Red Dwarf. Image shows from L to R: Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Lister (Craig Charles), Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), Cat (Danny John-Jules). Image credit: Grant Naylor Productions.

Red Dwarf

Series III - Backwards

Rimmer and Kryten crash-land on a planet and are shocked to find it is Earth - but an Earth where time is running in reverse.

In-Depth Episode Synopsis

Warning: the below synopsis may contain spoilers

When Kryten gets sucked into a time hole and crashes Starbug 1 onto a planet during the space-ship equivalent of a driver's test, he and Rimmer are shocked to discover that they've landed on Earth.

It's not quite as normal though: time is running backwards. After the Big Bang the universe expanded, but they've gone so far into the future that the Big Crunch has now happened, the universe is contracting, and everything going in reverse accordingly.

When Lister and Cat finally find them, it's 1993 and Rimmer and Kryten are working as a novelty comic act. They're not keen to leave their popularity and success, but Lister's involvement in a brawl would seem to seal their fate in this backwards world.

First Broadcast Details

Date:
Tue 14th November 1989
Time:
9:00pm
Channel:
BBC Two
Length:
30 minutes

Main Repeats

Note: Any repeats of this episode broadcast before 2009 are not shown
  • Sun 2nd Oct 2011 (11:00pm, Dave)
  • Sat 26th Nov 2011 (8:20pm, Dave)
  • Mon 7th May 2012 (11:20am, Dave)
  • Sun 23rd Sep 2012 (11:00am, Dave)

Episode Cast & Crew

Regular Cast
Chris Barrie ... Rimmer
Craig Charles ... Lister
Danny John-Jules ... Cat
Robert Llewellyn ... Kryten
Hattie Hayridge ... Holly
Guest Cast
Maria Friedman ... Waitress
Tony Hawks ... Compere
Anna Palmer ... Customer In Cafe
Arthur Smith ... Pub Manager
Writing Team
Doug Naylor ... Writer
Rob Grant ... Writer
Production Team
Ed Bye ... Director
Ed Bye ... Producer
Doug Naylor ... Producer
Rob Grant ... Producer
Paul Jackson ... Exec Producer
Mel Bibby ... Production Design
Howard Goodall ... Composer
Ed Wooden ... Editor

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