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 3 - Justice

In hopes of discovering a live human woman inside an escape pod found in the midsts of space, the Red Dwarf crew head to a prison colony to use its facilities. However, Rimmer could be in for a longer stay than he bargained for.

Further details

Red Dwarf. Rimmer (Chris Barrie). Copyright: Grant Naylor Productions / BBC

After recovering an emergency escape pod claiming to carry a cryogenically frozen female, Cat is desperate to open it - after all, what woman wouldn't want to date him? Lister and Rimmer however are less keen, particularly after viewing the pod's black box data.

It reveals that the pod has in fact come from a prison ship that suffered a violent mutiny: it could contain a female warden, or it could contain a near-indestructible criminal Simulant. Unable to deal with the pod aboard Red Dwarf, the crew head onto Starbug and aim for the penal space colony that the prison ship had been travelling to.

Venturing aboard the prison colony, the Dwarfers find themselves subjected to a mind reading probe as part of the complex's security measures. It determines that whilst Kryten, Lister and Cat may go freely, Rimmer should serve 8 years' for each of the 1,167 lives lost aboard Red Dwarf!

He is duly sent to the 'Justice Zone', a sector within the colony complex where it is impossible to commit any unjust act without the same, equal act being perpetrated against you.

However, Kryten saves the day when he proves to the ship's computer that the only 'guilt' weighing on Rimmer is firmly in his mind; a man so pitiful and weak had no real power, certainly responsibility or culpability for the drive plate leak!

The computer is, thankfully, convinced, and Rimmer duly released from the Justice Zone. Unfortunately the escape pod has now thawed out - and it is indeed a Simulant inside...

Broadcast details

Date
Thursday 28th February 1991
Time
9pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Saturday 22nd January 2011 10:10pm Dave
Saturday 25th June 2011 10:20pm Dave
Saturday 17th September 2011 7:40pm Dave
Friday 23rd December 2011 10:00am Dave
Friday 23rd December 2011 3:00pm Dave
Friday 3rd February 2012 8:20pm Dave
Sunday 22nd July 2012 1:00pm Dave
Sunday 22nd July 2012 5:00pm Dave
Saturday 22nd September 2012 12:20pm Dave
Thursday 4th October 2012 11:00pm Dave
Sunday 18th November 2012 2:20pm Dave
Saturday 16th February 2013 2:20pm Dave
Sunday 17th February 2013 10:20am Dave
Sunday 11th August 2013 2:30pm Dave
Sunday 11th August 2013 6:00pm Dave
Saturday 30th November 2013 5:40pm Dave
Saturday 6th December 2014 4:20pm Dave
Saturday 7th February 2015 4:20pm Dave
Friday 5th June 2015 10:40pm Dave
Friday 7th August 2015 10:20pm Gold
Saturday 8th August 2015 1:00pm Gold
Monday 1st August 2016 11:25pm Gold
Tuesday 2nd August 2016 1:50am Gold
Saturday 3rd September 2016 2:20pm Dave
Sunday 8th October 2017 2:15pm Dave
Friday 4th May 2018 10:20pm Dave
Saturday 5th May 2018 8:20pm Dave
Friday 15th February 2019 10:40pm Dave
Saturday 16th February 2019 7:40pm Dave
Friday 2nd August 2019 9:00pm Dave
Saturday 3rd August 2019 6:40pm Dave
Sunday 22nd September 2019 11:40pm Dave
Friday 3rd April 2020 10:00pm Dave
Tuesday 21st July 2020 2:20am Dave
Saturday 8th August 2020 7:20pm Dave
Friday 5th February 2021 11:20pm Dave
Saturday 6th February 2021 7:00pm Dave
Saturday 30th October 2021 12:20am Dave
Monday 27th December 2021 11:00pm Dave
Sunday 23rd October 2022 11:20pm Yesterday
Monday 21st November 2022 12:40am Dave
Monday 20th February 2023 1:15am Dave
Friday 21st April 2023 8:20pm Dave
Saturday 13th May 2023 1:00pm Dave
Monday 31st July 2023 1:15am Dave

Cast & crew

Cast
Chris Barrie Rimmer
Craig Charles Lister
Danny John-Jules Cat
Robert Llewellyn Kryten
Hattie Hayridge Holly
Guest cast
Nicholas Ball The Simulant
James Smilie (as James Smillie) Justice 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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