Eight Extras
Digging through the best finds in the new collected boxset.
4 January, 2019
Happy New Year! And if you've got some Christmas cash or gift tokens burning a hole in your pocket, then you'll be delighted for us to remind you that the Red Dwarf Complete Series I-VIII Blu-ray set is less than a fortnight away from release - hitting UK shelves on Monday 14th January.
As well as featuring newly-upscaled-to-HD versions of all 52 episodes from the first eight series of the show, the nineteen (!) disc set also contains almost every bonus extra that was produced for the original run of Red Dwarf DVD releases - including the hard-to-find Bodysnatcher Collection set.
So amid that treasure trove of bonus content, what are some particular gems you'll want to dig out and either revisit, or enjoy for the first time? Here are just a few picks...
1: Launching Red Dwarf
The original Series I and II releases didn't feature full episode-by-episode making-of documentaries the way the later series would - a consequence of being the inaugural, "test the waters" releases. But amid the wealth of content that was still assembled for them, there was time for this lovely short documentary telling the story of just how Red Dwarf made it from initial concept to screen. Fun fact: we're now further away from the production of this doc than it was from the broadcast of the first episode...
Find it on: Series I, Disc 2
2: The Red Dwarf A-Z
Originally produced for the Red Dwarf Night tenth anniversary celebrations back in 1998, this classic documentary combines clips, talking heads interviews and comedy sketches, with contributions from a wide range of celebrity fans including the late Sir Terry Pratchett and Stephen Hawking.
Find it on: Series II, Disc 2
3: All Change
With the success of the first two releases, there was more freedom to produce in-depth documentaries from Series III onwards. All Change takes an in-depth look at every episode of the show-redefining third series, setting the template for all the documentaries to follow.
Find it on: Series III, Disc 2
4: Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg
Another Red Dwarf Night cut, and one that no Dwarf collection is complete without. Part-scripted, part-improvised, this crossover with the BBC2 cooking series Can't Cook, Won't Cook was hosted by former Emohawk guest star Ainsley Harriott, and saw the Dwarf crew teaming up to try and produce a remotely edible curry. Chaos ensued...
Find it on: Series IV, Disc 2
5: Dwarfing USA
The 1992 attempt at making an American version of Red Dwarf was a fascinating project, and in this documentary, produced for the Series V DVD, we learned more of the story than ever before. Featuring interviews with many of those involved, and clips that had never been seen in broadcast quality before, it's an essential chapter of Red Dwarf's international story.
Find it on: Series V, Disc 2
6: Howard Goodall: Settling the Score
One of the key elements of Red Dwarf's success over the past three decades has been the musical contribution of legendary composer Howard Goodall - and in this half-hour documentary, Howard gives us a peek behind the curtain of his composing process, as well as treating us to some bespoke performances of the classics!
Find it on: Series VI, Disc 2
7: Identity Within
The "lost episode" of Series VII, and the one that was infamously set to tell the story of the Cat finally losing his virginity, Identity Within was produced as a storyboarded audio performance by Chris Barrie. In many ways a testing ground for the subsequent Bodysnatcher recreation, it's a fascinating piece of historic Red Dwarf lore.
Find it on: Series VII, Disc 1
8: Comedy Connections
Another chance to see the BBC's 2004 documentary - part of its long-running Comedy Connections strand - that explored the history of Red Dwarf in relation to the wider British comedy picture. There's lots of lovely archive content of the cast's early days and other projects in there, too.
Find it on: Series VIII, Disc 1
Bonus: Bodysnatcher
Well, alright, let's give you a bonus bonus, since it does have an additional disc of its own, after all! The nineteenth disc in the set is a collection of extras from 2007's epic Bodysnatcher Collection rarities set - and includes, of course, the recreated episode that gave the collection its name. Hear Chris Barrie at his multi-character-voicing best as the story is finally told of just how insane Rimmer went in the early days of Series I... Find it on: Bodysnatcher Disc
All this and an awful lot more awaits you when Red Dwarf I-VIII lands on Blu-ray on January 14th!
Share this page:
