The British science fiction comedy TV series 'Red Dwarf' (1988-1999)(2009-Present) has gained a cult status and follows the misadventures of what are essentially four less than intrepid blokes stuck in Space. With the main characters frequently exhibiting flaws such as cowardice, laziness and downright incompetence, the stories provide a welcome, humorous antidote to the morally upright characters typically found in many science fiction series. The latest series is due to appear in October 2017 and the fact that the lead actors are no longer the spring chickens they once were has not gone unnoticed by the show's main writer, Doug Naylor, who has already started to include jokes at the expense of his ageing characters. Could this perhaps lead to the birth of a new comedy genre that would playfully examine the inevitable encroachment of advancing years and a second childhood in a Sci-Fi setting?
This is an interesting point. One of the newest trends emerging out of the UK has been the changing focus of target audience age groups. One of the best examples of this has been 'Dr Who' with the return to an older doctor with both Peter Capaldi and Jodie Whittaker. In many ways this is a logical choice as the aging baby boomers are still the largest generation and are now progressing into a period of having greater disposable incomes and time, it makes sense then that there is a return to nostalgic childhood, but explored through the aging "grey" actors. – SaraiMW7 years ago