Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English, Esperanto
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: BBC Video by CBS Fox
• VHS Release Date: August 18, 1998
• Run Time: 87 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305076200
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,496 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Dave Lister's prayers have been answered. The ultra-annoying hologram, Rimmer, has left to become a universe-hopping hero, and a rift in space-time has brought his ex-girlfriend, Kristine Kochanski, back to life. But there's trouble in paradise, as Kryten the mechanoid freaks out at the prospect of losing Lister's affections to a woman, Kochanski freaks out about being trapped in space with three losers who have the collective social I.Q. of celery, and Lister is shocked to find himself actually missing Rimmer.

Anyone who shares this last sentiment will get a fix in episode 5, "Blue," which features a carnival ride through a virtual-reality version of Rimmer's perversely skewed diary. But the real treat of this collection is in episode 6, "Beyond a Joke," when the berserk Kryten rampages through "Pride and Prejudiceland," foiling Kochanski's efforts to inject some culture into life aboard ship. Chloë Annett does a commendable job of fitting Kochanski in among the misfits of Red Dwarf, and shoulders the job of straight man with admirable aplomb. --Anna Peekstok

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DUCT SOUP MADE ME A RED DWARF FAN, June 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: RED DWARF, Series VII, Byte Two ~ 1997 Programs (Duct Soup / Blue / Beyond A Joke) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

late late at night, I was reading and barely paying attention to what was on, when I heard Kochanski talking to the pipes, and I looked up to see her giving them that weary -- but angry and frustrated -- glare. Her insistence that the pipes could at least make their noise in sequence was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. I was hooked. Since then, I've soaked up all things RD. Buy it, buy them ALL, if you can't find them here, search Ebay, but fill your life with Red Dwarf! It's smeggin' brilliant!

5.0 out of 5 stars Ureek, Rututt, Hununga... Squeelookoo..., August 3, 2003

By 

Daniel J. Hamlow (Narita, Japan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: RED DWARF, Series VII, Byte Two ~ 1997 Programs (Duct Soup / Blue / Beyond A Joke) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Duct Soup": Kochanski is not adapting well to Starbug. Her room is next to the sewage processor, whose clapped out pipes squeak out the sounds I've put on the title on my review. She is close to breaking something, as she finds Lister's tennis shoes in the fridge and not cotton-cheese with pineapple chunks, and in a hilarious moment, Kryten tries to comfort the tear-stricken Kochanski by giving her... the Heimlich Maneuver!

Then the unthinkable happens. The generator overloads, goes out, and due to a safety precaution, the door to Lister's room locks everyone inside. They have twelve hours to avoid a meteor storm so they crawl through Starbug's service ducts, "two miles of ventways that wind through the ship like intestines."

We learn that Lister has claustrophobia, and Kochanski's attempt to take his mind off it yields another great conversation, as does his explanation to the Cat of what event that caused him to get claustrophobia. Memorable lines. Kochanski on the Cat and Lister watching her underwear spin in the dryer: "A couple of posters, some trailers from the World's Stupidest Stuntmen video, and take it from me, that laundry room will be packed." Kryten on the "Rusty Gate" anecdote relating to Kochanski: "Crossfile B for blackmail, A for anecdote, subcategory for S for so funny, you'll laugh till you're dead."

"Blue": In an attempt to get closer to Kochanski, Lister stops eating spicy foods, which gets on the jealous Kryten's nerves, as he now has extra laundry to do, such as tights, bras, skippy vests, and little socks.

An attempt to get Kochanski back to her dimension not only fails miserably, but gets Lister on her bad side. Lister then finds himself missing Rimmer, of which a wonderful heart-to-heart between Lister and Kochanski results. There's also an observation that it's certain faults and foibles that make people special and unique.

Memorable lines: Kochanski to Lister, in reply to whether she slept well: "I dreamt of a monkey being stretched across a tennis court. Were you playing the guitar last night?" The Cat describes Rimmer as "irritating, awkward, and unsightly. He's the human equivalent of a visible panty line." And when finishing up in the bathroom, Rimmer used three pieces of toilet paper: "One up, one down, one to polish." Continuity error: when aboard Red Dwarf, Rimmer never wore the blue uniform that he gained in "Legion" as seen in a reminiscence scene. The uniforms were actually khaki.

"Beyond A Joke": When the crew decide to play the Articial Reality game Pride And Prejudice Land, interracting with the Bennett family, Kryten, who has prepared a lobster dinner for the anniversary of his rescue, not only forcibly returns them to eat, but literally loses his head when Lister asks for some brown ketchup on his lobster. Fortunately, the ship where they found the AR game has spare mech heads. Unfortunately, a Simulant calls the ship home. As Able, another Series 4000 like Kryten explains, "he's a psychopathic killing machine, but he's got his good points." Able is addicted to Ultrazone, a liquid drug that corrupts circuit boards. "Well, that's what they say but where's the evidence?" A few seconds later, he says, "Have I just said that?" The title refers to what Kryten has evolved from, and a heartwarming conversation between him and Lister establishes that. Comment: Lister says he's not a cartoonivore, he won't eat anything's that's been a cartoon. Given his past diet, he clearly hasn't seen any Foghorn Leghorn cartoons. Love that techno music that's played when they enter the asteroid field!

This was one of actor Don Henderson's last roles before his death. Henderson (the Simulant) played General Tagge in Star Wars (1977). Again, the Simulant's ship is well-realized, as are the asteroids in "Joke" and more deep revelations about Lister, Kryten, and Kochanski make them fuller, richer, and lovable characters. Great stories!

5.0 out of 5 stars Always the best comedy on the air, June 4, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: RED DWARF, Series VII, Byte Two ~ 1997 Programs (Duct Soup / Blue / Beyond A Joke) [VHS] (VHS Tape)

These episodes are true classics. I have every tape there is and I can't wait for series 8!