Dear Sci-Fi Online

I had to e-mail you after reading Jonathan Capps very passionate letter about your review of Red Dwarf IV. I thought he raised some strange points and he seemed to have picked his way through your review in a random fashion.

Firstly he states that series three and four extras were the same. Now, being picky, I'd like to ask what he means. Does he mean that you get exactly the same extras on both releases? No, so if both releases have different extras (which they do) then your point in the review is valid.

His second moan about the 'documentaries' is just nit-picking. Documentary/featurette? Who cares how they are defined? They are rubbish. And that's what you said.

Lastly, I thought it amusing how Mr Capps had a go at you about the talking books extra. If he had actually read the review properly he would realise that you were arguing the same point. The talking book excerpts cannot and do not show the TV characters "in a new light". Rather, they depict different versions of the characters. Does the Brosnan movie Bond show the Bond of Fleming's novels in a different light? No, he is a different character. As your reviewer rightly pointed out, fans of Red Dwarf will already know that the TV show and books contradict each other - it is obvious that these extras are included to try and sell more copies of the talking books.

I just wanted to add that your review is the most thorough and fair review I have read. And it is obvious that you watched everything on the discs (your comment about Hattie Hayridge on the audio commentary proves this). You also seem to know your onions when it comes to Red Dwarf - with bits of information about the original Talkie-Toaster and the writers trying to sell the series to America.

All in all your site is far from ignorant and misinformed and if more impartial reviewers were writing reviews as honest as yours then more fans, like me, might not feel ripped off when the BBC releases any old rubbish and sticks a Red Dwarf sticker on it.

Oh yeah and you gave the review 9/10... what has anyone got to complain about. Are you sure that Mr Capps didn't work on the DVD extras?

Regards

Steven Taylor

Editor replies:

This was just one of the many responses we had regarding Mr Capps letter. Most were in favour of the original review, with many stating they felt that some of the extras were a bit poor. But, like us, they felt that the DVD episodes themselves warranted a high overall mark out of 10.

Return to: