The Top 5 Red Dwarf Episodes Ever

Red Dwarf was one of the BBC’s running sitcoms and told the story of Dave Lister (Craig Charles), the last human, his hologramatic superior Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie), a life form who evolved from his cat (Danny John-Jules) and a service droid, Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), who end up three million miles from Earth on a giant spaceship.

It had eight varied series' and while the quality did waver following Rob Grant’s departure after the sixth it still has a loyal cult following. But as future developments have been called off, these are the stand-out episodes that defined its long existence.

5. Better Than Life – Series 2

(Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, Directed by Ed Bye)

Annoyed with the tedium of trekking through space a post pod containing the Total Immersion Video (TIV) game ‘Better Than Life’, a life sim that grants every fantasy, couldn’t come soon enough. Unfortunately for Rimmer his pessimistic neurotic mind won’t accept nice things and leaves him pursued by a psychotic taxman.

Much like Me Squared, this was more of a journey Rimmer’s past and associated problems than it was a comedy and showed that he was the best character on Red Dwarf. The themes of this episode – death, alternative realities, family life – would make regular appearances in the next six years.

4. Polymorph – Series 3

(Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, Directed by Ed Bye)

A genetically manufactured shape shifting mutant finds its way onto the ship and begins draining the crew of their negative emotions. So, almost like a slapstick version of Alien, the mind altered Red Dwarf team reluctantly hunt down the monster.

Although the third series was more “grown-up” then the previous ones, had stronger language and sexual references, never more obvious than in the infamous “shrinking underpants” scene. Much of the later series would adopt this episode’s action orientated comedy and Doctor Who style monsters.

3. Gunmen Of The Apocalypse – Series 6

(Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, Directed by Andy De Emmony)

In this Emmy award winning episode, Starbug’s computer has been infected with a virus created by rouge stimulants and Kryten and co. must enter a digitized Wild West world in order to combat it.

There were so many funny moments in this episode, such as Cat shooting bullets out of the air or Rimmer discovering that Lister simply uses the video game machine to have sex. Gunmen Of The Apocalypse was a refreshing change in tact and the high point of the last great series of the show. Yeehaw indeed.

2. Backwards – Series 3

(Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, Directed by Ed Bye)

After accidentally traveling through a time hole the crew find themselves back on alternative Earth where everything is running backwards. People are dead and come to life, muggers force money into your wallet and, in the words of Lister, “Santa Claus is the big fat git who sneaks down chimneys and steals the kids favourite toys”.

Narrowly piped to the top spot, the low budget video trickery on display is simply superb, it’s no wonder this won awards for special effects. The “bar room tidy” scene, as the boys find themselves in the middle of a backwards fight, is the stand out moment and one of the best in the show’s history.

1. Back To Reality – Series 5

(Written and Directed by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor)

When an attack by a giant mutant squid leaves the crew seemingly dead, they wake up to find they have been spending the last four years playing a TIV game called ‘Red Dwarf’. They soon discover they are really everything they despise – Lister is a mass murdering fascist, Rimmer is an alcoholic drop out and Lister’s brother, Kryten kills a human and Cat is a style less geek called Dwayne Dibbley.

This is the seminal episode of Red Dwarf as it contains many of the elements that made it such a great comedy. It was funny, well-written, had character development and even a touch of action. The main point though is that the “it was all a dream” ending has never been used so successfully.

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