Date: 06-16-94 (22:47) Number: 2520 of 2527 (Refer# NONE)
To: ALL
From: FC362@CLEVELAND.FREENET.EDU, Joshua Lambert
Subj: FAQ (long)
Read: (N/A) Status: PUBLIC MESSAGE
Conf: TV Red Dwarf (1096) Read Type: READING ALL
Path: uupsi!psinntp!rebecca!news.crd.ge.com!uunet!cs.utexas.edu
howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!cleveland.Freenet.Edu!fc362
From: fc362@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Joshua Lambert)
Newsgroups: alt.tv.red-dwarf
Subject: FAQ (long)
Date: 14 Jun 1994 05:55:52 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Lines: 894
Message-ID: <2tjgp8$i3@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Reply-To: fc362@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Joshua Lambert)
NNTP-Posting-Host: roo.ins.cwru.edu
For anyone who doesn't have it, can't get it, isn't aware of it, etc.,
here is the latest Frequently Asked Questions posting obtained from the ftp
site at toaster.ee.ubc.ca. Enjoy!
-------------------------------------------------------
THE "RED DWARF" FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIST
-------------------------------------------------------
Maintained by Patrick M. Berry RD.faq Version 4.3
pat@berry.Cary.NC.US 8 April 1994
-------------------------------------------------------
_____________________
CONTENTS OF THIS LIST
1. THE SERIES
1.1 What is "Red Dwarf"?
| 1.2 Where can I see "Red Dwarf"?
| 1.3 Where can I find "Red Dwarf" videotapes?
1.4 Is there an episode guide for "Red Dwarf"?
1.5 Did "Red Dwarf" start on radio?
1.6 Is there an American "Red Dwarf"?
1.7 Who is "Grant Naylor"?
2. THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
2.1 What does "smeg" mean?
2.2 What are the lyrics to the theme song from the end credits?
2.3 What does "LEVEL NIVELO" mean?
2.4 What are some of the foods mentioned on the show?
2.5 Why is Holly now a woman? How did Kryten change?
2.6 Did the show end with Series 6?
3. TRIVIAL MATTERS
3.1 What's the title of the last episode of Series Two?
3.2 What are the lyrics to "Tongue Tied"?
3.3 What are they really saying in "Backwards?"
3.4 Who is Gordon Bennett?
3.5 How many times has Rimmer had sex?
3.6 How many people were in Red Dwarf's crew?
3.7 How can Rimmer leave the ship?
3.8 How did the Polymorph touch Rimmer?
3.9 How many times has Starbug crashed?
4. I WANT MORE!
4.1 Are there "Red Dwarf" novels?
4.2 Are there other books about "Red Dwarf"?
4.3 Are there "Red Dwarf" fan clubs?
4.4 Is there a "Red Dwarf" ftp site?
| 4.5 Where else can I find out more about "Red Dwarf"?
New or changed information is marked with a vertical line in the
left margin.
_____________
1. THE SERIES
_________________________
1.1 What is "Red Dwarf"?
"Red Dwarf" is a British science fiction comedy series that has
been on the air for six seasons, each season lasting for six
episodes. It is the brainchild of "Grant Naylor", a creative
team consisting of Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who write and
produce the show. The show's sixth series has recently finished
its first airing in England.
The premise of the show is best summed up by the opening
narration used in the first series:
"This is an S.O.S. distress call from the mining ship Red Dwarf.
The crew are dead, killed by a radiation leak. The only
survivors are Dave Lister, who was in suspended animation during
the disaster, and his pregnant cat, who was safely sealed in the
hold. Revived three million years later, Lister's only
companions are a life form who evolved from his cat, and Arnold
Rimmer, a hologram simulation of one of the dead crew."
--- Holly, the ship's computer
_________________________________
| 1.2 Where can I see "Red Dwarf"?
| Australia: On the ABC network.
| Canada: On the YTV network.
[New Zealand?]
| United Kingdom: On BBC.
| United States: "Red Dwarf" is seen on public television stations
across the country. If your local PBS station doesn't show it,
write to them, and convince your friends to write to them, until
they do! The first five series are all available for purchase by
PBS stations.
