Glen here...

Well folks, this is it. The last set of Red Dwarf reviews from Mr. & Mrs. Hippo.

I would like to extend my deepest thanks for the loyalty and responsibility they demonstrated in writing these reviews every night after the episodes initially aired in the U.K.

They busted their asses for the readers of this page, and that means a whole lot to me. So, THANK YOU Mr. and Mrs. Hippo. We'll miss you...come again...and thanks for all the fish.

Without further adieu...

Mrs. Hippo review Red Dwarf Series 8, Episode 7:

Its Mrs Hippo here again with another (her last) review.

"Pete" Part Two

As feared, this second episode was quite weak.

It had some good ideas but was just a bit drawn out. At the end of part one we left all five being chased by Pete, a dinosaur. This episode is dominated by the bowel movements of dinosaurs - more importantly how to stimulate one - and what better way than to feed him a very hot cow vindaloo.

Ultimately this does have the desired effect, but as usual nothing quite works out as Rimmer and Lister expect. Each little disaster is broken up by Rimmer and Lister being summonsed before Captain Hollister to explain themselves. This could have worked really well, but just didn't quite.

While the interchanges between Rimmer and Lister were by far the best parts, the sub-plot relating to the genitally challenged Kryten and his "penis" (Archie) are very funny and the best line goes to Chloe Annett when she tells Kryten - "You are a real man now, like all men you have absolutely no control over your penis".

In the end it looks like Rimmer and Lister have managed to restore things to normal - but have they. As you would expect there is another disaster waiting around the corner.

It's not a great episode, it's a bit predictable, but you should be able to find something to laugh at.

Mr. Hippo reviews Red Dwarf Series 8, Episode 8. ((the last RDS8 episode, the last Mr. Hippo review for now...))

A very. very tired Mr. Hippo here reporting in on the last Red Dwarf VIII episode, "Only the Good..."

Mr. Hippo arrived in the United Kingdom this afternoon on a British Airways cargo carrier after a 10 day jaunt around the jungles of South America. Because of this he is not exactly thinking or typing clearly. Mr. and Mrs. Hippo just finished watching the last Red Dwarf episode of Series 8, which was shown at a "special" time on Bank Holiday Monday.

Mr. Hippo doesn't have much to say about non-Red Dwarf related items this time around because of his overall mental instability, commonly associated with flying with British Airways.

"Only the Good..." is a solid, funny episode for the most part with a...quite frankly...strange & open-ended conclusion.

** as has been true throughout this entire series, the interplay between Lister and Rimmer recalled and enhanced all of those previous classic Red Dwarf moments involving these two characters. A big round of applause to the writers, and especially to Chris Barrie and Craig Charles;

** the evidence of this could not be more clearly demonstrated than during the cell inspection 'drunk' scene, after Rimmer and Lister have failed miserably in their attempts to conceal Baxter's illegal 'hooch' by trying to drink it before inspection;

** Kryten's surprise party to celebrate Kochanski's 'period' was also an example of classic Red Dwarf humour;

** Lister's reaction to Cat's disguise to sneak into the medical bay for the gang's escape was also very funny;

** as was Rimmer's journey into the parallel universe, especially his realisation that everything was equal and opposite, including his own attributes.

** the rather bizarre ending of Rimmer's confrontation with the Grim Reaper. Mr. and Mrs. Hippo really don't know what to make of it.

All in all, Red Dwarf VIII represented a true return to form for the Dwarfers, completely erasing the disappointment of Series 7. In fact, Mr. Hippo would go so far as to comment that Series 8 was the best series since the "heady heights" of Series 5, when so many brilliant Red Dwarf episodes were on display, including "Quarantine" and "Back to Reality".

Mr. Hippo signs off as a pleased hippo and can't wait for Series 9, or a film, or both.

Mr. Hippo saying so long... for now.