Hey! Guess what? This is my 53rd review/list! So let's celebrate! With a list! Hooray! I think I'm using too many exclamation marks! I'll stop that now. Anyway, you must be wondering why I'm celebrating my 53rd post rather than my 50th. Well, because anyone can reach their 50th anything, but reaching the 53rd means that you not only stuck out for the distance, but you are slowly over taking the distance as well. Basically, it means I surpassed myself. You should all be very proud of me. And for me, there is no better way to celebrate than with a list. You might have guessed, but I don't really have a social life. I'd much rather sit around at home rewatching episodes of one the greatest TV shows ever made to make for a list that I doubt anyone will ever read. But there you go.
Red Dwarf X recently came out down here, and so that got me thinking about which episodes of this show were my favourites. I grew up watching VHS tapes (tapes that I still own) of Red Dwarf over and over again. I think it shows how much I love those tapes that I still don't own any of the DVDs. Oh well. One day I will. But for now, let's just get this list started. Please note that it is favourite rather than best. With a show that has been running for as long as Red Dwarf has, everyone's top ten is going to be different. So, while I might put one on that someone doesn't like, I don't really care. My list, my opinion. If you differ, good for you. Write up a list, and I may just read it myself.
The last thing that I want to say is that I prefer the earlier series, and even though the sets were pretty cheap, I have to say that the first two are probably my overall favourite. Which kinda means that I don't like the episodes as much past series 6. There are still good moments, and I still do love everything there, but no episode past series 6 is going to be on this list. I'm sorry if that disappoints you, but you'll live. Anyway, enough babbling.
10. Balance of Power / Parallel Universe
Shut up! I know this means there are technically eleven episodes, but I couldn't keep Parallel Universe off here! I love "Tongue Tied" too much. I know the song, and (most of) the dance off by heart! Plus, the rest of the episode isn't half bad. There's the 'worm do' line. But there is some character development seriously missing from the female counterparts. Balance of Power is the real number ten here. This is partly due to the fact that as a kid, for hours I would watch the first tape of the first series over and over again, which had this episode, The End and Future Echoes on it. But while I got bored of Future Echoes over time, Balance of Power has always remained fresh for me. This might be because the dialogue between Rimmer and Lister is some of the best. Their interactions are what make the entire show for me. I know most fans prefer Future Echoes, but Balance of Power will always be one of my favourites. Oh, and Parallel Universe.
9. Legion
For some reason, whenever I think of my favourite RD episodes, or even of the show itself, Legion always comes to mind. And that has to mean something. Well, it is the episode in which Rimmer finally gets a hardlight body! I'm still surprised it took so long. And Legion himself is an interesting character, a disembodied super genius who has to choose between either living with the combined conciousness of the Red Dwarf crew, having to put up with their neuroses and faults, or to live as a diesmbodied supergenius. Such a hard to choice, to be or not to be. I think I just spoilt the episode. Oh well, watch it anyway if you haven't seen it! There's a very hilarious dinner scene halfway through!
8. The Last Day
Now, Kryten isn't my favourite character, though I do love him, like I do all of the crew, and I do love the episodes where his character is focused on. This one was his first big character episode. And he is brilliant! The age old sci-fi dilema of can robots, or droids in this case, feel anything. Well, Kryten has gotten word that he is to be replaced, and accepts this without question. But after a farewell party, he realises that there is so much more that he has yet to experience. And he eventually proves his worth through destroying his psychotic replacement model. What else I like about this episode is seeing all of the crew getting drunk and acutally bonding together, something that they rarely do. And Robert Llewellyn overacting is pretty hilarious!
7. Better Than Life
There are many reasons to like this episode. Watching Lister and Cat bond while pissing off Rimmer. Delving into the subconscious of each of the characters (especially Rimmer's). The jam and ants ending, in which Holly is somehow also threatened. The Red Dwarf crew find a total immersion video game that lets them live out all their fantasies, and of course Rimmer screws it up. This is the episode where we learn about Rimmer's brothers, and how he always felt inadequate when compared to them. You may have already noticed this, but Rimmer is my favourite character, so a lot of the episodes on this list revolve around him. That being said, I do think that this episode also furthers the friendship between him and Lister, though it takes a turn for the worse at the end. A simple premise executed in a really funny way.
