Season 3 Spoilers

Haynes Lee wrote:

Their none to bright are they? That was only a parallel dimension story. and has no bering on character or plot development. Especially since the whole What-if was the professors and none of the other characters actually saw it anyway. So their was no "when we last left our intrepid explorers...."kinda thing.

But sadly not for us the viewers. Thanks FOX.

On Tue, 26 Sep 2000 02:24:25 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

Somehow, ask Al Gore for details, the 'What if machine' episode will indeed have some effect in the series. Or at least the information we learned about the time space continuum will become important in the next series.

When Fry falls into the freezing tube in the first episode, you can clearly see Nibbler's shadow on the wall. This was noted here by someone after Nibbler was added to the cast. However, in the What If machine, when Fry misses the tube, Nibbler's shadow is missing.

This is significant for two reasons:

1. It would have been cheaper to simply re-use the animation from the first ep, but they paid the expense to re-do it. To me this says that his presence / absence is significant, not just an 'Easter egg'.

2. As was posted here, Matt Groening said in an online chat that Nibbler's presence would be explained in the third series.

Somehow, either Nibbler's species is very long lived and he's really over 1000 years old, or he was frozen after making sure Fry fell in the tube, or he traveled back in time. I am speculating that Leela goes back in time with Nibbler to make sure Fry is frozen and prevent some catastrophe.

Possibly, Fry himself goes back too. Then he could be the one who makes the crank call to send a Pizza to I.C. Weiner. The possibility reminds me of the JFK episode of Red Dwarf.

--Larry

Larry F wrote:

But that's foreshadowing For the audience. Not the characters or plot. Except for the professor no character saw the What if's so it does not affect them in any way. It's like far to many "Voyager" Episodes where by the end of the show what ever happened didn't really happen.

It makes the most scene. BTW "Tickka to Ride" Sucked as a Red Dwarf episode. Neat concept but Season 7 was not Red Dwarf I don't care what people say!

"Larry F" wrote in message news:[email]... Fry himself goes back too. Then he could be the one who

One part of my brain is saying Fry's just not that bright. Another part is saying wouldn't it be ironic if it *was* Fry who had made the call, in light of the comment he made after realizing the pizza was for "I.C.Weiner". In all likelihood, it'll be a bumbling accident if Fry ends up making that call. Which actually sounds like a pretty good episode idea.

"Larry F" wrote in message news:[email]... Fry himself goes back too. Then he could be the one who

One part of my brain is saying Fry's just not that bright. Another part is saying wouldn't it be ironic if it *was* Fry who had made the call, in light of the comment he made after realizing the pizza was for "I.C.Weiner". In all likelihood, it'll be a bumbling accident if Fry ends up making that call. Which actually sounds like a pretty good episode idea.

More spoilers at

[email] (Larry F) wrote in :

...snip...

For those of us who haven't seen Red Dwarf and don't know what it's about, what's it about?

waldo

[email] (waldo) writes:

Oh my.

A brief synopsis of the setting:

Dave Lister is a low-ranking crewman on the gigantic mining ship Red Dwarf with tendency to get into trouble. In the first episode, he's smuggled a cat on board the ship and been found out; he puts the cat (which is pregnant) into the ship's hold where it can't be found. The captain sentences him to six weeks in stasis.

When Lister wakes up after what he thought was his six weeks in stasis, he finds no one else on the ship. The ship's computer, Holly, tells him that there was a radiation accident that killed the rest of the crew, and Lister was left in stasis until the radiation level was back to normal -- three million years later. Now his only companions besides Holly are the hologram of his annoying bunkmate Arnold Rimmer and a lifeform descended from the cat he smuggled on board (who looks and acts mostly human except for the fangs).

In subsequent episodes Lister, Rimmer, and Cat have a variety of humorous science-fictional adventures. In a later series they encounter a derelict ship whose sole animate passenger is an android, Kryten, who joins them as a regular character.

[email] (waldo) writes:

Oh my.

