I think you are spot on the performances were excellent with the notable exception of Danny John-Jules. But if we are going to be honest “The Cat” is a massively shallow character (as it is supposed to be) and while the others have changed and grown over time. Any changes Danny attempts only make the character seem more stupid. But I have to admit he was spectacularly awful here.

But he does have one of the best lines ever to have been uttered. I direct you to his “Inquisitor” speech

I have a horrible feeling the increased production values are not a result of the production company. Just a result of CGI work making the whole thing much cheaper. Leaving them more money left over to spend on sets, costumes, designs, etc.

I really enjoyed Sophie Winkleman, I could see how her character could work and really needle Rimmer. But your right again, her accent made no sense and her dialogue was terrible. But I don’t think you can blame her, she was working with what she was given.

It was great to see Chloe. Even if she was in strange “Sean Young” attire. But the whole plot point around her leaving Lister and Kryten telling him she was dead made absolutely no sense. Plus the part with the kids on the bus was ridicules.

Highest point for me was them coming out in the tv shop and talking about the scanner, that was my only laugh in the whole thing.

I enjoyed some of the fan service of the episode but I thought they could have done more. If your really going to be doing the whole tracking down your creators in a semi documentary style I would have visited each of the cast and taken the piss out of the real them and then gone to see all the people who make it.

The blade runner gag was so over done, like allot of the jokes in this they told it then explained it then told it again….just wasn’t funny. The whole “real world” they went into was destroyed the moment they did the pyramid in London, I know it was mean’t to point to the “twist” of it not being real but it just came off as a bit lame.

To end on a plus point though the special effects, costumes and set were all perfect for me and I’d loved to have seen a normal series in this setup.

But these specials did little to satisfy that craving for original, spectacular, hilarious and smart Red Dwarf that I’ve grown to love so much.

One of the most noticeable elements that others seem to overlook in applauding or criticizing the specials is the performance of the players. Craig Charles was superb. As was Robert Llewellyn. Barrie had some good moments but he was not spot on. Danny John-Jules was mostly awful, especially in the opening scene of his. And Sophie Winkleman — I don’t know what to say about her. Either she is terrible or the writing just did not help her at all. Fact is, any brilliant science officer would master a language she was compelled to speak in, even if it were not her native tongue. Dropping words like “is” during the entire duration of her time on screen drove me absolutely crazy. It reminded me of high school theater. Terrible. I don’t know if the original script created that or if she decided to “own” the character and make that change. Either way, it was atrocious.

I think placing the cornerstone of blame on writing is probably the best way to illustrate the main problems with the specials. I love Red Dwarf as much as anyone. But I’d rather see it end here and love series 1 through 8 than be resurrected only to suck.

That said, it was spectacular to see Chloe Annett again. Wow.