(PS. Also check out the books, where this idea is expanded upon in a more serious, but nonetheless hilarious, way!)
6. Gunmen of the Apocalypse
I told I liked Kryten episodes, though he looks a little possesed in that picture. Anyway, you can tell that the writers really wanted to get them off the ship, and they came with a lot of ways to do that. In this episode, we revisit the Total Immersion Video Games, when Kryten gets a virus and the other crew members have to enter a western style video game to get him out. Hooray! Red Dwarf in western gear! What more could you want? But what I really like about this episode is that Rimmer actually acts brave. Okay, so he runs away just as quickly, but he still volunteers to go first. I just really like this one, it's funny and kinda sweet. And I also rewatched it all the time when I was kid. Nostalgia will always win with me.
5. Terraform
Hmm... Half naked oiled Chris Barrie.... That's not the only reason I like this episode. Again, another look into Rimmer's crazed mind. And it is not pretty. And oh my god, the opening is ten times funnier than the infamous underwear scene in Polymorph! Sorry guys, but it is. The Polymorph scene is only funny and shocking the first time. After you've seen it as many times as I have, it gets kinda blase. But the Kryten spider hand at the beginning of this episode is awesome! And the way the episode starts, it's already halfway through the story by the time the audience arrives. Plus, again, it brings on the pathos and poignancy. If you play all of the Rimmer orientated episodes back to back, you get the picture of a very sad and pathetic man who is full of self-loathing and really needs to get over his ego one of these days. I hope he never does!
4. Back to Reality
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Yep, this had to be on here. For those of you who aren't part of the fandom, this episode is widely considered to be the best Red Dwarf episode ever made. This is the Wrath of Khan of Red Dwarf. It is superbly excellent in both story and character. The best thing about it is the massive surprise when it first came out, fans were not expecting what happened, especially since it came right at the end of series 5. And for those who haven't yet seen it, I am not going to spoil it for you! You need to see it! For those of you who do know the episode, I'm sorry this is only number four. I didn't really grow up with this one. The tapes of the series we had were out of order, and so half of some series we had, and others we didn't have at all. But I do love this episode, especially the first time I saw it! Thankfully, it's clever enough to watch over and over again, without getting boring. And it has one of the best car chases in television history!
3. The End
Call me sentimental for putting this on here, but I don't care. This is one of the best openings to any TV show I have ever seen. It introduces each character, allows Lister and Rimmer to develop a relationship for the audience to recognise, and then sets up the premise for the rest of the series, which is to return to earth. In all honesty, I think this the one episode I've watched the most. I know I've said this for every episode mention on this list, but I love this to pieces. I don't know what else I can say about this. So, I'm gonna stop. But I also love Lister's shirt. And the crappy green screen effects. And everything. I'll shut up now.
2. Quarantine
Mr Flibble! And an insane Rimmer! That is what makes this episode excellent! I'm not even kidding, the last ten minutes or so of this episode is so funny, it makes it onto my number two spot just for that. The rest of episode is excellent as well, of course. The part in the quarantine booth between Cat, Lister and Kryten is also hilarious. But I really just love this episode for Rimmer in a dress. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. I have nothing else to say really. Yeah, I put the silly episode above the ones full of character development and excellent stories. So sue me!
1. Marooned
The thing that I love most about this episode is that it's simple. Just two characters sitting in a room talking to each other. And they just happen to be two of the best written characters in television. And they hate each other. And one might possibly die from freezing to death. And one's already dead. It's one of the only times when Lister and Rimmer are physically forced to try and get on with each other, and the payoff is excellent. We learn more about both of their pasts, and about their common interests. Plus, there is still that great dialogue, with insults flying off each other throughout, and the anecdotes they tell! And you know what, they almost become friends. Almost. There is a moment when Rimmer actually comes to respect Lister, and think of him as a great man. Of course, it's destroyed almost immediately, but the journey to get there and back again was worth it! There is some seriously funny stuff in this episode. And I love every goddamn minute of it!
So, there you go. I know most people wouldn't agree with half the stuff on here, but I don't care. I still love the show, even Red Dwarf X, though it's slowly killing me with its cringeworthy humour and forcing of jokes. Because it's December, that means only one thing, Christmas! So be prepared for some more lists coming your way. Until next time, readers.
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