A brief synopsis of the setting:

Dave Lister is a low-ranking crewman on the gigantic mining ship Red Dwarf with a tendency to get into trouble. In the first episode, he's smuggled a cat on board the ship and been found out; he puts the cat (which is pregnant) into the ship's hold where it can't be found. The captain sentences him to six weeks in stasis.

When Lister wakes up after what he thought was his six weeks in stasis, he finds no one else on the ship. The ship's computer, Holly, tells him that there was a radiation accident that killed the rest of the crew, and Lister was left in stasis until the radiation level was back to normal -- three million years later. Now his only companions besides Holly are the hologram of his annoying bunkmate Arnold Rimmer and a lifeform descended from the cat he smuggled on board (who looks and acts mostly human except for the fangs).

In subsequent episodes Lister, Rimmer, and Cat have a variety of humorous science-fictional adventures. In a later series they encounter a derelict ship whose sole animate passenger is an android, Kryten, who joins them as a regular character.

Steve VanDevender wrote:

Excellent synopsis. To add to that, and to help explain Larry F's post I can cover the rest of Dave Lister.

<Spoiler If your a RD fan who's way out of the loop don't read!>

A running back plot of the show is how Dave Lister was found as an infant abandoned in a box under a pool table. Later in the series a time drive they find opens a rift into a parallel dimension where Koshanski (Dave's dream woman) took the blame for Lister's contraband cat(Frankenstein) and gets put into stasis. Leaving her the last human being alive with a hologram Lister, and the same Cat and Kryten more or less. They realize the rift will close soon so Koshanski asks Dave to "fill" an invetro tube so she and hologram Lister can have a child in their reality. Dave does but later Koshanski is trapped on their side of reality. Where it's decided that the child wouldn't fit in with the crew because it turns out to be Dave Lister. So Dave has to go back in time with the time drive and leave himself as an infant, under a pool table in a box. Closing a rather interesting time paradox. It would only be fitting that Fry calls in the prank delivery on himself.

You know, that one always reminded me of "All You Zombies", by Heinlein, in which through a series of medical and temporal anomalies a man becomes both of his own parents.

God, that's about enough to give Freud that creeps.

DGH

On Sun, 01 Oct 2000 23:06:43 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

Actually, I was referring to another episode that used a very similar plot device.

< More spoilers to follow>

The crew found a time / space drive that would let them travel back to Earth in the late 20th century. Kryten refuses because of the time travel paradox. Lister removes his inhibition chip and they travel back so Lister can get a curry.

When they appear, they are in Dallas in 1963. They accidently kill Lee Harvey Oswald before he shoots Kennedy. This results in the US going to war with the USSR and Red Dwarf no longer existed. They travel back in time to save Oswald, but then he's too high to get a good shot. They travel forward and break Kennedy out of jail. Lister explains there is only one way to restore his legacy. Kennedy, dressed as a police officer takes a rifle to the grassy knoll and shoots himself. So Kennedy was the second gunman.

BTW: Patrick Stewart is a Red Dwarf fan. He appeared as a guest on the 10th anniversary show. (I think it was 10th)

Red Dwarf runs on many PBS stations in the US, often on Sat night. It is well worth watching and recording.

--Larry

Larry F wrote:

We were just filling out the rest of the RD synopsis. For people who have never at all seen it. Season 7 blech.

On Mon, 02 Oct 2000 08:31:01 GMT, [email] (Larry F) wrote:

Not when he first saw it. The first thing he did while watching it for the first time was to phone his lawyers to sue Red Dwarf for copyright infringement. And I thought Fox lawyers are bad. Fortunately by the time the episode was over he actually liked it and decided not to sue. Talk about an itchy trigger finger.

i'd just like to add my 2 cents (dollarpounds)

neway... i reckon Ourobourous (if i've spelt that wrong then too bad) is one of the best eps of RD ever

that was fun... i have to go...

*ahem*

On Sun, 01 Oct 2000 23:06:43 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

me, being, myself wrote:

Meh. It was one of the better ones due to it's story. But sadly it was floating in a sea of really week season 7 episodes. It was no "Meltdown" though.

