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Why I Love...Red Dwarf

Red Dwarf's Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), The Cat (Danny John-Jules), Dave Lister (Craig Charles) and Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie)
  • Posted at 4:04pm
  • 06 April 2009
  • by TomCole-RT
  • 5 comments

A long time ago (well, in 1988) on a sound stage far, far away, one of the funniest and most charming British sitcoms of all time was born. Yes, it's hard to believe that it's been more than 20 years since Red Dwarf first appeared, but 2009 sees the show's coming of age commemorated with the first official on-screen reunion since 1999.

I'm really excited by the prospect of watching some new Red Dwarf. Not because I've been anxiously awaiting the long-delayed motion picture (I haven't), but because it'll be great to see the show's characters interacting with one another for what might be the final time.

When I was at university my friends and I discovered upon moving in together that we were totally analogous to the crew of Red Dwarf. There was a Lister, a Rimmer, a Kryten, a bizarrely accurate Holly (more Norman Lovett than Hattie Hayridge, alas) and a Cat. We tried running through a host of other sitcoms to see if we resembled any other comedy ensembles, but nothing worked as well as Red Dwarf.

It's possible I'm so fond of the series because I associate it with what were probably the happiest days of my life. We felt like a family in that house, and a family is ultimately what Red Dwarf's characters are. There's Holly, the dad with the voice of experience; Kryten, the fastidious but eternally loving and patient mum; Lister, the dropout older brother; Rimmer, the snooty but neurotic teenage sister and Cat, the happy infant.

And so it was for us. If there was cooking to be done on board Starbug it was up to Kryten to keep the crew fed; in our house, Ed was the one charged with deploying the whisk. Mike, with his knack for improving morale, was Holly. Bill, who got on with everyone and could polish off lager by the lakeful, made an apt Lister. Benj, with his quails' eggs and theatre-going, was our Rimmer, and it fell to yours truly to play the Cat, as the vainest and most self-obsessed housemate.

It's because these characters are all so recognisable and fully rounded that Red Dwarf is deserving of classic status. Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, the show's creators, grew up together as best friends and I think it's the qualities that their relationship brought to the writing of the show that make Red Dwarf really special. It's not about space adventures, it's about friendship. That's why I love Red Dwarf and that's why I'm so pleased to see my friends back on TV again.

**

Red Dwarf: Back to Earth premieres on Friday 10 April at 9:00pm on Dave. For preview photos, visit our Red Dwarf section.

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Comments

  • Posted on 11 April 2009
  • at 10:48pm
  • by Si

Red Dwarf was on when I was between the ages of nine and twenty, and I adored it. Now I'm thirty, and I'm more excited about the new episodes than it is surely healthy for a 30-year old to be. After a slow, but enjoyable, start last night, tonight's episode was amazing. Absolutely hilarious and mindblowing. Sadly, this means we've only got one more episode!

  • Posted on 08 April 2009
  • at 10:51pm
  • by Phil

Kryten still lives up to his name, with Cottage Pie and Chilli amongst some of the stuff he cooks...although I haven't tasted either...hmmmm...he has a nice chef's hat though...

  • Posted on 07 April 2009
  • at 10:29pm
  • by Carolyn

Brilliant. wonder if liz macdonald (corrie)will be back as the older kochanski.

  • Posted on 07 April 2009
  • at 2:47pm
  • by Nick

Red Dwarf worked not only because of the characters, but because of the brilliant script and fantastic comic acting. It's a comedy classic - one of the funniest comedy shows ever made.

  • Posted on 06 April 2009
  • at 4:55pm
  • by Ed

I think if one of us were to present an engineering-themed gameshow on Channel 4 set in a scrapheap, that'd probably be me as well.

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