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Red Dwarf - Series 1
Episodes: “The End”, “Future Echoes”, “Balance Of Power”, “Waiting For God”, “Confidence & Paranoia”. “ME 2”
Stars:
Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, and Norman Lovett
Guest
Stars: Matt MacDonald, Robert McCulley, Claire Grogan, Paul Bradley, David
Gillespie, Mark Williams, Noel Coleman, Craig Ferguson, Lee Cornes
Writers:
Rob Grant and Doug Naylor
Producer/Director:
Ed Bye
Executive
Producer: Paul Jackson
Feature
length: 176 minutes
Extras:
Cast Commentary, Writer & Director Commentary – Episode 1, Deleted Scenes,
Outtakes, Original BBC Trailer, “Launching Red Dwarf” Documentary, Japanese
Version Of “The End”, Special Effects Footage, Isolated Music Cues, Audio
Book Chapters, Photo Gallery, Web Link
Languages:
English Stereo
Subtitles:
English Captions and Closed Captions
Packaging:
Two-Disc Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 6 Per Episode/36 Total
Sound:
Stereo Sound
Year
of Television Broadcast: 1988/DVD Release: 2003
Broadcast
Network: BBC-2
Home
Video Distributor: BBC Video Through Warner Home Video
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
“Red
Dwarf” is the very rare example of a successful sci-fi comedy series. There
have been attempts to create sci-fi comedy hybrids in the past for television,
but most have failed. Comedy is one of the riskiest ventures one can invest in
for both television and film. There is no market for bad comedies. People will
watch a bad horror or action picture on a dull night, but no one will watch an
unfunny comedy. So one can imagine the reaction studio and network executives
get when someone tries to pitch a sci-fi comedy series, but sometimes a show
like “Red Dwarf” or “LEXX” can prove that it can be done and become a
cult success. “Red Dwarf” aired on various PBS stations in the US and has a
loyal international fan base. Now BBC Video through their American distribution
partner, Warner Home Video has finally released the first two series of “Red
Dwarf” in two-disc sets with loads of extra features sold separately or as one
gift pack.
“Red
Dwarf I” opens with chicken soup machine repairman Dave Lister (Craig Charles)
being put into stasis for violating strict ship quarantine rules by hiding a
pregnant cat in his quarters. The cat is put in a shielded enclosure and
subsequently a radiation leak kills everyone aboard with the exception of Lister
and his cat, who were protected because of where they were placed aboard the
mining vessel Red Dwarf. Three million years later Holly (Norman Lovett),
the ships A.I. releases Lister from stasis to find that the remaining descendant
of his cat has evolved to become almost human like in appearance and moved on,
leaving behind a self-absorbed, but well dressed cat (Danny John-Jules). Despite
their constant bickering, Holly has chosen to reanimate Lister’s anal
retentive, fastidious bunkmate Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie) to keep him company
as a hologram. With Earth another three million years away and the odds against
even finding anyone remotely human there, as they would remember it highly
unlikely, the misadventures of the surviving crew of Red Dwarf begins at
“The End.” As an aide, viewers familiar with the extended cut of
“Aliens” will recognize Matt MacDonald as ship’s doomed Captain in the
premiere episode “The End” as well as the series one finale “Me 2.”
The
region one DVD release of “Red Dwarf 1: The Original Series One: 2-Disc Set”
is one of the best DVD-Video releases to make the transition across the pond
from BBC Video and holds up pretty good against many American domestic releases
too. All six series one episodes are presented in their original (1.33:1)
broadcast aspect ratios as they originally aired and not enhanced with needless
CGI as some of the later repeats of the original series have been presented. The
quality is quite good for an analogue videotaped show from 1988. There is a
slight bit of artifacts in the resolution, but overall I think these definitely
look a lot better than the PBS broadcasts I saw in the mid 1990s. Clear digital
quality English Stereo Sound is provided with optional English Captions and
Closed Captions for the hearing impaired encoded onto the dual layered disc.
There is a humorous cast commentary for all six series one episodes and one can
sense the great fun they had making the series. All six shows can be viewed
individually or as one reel too. In addition Writers Rob Grant and Doug Naylor
and Producer and Director Ed Bye provide an enlightening audio commentary for
the pilot episode “The End.” These commentaries are supported by the 2002
documentary “Launching Red Dwarf” (25:29) with new-videotaped interviews
with the series one cast and the creative behind-the-scenes team fondly
recalling the plight of bringing “Red Dwarf” to BBC-2, the subsequent
success, and impact the series has had on those involved since.
Other
extra features include a reel of deleted and alternate scenes from series one
(20:53), outtakes under heading “Smeg Ups” (3:39), the original BBC trailer
(1:09), raw motion control special effects footage from series one (5:22), Chris
Barrie reading two-chapter selections from a “Red Dwarf” audio book, a web
link to the “Red Dwarf” website, and a gallery of photos and sketches as
well as home video cover art. The audio book excerpts appear to be derived at
least in part from the episodes “The End” and “Me 2.”
To
compare the difference between how the show originally appeared and how it was
later enhanced with a CGI Red Dwarf and space scenes as well as see how a
show sounds in an entirely different language, viewers can check out the
complete Japanese version of the series premiere “The End” (24:41). Isolated
music cues that can be listened to collectively or individually are also
provided and include “Main Theme Song,” “”Opening Theme,” “Space
Walk,” “Rasta Billy Skank,” “Space,” “Character Themes,”
“Dramatic Music,” and “Additional Music Cues.”
There’s
an additional animated featurette Easter egg (5:30) on disc one with the
creative team of the series discussing the impact “Red Dwarf” has had on
sci-fi as well as their first “Science Fiction” like episode “Future
Echoes.” Just highlight the post it on the command terminal that has the
numbers 4, 6, 9, and 1 and you will be lead to an animated transition where you
will see a keypad. Highlight each key using the arrow buttons on your remote and
press enter for each one and your set. There’s an easy to find Easter egg
within the animated representation of Lister’s and Rimmer’s bunk quarters on
disc two as well.
The
menus are beautifully animated with full motion transitions and moving scene
selections and all of the interactive menus on both discs are easy to navigate.
A 12-page insert with notes on each episode, series background, and anecdotes is
included within the single disc sized two-disc DVD keep case along with a “Red
Dwarf” merchandise advertisement and some “Red Dwarf I” character cards
sealed in plastic. Overall this is a fine DVD release and must for fans of the
show. “Red Dwarf I: The Original Series One: 2-Disc Set” is available on DVD-Video
now.
©
Copyright 2003 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Buy This DVD Now By Clicking On The Text Link Below!
Red Dwarf - Series 1