Customer Reviews

Red Dwarf - Series 2, Byte 1: Kryten [VHS]

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The second season of Red Dwarf was the beginning of the glory days. True, it has the same monochromatic gray set, they weren't flying about in Starbug yet and Robert Llewellyn was not on board, but Lister and Rimmer are in fine form and the scripts are excellent.

Kryten introduces the 4000 series mechanoid, albeit played by another actor with a terribly irritating tendency to whine. Still, watching the Boyz from the Dwarf gussy themselves up for their big dates is laugh out loud hysterical.

Better Than Life is wickedly funny, and extremely disturbing considering the level of computer gaming the future may hold for us. The crew find a virtual reality game where all their fantasies come true (much like Star Trek's holodeck). The problem is, they're playing this game with Rimmer...

Thanks for the Memory is one of my favorites. Rimmer gets plastered on his death day. The next morning, Lister and the Cat have broken legs, there's remnants of an alien encounter, and who the heck is Lisa Yates? Too bad they've all lost their memories.

Please, watch Red Dwarf! It's fantastic!

This is a great place to start if you wish to find more out about this phenomenon known as Red Dwarf, however, if you have a DVD player I would spring for the set on DVD of which you can now find series I and II, plus a load full of extra goodies. If you still don't have a DVD player and are looking for a good excuse the Red Dwarf series on DVD is it.
The first episode "Kryten" - is the very first appearance of that beloved mechanoid, Kryten. Although the character is rather lame in this episode there are aspects of which are hilarious. The fact that Kryten's senility has propelled him into caring for three long-dead beautiful women in a Norman Bates-like manner is very funny.
The second installment is "Better Than Life" - one of my favorites where Rimmer dooms the entire crew to be eaten alive by fire ants with his neurotic persona.
The final episode in series 2, byte 1 is "Thanks for the Memory" a very interesting plot where the crew lose their memories and try to find out what went on and who exactly is Lisa Yates?

The first season was mostly set-up for what was to occur in later episodes. The second season is where the writers really hit their stride and came up with some great stories.
"Kryten" - The introduction of Kryten (although he is not as funny as he would be in his re-introduction in series 3). Holly wears a toupee and looks smashing. The crew comes across a ship where a service mechanoid is taking care of 3 young ladies, all of whom turn out to be skeletons when they arrive. Hilarity ensues.
"Better Than Life" - Rimmer finds out his dad has died, and tries to cheer himself up with a virtual reality videogame that makes your fantasies come true. He ends up toothless, in debt and with 9 rugrats. Best part: Lister notices that Rimmer can touch things while playing the game, and Rimmer says "I know" and makes a rather funny gesture indicating his sexual prowess. You kind of have to see it.
"Thanks for the Memory" - Interesting storyline and episode, but the beginning part is a little tedious because I don't fully buy Rimmer's drunk act.