Backwards (Red Dwarf episode)

"Backwards"
Red Dwarf episode
The Cat discovers one of the horrors of being in a backwards world
Episode no.	Series 3 Episode 1
Directed by	Ed Bye
Written by	Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
Original air date	November 14, 1989
Guest stars
Maria Friedman Tony Hawks Anna Palmer Arthur Smith
Series 3 episodes
14 November – 19 December 1989 "Backwards" "Marooned" "Polymorph" "Bodyswap" "Timeslides" "The Last Day"
List of all Red Dwarf episodes

"Backwards" is the first episode of science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf Series III,^[1] and the thirteenth in the series run.^[2] It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 14 November 1989.^[3] Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, the episode has the crew travel to an alternate Earth where time runs backwards.

The episode marks the first appearance of Robert Llewellyn's Kryten, Hattie Hayridge's version of Holly, the new spaceship Starbug, better production values, and a change in direction of story themes that would cement the show's cult status.^[4] The story was later reformulated as a novel by the same name. The episode was re-mastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998.

Plot

This story starts with a Star Wars-esque pre-title sequence revealing the events after what happened in "Parallel Universe". Lister has given birth to twins, but unfortunately, they suffered from highly accelerated growth rates and became 18 years old within three days, and his twins were returned to the universe of their own origin. Meanwhile, the ship's computer Holly had a head sex-change operation to become like Hilly, a female computer with whom he once fell madly in love. And then, Kryten, who was last seen leaving the Nova 5 on Lister's space-bike was found in pieces on an asteroid, which meant Lister ended up rebuilding the droid, but unfortunately, he was incapable of recapturing Kryten's former personality, which gives him a brand-new personality and he became a permanent member of the crew.

Rimmer (Chris Barrie) takes Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) out in Starbug 1 for his piloting test and while answering recognition questions they travel through a time hole. They crash-land on a planet which appears similar to Earth. As they reach a roadside they notice a sign which says "Nodnol, 871 selim". Although Rimmer is confused, Kryten correctly states that the sign reads London, 178 miles, and that they're on a backwards Earth.^[5]

Meanwhile Lister (Craig Charles) and Cat (Danny John-Jules) have been flying around in Starbug 2 for the past three weeks searching for them. They come across the same "time hole" that Starbug 1 did and, despite Cat's reservations, go through it. They close in on Starbug 1 using a homing device and land near the lake where it crash-landed. Upon exiting Starbug 2 Lister complains of feeling some pain—he suddenly has a black eye and his ribs feel like they've been cracked.^[5]

Kryten and Rimmer are initially disgusted with this "backwards" world. Here, people take money from buskers' hats, and cafes are populated by customers who spit tea back into teacups and messily disgorge chocolate éclairs. Newspapers report events that have yet to happen, and advertise job vacancies that offer good demotion prospects. Rimmer and Kryten quickly discover that they can use their forwardness to their advantage, however, starring in an act called "The Sensational Reverse Brothers".^[5]

Lister and Cat eventually track down Kryten and Rimmer at the club where they work, whereupon Lister finally discovers that everything is backwards, after initially thinking they had landed in Bulgaria. However, Kryten and Rimmer are quite content on this planet. Lister tries to convince them to come back, but they intend to stay. The club owner then fires them for starting a fight, but Kryten argues that they have not started any fight. At the same time, a man takes offence to Lister and Cat "uneating" his pie, and punches Lister twice, healing his black eye and broken rib. Kryten realises that this is actually the beginning of the barroom brawl that got them fired, and a huge fight breaks out in reverse. Eventually everything is restored to its original state and they realise that they cannot stay on a backwards Earth. The final reinforcement of that occurs when Cat attempts to relieve himself in the bushes, forgetting that everything happens in reverse.^[5]

Production

Locations in and around Manchester were used for the episode. This picture depicts the road sign to 'Nodnol 871 Selim' which in reverse reads 'London 178 Miles'.

With Rob Grant and Doug Naylor directly involved with the third series, under their Grant Naylor Productions team, they radically changed the look of the show.^[6] The opening credits sequence sported a new rock guitar version of the Red Dwarf theme tune playing over clips from the series.^[7] The opening sequence ends with the first appearance of the official logo of the show which was designed by DeWinters.^[6] Mel Bibby had also come on board the crew and re-designed the sets. His influence of Ridley Scott's Alien film clearly shown in the new sets as murky and run-down feel.^[8]

Costumes were overhauled as well as Costume designer Howard Burden brought in a new stylish look to the crew. Lister's jacket outfit, having been designed with his art school background in mind, included a voluptuous woman riding a rocket on the back. This woman had indeed been intended to be Wilma Flintstone but was changed to a generic looking female once the legality of using The Flintstones image arose. Rimmer's tunic uniform served as implying his devotion to duty as well as his hologrammatic status. While the Cat's wardrobe reached new heights in the fashion stakes, Kryten's appearance was based on the Series II look but produced more successfully.^[9]

Effects also featured more heavily in the new series. The barroom brawl with plenty of fake glass featured a stunt double hurling through a window on the set. Bluescreen backgrounds were used for the actors to film against which was then merged with the cloaked Starbug location footage. Close-up shots were merely filmed on top of a raised platform with only the sky visible in the background.^[10]

