Red Dwarf VI is the sixth series of the British science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf. It consisted of six episodes and was broadcast on UK television channel BBC2 between 7 October and 11 November 1993.

The series follows the crew of the spaceship Starbug, who are seeking to return to their main ship and home, the Red Dwarf. They are Dave Lister (Craig Charles), who is the only survivor of an accident on the mining ship Red Dwarf, and the last survivor of the human race, three million years in the future; a holographic reproduction of his dead bunkmate and boss, Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie); a sapient Cat (Danny John-Jules) who is a result of three million years' evolution, and sanitation droid Kryten (Robert Llewellyn).

The series would be the last to be written by the team of Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who had created the show. Naylor would write subsequent episodes, with some involvement from others in VII and VIII.

Production and writing Until series V all of Red Dwarf had been directed by Ed Bye, but due to availability he was replaced by Juliet May; she struggled with some aspects of the show's requirements and was replaced by the show's creators and writers, Rob Grant and Doug Naylor during production. For series VI Grant and Naylor considered direction, but the production timeline meant this would not be feasible, and Andy de Emmony, who they had worked with on Spitting Image, was brought in to direct the series.

The series was shot at Shepperton Studios, with location footage at Bankside Power Station (for "Psirens"), Laredo Western Town in Kent for ("Gunmen of the Apocalypse), Marco Polo House (for "Legion"), and at the Shepperton backlot.

Writing of the series ran late, with only three episodes complete by the start of production; portions of the final episode, "Out of Time" were reportedly written on the day of shooting and had to be read from autocues.

For the first time in the series' history, a story arc was introduced, regarding the attempt to find Red Dwarf, and followed throughout the episodes, leading up to the series' cliffhanger.

Cast Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules and Robert Llewellyn return as Lister, the last man alive, Rimmer, a hologram of his deceased boss, the Cat, a sentient lifeform descended from his pet cat, and Kryten, a sanitation droid, respectively.

The series was set entirely on the transport ship Starbug, with Red Dwarf itself having been written out of the show. The ship's computer Holly, who had become an increasingly minor part, thus also did not appear in the series.

The first episode, "Psirens", features the return of C. P. Grogan as an illusion of Lister's love interest Kristine Kochanski, making her final appearance in the series. A psiren masquerading as Lister plays guitar in the episode; his hands are provided by Phil Manzanera of Roxy Music. Brian May of Queen had been approached but was unavailable, but this contact led to his wife Anita Dobson lobbying for a role - she played Captain Tau, another illusion. Jenny Agutter played an illusion of Kryten's creator, Professor Mamet.

The second episode, "Legion", featured only one guest, Nigel Williams, playing the eponymous Legion. "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" features a number of guests including Denis Lill as the Simulant Captain, and Liz Hickling as a simulant who would reappear in the later episode "Rimmerworld".

"Emohawk: Polymorph II" features a GELF ("genetically engineered life form") village; one of the GELFs was played by future TV chef Ainsley Harriot.

Release and reception

Although the BBC had ordered the episodes for spring 1993, it delayed the broadcast of them until October and November; which would be after one of them, "Psirens", had been released in script form.

The series won the British Comedy Award for Best BBC Sitcom, and the episode "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" won an International Emmy.

Writing in 2015, Den of Geek ranked Red Dwarf VI the fourth of the then nine full seasons of the show, saying that the change in format had a "mostly successful effect", and while noting that "Emohawk: Polymorph II" did not live up to the original "Polymorph" episode praised in particular "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" as a highlight.

Episodes

References