Red Dwarf - Series 1

Rating:
Summary: The earliest, and arguably the best, Red Dwarf series
Review: The Show: The early episodes, i.e. the first two seasons, of Red Dwarf hold a special place for fans. Before any real money was thrown at the series, and even before Kryten joined the crew on a permanent basis, the first series concentrated on characters and comedy. This series sets up the characters and the relationships that will carry the show through 8 series. One of, if not the best, series of Red Dwarf and one of my personal favorites.
Th DVD: Having seen (and taped) most of the show off of PBS, I'm glad to finally have this on DVD. The picture and sound is great, and the disc easily navigable. Though not as many as the later series (II, III, IV) there are a good amount of outtakes, deleted scenes, trailers, etc. But the true gem as far extras is the cast commentary on all 6 episodes. Chris, Craig, Danny and Norman share stories of the early years, behind the scenes, etc. Very cool for diehard fans like myself.
In short, if you're a fan you NEED this, if you're new to RD this is probably the best place to start.

Rating:
Summary: "Dwarfs" network sitcoms by light years!
Review: There is already a glut of minutae floating around in cyberspace regarding the storylines of this cult series, so I will focus on the DVD itself. The BBC have outdone themselves with the release of Series 1 (& 2), and one hopes this sets the tone for future installments. It is these early episodes that benefit the most from digital remastering- i.e., finally cleaning up the fuzzy visuals and muffled sound (and knowing that you can watch an episode all the way thorough without the interruption of a 20-minute PBS pledge break!). I have never laughed so hard at Series 1, because frankly, the sound was SO bad in the broadcast versions that I was missing half the punchlines. Many reviewers comment that Series 1 was the "weakest"; I wonder how many of those people have watched the uncut DVD version before offering that opinion. The real gift on the DVD is the actors' commentary track-which is funnier that the episodes themselves at times. You get the feeling that these guys really enjoyed working together and still get a kick out of each other's company. You also can hear the actors genuinely cracking up at some of the punchlines, which displays the strength of the writing (always the series' strongest suit). Timelessly entertaining (and if you find yourself a little depressed, good therapy!).

Rating:
Summary: the one that started it all....
Review: This DvD is one of the best i have ever seen. easy to understand Menus, Easter Eggs, commentarys, this one the beginning of the Red Dwarf Saga and doesnt miss a beat. Rimmer is in top form, Lister is God, Cat is a nazzy cat, and Holly is....well, hes Holly! This proves that the Red Dwarf production team can do no wrong!