On Wed, 11 Oct 2000 17:46:47 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

Silence! I agree. Ouroboros (there is more than one correct spelling) was the best of a weak season. The whole season was an attempt to create a bridge to a new Red Dwarf without Rimmer as a regular. After all that, he decided to stay anyway. Go figure.

Even that episode had some serious problems. The plot device, though amusing, has been used before. Time Rider (produced by Michael Nesmith) was a movie about an off-road motorcycle rider who accidently gets sent back into the old west. He goes to bed with a woman who turns out to be his great-grandmother, and thus he is his own great-grandfather.

Also not too different from Chuck Berry getting his new style by listening to Michael J. Fox play one of his songs in Back to the Future. Or (I forget the name of the movie) when an American nuclear air craft carrier accidently goes back in time and leaves a man in the past (1941). He then uses his training to 'invent' the nuclear aircraft carrier. Or in Terminator, the chip left in the past by the Terminator is used to invent the Terminator. Or the episode of Peabody and Sherman where . . . well maybe not that one.

Having Kennedy be the second gunman is very similar, but it works on more levels.

I've seen most of season 8 and it seems to be much better than 7. The whole style of humor changed, which probably alienated some fans, but at least it was funnier than 7.

I don't know if there is / was a season 9, I stopped read the RD boards when I saw season 7. (go figure)

--Larry

Larry F wrote:

I thought he dropped 7 because he had some other project that was smack dab in the middle of their planned shooting time. And he wanted more money. I think BBC finnaly Shelled out for 8 and that's why they got Chris Barrie and Norm Lovett back. Cause they bolth wanted more cash.

Kinda like "city on the edge of forever" but with out the bad Shatnering (he doesn't act he Shatners, this is also what he does in place of singing)

Fah. The style of 8 was really great especialy if you liked the 1st season.

I recall some mumbleing. And some other stuff about the Movie. I think right now their trying to figure out what they want to do. But I haven't checked in ages either. Last time I went to a.tv.r-d it was just babble crap.

On Thu, 12 Oct 2000 01:23:37 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

I <pause> don't know <pause> <pause> what you mean <pause>. Shatner can <pause> sing as <pause> <pause> well as <pause> Yoko.

There's a whole web sight dedicated to Shatner's singing career. I should be getting the URL soon. My college roommate showed it to me, but I forgot to write it down.

Of course, if you get to hear Pat Boone doing covers of Metallica and Ozzie Osbourne, you'll be wishing you were listening to Shatner. (I only wish I was joking)

I definitely liked season 8. It reminded me of the Pink Panther Movies. Capt Hollister was the chief inspector (?) and the rest of the crew all did the Clouseau routine on him.

--Larry

In article , Mike Zaite writes:

"Meltdown"? What that the one with THE kiss?

Jeremy B wrote:

*tilt's head like confused dog* err?

It was the one where they go to a world run by abandoned wax droids that are in a battle of good people in history against bad people in history. It's the only show where you'll see Ghandi running headlong into a land mine with a grenade.

On Fri, 13 Oct 2000 02:17:18 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

Which another addition to my "Red Dwarf - Futurama similarities list". In the Mother's Day episode, Futurama also has wax based robots.

--Larry

Larry F wrote:

Yea one of these days their going to have an obvious refrence but who knows when.

I've heard that season 3 is going to have an episode where Leela goes to her old home, the orphanage where she grew up and gets plastic surgery to look like she has two eyes.

I think the episode title is a parody of The Cider House Rules.

Wishkah875 wrote:

"The Cyber House Rules" Yea that's one of the ones im looking forward to. That and "The Cryonic Woman".

In article , Mike Zaite writes:

I'm eagerly awaiting "Where the Buggalo Roam". "Amazon Women in the Mood" also looks... interesting.

In article , Mike Zaite writes:

Didn't see that one. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

Man, that was one of my all-time favorite episodes. Too bad my thrice-damned VCR ate the tape a year or so ago. Fortunately, I learned my lesson from that incident, and do all my Futurama recording on Betamax.

