#36. Backwards (Series III)
The entire episode has the vibe of a 4-year old discovering the rewind button on their cassette player. I don't find much comedy in watching reversed footage of actors regurgitating food and drink and undoing a bar brawl. They try to apply some kind of logic to the backwards timeline in order to be clever, but it's so inconsistent that it has the opposite effect. Nothing interesting going on character wise either.
#35. Bodyswap (Series III)
What seems like a mildly amusing idea on page (giving two actors the oppurtunity to portray each other's characters) is ruined by dubbing and the total flanderisation of Rimmer. The only worthwhile part is some of the physical comedy from Barrie and Charles, especially Charles' hammy villainy towards the end.
#34. Camille (Series IV)
A tepid love story that is developed for about five minutes between two characters who haven't really connected in any meaningful way onscreen. The rest of the time is spent on quaint jokes about the crew wanting to bonk their own female selves.
#33. The End (Series I)
There's a few promising nuggets of gold here, and personally I tend to be more forgiving towards this period of the show. Partially because it was the start and partially because I love how much depth is put into it when compared to the later Grant Naylor years. The Cat is the absolute worst in this. Twice I've tried to introduce people to this show with this episode, and twice I've failed because Danny John-Jules is just that cringy.
#32. Future Echoes (Series I)
A vaguely interesting sci-fi idea floats around aimlessly in an episode that really has nothing else going on. The resolution is strange and is never properly explained. It's carried by the fact that it's in my favourite period of the show.
#31. Polymorph (Series III)
There's a memorable monster and some really nice cinematography and lighting. Chris Barrie's professor shtick is very funny too. Nothing else about it clicked.
#30. Emohawk: Polymorph II (Series VI)
Has the same issues as the original Polymorph, but I like it just a little bit more for a few reasons. The show in general had grown, and it's got Ace and Duane Dibbley. Not that they're used very well, but I do like seeing them.
#29. Justice (Series IV)
I really enjoy the Justice World concept, and the idea of putting Rimmer in a prison is somewhat interesting. The trial scene is very good. I love the performance of Nicholas Ball as the Simulant. But the actual narrative itself just feels like an excuse to unnecessarily retcon Rimmer's responsibility for the deaths of the crew.
#28. Waiting for God (Series I)
Some harmless early Red Dwarf fluff, which generally means brilliant Rimmer/Lister interactions and Norman Lovett absolutely killing it as Holly. The lore behind the Cats is intriguing, and Holly's prank on Rimmer is fun to watch.
#27. Balance of Power (Series I)
Arguably the definitive episode in terms of the Lister/Rimmer dynamic. It's hard to think of one that better portrays their love-hate relationship, how they both drive each other crazy and the lengths they'll go to stay on top. It's the most Steptoe and Son that the show ever gets. Bonus points for that astonishing Clare Grogan cameo.
#26. White Hole (Series IV)
Hattie Hayridge has her strongest showing as Holly. We get David Ross' unforgettable Talkie Toaster. Lister plays pool with planets. The crew have to survive without electricity. Lots of really fun skits, but nothing that exciting actually happens.
#25. The Inquisitor (Series VI)
An exciting villain and a delightful horror atmosphere elevate a very convoluted time travel romp with poor guest actors (not counting the Inquisitor himself).
#24. Quarantine (Series IV)
The most absurd and silly that Red Dwarf ever got, whilst also maintaining a tense atmosphere. Which is no easy feat. Chris Barrie is iconic in every single moment once he puts on the gingham dress and glove puppet.
#23. Marooned (Series III)
Very casual comfort viewing. I feel like the story could have gone a lot further, but as an excuse to just hang out and enjoy the Lister/Rimmer chemistry, it works very well.
#22. Out of Time (Series VI)
The script is a little cluttered and I'm not very keen on the depiction of the future crew (aside from Rimmer, they're just not interesting enough). But the story itself is very strong, and functions well as the crew's ultimate confrontation with their own dark side.
#21. Dimension Jump (Series IV)
On the one hand, Ace Rimmer is one of the show's most remarkable creations. But on the other hand, he's really the only thing that happens in this episode. There should be an exciting story to support him, but there isn't. So just sit back and enjoy Chris Barrie hamming it up.
#20. Back to Reality (Series VI)
A somewhat morbid tale where the crew have to face the possibility that their lives are a mere escapist fantasy while they live in a tragic dystopian world. Timothy Spall guest stars as an amusing crotchety games engineer. My personal highlight is the budget-free car sequence where the crew mime their driving while sitting on crates.
#19. Parallel Universe (Series II)
Red Dwarf tackles gender stereotypes. It's kind of stupid, but I love it anyway for the guest performers (especially Suzanne Bertish as Rimmer) and the wonderful tone, jokes and atmosphere that come from the early years.
#18. Timeslides (Series III)
One of the show's most imaginative concepts. Lister yelling at Nazis is amazing, and seeing him become depressed from his life was a good change of pace after a series of increasingly wacky adventures. It's one of the richest veins of storytelling in the show, yet is painfully underused in my opinion. Rimmer's attempts to change his own life by stealing credit for inventing bubble wrap are lots of fun. We learn certain things about his and Lister's childhood. It's got the Ohm song, and guest stars Adolf Hitler.
