Child Abuse and Authoritarianism (RD: Better Than Life)

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 the top of the patriarchy. "I got my stomach pumped and I'm hungry!" Not anti-cunnilingus. Female speaking roles. Groovy Channel 27. MTV. Rimmer's news choices. Trying too hard. Happy wife. Grief. Rimmer ruins everything. Casablanca. Celebrity dictators. Krissie isn't in this. Playing admiral. Gordon and chess. Wrapping Up.  Addicted to Hate can be found in full and for free, here.