This is Seeing Red week. Red Dwarf is currently available on instant Netflix.
WATCH: Red Dwarf (1988) – NR – Not rated.
“This notoriously irreverent sci-fi series that first appeared in the 1980s on British television gleefully mixes jokes about excessive curry consumption with affectionate parodies of classic sci-fi. It is a weird and wonderful mélange of Neil Simons “The Odd Couple,” John Carpenters Dark Star and A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.”
“Where is everybody Hol?” – “They are dead Dave” – “Who is?” – “Everybody Dave” – “What, Captain Hollister?” – “Everybody is dead Dave” – “What, Tod Hunter?” – “Everybody is dead Dave” – “What, Selby?” – “They are all dead. Everybody is dead Dave” – “Peterson isnt is he?” – “Everybody is dead Dave” – I think you get the idea.
What other sitcom begins by killing off all of the cast save one? The cast is absolutely perfect.
Craig Charles plays Lister, the only survivor of the human race. He is a complete and utterly disgusting slob. All he wants to do is retire to Fiji and raise horses.
Chris Barrie is a complete by-the-rules pompous git named Rimmer who dies and is brought back as a hologram. Chris originally auditioned for the role of Lister but is amazing as Rimmer.
Danny John-Jules is a humanoid lifeform descended from a pet cat. Cat is absolutely wonderfully self-centered (as any cat owner knows), very charismatic, and a snappy dresser.
Norman Lovett plays Holly, the ship computer, for the first two seasons and is later replaced by Hattie Hayridge. The part of Holly is later eliminated as the creators realized that Kryten provided all the exposition needed.
Robert LLewellyn plays Kryten, the ultimate service robot starting in the second season. He also played Kryten in an unaired pilot for an American version of the show.
The show is absolutely hilarious for several seasons. The budget is small though Netflix appears to be broadcasting the version where special effects were added later (after the VHS releases made them a bunch of money).
Unfortunately creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor eventually had a huge falling out and Rob Grant left the show. New writers were hired for seasons 7 and 8 and it REALLY shows. Seasons 7 and 8 are absolutely terrible.
Red Dwarf is definitely a show that went on too long. It probably should have ended after 4 or 5 seasons. All 8 seasons are available on instant play so keep going until you do not enjoy it anymore.
The cast was recently reunited for a reunion type show. Red Dwarf: Back to Earth is available through Netflix on DVD. Word is that it is not very good either.
I highly recommend the first several seasons especially those who really enjoyed the BBC production of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (which is also available on instant Netflix).
People Watch: More of a what movies have I seen them in this time.
Danny John-Jules appeared as Asad in Blade II and Barfly Jack in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Chris Barrie was Hillary in both of the Tomb Raider movies.
Craig Charles has not really been in movies but has done 400 episodes of Coronation Street.
Robert LLewellyn played Gryphon in the Dave McKean/Neil Gaiman adaptation MirrorMask.
