Classic Comedy: Red Dwarf

"OK Suckers! I've got just one thing to say to you. . ."

I'm glad that I was able to follow Red Dwarf from the very first series. It came along at exactly the right time for me (at the time aged 12 years old and heavily into science fiction) and I'm still as much a fan now as I was back then.

So what is it?

Red Dwarf is the misadventures of the surviving crew of the Jupiter Mining Corporation ship Red Dwarf. I say surviving as almost all of the crew are killed by a radiation leak in the first episode, apart from Dave Lister (played by Craig Charles) who is in stasis at the time of the accident, as part of his punishment for sneaking an unquarantined pregnant cat on board the ship.

Revived by Holly (Norman Lovett / Hattie Hayridge), the ships computer three million years later Dave has to contend with being the last human left alive, his only companions being Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie)- a hologram simulation of his dead bunk mate and a creature who evolved from his cat (Danny John Jules).

In later series the crew expanded to take in a Kryten (Robert Llewellyn)- a 4000 series service mechanoid and Christine Kochanski (Clare Grogan / Choloe Arnette), a version of his ex-girlfriend from an alternative reality.

At the time sci-fi comedy was a bit of a rarety (no, laughing at Kirk's wig and corsett doesn't count) and there hasn't really been anything quite like it since.

The show lasted for nine seasons and a movie version was scripted - but is currently stuck in development hell (see the official Red Dwarf Website for more information).

All nine series (including re-mastered versions of the first three) are available on DVD - why not treat yourself?

Everybody's Dead



Teaching Kryten to Lie



Quarantine