Willy Pete wrote:

Are you serious? Do they even still make beta media? I record VCR but only out of habit because im awaiting the announcement and later release of the DVD's

Yep. You can mail-order them from Radio Shack, or even pick them up in the store itself in some areas. Several companies still make Beta media, and in fact new Beta players are still manufactured and sold in the states and Japan. Many television stations use Beta as opposed to VHS for archival storage, since:

a) the tapes themselves are more durable, and b) the machine puts much less mechanical stress on them than a VHS does.

In fact, I have never seen a Beta tape degrade even slightly in quality with use, no matter how many times it's played. Plus, nobody's ever gonna steal your player.

Willy Pete wrote:

"Ohh no! Beta!"-Snake

I thought TV stations use Super Beta them big ass suckers. But it still is esentialy Beta.

It is a pity VHS had more money behind them to become the standard. But once Digital tape VCR catches on (yea right. But it could happen) VHS will be gone for good.

On Tue, 17 Oct 2000 00:06:04 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

VHS was licensed to a lot more companies, like DOS. Beta had a more limited licensing so they could better control the product and it's standards, kinda like Apple. Naturally the better product lost.

As for digital, it's only a matter of price. In the last several months, the price for a digital 8mm camcoder has dropped from about $1399 to about $799. The IEEE 1394, Fire Wire, ports which allows computers to transfer data to and from digital video tape, are pretty much standard on new computers.

D-VHS has dropped out of the race, leaving 8mm as the only digital video tape on the market. DVD-R is starting to drop in price too. Digital HDTV is under $3000 and hopefully still dropping.

I think in two or three years, the majority of audio / video gear sold will be digital. If digital recordable disks prices drop fast enough, they could prevent digital tape from catching on. There's a new 50GB disk the size of a CD/DVD that should be on the market with in a year. A working prototype has already been demonstrated.

--Larry

Larry F wrote:

QDOS Microsoft's dirty little secret.

It's always about price. But I'v worked with the 8mm tape in camcorders and it seems like it's just as flimsy as VHS as far as degragation. Sure it doesn't matter as much in digital form but eventualy it will fragment up. They should either re-market the Beta media in Digital Format or find a better tape media. Or preferably a nice solid state media like the sony memory sticks only bigger.

Ehh im not to big on DVD-R DVD's great for minting movies on but it just doesn't have the kind of usefull space as a recording media. and it's not rewrite yet. But it may come in to it's own.

It better be. I won't be able to afford it untill it's close to $900. And I do so want it.

I read about that pupy about 6months ago. I think it was a re-write type of thing but it works slightly diffrently then CD/DVD. I'd prefer that over anything else. Like a big MiniDisc VCR in form but diffrent in function.

On Tue, 17 Oct 2000 23:00:19 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

Microsoft is moving from the Win 9.X core, which is still an extension of the original DOS (or QDOS), to Win 2000 which is NT based. Microsoft's second dirty little secret is that they didn't develop NT either. It's and IBM product. NT 3.1, the first NT release was originally known as OS/2 3.1. Microsoft got the code when they broke off their partnership.

See below. . .

I'm holding out for the $1000 line, then I'll start to seriously consider it.

The FMD (Florescent Multilayered Disk) is also planned for two later products. One is a credit card sized stationary media that will have the capacity of a DVD and a postage stamp size that will hold a CD's worth. The credit cards will be used for movie rentals and digital cameras and the postage stamp is aimed at still cameras and MP3.

The second generation of the technology is planned to be 20 times the density. A 1 TB re-writeable disk would sure be nice.

Most of this information came from 'PC-Plus', a British computer magazine. In the US, I get it at Barnes and Noble. It comes with a DVD packed with free software.

--Larry

Larry F wrote:

I like the FMD (even though it's not a disc) But it pisses me off that they'll probably jump movie formats from DVD so soon. Now postage stamp sized cd audio. I like that.

On Thu, 19 Oct 2000 02:23:56 GMT, Mike Zaite wrote:

The first version of FMD to hit the market will probably be the disk. It's the same size as a CD/DVD and the drive will read all those disks as well. The credit card and stamps sizes will follow.

Larry F wrote:

Yea but I like the card's better. It doesn't need to be disc shaped. But Backwards computability is nice.

In article , Willy Pete writes:

"Oh, no, Beta!"