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Blue (Red Dwarf episode)
Encyclopedia
"Blue" is the fifth episode of science fiction
sitcom Red Dwarf
Series VII and the 41st in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British
television channel BBC2
on 14 February 1997. Written by Kim Fuller
& Doug Naylor
and directed by Ed Bye
. Until Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
, it was the last episode to feature the hologram Rimmer.
(Chloë Annett
) is trying to get back to her own dimension
and Kryten
(Robert Llewellyn
) is still jealous of the relationship that she could have with Lister
. Meanwhile, Lister
(Craig Charles
) begins to miss Rimmer
(Chris Barrie
) and reflects on some of the fun times that he and Rimmer spent together in the early days after the accident. When he has a dream that Rimmer returns and he and Rimmer kiss, Kryten tries some psychology to get to the bottom of Lister's problem. However Kochanski has a little talk with Lister and makes him realise why he misses Rimmer, much to Kryten's disgust. Kryten, having to be one step better than Kochanski, creates "The Rimmer Experience", a virtual reality
rollercoaster ride created from Rimmer's memories, depicting him thinking of himself as a 'Hero' and a 'Remarkable Person', giving Cat
(Danny John-Jules
) fashion tips and believing that Lister has called for Rimmer to save him before he wets himself, finally ending with a sickening song and dance by animated Rimmer puppets. This final touch at the end provides Lister with a permanent cure to missing his old shipmate.
, writer of Spiceworld. His script for "Blue" was also edited by Naylor to fit into the Red Dwarf universe. As part of Naylor's plan to mix up the episodes between Science Fiction and comedy, "Blue" was tailored towards the latter.
"Blue" marks Rimmer's last appearance as a hologram within a Red Dwarf series. His next appearance would be as a human in Season VIII's "Back in the Red: Part I". However Rimmer returned in hologram form for the Red Dwarf: Back to Earth specials in Easter 2009.
Howard Goodall
performed as the singing Rimmer Munchkins.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
sitcom Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
Series VII and the 41st in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television channel BBC2
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
on 14 February 1997. Written by Kim Fuller
Kim Fuller
Kim Fuller is a British writer for film, radio and television. His brother Simon Fuller is Britain's most successful music manager as manager of Annie Lennox and The Spice Girls amongst others and creator of the Idol Series...
& Doug Naylor
Doug Naylor
Douglas R. Naylor is a British comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer.Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio 4 entitled Cliché and Son of Cliché...
and directed by Ed Bye
Ed Bye
Edward Richard Morrison Bye is a British film and TV producer and director. He is best known for his work with Grant Naylor, Harry Enfield and Jasper Carrott, and has worked with many of British TV's best known comedians and comedy actors...
. Until Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
Red Dwarf: Back to Earth
Red Dwarf: Back to Earth is a three part TV miniseries continuation of the science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf, broadcast on the British television channel Dave between 10 April and 12 April 2009 and subsequently released on DVD on 15 June 2009 & on Blu-ray on 31 August 2009. It was the first...
, it was the last episode to feature the hologram Rimmer.
Plot
KochanskiKristine Kochanski
Kristine Z. Kochanski is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kochanski was the first console officer in the navigation chamber on board the spaceship Red Dwarf...
(Chloë Annett
Chloë Annett
Chloë Victoria Annett is an English actress, best known for her role in series 7 and 8 of the British sitcom Red Dwarf.-Early life and family:...
) is trying to get back to her own dimension
Dimension
In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a space or object is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus a line has a dimension of one because only one coordinate is needed to specify a point on it...
and Kryten
Kryten
Kryten is a fictional character in the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kryten's registration code on Red Dwarf is "Kryten additional 001". The name Kryten is a reference to the head butler in the J.M...
(Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn is an English actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known as the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf, and for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge.-Early career:...
) is still jealous of the relationship that she could have with Lister
Dave Lister
David "Dave" Lister, commonly referred to simply as Lister, is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, portrayed by Craig Charles...
. Meanwhile, Lister
Dave Lister
David "Dave" Lister, commonly referred to simply as Lister, is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, portrayed by Craig Charles...
(Craig Charles
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles is an English actor, stand-up comedian, author, poet, radio and television presenter, best known for playing Dave Lister in the British cult-favourite science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf...
) begins to miss Rimmer
Arnold Rimmer
Arnold Judas Rimmer is a fictional character in the science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, played by Chris Barrie. He is unpopular with his crew mates, and is often the target of insults or pranks...
(Chris Barrie
Chris Barrie
Chris Barrie is a British actor. He first achieved success as a vocal impressionist, notably in the ITV sketch show Spitting Image...
) and reflects on some of the fun times that he and Rimmer spent together in the early days after the accident. When he has a dream that Rimmer returns and he and Rimmer kiss, Kryten tries some psychology to get to the bottom of Lister's problem. However Kochanski has a little talk with Lister and makes him realise why he misses Rimmer, much to Kryten's disgust. Kryten, having to be one step better than Kochanski, creates "The Rimmer Experience", a virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
rollercoaster ride created from Rimmer's memories, depicting him thinking of himself as a 'Hero' and a 'Remarkable Person', giving Cat
Cat (Red Dwarf)
The Cat is a character in the British science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf. He is played by Danny John-Jules.-Character development:According to Danny John-Jules, the character of Cat is based on a combination of Little Richard's look, James Brown's moves and Richard Pryor's facial...
(Danny John-Jules
Danny John-Jules
Daniel "Danny" John-Jules is a British actor, singer and dancer. John-Jules attended Rutherford Comprehensive School, Penfold Street, Marylebone, from 1972 to 1977. He is best known for portraying Cat in the television programme Red Dwarf.-Dance and song:John-Jules is a baritone...
) fashion tips and believing that Lister has called for Rimmer to save him before he wets himself, finally ending with a sickening song and dance by animated Rimmer puppets. This final touch at the end provides Lister with a permanent cure to missing his old shipmate.
Production
Another new writer added to the credits was Kim FullerKim Fuller
Kim Fuller is a British writer for film, radio and television. His brother Simon Fuller is Britain's most successful music manager as manager of Annie Lennox and The Spice Girls amongst others and creator of the Idol Series...
, writer of Spiceworld. His script for "Blue" was also edited by Naylor to fit into the Red Dwarf universe. As part of Naylor's plan to mix up the episodes between Science Fiction and comedy, "Blue" was tailored towards the latter.
"Blue" marks Rimmer's last appearance as a hologram within a Red Dwarf series. His next appearance would be as a human in Season VIII's "Back in the Red: Part I". However Rimmer returned in hologram form for the Red Dwarf: Back to Earth specials in Easter 2009.
Howard Goodall
Howard Goodall
210px|thumb|Howard Goodall at St. John the Baptist Church in Devon, United Kingdom, May 2009Howard Lindsay Goodall CBE is a British composer of musicals, choral music and music for television...
performed as the singing Rimmer Munchkins.
Plot Inconsistencies
- In Lister's flashback, he remembers when he and Rimmer were back on Red Dwarf and they are breaking into the crew's lockers. Rimmer is shown wearing blue and having the flattened blue "H" on his head. If this happened on Red Dwarf, he should have been wearing the red, green, or grey outfits he had on before, as he did not acquire the blue uniform until after they lost Red Dwarf.
- Consequently, During the Rimmer Munchkin song, the only version of Rimmer not seen is his grey outfit, from the first two seasons.