Starbug was introduced as the new spaceship in place of Blue Midget. Grant and Naylor felt that Blue Midget didn't work well set-wise because of size constraints so they requested that Peter Wragg, and his visual effects team, come up with a design for another ship. The final design, initially called White Midget, was shown to Grant and Naylor and they liked it, but they thought it looked more like a bug so settled on the name Starbug.^[11]

The Series III pre-credits scroll detailing the back story was actually intended to be an episode in its own right. Titled "Dad", the episode would have tied the loose ends from series two's "Parallel Universe" where Lister would have given birth to the twins and given them back to the parallel universe Lister version. Grant and Naylor had partially written the script but they decided to scrap the idea as they felt it to be unfunny and potentially offensive to women.^[12]

Many of the location scenes for "Backwards" were filmed in and around Manchester. Series creator and writer Rob Grant can be seen standing on the street with sunglasses smoking a cigarette backwards. The episode's theme gave the writers an opportunity to insert some in-joke dialogue that otherwise wouldn't have been put in. In one scene the bar manager comes into Rimmer and Kryten's dressing room to tell them that they're sacked for un-starting a barroom brawl. In fact what he is saying repeatedly insults whoever might be tempted to play the scene backward to make out what he's actually saying. At the very end (beginning?) of the reverse barroom brawl, an "Action!", said by Ed Bye can be heard.^[4]

The character of Kryten was originally intended as a one-off appearance in the series-two episode "Kryten". The character returned mainly to broaden the story potential as Lister was the only person who could really do anything. Rimmer, a hologram, couldn't touch anything, the Cat couldn't be bothered to touch anything, and Holly was incompetent. The show was becoming difficult to write for. At the insistence of Naylor, Kryten returned to complete the team.^[12]

Grant and Naylor had approached David Ross with the intention of bringing him back to play the regular role of Kryten. Ross was in a stage play Flea In Her Ear and wasn't available, so they went to see Robert Llewellyn at the advice of Paul Jackson. Llewellyn was in a stage show called Mammon, playing a robot. They saw his performance and were impressed.^[12]

The very first scene that Llewellyn filmed involved him lighting candles with his fingers. He was wired up for the flame to ignite from his fingertip. The problem was that it was wet on the set and he was sweating so the wiring was backfiring and shocking him. The scene was cut out from the show.^[12]

"Backwards" world guest stars includes Maria Friedman as the Waitress, Tony Hawks as a Compere, Anna Palmer as a Customer in Cafe and Arthur Smith as the Pub Manager.^[13]

This "backwards" stuff extended to the actual production, too. There is a scene where the Backwards Brothers are getting spoken to by their manager, who is walking and talking all backwards. However, if you turned around his speech and played it the right way, it's actual talking. About half of it is relevant to the scene in question, but the other half is not. What is said is...

"You are a stupid, square-headed, bald git, aren't you? I ain't pointing at you, I'm pointing at you, but I'm not actually addressing you, I'm addressing the one prat in the country who has bothered to get a hold of this recording, turn it round and actually work out the rubbish that I'm saying. What a poor sad life he's got! Frankly your act's crap, anyway. Anybody could've done it! I hate the lot of you! Bollocks to you!"'

You can hear this yourself if you have the facility to reverse the audio from the program. This is also included as a special feature on the two-disc release of Season III.

Cultural references

The Star Wars type scroll used to update viewers on recent events from the previous series

A Star Wars style scroll is used to explain all the occurrences that had happened between Series II and III.^[6] (See also Dad (Red Dwarf episode)). In the opening scene between Lister and the Cat, they discuss whether The Flintstones' Wilma Flintstone is sexy or not. They come to the conclusion that they are insane for discussing such things, since she would never leave Fred.^[14]

Kryten's spaceship examination, which includes registration reading, "if you'd like show me to your vehicle", "in your own time", direction instructions, recognition test and stopping distances all mirrors the same examination that UK citizens take with DSA examinations.

Both Genghis Khan and Doug McClure are referenced by Rimmer when trying to ascertain the time period.

Lister sings the line, "I didn't come here looking for trouble, I just came here to do the Red Dwarf Shuffle", an obvious homage to the 1985 Chicago Bears song Super Bowl Shuffle.

The Big Bang theory, as well as expansion and contraction, is explained by Holly as the reason why this universe is running backwards. To look inconspicuous Kryten walks into the cafe wearing a Ronald Reagan rubber mask. The newspaper that Kryten is titled Yadretsey, or Yesterday forwards — a parody of the Today newspaper that was published at time of production. Kryten reads a headline from the paper, about a bank robbery committed by a man named "Michael Ellis" - a recurring character in the Monty Python series.

Kryten and Rimmer think that the backwards world is wonderful, pointing out that when the second world war comes around again, millions of people will come back to life, and Hitler will retreat across Europe, liberating France and Poland. Lister though looks at the other side of the argument and states that in this universe St. Francis of Assisi is the petty-minded little sadist who maims small animals and that Santa Claus is a big guy who sneaks down chimneys and steals all the kids' favourite toys.