_____________________________________________
| 1.3 Where can I find "Red Dwarf" videotapes?
[Australia?]
[Canada?]
[New Zealand?]
| United Kingdom: Tapes of Series One through Four are available
| from the BBC.
| United States: Tapes of Series One through Five are available
| from the Suncoast Video store chain, from Fox Video [anyone know
| the address or telephone number?], and from the Signals catalog
| (call (800) 669-9696).
_______________________________________________
1.4 Is there an episode guide for "Red Dwarf"?
Otto Heuer maintains a very good guide, available by
anonymous ftp on toaster.ee.ubc.ca, but here's a quick list
to get you started:
Series 1 - 1988 Series 2 - 1988
--------------- ---------------
1. The End...................15 Feb. 7. Kryten................... 6 Sept.
2. Future Echoes.............22 Feb. 8. Better Than Life.........13 Sept.
3. Balance of Power..........29 Feb. 9. Thanks for the Memory....20 Sept.
4. Waiting For God........... 7 Mar. 10. Stasis Leak..............27 Sept.
5. Confidence & Paranoia.....14 Mar. 11. Queeg.................... 4 Oct.
6. Me^^2.....................21 Mar. 12. Parallel Universe........11 Oct.
Series 3 - 1989 Series 4 - 1991
--------------- ---------------
13. Backwards................14 Nov. 19. Camille..................14 Feb.
14. Marooned.................21 Nov. 20. D.N.A....................21 Feb.
15. Polymorph................28 Nov. 21. Justice..................28 Feb.
16. Bodyswap................. 5 Dec. 22. White Hole................7 Mar.
17. Timeslides...............12 Dec. 23. Dimension Jump...........14 Mar.
18. The Last Day.............19 Dec. 24. Meltdown.................21 Feb.
Series 5 - 1992 Series 6 - 1993
--------------- ---------------
25. Holoship.................20 Feb. 31. Psirens.................. 7 Oct.
26. The Inquisitor...........27 Feb. 32. Legion...................14 Oct.
27. Terrorform............... 5 Mar. 33. Gunmen of the Apocalypse.21 Oct.
28. Quarantine...............12 Mar. 34. Emohawk: Polymorph II....28 Oct.
29. Demons and Angels........19 Mar. 35. Rimmerworld.............. 4 Nov.
30. Back To Reality..........26 Mar. 36. Out of Time..............11 Nov.
____________________________________
1.5 Did "Red Dwarf" start on radio?
Not exactly. Rob Grant and Doug Naylor wrote an episode of the
short-lived Radio 4 series "Son of Cliche" that contained
several ideas they later incorporated into "Red Dwarf". A space
cadet named Dave is trapped all alone on a spaceship with a
slightly senile computer called HAB. (The voice of HAB, by the
way, was provided by Chris Barrie, who later went on to star as
Rimmer.) While this was clearly the forerunner for "Red Dwarf,"
there isn't any direct connection.
The script for this radio episode is included in the RED DWARF
OMNIBUS (see 4.2).
______________________________________
1.6 Is there an American "Red Dwarf"?
No, not really. A pilot was produced for NBC, involving Grant
Naylor as technical consultants, Craig Bierko as Lister, Chris
Eigelman as Rimmer, Jane Leeves as Holly, Tony award winner
Hinton Battle as Cat, and Robert Llewellyn reprising his role as
Kryten from the British cast.
Historically, many English shows have been redone for an
American audience ("Max Headroom" being an example), but many
fans were apprehensive about the uniquely British humor not
translating too well.
Some fans who had a chance to see the filming report that some
surprising and odd changes were made: for example, the
transformation of Lister to a clean-cut and well-dressed
Causcasian, and the replacement of the "H" on Rimmer's forehead
with a glowing red dot.
The pilot reportedly was a retelling of "The End", with some
elements of "Future Echoes" thrown in for good measure.
After rejecting this version, NBC commissioned a *second* pilot,
which fixed some problems (such as restoring Rimmer's "H"), but
which had some further odd changes, such as casting a woman as
the Cat. (Interestingly, the Cat was played by Terry Farrell,
who is now better known in the U.S. for her role as Jadzia Dax
on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.")
