Beyond a Joke (1997) Review

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Beyond a Joke is lacking in the comedy department, but is otherwise an exciting romp. 

PLOT

Kryten is kidnapped by a Simulant ship, and meets his drug-addled brother Able. After being rescued by the Starbug crew, the Simulant pursues them into an asteroid field. Meanwhile, Kryten learns the truth about his creator. 

ANALYSIS

I think 'brainless fun' would be the best term to describe the experience. The story is a little scattershot (Robert Llewelyn claims there were 30+ drafts), a lot of the jokes are forced, the revelation about Kryten's past doesn't really seem like a big deal. But I can't help enjoying it unfold in the moment. I adore Don Henderson's performance as the Simulant Captain. Even though his cancerous whisper is a little morbid to think about, it's still very memorable and gives him an eerie robotic quality. Plus, he has such a charismatic and wicked screen presence. Robert's double role as Able is also very watchable. There's a cute nod to Empire Strikes Back with the asteroid space chase. The 90s disco music gives everything a pep. 'Jane Austen World' is so absurd I can't help loving it. 

Can I say that it's an objectively well made piece of television? Maybe not. Do I still miss Rimmer? Hell yes. And there's no real point to it in the end. Kryten was never close enough to Able for his death to have much emotional impact, and Lister pretty much defuses the truth about professor Mamet in a single scene with his argument about Kryten's evolution. So there's no strong throughline. But as a silly adventure that's meant to thrill and entertain the audience, I can't say Beyond a Joke does too badly. There's nothing egregiously wrong with it, and even with some bad comedy, it has its share of great gags too. I'm also just glad we have an episode focusing on Kryten at all, as there hasn't really been much focus on him since series 4 and the show has recently been oversaturated with Lister/Rimmer stuff. Ironic, really, given that Rimmer left in episode 2. So even if it's not brilliant, it at least gives Llewelyn the spotlight. 

CHARACTERS

There's some tough competition, but I think Don Henderson might be my favourite Simulant of them all. He's so gleefully evil and cunning in an odd, child-like sort of way, while still being menacing. The raspy whisper is perfectly believable as electronic distortion. It's a great performance (one of the actor's last!). 

Robert Llewelyn wrote Beyond a Joke partially as a way of ensuring he'd be on screen as little as possible (hence why Kryten's head blows up), only for Doug Naylor to have him pull double duty! It's a great call from Doug, though, because I might actually like Able more than Kryten. I don't know if I'd want him around full-time, but just in this one episode he's fantastic. Able is a hilarious parody of characters from 90s drug PSAs ("totally tubular!", "You want some, Kryten, bro?"). He suffers from frequent malfunctions and data corruption, but still has a good heart deep down. We get a small hint that Able's addiction originates from discovering that professor Mamet made him as a joke, which probably sent him into an existential crisis. There's a surprising amount of depth there. 

I think it's a bit of a stretch for Lister to dismiss Kryten's surprise dinner for a game of Jane Austen World, even if he is trying to win Kochanski over. One of Lister's strongest traits is his ability to empathise and understand people on a human level. So for him to be such a prick and not ask the others to wait until they've eaten the lobster seems inappropriate. I'd even argue it's inappropriate for Kochanski. She may have had her differences with Kryten, but she normally has good manners. Not to mention, a refined palate (lobster!!). 

NOTES

  • They should've had Kryten wearing Rambo makeup when he was shooting darts at all the Bennett sisters. 
  • Why does Lister assume that a door wedged with two cups means there's a Simulant onboard...? I mean, he's right, but what's the significance?
  • Where on Io did the crew get Kinitawowi costumes?
  • Why did they not destroy the Simulant when he was knocked out? Even if he's indestructible, surely they could've teleported him into space or something instead of sending him back to his own ship?
  • I think the Nega-Drive works in concept, but the technobabble is off. "Routing negativity through the thrusters" just sounds stupid. Just have the ship transmit it as code or something like that. 
THANKS FOR THE MEMORY
  • Lister suspects that Kryten cooked him a space weevil, which he did in Legion.
  • It's the anniversary of Kryten's recovery from the Nova 5, which occurred in Kryten.
  • Lister mentions being an orphan and going to art college. 
  • A member of the Kinitawowi tribe (from Emohawk) is working for the Simulant. 
  • The Simulants previously appeared in Justice, Gunmen of the Apocalypse and Rimmerworld.
  • A fake version of professor Mamet appeared in Psirens.
  • It took Able several years to figure out that his crew had died, just like it did for Kryten when the Nova 5 crew died. 

FUNNIEST MOMENT

Able trying to recall basic facts about his life by gurning like he's constipated.

SMEG OFF!

Pretty much all of Cat's dialogue is completely inane. 

CONCLUSION

Fast food Red Dwarf.




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