Sci-fi comedy as it should be

vaudevillejones

Red Dwarf is a rarity: science fiction that is funny. Although it never takes itself too seriously, the episodes stand up well enough on sci-fi virtues alone. Yet at the same time, you don't have to be into science fiction to enjoy them. The jokes are good, the characters are well-plotted. Although it was low-tech and low budget, this became a virtue- the writers couldn't rely on special effects to carry the episodes (although the special effects that they did put in were excellent).

This was a constantly changing show, so I'll analyse it season by season.

I & II- These were definitely the bleakest series. Lister is the last human being alive, marooned three million years into deep space with Rimmer (a hologram of the most hated man on the ship), a creature who has evolved from his pet cat and Holly, the now-senile computer. The episodes were primarily based on character rather than adventure, giving them a credible dramatic base.

III, IV & V- Fans tend to think of this as the golden age of Red Dwarf. Everything was beefed up. The crew gained the admirable Kryten, a useful mechanoid. The characters now got to go out, have adventures, fight monsters and crash on distant planets. Yet at the same time, they managed to maintain the balance of character and humour.

VI- The writers bravely chose to get rid of Red Dwarf itself and Holly, trapping the crew in the shuttlecraft Starbug. This gave a dangerous edge to the series, and some of the best episodes are in this series, notably the Emmy-award winning 'Gunmen of the Apocalypse'.

VII- Things started to slip here, it has to be said. Rimmer left and Kochanski, whom Lister had a major crush on, arrives. This series is often slated by fans, but it was not without its moments. The insane adventure sequence at the beginning of 'Stoke Me A Clipper' was hilarious, and the Rimmer Munchkin Song is so silly it's superb.

VIII- Oh dear. Too much special effects, no jokes, poor storylines- this is not a good series to start with. I reviewed this in more detail elsewhere on this site.

If you ignore the later seasons, this is a series that could stand alongside even serious science fiction without flinching. Superb.

score /10

vaudevillejones 23 August 2002

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0253188/