The Garbage Podcast

While Series XII airs on tv next week on October 12th, it will start airing online from this Thursday. Crikey.  So with very little time before we all start discussing the new episodes, we’ve once again gathered together to bring you The Garbage Podcast preview for Series XII.

Despite less information released in advance for this this series than XI, there’s still a whole host of tidbits to examine tediously, and Alex ,James and Andrew are on hand to discuss the episode synopses, the  trailer and more.

So whether you’re looking to satiate your excite before the new episodes air, fill your morning commute or torture a patient in intensive care, this is the podcast for you!

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In this last edition of our celebration of Series V’s 25th anniversary, we sit down to talk about Back to Reality on it’s silver anniversary for our latest commentary.

To this day it’s still a relief that this episode went out last rather than first in Series V, as it encapsulated perfectly what we look for in an end of Series episode, and would arguably go on to set a mould that Series VI-X would also try to follow.

An episode that throws our characters into turmoil and puts them into an impossible situation certain makes for a memorable episode, but when you combine it with some of the show’s funniest images such as the introduction of Dwayne Dibbley, you have the ingredients for one of the best episodes of the show.

Yet it’s certainly not all lighthearted, and the episode continues some of Series V’s darker tone, even seeing all our our characters about to commit simultaneous suicide. But is it the episode that balances the light and the dark best?

Why is Rimmer’s situation worse in his hallucination than his normal life? Why are there consoles to watch other people copping of in the game? And just why do some people think it’s ok to black up at conventions to play Dwayne Dibbley ?

All these racially insensitive questions and more will be discussed out as Alex, James and Andrew despair at trying to find faults to pick in what is potentially the show’s best episode.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

The post The Garbage Podcast – Series V Commentaries: Back To Reality appeared first on The Spoilist.

As we rapidly approach the end of Series V’s silver anniversary, we’re back once again to celebrate the silver anniversary of Series V’s initial run with our commentary for Demons & Angels, which aired 25 years ago today.

It’s perhaps the closet thing Series V has to a light and fun knock about episode, which sits starkly in contrast with the darker elements throughout. It may not be the most insightful character analysis, but does it need to be? And does it perhaps get unfairly criticised as a result? It’s easy to see why it doesn’t often come to mind as the best of the series, but there’s plenty of memorable moments throughout, even if it closes with a logically problematic ending.

How does Lister remember playing pool with planets? What is the strawberry question? And why does a love of meaningless sex make one a cowboy?

All these low and base questions and more will be discussed out as Alex, James and Andrew look at the highs and lows of Series V’s penultimate episode.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

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Another week has passed and we’re back again to celebrate the silver anniversary of Series V’s initial run with our commentary for Quarentine, which aired 25 years ago today.

If the episodes that the VHS tapes used to name each byte is an indication of the popularity of an episode, then this ranks right alongside Back to Reality. And whether you agree or not, there’s no denying that this is an episode that has had some significant impact, given the popularity of several elements it brings to the show. Between Rimmer’s costume, Mr Flibble, the positive viruses and the Space Corps Directives Manual, many aspects of the show are put in place, either for future appearances in episodes or as something that will become a merchandising or convention favourite.

How much does this episode influence ones to come such as Give and Take? Where did the crew find that much gingham material to make three identical dresses? And going by the play features on the Starbug playlet, does the scouter launch seemingly at random and into the eyes of your pets?

All these animal blinding questions and more will be discussed out as Alex, James and Andrew get locked in to discuss a particularly popular episode of Series V, all of course with the kind permission of the King of the Potato People.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

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It’s been 25 years today since Terrorform first aired, and we’re marking the occasion with the latest edition of our Series V anniversary commentaries.

It’s an episode that sees Rimmer stranded on a world where his own neurosis’ could very well be the end of him, and it’s down to the rest of the crew to save him. On the basis of that description, you’d be hard pressed to know if we were talking about this episode or Rimmerworld from Series VI, and perhaps that’s part of why this episode is often ranked at the bottom of Series V.

But even if it’s the weakest of the series, that certainly doesn’t make it a weak episode overall. Even if it doesn’t quite compare to the extremely high standard of the other five episodes, there’s plenty to enjoy here, from the stranded Kryten, to Cat and Lister typing messages out to each other and the great big fake love in at the end.

Was the episode better of for not showing much of The Unspeakable One? Are text based games still a thing in the future? And does anybody know what a POV shot is?

All these laboured anecdotes and more will be discussed out as Alex, James and Andrew oil up and get down the gym to discuss an episode that launched some very excited letters through Chris Barrie’s letter box. And that’s not a euphemism. Hopefully.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

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In this edition of our continuing celebration of Series V’s 25th anniversary, we talk about The Inquisitor for our latest commentary.

