British Comedy Guide
Red Dwarf. Image shows from L to R: Cat (Danny John-Jules), Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Lister (Craig Charles), Kryten (Robert Llewellyn). Copyright: UKTV
Red Dwarf

Red Dwarf

  • TV sitcom
  • U&Dave / BBC Two
  • 1988 - 2020
  • 74 episodes (13 series)

Science fiction sitcom based in space. The crew aboard the damaged mining spaceship Red Dwarf are doomed to drift in space for the rest of eternity. Stars Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn, Norman Lovett and more.

  • Due to return for Untitled three-part special
  • Series III, Episode 6 repeated Thursday at 10pm on BBC2
  • JustWatch Streaming rank this week: 131

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Series III, Episode 1 - Backwards

Rimmer and Kryten crash-land on a planet and are shocked to find it is Earth - but an Earth where time is running in reverse.

Further details

Red Dwarf. Image shows from L to R: Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), Rimmer (Chris Barrie). Copyright: Grant Naylor Productions / BBC

When Kryten gets sucked into a time hole and crashes Starbug 1 onto a planet during the space-ship equivalent of a driver's test, he and Rimmer are shocked to discover that they've landed on Earth.

It's not quite as normal though: time is running backwards. After the Big Bang the universe expanded, but they've gone so far into the future that the Big Crunch has now happened, the universe is contracting, and everything going in reverse accordingly.

When Lister and Cat finally find them, it's 1993 and Rimmer and Kryten are working as a novelty comic act. They're not keen to leave their popularity and success, but Lister's involvement in a brawl would seem to seal their fate in this backwards world.

Broadcast details

Date
Tuesday 14th November 1989
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Chris Barrie Rimmer
Craig Charles Lister
Danny John-Jules Cat
Robert Llewellyn Kryten
Hattie Hayridge Holly
Guest cast
Maria Friedman Waitress
Tony Hawks Compere
Anna Palmer Customer In Cafe
Arthur Smith Pub Manager
Writing team
Doug Naylor Writer
Rob Grant Writer
Production team
Ed Bye Director
Ed Bye Producer
Doug Naylor Producer
Rob Grant Producer
Paul Jackson Executive Producer
Ed Wooden Editor
Mel Bibby Production Designer
Howard Goodall Composer

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