaining, underbudgeted, slightly pretentious, and not quite convincing as Dwarf. So, is Red Dwarf X even a worthwhile endeavour? From the evidence of premiere episode “Trojan” very much so! There’s no Holly (boo!), Kochanski (boo! Chloe Annett’s nice), or any of VIII’s crew (yay!) but Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Lister (Craig Charles), the Cat (Danny John-Jules), and Kryten (Robert Llewelyn) are all present and correct, very much in-character and entertaining. Cont’d…

By: Hal

Hal — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 02:17:23 +0000

Hobby – Jameson will answer this as well but (though I’m tempted to say “you really don’t want to know”!) I will too, the Joker allowed a charming fellow named the Dollmaker to cut his face off and um nail it to a wall. For some reason. I’m not sure if this is due to the Joker’s insanity or DC’s.

By: dailypop

dailypop — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 02:13:54 +0000

With the new 52 relaunch, a character called the Dollmaker cut his face off so that everyone would think he was dead.

By: Hobgoblin238

Hobgoblin238 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 23:54:10 +0000

How did he lose his face? Sorry…Haven’t read a current comic in years.