Reception

The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 14 November 1989 in the 9:00pm evening time slot.^[3] As with all episodes in the third series, "Backwards" gained healthy viewing figures, increasing on Series II efforts.^[15] Although Series III was received well as a whole, "Backwards" was picked out as a highlight, Sci-Fi Dimensions describing it as "the best",^[16] while Sci-Fi.com agreed that the episode was "the season's best" and "has the season's best philosophical rant".^[17] The Red Dwarf Smegazine readers poll listed the episode at number four with 7.1% of the votes.^[18]

Remastering

See also: Red Dwarf remastered

The remastering of Series I to III was carried out during the late 1990s.^[19] Changes included replacement of the opening credits,^[20] giving the picture a colour grade and filmising,^[21] computer generated special effects of Red Dwarf^[22] and many more visual and audio enhancements.^[22]

Changes made specific to "Backwards" include an animated shot of the ejected Rimmer has been added to the opening scene with Starbug with scream and thump sounds enhanced. Starbug's sounds have been remixed and enhanced throughout. A new time-hole tunnel sequence has been added when Starbug travels through it. POV landscape shots have been added as Starbug enters the backwards Earth. Fire elements and sound effects have been added to the Starbug crash. The cafe exterior has been added as a transitional shot. The cloaking Starbug has been added to the existing empty shot of Lister and Cat arriving on 'backwards' Earth. The end credit sequence has been flipped and reads in reverse.^[23]

See also

• Backwards, the fourth Red Dwarf novel which uses the Backwards theme for most of the plot.^[24]
• Time loop
• Time travel

Notes

1. ^ "British Sitcom Guide - Red Dwarf - Series 3". sitcom.co.uk. http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series3.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
2. ^ "TV.com - Backwards summary". tv.com. http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/backwards/episode/10957/summary.html. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "BBC - Programme Catalogue - Red Dwarf III The Saga Continuums - 1, Backwards". BBC. http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMRJ900L. Retrieved 2007-12-11. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Howarth & Lyons (1993)
5. ^ ^{a b c d} Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 60.
6. ^ ^{a b c} "Red Dwarf Series III Production". reddwarf.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-04-21. http://web.archive.org/web/20080421163500/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_3/production.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
7. ^ "Red Dwarf Series III Music". reddwarf.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-04-21. http://web.archive.org/web/20080421163455/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_3/music.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. 
8. ^ "Red Dwarf Series III Sets". reddwarf.co.uk. http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_3/sets.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. ^{[dead link]}
9. ^ "Red Dwarf Series III Costumes". reddwarf.co.uk. http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_3/Costumes.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. ^{[dead link]}
10. ^ "Red Dwarf Series III Effects". reddwarf.co.uk. http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_3/effects.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. ^{[dead link]}
11. ^ Interview: Peter Wragg, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 8, October 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, issn 0965-5603
12. ^ ^{a b c d} Interview: Grant Naylor, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 6, August 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, issn 0965-5603
13. ^ "Backwards cast and crew". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684144/fullcredits. Retrieved 2008-01-25. 
14. ^ "Backwards movie connections". imdb.com. http://www.imdb.com/rg/title-tease/movieconnections/title/tt0684144/movieconnections. Retrieved 2008-01-08. 
15. ^ "Red Dwarf Series III Aftermath". reddwarf.co.uk. http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_3/aftermath.html. Retrieved 2008-01-07. ^{[dead link]}
16. ^ "Red Dwarf Series III review at Sci-fi Dimensions". scifidimensions.com. http://www.scifidimensions.com/Mar04/reddwarf3and4.html. Retrieved 2008-01-25. ^{[dead link]}
17. ^ "Series III review". reddwarf.co.uk. http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_6/Aftermath.html. Retrieved 2008-01-25. ^{[dead link]}
18. ^ Reader Survey Results, Red Dwarf Smegazine, p. 27., issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, ISSN 0965-5603
19. ^ "Remasters of the Universe". reddwarf.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-01-04. http://web.archive.org/web/20080104012351/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck01/dvd_remasters_of_the_universe_221206.html. Retrieved 2008-01-28. 
20. ^ "Red Dwarf Series I Remastering". reddwarf.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-01-18. http://web.archive.org/web/20080118140243/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_1/remastering.html. Retrieved 2008-01-30. 
21. ^ Remastering Crew (2007). The End Re-Mastered DVD Commentary (DVD). Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset Red disc: BBC. 
22. ^ ^{a b} Remastering Crew (2007). 'Re-Dwarf' Documentary (DVD). Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset Red disc: BBC. 
23. ^ Remastering Crew (2007). Backwards text commentary (DVD). Bodysnatcher DVD Boxset, Green disc: BBC. 
24. ^ "Red Dwarf Series VI Aftermath". reddwarf.co.uk. http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_6/Aftermath.html. Retrieved 2008-01-25. ^{[dead link]}

References

• Howarth, Chris; Steve Lyons (1993). Red Dwarf Programme Guide. Virgin Books. ISBN 0-86369-682-1. 

External links

• "Backwards" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Backwards" at TV.com
• Series III episode guide at www.reddwarf.co.uk