Both pilots are finished, but it doesn't seem at this point that
either of them will ever air. It's very unlikely that the
option to make the series will be picked up. Sounds like we
won't be missing much, however.
[Does anyone know *when* the NBC pilots were filmed? -- PMB]
___________________________
1.7 Who is "Grant Naylor"?
The "About the Author" note in the book RED DWARF (see 4.1) has
this to say about the creator(s) of the series:
"Grant Naylor is a gestalt entity occupying two bodies, one of
which lives in north London, the other in south London. The
product of a horribly botched genetic-engineering experiment,
which took place in Manchester in the late fifties, they try to
eke out two existences with only one mind. They attended
the same school and the same university, but, for tax reasons,
have completely different wives.
The first body is called Rob Grant, the second Doug Naylor.
Among other things, they spent three years in the mid-eighties
as head writers of "Spitting Image;" wrote Radio Four's
award-winning series "Son of Cliche;" penned the lyrics to a
number one single; and created and wrote "Red Dwarf" for BBC
television.
They have made a living variously by being ice-cream salesmen,
shoe-shop assistants and by attempting to sell dodgy
life-assurance policies to close friends. They also spent
almost two years on the night shift loading paper into computer
printers at a mail-order factory in Ardwick. They can still
taste the cheese 'n' onion toasties.
Their favourite colour is orange."
______________________________________
2. THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
___________________________
2.1 What does "smeg" mean?
The characters in the show use it as an all-purpose profanity.
Apparently derived from "smegma," the term for a particularly
unpleasant bodily secretion, the slang term "smeg" was
reportedly in use in England before the show premiered, although
not commonly. Grant Naylor presumably adopted this little-known
bit of Scouse profanity as a blanket replacement for all other
swearing, to keep them out of trouble with the BBC and to poke
fun at the long-standing convention in science-fiction of
inventing futuristic slang.
________________________________________________________________
2.2 What are the lyrics to the theme song from the end credits?
It's cold outside, there's no kind of atmosphere
I'm all alone, more or less
Let me fly far away from here
Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun
I want to lie shipwrecked and comatose
Drinking fresh mango juice
Goldfish shoals nibbling at my toes *
Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun
Fun, fun, fun in the sun, sun, sun
* There has been some debate over this line -- it is not sung
very clearly, and many fans think it is simply "Goldfish ARE
nibbling..." However, in the fourth series episode
"Meltdown," the end theme is performed by "Elvis" (Clayton
Mark), and the word "shoals" is more distinct. Also, some
fans who have seen the sheet music for the song report that
the lyrics do read "shoals." A "shoal" is a school of fish.
___________________________________
2.3 What does "LEVEL NIVELO" mean?
It means "level" in English and Esperanto. The Red Dwarf is a
bilingual ship, with English and Esperanto as the two official
languages. All of the characters appear to speak English, but
in "Kryten", Rimmer is shown trying (and failing) to learn
Esperanto from a videotape. In the same episode, Kryten and
Lister both demonstrate familiarity with the language.
______________________________________________________
2.4 What are some of the foods mentioned on the show?
"Vindaloo," the most frequently mentioned food item on the
show, is a very, very hot Indian curry dish. Most Indian
restaurants have them on the menu. They can contain almost any
variety of meat, thus Lister's references to "mutton vindaloo,"
"chicken vindaloo," etc.
"Poppadoms," another Indian food item, are thin lentil-flour
wafers resembling tortillas, deep-fried until crisp.
A "shami kebab" is an appetizer served in Indian restaraunts.
It consists of finely ground meat and lots of spices, grilled
over a flame, and comes in a variety of shapes -- some flat like
a hamburger, others long and thin like a sausage. The meat is a
mixture of pork and either goat (in more authentic restaurants)
or beef (in less authentic ones). You typically get two shami
kebabs with a salad side dish.
"Chutney" is a fruit piccalilli (pickled relish), often eaten
with cold meat.
"Gazpacho soup" really does exist and really is meant to be
served cold. Several different recipes exist.