#17. Terrorform (Series V)
Some lovable nonsense about a planet based on Rimmer's self-loathing thoughts. It doesn't make a lick of sense, but has some strong merits. The jungle set is one of the most believable in the show. The skit about Kryten's claw terrifying Lister and the Cat is a personal favourite. The crew having to boost Rimmer's ego to escape is amusingly uncomfortable. It's got hot maidens oiling Rimmer up for some reason. The Rimmer musketeers are a thing. I don't know, I get a kick out of this one.
#16. Gunmen of the Apocalypse (Series VI)
A lovable feel-good western pastiche where our heroes get to kick ass and look cool... after no small amount of humiliation. Denis Lill grounds the proceedings as an intimidating villain.
#15. Demons & Angels (Series V)
It's a little strange to see Red Dwarf suddenly go from being decidedly amoral and grey to an old-fashioned black/white morality, but the camp levels are so high that I can't hate it. It's just fun to see the other versions of the ship and the destruction of the main version gives it a tension that some other episodes lack.
#14. Legion (Series VI)
A fairly unremarkable plot elevated massively by sparkling dialogue and a phenomenal guest performance by Nigel Williams. Some of the show's wittiest punchlines come from this script.
#13. Rimmerworld (Series VI)
Despite being rushed, there's enough here for me to appreciate. I love the low-resources space adventure vibes of Series VI, and this one has it in spades. Scrounging for supplies from old wrecks, encountering the scum of humanity still festering in them. It's great stuff. Then the whole sequence of Rimmer exploring his new world like Robinson Crusoe also has a massive appeal. The final few minutes falls apart, but is still carried by the performances.
#12. Confidence and Paranoia (Series I)
A rare dive into Lister's psyche, with the show starting to push boundaries with mindbending sci-fi concepts to make up for its desolate premise. Craig Ferguson makes a charismatic appearance, and gets blown up in a particularly memorable spacewalk scene.
#11. Me2 (Series I)
Rimmer literally meets himself, and has all his flaws and foibles reflected back on him. It's an ingenious way to really get into the core of his character and what makes him tick. The gazpacho soup confession is one of the highlights of the entire show.
#10. Stasis Leak (Series II)
The crew find a magic door to the past, and Rimmer and Lister each try to save someone. I like this one mainly for providing an oppurtunity to see more of Red Dwarf's original crew (Mark Williams, Clare Grogan, Mac MacDonald), and because the level of writing and humour in series 2 is just so impeccable. It's so cozy.
#9. Kryten (Series II)
Lister's empathy emerges as he tries to convince a robot to choose its own destiny rather than slave away for Rimmer. David Ross is good fun as 'Kryten 1.0'. The script contains some of the funniest passages in the whole series, including the dog's milk skit and the crew preparing to seduce the refugees from the Nova 5.
#8. Psirens (Series VI)
This is a very moody and slow episode designed to get people comfortable with the show's new format. I love all the exploration of space stuff. There's a sense of direction, atmosphere and tension that simply didn't exist in the show before, or at least not since the very early years. The psirens themselves are both very funny, and make for great monsters. Kryten gets turned into dice. Clare Grogan gives us one last sexy grin.
#7. DNA (Series IV)
Kryten turns into a human, with mixed results. This opens up a lot of questions about what exactly defines a human and a mechanoid, and whether one should be what they want to be or what they were meant to be. Lister of all people advocates for the conservative viewpoint, which is intriguing in of itself. The Robocop-inspired finale is a wonderful cherry on top.
#6. Thanks for the Memory (Series II)
Red Dwarf at its most beautiful and lonely. A wonderfully revealing episode for both Rimmer and Lister, as we see them react to the flashbacks. The mystery angle was a fun time. I love the production design, especially the little party on the moon. The atmosphere is very palpable in this one.
#5. Queeg (Series II)
The entire episode is just building up to a single punchline, but it's a glorious joke. In the meantime, Norman Lovett completely steals the show as Holly, and Charles Augins guest stars as one of the show's most memorable antagonists... he makes the crew do their jobs! The sequence in which Holly drives through the corridors and 'High Noon' plays is one of the best gags in Red Dwarf.
#4. Better Than Life (Series II)
An impeccably constructed script where the dramatic storyline of Rimmer's father's death weaves in perfectly with the comedic storyline of the crew exploring a new virtual reality game, culminating in a memorable climax where Rimmer's personality once again lays waste on the crew's attempts to have a good time. It's the best episode in the best series. It's hard to find any flaws with it.
#3. Meltdown (Series IV)
Rimmer's love for military history is dialled up to eleven and we see him in control of his own forces. An episode that features the execution of Winnie the Pooh ends up being one of the most sobering of the show. That's a feat unto itself. The rivalry between Rimmer and Lister in this is arguably their most bitter and real confrontation.
#2. Holoship (Series V)
The show at its most empathetic. The attempt to humanise Rimmer is a massive success and I can imagine it comforting a lot of self-destructive viewers who might find aspects of themselves that are more in common with Rimmer than they'd like to admit. A truly heartfelt love story that also works very well as a comedy. Bonus points for a truly wonderful guest cast, all of whom stand out for their own reasons and add a lot.
#1. The Last Day (Series III)
This is my favourite episode because it pretty much accomplishes everything I love about Red Dwarf. The isolation is there, the sadness is there, but the crew comes together for one another. Everybody gets a moment to shine. It's all set on the ship so there's also a comfort food quality to it. Hudzen-10 is an amazing villain despite limited screentime. Even the music stands out.
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