Red Dwarf Specials (2020)

[Dewt]

Red Dwarf would be better if there was a ban on them ever using a joke about being in a "mode".

[Cold Meat Platter]

They had an option to do this in series 7 when they had a time machine; any idea why they didn't bother?

While we're at it, why didn't they visit the Earth at any point in its history before the human race became extinct, but after the crew of Red Dwarf were killed by the radiation leak (so they wouldn't risk meddling with any established historical events)?

They were on Earth. With Jesus. Surely he could have been more of a help?

[idunnosomename]

The time machine took them back in time, but they were in deep space in 1342 or whatever it was.

then they went back to kennedy assassination for no real reason

[Replies From View]

The time machine took them back in time, but they were in deep space in 1342 or whatever it was.

That was in series 6.  Then in series 7 they were suddenly able to go to the 20th century to do the JFK stuff, and also Lister went back in time to leave himself as a baby under a pool table in a pub.

After fucking up the JFK timeline they were concerned about travelling back so far that they might alter established historical events, but that doesn't explain why they chose to remain completely marooned in deep space three million years from anywhere.  They could have gone back to a time before everyone was extinct, but after JMC left the solar system.

Obviously it's not interesting for them to do that, but if the entire conceit of your show is built on your characters bitterly complaining about being stuck together three million years into deep space then you have to make sure there isn't an insufficiently explored escape option just sitting there not being used.  You need to destroy the time machine at least.

[Replies From View]

The big Red Dwarf question that still bothers me is why didn't they use the plan from Future Echoes? Lister and Cat go into stasis, Rimmer is temporarily deactivated, Holly pilots the ship back to Earth and then wakes/reactivates everyone when they arrive.

I've seen the explanation given that Lister wanted to stick around when he found out he'd have two babies, but that was resolved pre-series three. Rimmer can still be turned off, the stasis booths are presumably still operable, nothing's been stopping them for 30 years now.

Well I suppose Future Echoes came early in Lister's post-stasis experience, and it was after those events that life started to become more thrilling for him both on and off ship.  Lister had the choice:  do I live out the rest of my life with this exciting stuff going on, or do I travel to Earth to see what it has become before moving on.  There was no guarantee that being near Earth six million years after they left the solar system would yield anything particularly fulfilling (time-space travel was not a consideration until series 7).  During the events of series 1 maybe he thought visiting Earth could always wait for another day.

It's worth remembering that a crucial aspect of Lister's 'plan' was to be with Kochanski, not just go to Earth with Rimmer, Holly and the Cat.  The events of Stasis Leak informed him that he would ultimately be with Kochanski - within a few years he'd find another way to travel back in time and his dream would come together.  So I reckon he made the decision at that point to postpone going into stasis until he reconnected with Kochanski.

For me the endless wait for Kochanski was a palpable drive for Lister until the end of series 6.  Giving him a parallel universe version of her (not to mention the ability for him to travel with her to any planet, including Earth in the 25th century or whenever) was one of the worst mistakes a writer could have made, since it meant robbing Lister of his (albeit rarely mentioned) motivation and dreams.

[Gulftastic]

You were right. It did get better and the audience calmed the fuck down. I liked the moonlight speech from
Lister.