A "pot noodle" is an instant noodle product marketed in the U.K.
by Golden Wonder, a snack food company. It's a plastic
container with pre-cooked dried noodles and flavorings inside.
To prepare it, you open the container, pour in boiling water,
wait a few moments, and eat it.
A "kipper" is a herring, cured by splitting, salting, and
smoking. Kippers are eaten as a breakfast food in some parts of
the U.K.
______________________________________________________
2.5 Why is Holly now a woman? How did Kryten change?
The original actor to play Holly, Norman Lovett, decided to
leave the series to further his career. (There is no truth to
the rumor that he died.) Kryten's original actor, David Ross,
wasn't available to commit to a series when they decided to make
Kryten a continuing character, so he was replaced by Robert
Llewellyn. (Ross later returned in "White Hole" as the new
voice of Talkie Toaster.)
Hattie Hayridge, the actress called in to play Holly, had
previously appeared in "Parallel Universe" as Hilly, Holly's
female counterpart. "There were no plans to call me back,"
Hayridge explains. "When Norman said he wasn't doing another
series, I auditioned." The character of Holly kept the same
name and personality despite the recasting.
The reclassification of Red Dwarf from a Paul Jackson Production
to a Grant Naylor Production (making it now officially a
production outside the BBC, although it is still filmed at Noel
Gay Television) brought with it several changes in the show's
look between Series Two and Three, including changes in
costumes, sets, and miniatures, particularly the addition of the
Starbug and its hangar bay.
Most of these changes were more or less explained by the
following words that scrolled rapidly up the screen at the
beginning of "Backwards":
"Three million years in the future, Dave Lister, the last human
being alive, discovers he is pregnant after a liaison with his
female self in a parallel universe. His pregnancy concludes with
the successful delivery of twin boys, Jim and Bexley. However,
because the boys were conceived in another universe, with
different physical laws, they suffer from highly accelerated
growth rates and are both eighteen years old within three days
of being born. In order to save their lives, Lister returns them
to the universe of their origin, where they are reunited with
their father (a woman), and are able to lead comparatively
normal lives. Well, as normal as you can be if you've been born
in a parallel universe and your father's a woman and your
mother's a man and you're eighteen years old three days after
your birth. Shortly afterward, Kryten, the service mechanoid,
who had left the ship after being rescued from his own crashed
vessel, the Nova 5, is found in pieces after his space bike
crashed into an asteroid. Lister rebuilds the 'noid, but is
unable to recapture his former personality. Meanwhile, Holly,
the increasingly erratic computer, performs a head sex change
operation on himself. He bases his new face on Hilly, a female
computer with whom he'd once fallen madly in love."
It IS possible to read all this, using a VCR with good
freeze-frame capabilities. Try it.
____________________________________
2.6 Did the show end with Series 6?
No, there is definitely more to come. The following teaser for
Series 7 was published in the final issue of the RED DWARF
SMEGAZINE (see 4.5):
"The crew of Starbug may have been left apparently dead at the
end of Red Dwarf VI, but the series is by no means finished. The
BBC have asked for a Christmas special and a seventh series.
However, it looks like the Christmas special will be the only
new Red Dwarf on our screens this year. Series 7 is unlikely to
come out until 1995 because the Grant Naylor boys are incredibly
busy at the moment."
__________________
3. TRIVIAL MATTERS
________________________________________________________
3.1 What's the title of the last episode of Series Two?
No title was given in the original broadcast. The episode
opened with a musical number instead of the normal titles. Most
British fans learned that the episode's name was "Parallel
Universe" from its listing in the Radio Times; some American
fans called it "Tongue Tied", after the song in the opening
musical performance. "Parallel Universe" was the most common
title used, and it has now been confirmed as the official title
as printed on the BBC videotape releases.
