Red Dwarf XI vs Red Dwarf XII

Another vote for XII here. Why? It's a little more out there than XI and somehow more Dwarfy at the same time. I've really enjoyed this series and that includes Timewave. :P

 

Voted for XI as I believe it had stronger episodes overall.

 

My favourite episodes are mostly in XI, but XII never had anything as terrible as Can of Worms or even Twentica. I guess it still has to go to XI for the 4 in the middle.

 

XI........I found it far more consistently enjoyable. I think series XII is dragged down considerably by how bad Timewave was, which I still feel is one of the show's worst. That said I'm one of the people who actually really liked Can of Worms....so who knows how much my opinion is worth.

 

I've not voted as I think there's not much between them. Series XI was more consistent throughout, but the second half of XII is great and evens out the flaky bits of that series.

 

I'm currently thinking the two series are about even in my mind. Perhaps I found XI more consistently entertaining. I don't think 'Timewave' was as good up to the standard of the rest of the XI and XII episodes. 'Twentica' is the only episode from XI I was not so keen on, but it was better than 'Timewave'. So I'll vote XI.

 

I liked every episode of XI, don't get me wrong, some were better than others and there were bits I didn't like, but it was overall good. XII for me had some good ones but a couple of stinkers or episodes that needed some editing, details ironed out, or just a rethink. What's been good is in both series there's not really been any cringe worthy omg that's such a crap joke moments. Do feel though that Doug put in about 6 too many callbacks to previous shows. It seriously weakens it when it's about the 10th time it's happened. Also just the need to basically use the exact same joke or slightly rewrite a whole scene so that the joke is not new, is a bit disappointing. So yeah bring back talkie, but don't have the whole "no buns baps and bagels" bit with just a change of products.

XI had some nice ideas that while a bit similar to old shows were handled in a different way like Samsara with the Karma drive. I wonder if the episodes had been mixed up so that a few from series XII were swapped with series XI might it seem more balanced

XI was better

 

I've loved the last three episodes... But I'm afraid Time-Wave is so bad it drags series XII way below XI and way below every other series too... I'm not just talking Red Dwarf here, I'm talking every series of every television programme ever made...yes, even that one that you're about to give me as a humorless example.

 

No idea, so I will work it out now, by giving each episode a mark out of 10...

Twentica - 6.5
Samsara - 5
Give And Take - 8
Officer Rimmer - 8
Krysis - 7
Can Of Worms - 5.5

XI Total - 40/60

Cured - 4.5
Siliconia - 5
Timewave - 3
Mechocracy - 7
M-Corp - 8.5
Skipper - 8

XII Total - 36/60

XI wins

 

While I think I prefer XI as a whole* for reasons mentioned, and nice sci-fi stories, I felt the comedy in this series might actually be a bit better. Not all of it, but the highs are very high.

There was an entire sequence in the first half of Skipper, a running gag that was extremely funny stuff. And the rest of the episode was quite amusing too. That's not the only bit, but that's a good example.

I also felt there was a bit more originality in the latter part of the last series too, even including all the back references.

So... really not sure. I'm probably going to sound like a pretentious smegger now, but if judging a series required evaluating the sum of its parts, then I think last series wins. If we're focussing on stand out parts however, a bottom up - oo-er - approach, if you will, this latest baby might edge it.

*the word 'consistency' has been repeatedly used here. Consistently used here, one might say, and I totally agree).

 

My 3 favourite episodes of the Dave era have been Give and Take, Mechocracy and M-Corp......so series XII has 2 of the 3 best, however it's lows really drag it down. Timewave is the worst episode of then Dave era, it's worse the BTE, it's worse then Dear Dave, hell it's worse then much of series 8. XI was a mostly consistantly strong series, where as XII was a bizarre mix of the show's best and worst moments.

 

I'm loving Skipper more and more with each rewatch, so this tips the balance towards XII for me.

 

Can I wait til I've seen all the episodes first?

 

That would be advisable.

 

Okey dokes

 

Whoops

 

XII just edges it for me. XI had my favourite episode of the two seasons (Twentica) but XII was more consistent over its six episodes.

 

About the same here. XII by a nose.
XI has one of my most liked episodes ever , Officer Rimmer, but other than Samsara the rest of the series is .... pretty good. (I am amazed at how much my opinion of Samsara has risen on multiple re-watches)
XII on the other hand has one of my LEAST favorite episodes ever, Cured, but from there each one just got better and better ending with the outstanding Skipper. M-Corp is outstanding as well with Mechocracy closely following. Good line up for any series imho.

So XII

 

I went for XI. It's a close run thing, but I'll echo the consistency argument: XI has more of a settled atmosphere to it than XII does, that's what makes the difference for me.