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

Red Dwarf

  • TV sitcom
  • Dave / BBC Two
  • 1988 - 2020
  • 74 episodes (12 series)

Science fiction sitcom based in space. The crew aboard the damaged mining spaceship Red Dwarf are doomed to drift in space for the rest of eternity. Stars Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn, Norman Lovett and more.

Episode menu

Series IV, Episode 2 - D.N.A.

Venturing off of Red Dwarf to explore an identified ship floating nearby, the crew find all its inhabitants dead. In a characteristically inquisitive manner, Cat discovers a DNA modification machine, and unwittingly turns Kryten human.

Further details

Red Dwarf. Kryten (Robert Llewellyn). Copyright: Grant Naylor Productions / BBC

Tracking an unidentified craft that's floating nearby, the Dwarfers eventually dock with the strange ship and prepare to board. What they discover, however, is rather alarming: an apparent human - with three heads!

It soon becomes clear that this ship is packed with technology they've never come near before, notably a machine that literally rewrites the genetic makeup of any organic matter, with the potential not just to change characteristics such as the number of heads one possesses, but one's species entirely. It isn't long before Lister finds himself on the wrong end of the machine's transmogrification ray - and turned into a chicken!

However, there's worse to come for Kryten. With a little help from Cat (and none whatsoever from Holly), the small amount of organic matter that constitutes the core of his mechanoid brain means the machine is able to change him too, and he becomes human.

He's initially delighted by the change. After all, being human's what he's always wanted. But it soon becomes clear that being human is, in fact, not all that he thought it was cracked up to be...

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 21st February 1991
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Saturday 22nd January 2011 9:35pm Dave
Sunday 20th March 2011 9:40pm Dave
Saturday 25th June 2011 9:40pm Dave
Saturday 27th August 2011 7:40pm Dave
Saturday 15th October 2011 7:00pm Dave
Thursday 22nd December 2011 10:00am Dave
Thursday 22nd December 2011 3:00pm Dave
Sunday 15th July 2012 11:20am Dave
Sunday 15th July 2012 6:00pm Dave
Saturday 22nd September 2012 11:40am Dave
Thursday 4th October 2012 10:20pm Dave
Sunday 18th November 2012 1:40pm Dave
Saturday 16th February 2013 1:40pm Dave
Sunday 17th February 2013 9:40am Dave
Sunday 4th August 2013 2:20pm Dave
Sunday 4th August 2013 6:40pm Dave
Saturday 6th December 2014 3:40pm Dave
Saturday 7th February 2015 3:40pm Dave
Thursday 4th June 2015 11:20pm Dave
Thursday 6th August 2015 10:20pm Gold
Friday 7th August 2015 1:00pm Gold
Thursday 28th July 2016 11:20pm Gold
Friday 29th July 2016 1:50am Gold
Saturday 3rd September 2016 1:40pm Dave
Sunday 8th October 2017 1:35pm Dave
Friday 4th May 2018 9:40pm Dave
Saturday 5th May 2018 7:40pm Dave
Friday 15th February 2019 10:00pm Dave
Saturday 16th February 2019 7:00pm Dave
Friday 26th July 2019 10:35pm Dave
Saturday 27th July 2019 7:20pm Dave
Monday 16th September 2019 12:00am Dave
Friday 27th March 2020 10:35pm Dave
Tuesday 21st July 2020 1:40am Dave
Saturday 8th August 2020 6:40pm Dave
Friday 5th February 2021 10:40pm Dave
Saturday 6th February 2021 3:30am Dave
Saturday 6th February 2021 6:20pm Dave
Friday 29th October 2021 11:40pm Dave
Sunday 26th December 2021 11:40pm Dave
Monday 27th December 2021 3:15am Dave
Sunday 23rd October 2022 10:40pm Yesterday
Monday 14th November 2022 1:15am Dave
Monday 20th February 2023 12:35am Dave
Friday 14th April 2023 8:20pm Dave
Saturday 6th May 2023 2:00pm Dave
Monday 31st July 2023 12:35am Dave

Cast & crew

Cast
Chris Barrie Rimmer
Craig Charles Lister
Danny John-Jules Cat
Robert Llewellyn Kryten
Hattie Hayridge Holly
Guest cast
Richard Ridings D.N.A. Computer Voice (Voice)
Writing team
Doug Naylor Writer
Rob Grant Writer
Production team
Ed Bye Director
Ed Bye Producer
Doug Naylor Producer
Rob Grant Producer
Graham Hutchings Editor
Mel Bibby Production Designer
Howard Goodall Composer

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