Christmas is Coming...

Fill your stockings with Red Dwarf goodness.

2 December, 2011

We can't believe it's December again already. It's a month that's already taken on extra significance for Red Dwarf fans now that we all know it's when production of Series X starts, but of course there are a few other bits of business to take care of this month as well. Something about a simple carpenter's son, who may or may not have gone on to own the largest chain of pizza stores in history...

With all manner of Red Dwarf merchandise available online and in shops, there's no reason whatsoever not to badger your loved ones for an Ace Rimmer t-shirt, slip a JMC keyring into your favourite Dwarfer's stocking, or perhaps win over a stubborn non-fan (we know, we were surprised to find out such people exist as well) with a DVD boxset. Here are our picks of some of the best things you can get your hands on right now...

If you still don't happen to own every episode of the series on DVD - or maybe just if you want an emergency backup copy - then the individual series releases still represent the best Red Dwarf experience, packed to the gills as they are with some of the best bonus material this side of Titan. If it's value you're after, however, then you really can't go much better than the Just The Shows Series 1-8 Boxset. Offering all fifty-two episodes of the first eight series in one handy box, it's currently available at Amazon for just £22.47 (at the time of writing). Which is such a good deal we're thinking of buying another one right now, just for the smeg of it.

Of course, the Just the Shows set no longer features every episode that it's possible to own, so while you're at it you may want to ensure you're up to date with a copy of Back to Earth, too. As well as being available on DVD, the 2009 Dave special is also the only Red Dwarf so far released on Blu-Ray. If there's a fancy high-definition video player under your tree this year, then what better disc to christen it with?

Perhaps the most staggering Red Dwarf bargain available at the moment can be found over at Amazon, where the Beat the Geek interactive DVD game is on sale for just £1.25 - perfect for a post dinner family quiz session. But if your tastes are more literary, and you want to curl up with a good book, might we suggest the perennial classic Red Dwarf Omnibus?

If giftware is more your thing, there are some excellent items currently being produced by Underground Toys. We like the Jupiter Mining Corporation-branded mug, as we can put it on our desk and pretend we're in the Space Corps. The Red Dwarf In Your Pocket keyring is also useful for all those social situations in which only a Red Dwarf quote will do.

And then, of course, there are the t-shirts. If by some amazing quirk of fate you're a Red Dwarf fan who doesn't yet own the classic "Smeg Head" t-shirt... well, you know what to do...

Whatever your choice, we hope you have a happy - and Red Dwarf-filled - holiday season!