AN ADDITIONAL CAPTAIN BUTLER REVIEW

BY MARIE BIRCH,

WHICH HAD ORIGINALLY, BEEN PUBLISHED, IN:

THE OFFICIAL RED DWARF FAN CLUB’S:

FANZINE:

BETTER THAN LIFE,

DURING EARLY 1997!

I have thoroughly enjoyed Craig Charles very own independent comedy series of Captain Butler, on Channel 4, and even though the character of Butler is a Liverpudlian, he was from Tranmere (which doesn't make you a true Scouser, apparently!). I was rather disappointed with that at first, but as a lot of sailors, are usually from Liverpool, it tended to support it, rather than dominate the part, because Craig also kept, his Liverpudlian accent, in Steven Berkoff's: *Macbeth*, on BBC Radio Four, which I have got on audio cassette, when he played the Porter. I also think Lister being Liverpudlian or Scouse if one prefers, supports the part, as well. But in my general opinion, Captain Butler, is very different to Dave Lister, and apart from that, I do prefer his dress sense!

They are very much alike in the sense of having the same amount of charm, and he does share, Lister's Cherubicness and Seraphicness, to a certain extent, which I really do love, but Butler comes across, as been very cowardly and very crafty, which he certainly needs, to prove to his crew, that he is really brave, when they all end up, in very sticky situations!

Butler, quite obviously, shares the same traits, as Long John Silver of Treasure Island, and Captain Hook, from Peter Pan, and a bit, of Captain Bligh of Mutiny of The Bounty fame, and Captain Pugwash, himself, naturally! I originally, saw Captain Pugwash, during the nineteen seventies, which I had assumed, had been made, at the time, but it came, as quite, a surprise to me, to discover, that Captain Pugwash, had originally, been made, during the nineteen fifties! In my own general opinion, for it's day, that animation, certainly seemed, very ahead of it's time! I also can't get over, the fact, that Butler, had originally, been an Architect, at the Local Council, before he signed up, for the Royal Navy!

I thought that Craig seemed very convincing, when he pretended to be, a Spaniard and a Frenchman, alongside his crew, so that they could scare Nelson, off the ship.

With regard to Robert Llewellyn, playing Nelson, I really thought that their double act, worked extremely well, as usual, and how different, his character was to Kryten's, and the way, he depicted Nelson, as a Nancy Boy type, of Public School Admiral, was really quite funny, and I really do think, that Craig and Robert, should work together, when they are not on Red Dwarf, as I think, that without a doubt, that those two, are a team!

I think, that the crew supported Craig very well. Especially the Bosun, with his - "I remember the days - Cap'ain!". Cliff the black Pirate was a very clever character, with his references to the way, his people had been treated as slaves, and how he feels, that he must owe his life to them, because he has sought his liberation. The naive young Lord Roger Crumsby (originally Lord Roger Boothsby) is a very good supporting character, who really reminds me of the naive Sir Percy in: The Black Adder, and Blackadder: Series II, and how he thinks, that Butler is praising him to the skies all the time, when in fact, it's quite obvious, to everyone concerned, that he is tormenting him, dreadfully! And, as for: Adeel Kumar, the Mad Indian Chef, he had been, so Comical, that he had, reminded me, of one, of the Students, in: Mind Your Language, which I was, and I still am, a Fan of, before I had got, into: Red Dwarf! I really liked the sets, and I certainly thought, that there was more than enough of them, for a comedy series like that. After all, when you think of it, Blackadder didn’t have that many sets, when it came down to it at the end of the day, and it became a great success, around the world, just like Red Dwarf did! The ships deck, and Butler's cabin, were my favourite sets, along with the harbour in the background on the episode - "Kidnapped", and I thought the Cell, the Courtroom, and the Square, where Butler escaped from his *hanging*, fitted in, very well. It was a shame, that they didn’t have an episode for the mutiny, where Butler, was drunk in the Tavern, but they can always have an episode, at a later date, for that, when they do another series. As I have worked on productions myself, in the past, I do know, what working to a budget means, and you must cut your cloth, wherever possible! Not only that, I also think it would be good, for Butler, to fall, romantically in love, with a female Pirate, who cons him, into thinking, that she is, in love with him, only to take his ship over, with other, harder Pirates, she knows - i.e: Blackbeard and Bluebeard! All in all, I think, that Captain Butler, is a very high production, of the very best quality, for Craig Charles, and I certainly cannot wait, for the next series!

Additional: (Update this at a later date!)

But during the very last episode of Captain Butler: Jailhouse Crock, when Butler and his cronies landed up in jail. It seemed that Butler was anxious to avoid having a shower with his mates, because he was worried about all those slippery hands and slippery fingers! And his cronies didn't enjoy their showers either, when it actually came down to it, at the end of the day! Even though Butler had given them plenty of warnings! But that joke had originally been established, via Craig's: Live on Earth! Show, and it originally went thus: "I had soap on a rope, mate, and I didn't bend down, once!". And I did feel, that Red Dwarf VIII, was very loosely based, on Craig's experiences, in jail, to a certain extent, but that is only a theory, anyway.

I have also, found out, that the Captain Butler Ships Set, had been moved, by hydraulics, according to an interview, by Shend (Warden Knott – Red Dwarf VIII), and that, it had been, very noisy, indeed!

Marie Birch

March 1997

 

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