What do 'Red Dwarf' and 'American Idol' have in common?

[Deja Q]

The main figures (Lister, Simon) poke crass, crude fun and the hapless-cum-neurotics (Arnold Rimmer, those who audition that think they can make it)

The difference is, one is a fictional sitcom made 17 years ago... the other uses real people.

Now think of all 23+ year old sci-fi shows that feature a society made docile by watching video programs of people being crude or vicious to one another and wince.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

1. They sure as hell don't have ME in common

I LOVE Red Dwarf. I've never watched Amerikan Idle, and never plan to.

[Deja Q]

3. I'll admit Red Dwarf was funny too...

Season 2 had the best of everything... Season 3 was more polished but a bit more crude. Adolescent but genuinely witty. Season 4 is a bit plain, though "White Hole" is good but the final two of that year were awful. Season 5 is RD's final gasp at greatness, and what a season to have had a second wind on (and the harder sci-fi elements really gave it a strong edge.) Season 6 plummets royally (and it was during this year Patrick Stewart caught a glimpse of one episode and summarily decided the show was trying to rip off Star Trek TNG...), and 7 and 8 are way too different, with bad moves made as to their production and direction. (And why 'Pete' got 2 parts and 'Only the Good' was kept as a 1-parter when the behind the scenes stuff confirmed the opposite was originally to be the case, I have no idea...)

[TheMightyFavog]

7. How could you rip on Series V and VI?

Those were the best two of the lot! Not a bad episode between them! Emohawk, Gunmen of the Apocalypse, Quarantine (Funniest. Red Dwarf Episode. Ever.), The Inquisitor.

[TheBaldyMan]

2. they both have a gay robot (Simon / Kryten)

[Deja Q]

4. C3PO is the gay robot. Kryten is Spock on prozac and Simon's just an overpaid jerk.

:D

[TheBaldyMan]

5. C3Po is gay! I never would have suspected, Is it one of those Hollywood

things where studios keep an actors sexuality secret to protect their career?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. Loved Red Dwarf, never seen American Idol.

So I can't comment.

Red Dwarf was one of the funniest series ever.

I doubt I'll ever watch AI.

[Bombtrack]

8. Vote Sanjaya

ruin that piece of shit show

[meegbear]

9. An annoying British person who thinks he's all that ...

but is just a pathetic whining bitch?

[RedStateShame]

10. I dunno. Do cast-offs from "Red Dwarf" try to pass themselves off as real singers, too?

[slj0101]

11. Hopelessly dorky fan bases?

:shrug:


:evilgrin:

[TheMightyFavog]

12. One thing American Idol doesn't have..

A roleplaying game based on it.

I actually own The Red Dwarf Roleplaying game, the GM screen and extra bits book and the series sourcebook. Fun game.

[Forkboy]

13. "He's Ar-nold Ar-nold Ar-nold Rimmer! He's also a fantastic swimmer!"

Just picturing the little dancing Rimmers is cracking me up.

[El Fuego]

14. Maybe it's a British thing.

Brits don't have that touchy-feely-syrupy-teary outlook that you have on a lot of American TV.

[Deep13]

15. They're both imported from the UK?

:shrug: