As Red Dwarf X starts tomorrow night I thought it would be a good time to write about some of my favourite episodes of the show. I've been a fan of Red Dwarf since I was 8 years old. My love of the show started when Red Dwarf VI first aired. I remember seeing the advert and being desperate to watch it but it went out after my bedtime. Luckily having a TV in my room meant me and my brother were able to see it (with the volume on low) and we instantly fell in love with this band of wacky characters (my dad did find out we were staying up late to watch it and we got in a spot of bother but it was well worth it). Even though there are only 55 episodes (at present) it's incredibly hard to pick just ten. Just about every episode is a classic (I don't rate series 7, 8 and Back To Earth particularly highly but they're still worth watching). As ever this is just my opinion...
10. Tikka to Ride
I always felt that Rob Grant & Doug Naylor were the perfect writing team. Each of them brought something different to the team and that's what made the first six series of Red Dwarf so good. This is perhaps most evident in the novels the pair wrote. The first two, written together, were quite brilliant where as the second two, one written by each of them, both lacked something. For me I felt Rob Grant was better at the jokes and Doug Naylor was better at the stories. The lack of quality jokes is part of the reason this is the only episode that wasn't co-written by Grant that made my list. I was in my first year of high school when Red Dwarf VII started and the internet wasn't as widely available then so I didn't really realise how disliked series seven was among a lot of fans. These days it's easy enough to watch all the episodes and series seven is not one I enjoy as much as the earlier series but I've always had a soft spot for this episode. Yes it ignores the rules for the Time Drive set up in the previous series and JFK manages to kill his past self without any trouble when the future selves of the boys from the Dwarf had no such luck but it's an enjoyable time travelling yarn.
9. Meltdown
Apparently this episode from the fourth series isn't very popular with fans but I've always loved it. When the crew end up on a planet populated by wax droids of famous historical figures they end up in the middle of a war. Rimmer ends up taking charge of one side and in the end, just like in real life, there are no winners in war. This episode is worth inclusion for Lister's commentary on the execution of Winnie the Pooh.
8. Polymorph
Series three saw a lot of changes and they all helped make the show even better. The crew meet a genetically engineered shape shifting mutant that feeds on negative emotions. Between them the Dwarfers lose their vanity, guilt, anger and fear. The highlight of this episode is of course Lister's shrinking boxer shorts.
7. Marooned
After being forced to abandon Red Dwarf Rimmer and Lister are marooned on an ice planet after Starbug is struck by a meteorite. The Lister/Rimmer relationship has always been the backbone of Red Dwarf and giving the pair a whole episode where they have little to do but talk to each other is a stroke of genius. Both Chris Barrie and Craig Charles are fantastic in this episode.
6. Quarantine
After investigating a research facility Lister, Cat and Kryten return to Red Dwarf to find Rimmer has taken over the ship and has put them into quarantine. It's not long before they realise that Rimmer has been infected with a holovirus and has gained some impressive new powers and a glove puppet named Mr. Flibble. Christ Barrie is excellent as the deranged gingham dress wearing psychotic Rimmer.
5. Dimension Jump
Another Rimmer centric episode. We discover that how Rimmer's life turned out all depended on one decision made when he was a child. We then see what would have happened to him if things had gone differently when we meet dimension hopping pilot Ace Rimmer. This episode is a brilliant character study and Chris Barrie is excellent.
4. Justice
Another episode that doesn't top fan polls but is one of my very favourite episodes. The crew have picked up an escape pod that either contains a woman or a psychotic simulant. They decide to open the escape pod in Justice World a high tech prison. Unfortunately upon arrival the crew are scanned for crimes they may have committed and Rimmer is accused of murdering the crew of Red Dwarf. There are a lot of laughs in this episode with Kryten forced to defend Rimmer from his own ego and Danny John-Jules gets to steal the show with his hilarious performance.
3. Me²
The first two series of Red Dwarf aren't bad they're just very different to everything that followed. Perhaps I should have found room for more episodes from those early runs but for me there is only one episode really stands out. Rimmer is my favourite character and Me² gives us double the Rimmer pleasure. This is the strongest episode of the first series in my book and Chris Barrie plays off himself very well.
2. Gunmen of the Apocalypse
Yes I've gone for the easy options for my top two and with good reason. Gunmen of the Apocalypse is a fantastic episode with plenty of laughs. Who doesn't love a sci-fi/western cross over? With Starbug on a direct course with a sun and a virus locking out the console Kryten attempts to battle the virus in his digital mind. This battle takes place in a wild west themed dream.
1. Back To Reality
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Often voted the best episode by fans the fifth series finale is practically perfect. After investigating a wrecked ship the crew are chased by a despair squid. Then suddenly the crew wakes up and find out they aren't who they think they are. They aren't the crew of Red Dwarf but rather players in a total immersion video game called Red Dwarf. And they were playing it badly. Craig Charles is especially good in this episode and we get to meet the legendary Duane Dibbley.