__________________________________________
3.2 What are the lyrics to "Tongue Tied"?
As mentioned in 3.1, "Parallel Universe" begins with a musical
number that turns out to be a dream had by the self-centered
Cat. The studio audience's laughter makes the lyrics a little
hard to understand, but combining a couple of different posters'
ideas of what they were gave us this:
The Cat: (Chorus -- Lister and Rimmer:)
When I saw you for the first time (first time)
My knees began to quiver (quiver)
And I got a funny feeling (feeling)
In my kidneys and my liver (digestive system baby)
My hands they started shakin' (shakin')
My heart began a-thumpin' (boom boom boom)
My breakfast left my body (huey huey huey)
It all really tells me something
Girl you make me tongue tied (tongue tied)
Tongue tied, whenever you are near me (near me)
Tied tongue (tied tongue)
Tied tongue (tied tongue)
Whenever you're in town
I saw you 'cross the dance floor (dancin')
I thought of birds and bees (reproductive system baby)
And when I tried to speak to ya (talk talk)
My tongue unraveled to my knees (flippety-flippety-flop)
I tried to say I love you (love you)
But it came out kind of wrong, girl (wrong girl)
It sounded like "Nunubididoo" (tongue tied)
Nuh mur nuh murh ni nong nurl
'Cause you make me tongue tied (tongue tied)
Tongue tied, whenever you are near me (near me)
Be-dobby-durgle (dobby-durgle)
Tongue tied (tongue tied)
Whenever you're around
Oh I'm beggin' on my knees
Sweet, sweet darling, listen please
Understand me when I say
Bedurble-diggle-doggle-dooby-doggle-durgle-day
I'm trying to say nungy-nangy (nangy-nungy)
Ningy-nongy, why can't I tell you clearly (clearly)
Be-dobby-durgle (dobby-durgle)
Durgle-dobby (durgle-dobby)
Whenever you're around (around)
Whenever you're around (around)
In the fall of 1993, "Tongue Tied" was released as a single in
England and rose to #17 in the Gallup UK Top 40. The artist was
listed simply as "The Cat." A music video of "Tongue Tied" was
reportedly shown on the "Top of the Pops" show in England and on
MTV in the States.
________________________________________________
3.3 What are they really saying in "Backwards"?
Most of the reversed dialogue in the episode "Backwards" is
pretty much either what the subtitles say it is or what you'd
expect from context; some of it actually appears to be random
noise. There are two good exceptions, however.
When Lister and the Cat steal a bicycle, its owner yells after
them, "You scoundrels! Return my bike immediately!" -- at
least, according to the subtitles. What he actually says,
however, is, "Oi! Hey! Oi, you robbing bastards, that's our
tandem!"
Later, when the stage manager comes in to yell at Rimmer and
Kryten, he appears to be blaming them for starting the "fight."
Here's what he's actually saying:
"Frankly, your act's crap. Anyway, anybody could have done it.
I hate the lot of you. Bollocks to you! . . . You are a stupid,
square-headed, bald git, aren't you? I ain't pointing at you,
I'm pointing at you. But I'm not actually addressing you, I'm
addressing the one prat in the country who's bothered to get
hold of this recording, turn it round, and actually work out the
rubbish that I'm saying. What a poor, sad life he's got!"
_____________________________
3.4 Who is "Gordon Bennett"?
"Gordon Bennett" is a name used by the characters, most notably
Holly, as an expletive ("Gordon Bennett! What was that?").
Historically, James Gordon Bennett was the name of an American
newspaper tycoon (1795-1872) who founded the New York Herald in
1835. His son, also named James Gordon Bennett (1841-1918),
established London and Paris editions of the newspaper. The
Bennetts are said to have had a penchant for extravagant and
expensive gestures, and they became widely known enough that the
name is now an expression of disbelief in England, and is
essentially a euphemism for "God".
_______________________________________
3.5 How many times has Rimmer has sex?
Only once while he was alive, with Yvonne McGruder, the ship's
female boxing champion. (Stated in "Thanks for the Memory".)
The story he tells Lister in "Marooned", about losing his
virginity in the back seat of his brother's car, appears to be
false. In later episodes, Rimmer has had simulated sex in a
virtual reality game ("Better Than Life") and holographic sex
with another hologram ("Holoship").
______________________________________________
3.6 How many people were in Red Dwarf's crew?
In "The End", Todhunter says "There are 169 people on board this
ship." Yet in "Justice", the Justice Computer charges Rimmer
with 1,167 counts of murder for causing the deaths of the entire
crew. What gives?
