To help us through the dark days the Red Dwarf team decided we could do with another dose of a trailer to lift our spirits.
And what a trailer it is!! We are treated to Lister reacting to the news that many decades later the cat race is still dying for their belief in him. The man who never wanted to be a God explains he isn’t one and all the Dwarfers agree.
The next snippet tells us that circumstances change. Soon the Dwarfers become part of the war and Lister might have to “act like a God” after all, even though he “scarcely mastered human”, according to Rimmer.
Rimmer’s arc is intriguing: we see him going through a lot of his old wardrobe, presumably before settling on that interesting new getup we showed you earlier this week. Then we see Lister throw what looks like his lightbee into the corridor. With Rimer saying what seems like his goodbyes to Lister in trailer one, we wonder: could Rimmer be sacrificing himself for him? We will find out on Dave Channel, April 9.
So another very different episode. A very unique one too as it gives the, long overdue, lead to the Cat (Danny John-Jules).
Even though the trope is simple: Cat finds love but all is not what it seems, the execution isn’t; Just when we think we know where this is going we suddenly find that we are not going there at all. This is the episodes strength as well as it’s weakness: there often is too much going on and every element would have been a perfect episode by its-self.
The characters, though, are spot on as are the actors: Dany John-Jules clearly relishes giving the Cat more freedom while Chris Barrie and Craig Charles add a new facet to Rimmer and Lister – concerned parents looking after their naïve cat-child. Although very short, the guest performance by Dominique Moore as the Cat’s love interest really left us wanting Moore (yes, pun intended).
All in all a strange but worthy ending to a brilliant series.
Red Dwarf has used various styles this series and this new episode is no different. After a fast paced big cast episode, a filmic flashback, a horror time travel episode and a body horror technology based episode we have another first for the series: cute and fuzzy friendship feels!!
★★★★
Red Dwarf – Series 11 – Ep05 – “Krysis” –
This episode proves just how much the characters have grown and developed over the years. The bickering foursome have developed into a dysfunctional but caring family. Sure they might bicker and grumble, but after so many centuries together, they do care.
Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) is feeling depressed and the guys fear he might suffer from a midlife crisis and they are soon proven right. As Kryten goes through various stages of midlife crisis at an alarming speeds and feels increasingly low about himself and his accomplishments, Dave Lister (Craig Charles) thinks it’s time for an intervention. Of course things do not go completely to plan.
Red Dwarf – Series 11 – Ep05 – “Krysis”
What makes this an interesting episode is seeing Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) and the Cat (Danny John-Jules) as part of the team, trying to help out but with their characteristics still in tact. This is very clever writing. It’s good to see characters grow up and learn and it shows that the show works even without constant clashes and insults. The heart of the show is these characters being there for each other despite their differences.
One moment there is no Chris Barrie on our screens for years next thing you know more than a hundred come along at once …
★★★★★
Red Dwarf XI / DAVE TV
This week’s Red Dwarf sees a return to the classic Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) has illusions of grandeur setting of old. Though this time it’s no illusion as Rimmer finally receives the promotion he has waited for all his life and death. Obviously the rest of the Dwarf Posse are less than happy with this.
An attempt to reign in the power crazy Hologram only makes the situation worse as Rimmer decides on creating a few hundred clones of himself certain that they will obey him if no-one else will.
Sure they will, Arn, sure they will …
Red Dwarf XI / DAVE TV
A very different but no less special episode if only for the treat of seeing Chris Barrie do what he does best: playing multiple characters at once. The fact that he manages to act as the same character in at-least twenty different ways is testament to his talent. He is an extremely talented man and it’s a shame he isn’t on our screens more often.
Red Dwarf XI every Thursday at 9PM on Dave
Tonight’s episode of Red Dwarf (Thursdays at 9PM on Dave) might be the series strongest yet!
After it’s release on UKTV Play last week fans called it the “Most Dwarfy Episode since series 6”.
And it’s easy to see why: Rimmer (Chris Barrie) is at his most Rimmer-esque while Cat (Danny John-Jules) has never been more Cat-like (both are acting at an almost series 1 to 3 type level).
Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) on the other hand gives off a strong series 5 to 6 vibe as he tries to help Lister (Craig Charles) with a huge problem.
Explaining this episode in detail would be very spoilery as the story is rather intricate and revealing too much would spoil it. Let’s just give you a few keywords: An evil being, time travel a mistaken identity and Rimmer trying to sort through some deeply rooted issues.
With strong and exciting episodes like this you often forget that you are watching a comedy series and wish it would last at least forty instead of thirty minutes.
Tonight marks the return of Red Dwarf on Dave and here are the reasons why every reader of THEGAYUK should watch it.
All through the 1990s Red Dwarf was one of the slashiest (the viewer knowing two same sex people might be more than friends even though the writer never makes it explicit) Sci Fi Shows around. Go figure: The last two men in the universe (Chris Barrie as Arnold Rimmer and Craig Charles as Dave Lister) who bitched and bickered day in day out but also shared a bedroom together; (looking back they were like a prototype of the gay couple in Vicious in so many ways.) There were often hints at a deeper relationship between the duo that gave rise to some very hot Rimmer and Lister slash on “Archive of their Own”.
Besides the undercurrents there was also quick witted dialogue, a gay kiss and Chris Barrie’s torso on display on several occasions.
If that isn’t enough you will also be treated to a very vain Cat human (Danny John-Jules) and a very camp housework obsessed android (Robert Llewellyn as Kryten).
Of course slash isn’t the only reason why you should watch this show. There is also brilliant comedy and deep pathos. The reason why Red Dwarf resonates with an LGBT audience is how it plays with the feeling of being different and alienation. Rimmer for example: who has been conditioned to act like his parents wanted and can never escape his self hate. The Cat and Kryten who are unafraid of acting feminine. And Lister who knits and cries at movies is open minded about everything and everyone he meets. A mixed bunch of people who have learned to accept each other, despite their differences.
Even though the cast is older now the new series has all these elements while also feeling remarkably fresh and current. Tonight’s new episode is as fast passed and witty as any episode of Doctor Who or Sherlock. Watch out for the sassy guest role by Lucie Pohl she has “new Doctor Companion” written all over!
As a further treat Dave also broadcasts two of the series best early episodes straight after the premiere. Marooned especially is a triumph.
