Red Dwarf
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Red Dwarf
 | |
|---|---|
| Episodes: | 74 |
| Year: | 1988 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Seasons: | 12 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 6, (2) 6, (3) 6, (4) 6, (5) 6, (6) 6, (7) 8, (8) 8, (9) 3, (10) 6, (11) 6, (12) 6 + 1 film |
| Category: | Comedy |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Paul Jackson Productions (1988–89), Grant Naylor Productions (1991–2020) and Baby Cow Productions (2016–20) |
| Creator: | Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (Based on Dave Hollins: Space Cadet by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor) |
| Run Time (mins): | 30 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | BBC |
| First Aired: | February 15, 1988 |
| Last Aired: | April 9, 2020 |
Summary
The primary setting of the series is the mining vessel Red Dwarf, from which the programme takes its name. In the opening episode, a catastrophic radiation leak kills the entire crew except Dave Lister, the ship’s lowest‑ranking technician, who survives only because he is in suspended animation as punishment for smuggling a cat aboard. The cat, Frankenstein, later revealed to be pregnant, remains unharmed in the cargo hold. Following the disaster, the ship’s computer Holly maintains Lister in stasis until radiation levels subside, a process that lasts three million years. Lister consequently emerges as the final known human being in the universe, though he is not alone on the ship.
Holly revives Arnold Judas Rimmer, Lister’s former bunkmate and immediate superior, as a hologram to provide companionship and preserve Lister’s sanity. Rimmer, characterised by chronic insecurity and failure, becomes a central figure in the series. Lister and Rimmer are joined by Cat, the last surviving member of a humanoid feline species that evolved over millions of years from Frankenstein’s offspring within the ship’s hold.
The narrative follows Lister and his companions as they traverse deep space, encountering phenomena such as temporal distortions, faster‑than‑light travel, mutant pathogens, and unusual lifeforms. These entities are all derived from Earth‑originating biology, as the series notably excludes extra-terrestrial species.
In Series III, the ship’s computer Holly is reinterpreted on screen, with Hattie Hayridge assuming the role previously played by Norman Lovett. The mechanoid Kryten, who had appeared in a single episode during Series II, formally joins the core ensemble and becomes a regular character, portrayed by Robert Llewellyn.
Although framed within a science‑fiction milieu, Red Dwarf is fundamentally a character‑driven comedy. Science‑fiction concepts function primarily as devices to support interpersonal conflict, situational humour, and narrative progression. In early episodes, a recurring comedic dynamic is the antagonistic, Odd Couple‑style relationship between Lister and Rimmer, who harbour profound mutual dislike yet remain confined together aboard the ship.
Cast
Arnold Rimmer, Bsc, Ssc. CHRIS BARRIE, Dave Lister CRAIG CHARLES, The Cat DANNY JOHN-JULES, Holly NORMAN LOVETT (1,2,7-8), Kryten ROBERT LLEWELLYN (3-8), Holly HATTIE HAYRIDGE (3-5), Christine Kachanski CHLOE ANNETT (7-8), Captain Hollister MAT MCDONALD (8).
Tags: Comedy, United Kingdom, 1988, English
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