"Red Dwarf" abounds with minor inconsistencies like this one.
When Grant Naylor come up with a good idea (such as the "light
bee" -- see 3.7), they don't worry overmuch about whether it
contradicts something in a previous episode. In this case, they
evidently decided that a larger crew was more appropriate for a
ship five miles long and three miles in diameter.
One possible explanation is that the Justice Computer got its
information from Rimmer's mind, and Rimmer has an inflated
notion of his own importance. In addition to overstating his
own responsibility for the deaths of the crew, he may have
exaggerated the number of people involved.
___________________________________
3.7 How can Rimmer leave the ship?
Because Rimmer is a computer-generated hologram, some viewers
are confused when he leaves Red Dwarf and visits planets, space
stations, other ships, and so forth. In early episodes, Rimmer
was generated by the Red Dwarf's onboard holographic equipment,
which allowed him to move freely about the ship. He was also
able to travel on the Red Dwarf's auxilary vessels (Blue Midget
and White Giant), which presumably carry their own hologram
generators. He could only visit the surface of a planet within
a Hologram Projection Cage, as seen in "Thanks for the Memory".
This limitation proved to be inconvenient, so Grant Naylor came
up with another explanation, the "light bee". This device is a
tapered cylinder about one inch in diameter and three inches
long that "buzzes around inside him and projects his image" (as
described by Holly in "Meltdown"). The light bee can go
anywhere, allowing Rimmer to leave the ship without needing a
projection cage.
Some fans have speculated that the light bee was invented
sometime during Series 2 (by Holly) or Series 3 (by either Holly
or Kryten). However, this doesn't explain how Rimmer was able
to leave the Blue Midget and enter the wreck of the Nova 5 in
"Kryten", two episodes *before* he was shown in a projection
cage.
________________________________________
3.8 How did the Polymorph touch Rimmer?
In the episode "Polymorph", a shape-changing creature that feeds
on emotions invades the Red Dwarf. This creature uses its
shapeshifting ability to provoke an emotional response, then
attaches a sucker to the victim's forehead and sucks out the
emotion. Lister, the Cat, Kryten, and Rimmer all succumb to
the creature's attack.
Some fans have asked how the Polymorph could possibly attach its
sucker to Rimmer (who is, after all, a hologram). Two possible
explanations have been suggested: either the sucker actually
made contact with Rimmer's light bee (see 3.7), or the Polymorph
can change into a hologram.
In the novel BETTER THAN LIFE (see 4.1), the Polymorph changes
to a beam of light, suggesting that becoming a hologram is
within its capabilities. On the other hand, the Polymorph
doesn't use that method in the novel; it goes to the hologram
simulation suite, changes into electronic data, and invades
Rimmer's personality disk.
________________________________________
3.9 How many times has Starbug crashed?
There are at least two vehicles called "Starbug" on board the
Red Dwarf, and they seem to crash-land or collide with things an
awful lot. Crash landings occur in the following episodes:
"Backwards"
"Marooned"
"Bodyswap"
"Dimension Jump"
"Terrorform"
"Psirens"
"Gunmen of the Apocalypse"
"Emohawk"
The crashed Starbug was abandoned on more than one occasion,
indicating that either there are more than two of them, or
facilities exist on board Red Dwarf to manufacture replacement
Starbugs.
_______________
4. I WANT MORE!
__________________________________
4.1 Are there "Red Dwarf" novels?
Yes, there are two so far:
RED DWARF: INFINITY WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS
by Grant Naylor
ISBN 0-14-012437-3
Penguin Books, 1989
RED DWARF: BETTER THAN LIFE
by Grant Naylor
ISBN 0-14-012438-1
Penguin Books, 1990
A third novel (reportedly called THE LAST HUMAN) is in the
works, although Grant Naylor's schedule hasn't allowed them to
confirm when it will be finished.
The novels greatly expand on, and are greatly different
from, the television show: although they do contain many ideas
from the show, these ideas are put together in new and
interesting ways.
