Top 30 Best Episodes of Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf doesn't have many episodes, but I'd have to say 2/3 of the series had well-written plot, story, and moral complexity. The following episodes were, to my knowledge, the best written, most compelling, and psychologically enthralling episodes that won on three levels (drama, comedy, and story). Additionally, each of these episodes offered some form of great character development and connective plot points. These were also the handful that featured excellent guest characters being used as actually convincing and valid plot devices. These are the few episodes I found to be mentally and morally driven. These are the episodes that were meant to be viewed for their comedic value as well holding a solid premise and sustaining strong connective plot points. I have a list that parallels this one, so yes, there are at a full 20 episodes of Red Dwarf I rather disliked. The following 30 are the best episodes when it comes to a strong effort at complex story-telling and indeed entertain the most for actual dramatic value without failing at comedic moments. I've listed them according to a respective preference for complexity as well as favoritism for each compelling story.
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- DirectorAndy De EmmonyStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesAs the crew contend with Starbug's dwindling supplies, they find themselves being pulled towards a deserted space station where they meet the brilliant but mysterious Legion. Legion wishes only to fulfill their every need, but to what end?
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe Red Dwarf crew pick up an escape pod containing either prison guard Barbra Bellini or a dangerous Simulant convict. They transport the pod back to Justice World where Rimmer finds himself put on trial for past crimes long forgotten.
- DirectorRob GrantDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesAt a research complex on an ice planet, the crew find the hologram of Dr. Lanstrom who has been infected with a holo virus that turned her mad. Back on the Red Dwarf the crew are subjected to quarantine by Rimmer who's also been infected.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe Red Dwarf crew abandons ship as Red Dwarf approaches black holes. Rimmer and Lister find themselves marooned on a ice planet, when Starbug is struck by a meteorite, where the only firewood is Rimmer's possessions and the only food they have is dog food and a pot noodle.
- DirectorAndy De EmmonyStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesKryten diagnoses Rimmer with a stress-related condition, as a surviving Simulant attacks the crew. Fleeing in an escape pod, Rimmer enters a wormhole and must spend the next 600 years on a deserted planet with only his clones for company.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRed Dwarf's back-up computer Queeg 500 takes command of Red Dwarf when Holly allows a meteorite to damage the ship and Rimmer to malfunction. The crew encourages Holly to challenge Queeg to a game of chess, where the loser gets erased from the system.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRimmer moves into his new sleeping quarters with his holographic duplicate. Lister watches Rimmer's video containing footage of Rimmer's death, the two Rimmers start getting into a fight and Lister decides one of them has to be switched off.
- DirectorJuliet MayStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesLister, Kryten, Cat and Holly head for an artificial moon, where Rimmer has been kidnapped, only to find the artificial moon is Rimmer's mind.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe Red Dwarf crew encounter the Polymorph, a genetically engineered space mutant that drains the emotions from humans, that has arrived on-board Red Dwarf.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRobert LlewellynStarbug flies into a Dimensional Tear and the crew meet themselves from an alternate reality where Lister is a hologram and Kochanski is alive. When a GELF ship opens fire on Starbug, alternate Kochanski becomes stranded with no way home.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe crew receive a message from Kryten's manufacturer saying that he must be dismantled within 24 hours, at which time a more advanced mechanoid will arrive to replace him. Lister, Cat, Rimmer and Holly decided to throw Kryten a leaving party and give him one last night to remember.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRobert LlewellynThe crew come across an abandoned ship with one survivor: Caroline Carmen, one of Lister's former crushes. She revives in the middle of the night and infects Lister with the dreaded Epideme virus, which threatens to kill him unless something is done. He tries talking with Epideme directly through a communication link, but nothing doing. He ends up losing an arm to the virus before Kochanski comes up with another solution.
- DirectorDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesLister attempts to become a better father to himself by giving himself some tough love. Meanwhile, Rimmer and Kryten decide to install a new supercomputer, Pree, who possesses prophetic capabilities.
