Red Dwarf (1992) (TV)

Director:

Jeffrey Melman

Writers:

Linwood Boomer (screenplay)
Rob Grant (creator)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Plot Keywords:

Unaired TV Series Pilot | Remake | TV Series Pilot | Title Spoken By Character

Cast

Craig Bierko	...	Dave Lister
Chris Eigeman	...	Arnold Rimmer
Jane Leeves	...	Holly
Hinton Battle	...	The Cat
Robert Llewellyn	...	Kryten
Lorraine Toussaint	...	Captain Tau
Elizabeth Morehead	...	Christine Kochanski
Michael Heintzman	...	1st Officer Munson
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Terry Farrell	...	Cat (second version)
Anthony Fuscle	...	Arnold Rimmer (second version)

Also Known As:

Red Dwarf USA (USA) (complete title)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Satin City Productions

Trivia:

This US version of "Red Dwarf" (1988) failed to get past pilot stage, and has never been screened anywhere. It was essentially a remake of the first UK episode, "The End", with bits from other stories added in as well.

Quotes:

Rimmer: Hey. What's that streaky blue missile thing that's heading towards us?
Holly: Hang on, I'll just check my data bank. Apparently it's a streaky blue missile thing and it's heading towards us. AWOOGA! AWOOGA!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Red Dwarf: Dwarfing USA (2004) (V)

There is a reason why this never got past the pilot

I have to disagree with the other comment regarding this. There is a very good reason why this never made it past the pilot. The simple fact is this was appalling.

From George McKintyre speaking directly to the camera and therefore audience to raise a laugh, if it can be called that, to the poor acting and change of original storyline to include Kryten.

Jane Leeves acting as Holly was terrible, which is a disappointment as she is usually quite good. Norm MacDonald would have made a better Holly!

The problem with the Americanised version of the show was that it was re-written for an American audience. The problem was that Red Dwarf was written so that Holly was dead pan when played by Norman Lovett, Rimmer wasnt just an annoying person who you wouldnt invite to dinner as in the US pilot but in the UK version had a totally flawed personality, seen in the UK episode "Me2" when he competed with another holographic image of himself on the most petty of things and later in a UK episode when he was placed on trial for the deaths of the entire crew and objected to his own defence. Rimmers arrogance and self defeating nature is the point of the character. The Rimmer in the US version was not flawed, just socially inept.

Lister was too smug, the Cat not self obsessed enough to the point of being totally uncaring about anyone else and generally the show was poor. Even the upbeat theme music should not even be played in a lift. The original UK theme was solemn, identifying with the futility. Then it turned to a rock version. The american theme, well its indescribable.

The US TV companies will someday realise that:

1) special effects do not "make" the TV Show. Acting has a lot to do with it. 2) Its ok to write about losers. Not everyone is a winner in life. The US TV Executives seem to think that everyone must be a winner. Part of the charm of Red Dwarf was that it was about a group of unlikely people in the worst situation, just surviving and getting into trouble along the way. Each UK episode starts in a bad situation, has a worse situation develop, and goes back to the original bad situation at the end of the show. 3) You cannot re-write a classic. Red Dwarf, Dear John, The Italian Job, Get Carter to name just a few! 4) Most of all they need to learn dead pan humour and how you cant adapt this to make it upbeat. It just doesnt work.

Overall I'd give the pilot 1/10 and thats only because Im feeling charitable. If you liked it good on you, but my opinion is dont spend the time watching it. You will feel cheated out of that time. You cant get it back!