INFINITY WELCOMES CAREFUL DRIVERS is also available on audiocassette,
read by Chris Barrie (Rimmer). It comes in two forms:
- Abridged (double cassette box, 180 minutes) 5.95 UK pounds
- Unabridged (6 cassette box, 8 hours) 19.99 UK pounds
Prices include UK tax, postage, and packing. The publisher is:
Laughing Stock Productions Ltd
PO Box 408
Battersea, London SW11 6JJ
UK
Telephone 44-71-498-0102
Laughing Stock accepts mail orders with sterling cheques drawn
against a UK bank. They don't accept credit card orders.
However, they have a distributor (Book Point, telephone
44-235-835001) that does take credit card orders over the phone
and will ship overseas. Shipping costs are not known.
RED DWARF OMNIBUS
by Grant Naylor
ISBN 0-14-017466-4
Penguin Books [date?]
This combined rerelease of the first two novels also contains
the script for "Dave Hollins, Space Cadet" (the "Son Of Cliche"
sketch that started it all -- see 1.4), a reproduction of the
beer mat on which the idea for Red Dwarf was allegedly first
sketched out, and the original script for "The End".
RED DWARF
by Grant Naylor
ISBN 1-56865-049-3
Guild America Books
Contains the first two novels, but none of the other goodies
included in the RED DWARF OMNIBUS. Available in the U.S. from
the Science Fiction Book Club.
_____________________________________________
4.2 Are there other books about "Red Dwarf"?
Absolutely! In fact, there are quite a few:
THE OFFICIAL RED DWARF COMPANION
by Bruce Dessau
ISBN 1-85286-456-7
Titan Books [date?]
This thin little book (95 pages) has a lot of wasted space, but
some interesting quotes and information and some wonderful color
photos throughout. If you're looking for in-depth, solid
information about the show, this isn't where you'll find it; but
if you want a nice, light read, a collector's item, and an
attractive coffee-table book, this is it. Available in England
and at conventions in the U.S.
RED DWARF PROGRAMME GUIDE
by Chris Howarth and Steve Lyons
ISBN 0-86-369682-1
Virgin Books, 1993
"Everything you never wanted to know about the smash
smega-series." An in-depth collection (about 230 pages) of
information about series 1-5. It includes sections on History,
The Characters, The Programmes, The Index, The Creators (cast
and production crew), and The Spin-offs. The Index is by far
the largest section of the book and is an alphabetical list of
almost everything mentioned to during the series, from "A to Z
of Red Dwarf, The" to "Zoom function".
RED DWARF -- PRIMORDIAL SOUP: THE LEAST WORST SCRIPTS
by Grant Naylor
ISBN 0-14-017886-4
[Publisher, date?]
This book contains the complete scripts for "Polymorph,"
"Marooned," "Dimension Jump," "Justice," "Back to Reality," and
"Psirens."
THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK
by Robert Llewellyn
[ISBN?]
[Publisher?] 1994
This book about life as Kryten (written by the actor who plays
him) will reportedly be available in April.
RED DWARF SERIES COMPANION
[Author?]
[ISBN?]
Penguin Books, 1994
Also expected in April. No information yet about the content of
this book.
_____________________________________
4.3 Are there "Red Dwarf" fan clubs?
THE OFFICIAL RED DWARF FAN CLUB (U.K.)
This club is based in England, but has addresses in several
other countries. Membership includes three issues of their
magazine BETTER THAN LIFE, a badge, and a membership card.
Membership rates (per year) are as follows:
UK/BFPO - 8.50 Sterling
Europe - 9.50 Sterling equivalent
Eire - IR#10 (8.50 Sterling)
USA - US$17.00 (10.00 Sterling)
Australia - A$27.00 (13.00 Sterling)
New Zealand - NZ$32.00 (11.00 Sterling)
Cash or cheques in local currencies are accepted, but take weeks
rather than days to clear. If you prefer to send an
International Money Order, the equivalent rates are shown above.
Write to:
U.K.: 40 Pitford Road Eire: Caroline Griffin
Woodley 52 Granville Road
Reading Dun Laoghaire
RG5 4QF Co Dublin
U.S.: Mark Kennedy Australia: Tom Marwede
P.O. Box 50552 PO Box 1044
Palo Alto, CA 94303 Bundoora 3083
Victoria
THE OFFICIAL RED DWARF FAN CLUB (U.S.)
