Red Dwarf

For a long time, I took this motley group as a safe bet until it finally dawned on me what a gem it is. With each passing year since its creation and with each viewing, Red Dwarf has matured into a cult classic. Both in its understated beginnings and in the almost Dadaistic finish of the classic seasons, as well as in the late adventures of the deserving gentlemen of the crew. And we have long known that Arnold Rimmer is the biggest badass and idiot at the same time. (07.05.2006)

The gang from Red Dwarf has definitely matured, become more serious, and, from my point of view, ended their journey in a dignified and incredibly clever way (temporarily). Although fans of the Britcom may want to laugh throughout the entire episode like they used to, asking fifty-year-old men to just dust off jokes about Lister's underpants or Rimmer's incompetence would be somewhat embarrassing and, above all, watered-down. That's why the script went where it wanted to all along and turned Dave Lister into an old man who doesn't have to be ashamed of being the last survivor. This unexpectedly bold move deserves at least applause. (15.09.2010)

When this mismatched group appeared in Back to Earth, I was firmly convinced that it would be their last adventure, one that would symbolically conclude the Red Dwarf escapades on a slightly more serious note. I approached the tenth season without much faith, but I am glad that the six new episodes don't diminish, but instead transform the intermezzo into a stop that spurred Lister to renew old aspirations and desires. Trying to connect with the spirit of incidents that first appeared over a quarter of a century ago was a huge risk, which fortunately paid off. Although half the time the plots are only half-hearted, once the ongoing jokes become more intricate and the storylines escalate, it becomes powerful again. This is thanks in part to the episode Lemons, which I might include among the very best in the entire history of the series. (21.05.2014)