DVD Reviews:  Red Dwarf III (The Original Third Series)

 1. Backwards
 2. Marooned
 3. Polymorph
 4. Body Swap
 5. Timeslides
 6. The Last Day
 

The extremely entertaining crew of Red Dwarf return for another amusing season on DVD that takes this science fiction series to its next evolutionary stage. The first thing viewers will notice about this series of Red Dwarf is the absence of the dotting computer program called Holly who was played by Norman Lovett. Lovett is replaced by the very talented and amusing Hattie Haydrige who now takes on the role of this ancient computer program. Hattie Haydrige also played Hilly in the previous season of Red Dwarf entitled "parallel universe".

Robert Llewellyn also joins the crew of Red Dwarf as the extremely entertaining Kryten, a robot who suffers from human emotions. Craig Charles (Lister) and Chris Barrie (Rimmer) also reprise their roles as two unlikely friends who make the Odd Couple look like best mates. The loveable and entertaining Cat also returns to Red Dwarf to help inject a healthy dose of laughs into the series who is played by the extremely entertaining Danny John-Jules.

The humour of series 3 of Red Dwarf is still as entertaining as it was when it aired those many years ago and is probably my favourite season of the entire TV show. Another thing viewers will notice about season three of Red Dwarf are the polished sets and special effects because once the series became popular, the producers decided to increase the budget of the series.

My two favourite episodes from this season was episode one entitled "Backwards" that features some extremely disturbing and entertaining comedic anecdotes such as Lister and Cat  "un-eating" food, quite a disturbing scene but extremely funny. The crew of Red Dwarf basically discover a time rip in the universe that lets them travel back the late 20th century but unfortunately this world is backwards. Kryten says the funniest lines of the episode by saying that Hitler will retreat across Europe and millions of people will come alive again.

Body Swap is another entertaining episode that has Lister and Rimmer swapping bodies so that Rimmer can "exercise" Listers body but unfortunately Rimmer becomes addicted to the physical world.

The picture quality of Red Dwarf III is relatively clear and sharp but there are a few noticeable transfer errors that should of been cleaned up. You really notice the age of this series from viewing the discs because everything looks quite "cheap", the picture quality is fine, it's bad sets that makes you take notice.

Red Dwarf III features Dolby Digital 2.0 that is clear and quite audible but is nothing to get too excited over. Still, there is nothing to get you more in the mood than the theme song of Red Dwarf... It's cold outside, there's no kind of atmosphere, I'm all alone, more or less...

The extras of this current incarnation of Red Dwarf is a little bare-boned when compared to the last season that virtually had a plethora of goodies hiding on the DVD's. Although there are quite a few extras such as the "reverse" episode now "forward" and a collection of deleted scenes, they unfortunately don't hit the funny bone as it did in season two. There is also a lengthy documentary entitled "All Change" that goes into depth about the making of season three. There is also a variety of entertaining "smeg ups" and a tribute to costume designer Mel Bibby.

I would recommend Red Dwarf to all fans of science fiction, especially those that can take joke or two about the industry itself, especially Star Trek and Star Wars. With some of the wittiest television in ages, Red Dwarf is an exceptional series that comes with laugh after laugh. Highly Recommended!

Andrew B