It’s the episode that’s perhaps the perfect encapsulation of Series V’s aesthetic. A strong sic-fi story at the centre with some horror aspects that owe more than a small debt to The Terminator, but it also finds the time to take in some great character moments too through the trials. In an episode that could have seemed like a retread from Justice in the last series, it manages to surpass this easily and become one of the show’s strongest episodes.

Why does Rimmer’s costume keep changing? Would showing The Inquisitor’s true face have spoiled the story? And do you remember when a robot called The Inquisitor was entered into Robot Wars?

All these sycophantic questions and more will be discussed out as Alex, James and Andrew try to justify this podcast’s existence by being vaguely insightful and not just bang on about corridor sets as normal. It’s a futile effort.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

The post Series V Commentaries: The Inquisitor appeared first on The Spoilist.

Yesterday marked our fifth anniversary on this site, and one thing we have been doing regularly in those five years is marking the 25th anniversary of each episode’s initial airing with a Garbage Podcast commentary. So with alarming predictability, we’re back mark 25 years since Series V. In this edition, we sit down to watch the series opener; Holoship.

Series V sees something of a bod new style for the show, but is that true of Holoship? In a series that ramps up the horror and sci-fi elements, the series opener is something of a stand alone affair. However, it’s one of the more character centric of the series, and one which sees Rimmer being forced to deal the outcomes with his own selfish decisions, now that they directly affect him.

Does the episode gets unfairly overlooked? Would the episode have benefited from deleted scenes being reinstated? And what are the effects of Ed having gone bye bye?

All these cheap puns and more will be drawn out as Alex, James and Andrew dive into to discuss the episode with little more than a shout of geronimo.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

The post Series V Commentaries: Holoship appeared first on The Spoilist.

2016 is almost at an end and it’s been a big year for Red Dwarf. Series XI has seen many elements return to the show as well as exploring new areas, and has perhaps set the show up to go on for further episodes better than Series X did.

But it’s not just been the shows themselves. We’ve also had the DVD, a mobile game, a section of Lego Dimensions dedicated to the series, a whole new line line of merchandise and more. At times it’s been difficult just to keep up with everything that has been happening. So before we hit 2017 where all thoughts turn to Series XII, it seems like a good time to look back on Series XI and everything else that went along with it.

How did the series stand up overall? What is there to be made of the leaked Series XII titles? And given that it was recorded at the start of December, how many more developments have rendered sections of this discussion completely irrelivent? All these hastily edited questions and more will be examined as Alex, James and Andrew make a mad dash to go through Series XI in tedious detail for one last time time this year.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

The post The Garbage Podcast: Series XI Retrospective appeared first on The Spoilist.

After waiting so long for Series XI to hit our screens, it’s all gone by in something of a flash with this week’s episode Can of Worms being the last of the series. It’s also perhaps the episode that was most anticipated wth it having been teased early on. So did it live up to expectation?

That may well depend on whether you had already guessed the twist, with this episode essentially being Polymorph III under the disguise of a Cat virginity focused episode. It’s not the first time we’ve seen an episode with the genetic lifeforms, but then it’s not the first time we’ve seen a Cat virginity episode, even if that only made it to storyboard form on the Series VII DVD. But how well were both themes addressed in this episode?

Did a third Polymorph outing manage to bring something new to the table? How well does the episode function as a series finale? And pineapple or speedboat; just which is the more painful item to try and pass through your anal passage? All these Analsol advised questions and more will be examined as Alex, James and Andrew examine the episode top to bottom.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

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As we hurtle towards the end of Series XI, we have one penultimate stop before the finale with Krysis. Episode 5 is often the point in a six part series where you can hide your weakest episode. This isn’t always the case of course, and even in Red Dwarf, episodes like Queeg happily break that mould. So where does this episode fit on that two point scale?

Whatever your feelings, it’s an episode which you can’t fault for its scope. Dear Dave in last series’ fifth slot showed a very confined affair, while this episode keeps on expanding in scope from a small start based on Kryten’s character to something literally the size of the universe. This of course doesn’t even account for the business in the middle with the fantastic inclusion of another mechanoid, this time played by Dominic Coleman. It’s an episode that at first glance may appear to be a light affair, but is perhaps the one with the most to unpack on repeat viewings so far.

Why does using Kryten for this plot make the most sense of any of the characters? Does the concept of speaking to the universe feel in-world? And just what are James O’Brien’s thoughts on the influence of Butler on Star Trek? All these paradoxical questions and more will be examined as Alex, James and Andrew try to conclude if love exists for the episode.

You can download it from the link below or via iTunes and if you enjoy it then please do leave us a rating/review to let other people know; we’d greatly appreciate it. You can also stream the podcast on the player below:

iTunes / RSS / Android /  Direct Download / Stream:

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