Hyperdrive

For starters, I don't get what the big deal is comparing this show to Red Dwarf. Aside from both being British sci-fi series set in space, Hyperdrive is hardly a ripoff. If you ask me, it's more like Star Trek than anything else, albeit a twisted, bureaucratic, hilarious Star Trek set in a less-than-perfect-future. Exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new lifeforms and new civilizations, to boldly sell stuff where no man has sold stuff before! :) And even if the concept may not be the most original in the history of scifi, the characters more than make up for that. York is just deliciously evil, Jeffers is perfect as the wannabe-badass, Teal is just plain cheerful and fun, and Sandstrom... well, I just like her because she reminds me of Radical Edward. :D

I can't believe how many very lazy reviewers here are comparing this show negatively to Red Dwarf. Just stop it alright? Nothing except Red Dwarf will ever be as good as Red Dwarf. Having said that, the characters in this show are based a good deal less on stereotypes that those in Dwarf. The humour is frequently more zany than Dwarf, the stories are less predictable than Dwarf. One or two story ideas do fall a bit flat, but many are very funny, especially the shows that feature the alien race Queppu. Overall the humour here is very Brit, which is why I think many Americans just don't get it (which is fine by me, I don't laugh at The Big Bang Theory). The actors are all very good TV actors (Craig Charles was more of a poet than an actor when he started in Dwarf) and have been well cast for their roles. Nick Frost is of course well-known, but at least two of the others have had their own comedy shows. It's a shame this only got two series, but I'm grateful for them and it still makes me laugh on rewatch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this show. The characters were engaging and likable, the situations were amusing, and the sets and effects were fine for what the show was trying to do.

I am interested in how much British viewers dislike it. Their main complaint seems to be that is not Red Dwarf. I have seen Red Dwarf and found it funny enough, but not something I really cared much about one way or the other. Not being a fan of Red Dwarf, I must say I don't see any similarities at all. The situations are very much different, as are the characters. I'd agree with someone here who ventured that Hyperdrive really is more a comedy version of Star Trek. I can understand that dedicated fans of Red Dwarf would like more, but shouldn't this show be judged for what it is, rather than for how it fails to meet your expectations?

I'd watch another season of it if it's made.

This brand new comedy is a breath of fresh air. It has a great feeling to it and is like a miniature Hollywood production with great sets and costumes. Kevin Eldon and Nick Frost are both well established in sitcoms and the rest of the talented cast are fantastic in what promises to be a great show if given the chance.

Why, the really negative comments from the spotty nerds who compare everything to their love of Red Dwarf, some of these guys have to be well in their 50s by now. I don't know why these people take delight in knocking something that is vastly superior to their beloved Red Dwarf. Maybe it is their age as they were probably almost able to pull a girlfriend in Red Dwarf times and Hyperdrive holds none of the nostalgia.

It is easy, if you don't understand the humour, put your Red Dwarf DVDs on and relax in yesteryear.

Boris has just launched his Galactic Britain initiative which is, apparently, about "putting the UK firmly in the front rank of the global space industry: Global Britain becoming Galactic Britain".

I feel this is the perfect documentary of what it'll be like! The casting is superb and conveys the "good intent but suboptimal outcome" that Nick Frost manages to embody so well. Everyone seems to be up in arms about this not being another Red Dwarf, but thankfully we have Red Dwarf to be Red Dwarf, leaving Hyperdrive to be its own thing.

The only bad thing I have to say about it is the criminally short run of twelve episodes - we need more of this. Talky Door!