Kryten (Red Dwarf episode)

Infobox Red Dwarf episode
name = Kryten


image_caption = Lister, Rimmer and Cat meet the women on the crashed ship "Nova 5"
number = 1
airdate = September 6, 1988
writers = Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
director = Ed Bye
guests = David Ross
Johanna Hargreaves
Tony Slattery
series = 2

"Kryten" is the seventh episodecite web | url =http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/kryten/episode/10951/summary.html | title =TV.com - Kryten summary | publisher =www.tv.com |accessdate =2008-01-24] from science fiction sit-com "Red Dwarf", the first from series two,cite web | url =http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series2.shtml | title =British Sitcom Guide - Red Dwarf - Series 2 | publisher =www.sitcom.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-24] and was first broadcast on BBC2 on 6 September 1988. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, this episode introduced the mechanoid character Kryten. The episode was re-mastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998.

Plot

"Red Dwarf" receives a distress call from a crashed spaceship "Nova 5". As usual, Rimmer (Chris Barrie) claims this to be aliens. But according to service mechanoid, Kryten (David Ross), the ship contains lifeforms of a much less hostile nature - women. The "Red Dwarf" crew boldly spruce themselves up to respond to the call. However, on arrival the gang are shocked to find Kryten has been looking after, clothing and feeding three skeletons ever since the crash, and have been that way for centuries. Kryten however, takes some convincing. How will he cope now? What will he do? After all, he is programmed to serve on the human race (as he explains, "I serve, therefore I am"). In the end, Lister (Craig Charles) takes pity on him and brings Kryten back to "Red Dwarf".Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 52.]

Rimmer, not surprisingly, gives Kryten a huge list of chores to do, but Lister, unused to face curtains and bendable boxers, decides to take Kryten under his wing. With a little help from Marlon Brando and James Dean he intends to turn the mechanoid into something of a rebel. It seems Lister's tutoring on rebelling are unsuccessful, until Kryten paints a picture of Rimmer sitting on a toilet in his admiral uniform. He then throws a container of liquid onto Rimmer's bunk and insults him while doing so. He then dresses up in leathers and borrows Lister's space bike and speeds off.Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 53.]

Production

The writers realised that the huge "Red Dwarf" ship on its own did not generate enough story material and to accommodate this new direction for the series a small shuttle ship, "Blue Midget", was designed to ferry the crew to and from different locations.cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_2/writing.html | title =Red Dwarf Series II Writing| publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-07] The new ship was based on an "every day car" that would go from A to B. Miniature crew models were made to fit inside the small ship and filming was added to footage of the "Red Dwarf" ship.cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_2/effects.html | title =Red Dwarf Series II Effects | publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-07]

played the character when he became a regular from Series III onwards.Series II Episode Guide, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 5, July 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, issn 0965-5603] The writers had resisted using robot characters as they had considered the practice a sci-fi cliché.cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_2/writing.html | title =Red Dwarf Series II Writing | publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-07]

Kryten's appearance was of a mechanical-looking butler with an angular head. The head mask had provided the most problems to the make up and effects team. Prosthetic foam originally used for the mask kept falling apart and eventually a latex piece was produced.cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_2/casting.html | title =Red Dwarf Series II Casting| publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-07] Initially it had taken David Ross up to eight hours to get into the full Kryten make-up. To make matters worse, Ross suffered from claustrophobia.Interview: David Ross, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 1, March 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, issn 0965-5603]

Johanna Hargreeves appeared as the Esperanto teacher and Tony Slattery voiced an android actor in the "Androids" television show.cite web | url =http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684161/fullcredits | title =Kryten cast and crew | publisher =www.imdb.com |accessdate =2008-01-24]

Cultural references

The show always enjoyed the chance to parody existing films or television. Howard Goodall wrote the Androids theme tune with the Australian soap opera Neighbours in mind. The song, containing similar lyrics and tune, was trimmed down due to time constraints.cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_2/music.html | title =Red Dwarf Series II Music | publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-07]

Rimmer is trying to learn the Esperanto language and has been for the last eight years. He also appears dressed as an admiral to visit the crashed ship, and is described by Lister as looking like Clive of India. Rimmer describes the dead women as having "less meat on them than a Chicken McNugget".

Lister insists that Kryten should watch classic rebel films like "The Wild One", "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Easy Rider", hoping that the films, including the Marlon Brando rebel speech, would help the mechanoid break his servile programming. Kryten quotes Brando in the last line of the episode: Rimmer asks, "What are you rebelling against?" and Kryten replies in an affected voice, "What d'ya got?"cite web | url =http://www.imdb.com/rg/title-tease/movieconnections/title/tt0684161/movieconnections | title =Kryten movie connections | publisher =www.imdb.com |accessdate =2008-01-08]

Reception

Originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on the 6 September 1988 in the 9:00 pm evening slot,cite web |url = http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMRE804B |title = BBC Programme Catalogue - RED DWARF - | publisher = BBC | accessdate =2007-12-07] the episode gained average viewing ratings,cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_2/writing.html | title =Red Dwarf Series II Aftermath | publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-24] and received a mixed response from viewers. One reviewer stating that "the six episodes in Red Dwarf Series II are excellent, the only stumbling block is the first episode, Kryten."cite web | url =http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews10173.html | title =Red Dwarf - Series 2 Review | publisher =www.reviewcentre.com |accessdate =2008-01-24] While another review stated that "the episode would be a brilliant one if Kryten weren't a little too C3PO-ish."cite web | url =http://www.reviewsbygavrielle.com/dwarf2.shtml | title =Red Dwarf Episode Guide: Series II | publisher =www.reviewsbygavrielle.com |accessdate =2008-01-24] The episode also received a mixed response from fans, voting it 22nd in a "Red Dwarf Magazine" readers' poll with 1.4% of the votes.Readers survey results, "Red Dwarf Smegazine", p. 27., issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, ISSN 0965-5603]

Remastering

The remastering of Series I to III was carried out during the late 1990s.cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck01/dvd_remasters_of_the_universe_221206.html | title =Remasters of the Universe | publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-28] Changes throughout the series included replacement of the opening credits,cite web | url =http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_1/remastering.html | title =Red Dwarf Series I Remastering | publisher =www.reddwarf.co.uk |accessdate =2008-01-30] giving the picture a colour grade and filmizing,cite video | people =Remastering Crew | title =The End Re-Mastered DVD Commentary | medium =DVD | publisher =BBC | location =Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset Red disc | date =2007 ] computer generated special effects of "Red Dwarf"cite video | people =Remastering Crew | title ='Re-Dwarf' Documentary | medium =DVD | publisher =BBC | location =Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset Red disc | date =2007 ] and many more visual and audio enhancements. Changes specific to "Kryten" include a new ending with Kryten flying Lister's space bike off into distant space away from "Red Dwarf".cite video | people =Remastering Crew | title =Kryten text commentary | medium =DVD | publisher =BBC | location =Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset, Blue disc | date =2007 ]

ee also

*"Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers", the first "Red Dwarf" novel, features an expanded version of events from this episode and builds on the backstory.Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 206.]
*"Backwards", the Series III episode when Kryten begins appearing as a main character.

Notes

References

*cite book |last=Howarth |first=Chris |authorlink= |coauthors=Steve Lyons |title=Red Dwarf Programme Guide |year=1993 |publisher=Virgin Books |location= |isbn=0-86369-682-1

External links

*
* [http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/kryten/episode/10951/summary.html Red Dwarf: Kryten - TV.com]