- DirectorAndy De EmmonyStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesWhen Lister is revealed to be a Mechanoid and Cat disappears from existence, the crew realise that they are flying through reality-changing unreality bubbles. The only way they can escape this mess? With the help of their future selves.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesFollowing the encounter with their future selves, Kryten forbids the use of time travel but Lister wishes to go back in time to get some curry. However, the crew instead end up in Dallas, 1963 on the day John F. Kennedy is assassinated.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRobert LlewellynKryten thinks Lister likes Konchanski better than him and is making a fuss about it. When the primary power goes off and they all get stuck in a room they have no choice but to climb into the ventilation ducts and try to escape. While inside the ducts they discover Lister is claustrophobic...
- DirectorDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRimmer attempts to masquerade as a heroic Space Corps captain after receiving a sudden SOS distress call from the hologram of his successful brother, Howard.
- DirectorDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesHiding in an asteroid, surrounded by a Simulant Death Ship and its fleet of Annihilators, the Dwarfers wonder if this is the beginning of the end. Only one man can save them. Unfortunately, that man is Arnold J. Rimmer.
- DirectorDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesAfter a botched installation of a rejuvenation shower, the Dwarfers are transported to Earth in the year 23 AD.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesAfter a long night of drinking and partying to celebrate the anniversary of Rimmer's death, Rimmer laments that nobody loved him in life. Feeling sorry for Rimmer, Lister decides to implant memories of his ex-girlfriend in Rimmer's mind.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesOn the mining ship Red Dwarf, slobbish slacker Dave Lister dreams of a life in Fiji away from his annoying bunkmate Arnold Rimmer. When he's placed in suspended animation, he wakes up 3 million years later to find the entire crew are dead.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesLister volunteers himself, Rimmer and the rest of the crew for the Canaries, believing it to be the prison choir. They are instead sent on a suicide mission to an ocean moon where they find Cassandra, an AI computer who can see the future.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRimmer, Lister and Cat find a time barrier called "Stasis Leak" on Floor 16 and it takes them back in time on Red Dwarf 3 million years earlier. Rimmer and Lister try to change the past, which puts either Rimmer or Kochanski into suspended animation so one of them doesn't die in the radioactive disaster.
- DirectorJuliet MayStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRimmer is abducted by the high IQ crew of the holoship Enlightenment, who have abandoned love in favour of daily sex. Wishing to join the crew and leave the Red Dwarf behind, Rimmer must engage in a battle of wits to earn his place.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesRed Dwarf becomes a booby-trap when Lister activates the self-destruct, which turns out to be the vending machine and Lister is implanted with the mind of one of the dead crew members and Rimmer believes it's the perfect way to help Lister get fit.
- DirectorAndy De EmmonyStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesLister awakens on Starbug and learns that 200 years have passed and the Red Dwarf has gone missing. While navigating an asteroid field, the crew are tempted by Psirens, shape-shifting creatures that wish to suck out their brains.
- DirectorEd ByeStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesDaredevil pilot Ace Rimmer, seriously wounded, after rescuing Princess Bonjella from the Nazis, arrives on-board Starbug, to recruit Rimmer to take his place as the next Ace Rimmer. Will Rimmer continue the legacy of Ace Rimmer?
- DirectorRob GrantDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe red dwarf crew encounter the inquisitor, a mechanical lifeform who has made himself judge, jury and executioner of all of humanity throughout history. If he decides your life hasn't been worthy enough you are erased and replaced. Bad luck for the dwarfers.
- DirectorEd ByePaul JacksonStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesAfter repairing Talkie Toaster, Kryten has the idea to restore Holly's 6,000 IQ at the cost of reducing her lifespan but she instead gains an IQ of 12,000. Meanwhile the Red Dwarf hurtles towards a white hole, the opposite of a black hole.
- DirectorDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesWhen Lister's busy day of annoying Rimmer was interrupted by the discovery of a dimension-hopping leviathan in the ship's mile-deep water tank, transporting the crew back to Earth, all Lister's dreams appear to be coming true.