Landing On Disc

The Promised Land - on DVD and Blu-ray from Monday!

29 May, 2020

It's hard to believe that it's been less than two months since Red Dwarf: The Promised Land first aired on Dave; but while reality plays fast and loose with our perceptions of time, we've had one solid date to hang on to: Monday 1st June, the date on which the special is getting released on DVD and Blu-ray. And that date is this coming Monday!

If you haven't already pre-ordered the special, simply click on one of the covers below to find links to buy - and below that, we've tried to answer some of the most frequently asked (or otherwise anticipated) questions from fans about the release:

I've been living under a rock! What is The Promised Land?

The Promised Land is the thirteenth outing of Red Dwarf, and the show's first ever feature-length special. Written and directed by Doug Naylor and produced by Richard Naylor, it reunites the original cast of Chris Barrie (Rimmer), Craig Charles (Lister), Danny John-Jules (Cat) and Robert Llewellyn (Kryten), with the return of Holly (Norman Lovett), the much loved ship's computer, and guest stars Ray Fearon, Tom Bennett, Mandeep Dhillon and Lucy Pearman.

The special is a Baby Cow production for UKTV, and first aired on Dave in April 2020, attracting 2.02 million viewers to make it the highest non-PSB broadcast of the week. The DVD and Blu-ray are released by BBC Studios.

I like to get extra value for my money! What else is on the disc?

Because we know you love to see how the show gets made almost as much as you love seeing the show itself, there is of course one of our trademark behind-the-scenes documentaries, The Promised Doc. There's also an additional exclusive featurette titled Through an Audience's Eyes - and what Red Dwarf release would be complete without a hefty complement of deleted scenes and Smeg Ups?

That's not all, though - if you have a DVD or Blu-ray drive with your computer that you can pop the disc into, be sure to do so to find a little surprise extra Easter egg!

I want my shelves to match! Does The Promised Land DVD have a reversible cover?

Although The Promised Land isn't technically another "series", we couldn't let the tradition of Dave-era Red Dwarf having specially-designed reverse covers that match the original Series I-VIII releases go uncontinued - so we're pleased to confirm that yes, you shelf-matchers will indeed be able to flip the cover (DVD only) to retain that classic mid-2000s BBC styling!

I've had an email saying the release is delayed! What's the deal?

We've received reports that some fans have been emailed by online retailers such as Amazon to inform them of a delay of up to a week in the dispatch and delivery. This is entirely understandable in the current circumstances due to the prioritisation of certain essential items. However, the release date has not changed - technically the DVD and Blu-ray are available for sale on Monday, it's just that it's at the discretion of some retailers to ship slower than usual.

I live in a country that isn't the UK! When will I get the special?

Unsurprisingly, we've been inundated with comments and questions from fans worldwide on social media asking when and how they'll be able to get hold of it. All we can give you is our usual response at times like this: hopefully as soon as possible the relevant parties whose job it is to both sell and buy shows for distribution will get to doing so with The Promised Land. We certainly hope to bring you news of a Region 1 release as soon as we can, along with any other international showings or digital releases.

I don't have a complete Red Dwarf collection yet! What else can I buy at the same time as The Promised Land?

Glad you asked! Head on over to our merch database and you'll find a full list of all the current Red Dwarf shiny disc releases that are available in various regions - including the Series I-VIII Blu-ray set, and the most recent full series XI and XII!

I don't have a DVD or Blu-ray player! Can I watch the special on demand instead?

Equally glad you asked! You can still watch the entirety of the special, as well as some of the bonus features, over at UKTV Play. If you'd rather have an ad-free experience, meanwhile, you can buy digital copies at iTunes, and Google Play.