Oi! Spaceman: Adventures In Media Criticism

In this darker-even-than-usual episode, Daniel and Shana discuss the depths of Rimmer's on-screen personality as it's revealed in the Series Two episode "Better Than Life." There's a significant amount of conversation centering around child abuse, and mention of the book Addicted to Hate, which details the physical and emotional abuses heaped on The Westboro Baptist Church's Fred Phelps onto his small children. Skip this one if such conversation will be too much for you.  Main Topic: Better Than Life. Not the book. Arnie, not Ace. Tripartite structure. "Rimmer's Abusive Past." Meanness. Skutter-blame. John Wayne and lambs. Look-and-feel. Hats. Lister and food. The Cat and utensils. "Before we knew he was a fascist." Transitioning to heavy shit. Cameron Crowe can learn some lessons. Abuse, torture, parenting, and authoritarianism. Malnourishment jokes. Withheld affection. "Aristotlian." Right-hand drive. Spores. "Trashy." Amatonormativity and the relationship escalator. Jam, ants, and brothers. Aspiring to be