1409 W. 14 Mile Rd
#276 Madison
Heights, MI 48071
Membership is $25 for the first year and includes a T-shirt,
membership card, cast picture, and the club newsletter
(published approximately every other month). [What's the name
of the newsletter? -- PMB] Renewals are available for $12 per
year. The club does not have meetings, but does sponsor
occasional special events, such as a complete showing of Series
Six in the fall of 1993 (when it had not yet been broadcast in
the U.S.).
Mike Gardiner (mwg@msen.com) has agreed to serve as an
unofficial Internet contact for this club.
Some recent reports suggest that this club has ceased
operations.
ZED SHIFT (New Zealand)
PO Box 10104
Wellington
New Zealand
Zed Shift publishes a quarterly magazine (GARBAGE POD), operates
a mail-order service for New Zealand members, and holds the
occasional meeting. Members receive four issues of GARBAGE POD,
a guide to "Red Dwarf", a membership card, and a hologram H.
The current issue of GARBAGE POD reportedly includes a "Red
Dwarf" role-playing game, reviews of Series 6, and some fiction.
The cost of one year's membership in NZ dollars is:
- New Zealand $15
- Australia $20
- Rest of world $25
For a registration form, send an SAE or IRC.
BETTER THAN LIFE (Germany)
Sylvia Pranga
Isolde-Kurz-Str. 145 (36)
W-4400 Munster-Nienberge
GERMANY
This club publishes a newsletter (mostly in German) called
TALKIE TOASTER (TM).
_____________________________________
4.4 Is there a "Red Dwarf" ftp site?
Dave Gagne (daveg@ee.ubc.ca) has been kind enough to put an
anonymous ftp site on toaster.ee.ubc.ca (137.82.56.10). There's
a lot of good stuff there in the /pub/red-dwarf directory,
including scripts, sound files, episode guides, quote files, GIF
and JPEG pictures, and an AmigaGuide version of this FAQ List.
For details, get the README file.
______________________________________________________
4.5 Where else can I find out more about "Red Dwarf"?
| Usenet has a newsgroup, alt.tv.red-dwarf, for news and
| discussion about the series.
[Where should people look on GEnie, America Online, and other
online services? -- PMB]
RED DWARF SMEGAZINE, the official magazine for the series,
ceased publication with Volume 2 Issue 9 (December 1993). A
campaign is currently under way to revive the Smegazine. For
details, send a self-addressed envelope to:
SAVE OUR SMEG!
Churchside
Park End
Bromley
Kent
England
BR1 3PZ
Some back issues are still available from the publisher:
Fleetway Editions Limited
3rd Floor
Greater London House
Hampstead Road
London
England
NW1 7QQ
A "Red Dwarf" fanzine (an unofficial, fan-written publication),
called STASIS LEAK is being published by Space Rat Press. It
includes several interviews and episode guides. Each issue of
the 'zine costs $10.00 plus $2.00 for postage and handling.
(Make checks payable to Space Rat Press.) They seem to have
obtained permission from Grant Naylor to do this, which is rare
for a fanzine. Two issues have been published so far.
Space Rat Press
P.O. Box 422
Park Ridge, NJ 07656
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
This article is Compilation Copyright 1993, 1994 by Patrick M. Berry.
It may be freely redistributed in its entirety provided that this
copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for profit or
incorporated in commercial documents without the written permission of
the copyright holder.
Questions and comments should be directed to pat@berry.Cary.NC.US.
THANKS TO: Paul S. Winalski, D. J. Clark, Neil Postlethwaite, Kimble
Ketolainen, Jim Lyon, Geoff Lane, Dave Gagne, Ross Smith, Otto Heuer,
Simon Jerram, FRUITBAT, Dan Crow, Grame Griffiths, Dale Clayton, Mik
Stevens, David K Fraser, J. Reynolds, Mike Gardiner, Cyrill Nuernberg,
Tony Kennick, and Sean Lester. Special thanks to Michael J Montoure and
Renee Ann Byrd, who created the original version of this list.