Holoship

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Red Dwarf episode
"Holoship"
Rimmer leaves Red Dwarf to reside on the holoship Enlightenment
Episode № 1
Airdate February 20, 1992
Writer(s) Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
Director Juliet May
Guest star(s) Jane Horrocks
Matthew Marsh
Don Warrington
Simon Day
Jane Montgomery
Lucy Briers
Series V
February 20 – March 26, 1992
  1. Holoship
  2. The Inquisitor
  3. Terrorform
  4. Quarantine
  5. Demons and Angels
  6. Back to Reality
List of all Red Dwarf episodes...

"Holoship" is the first episode of science fiction sit-com Red Dwarf Series V[1] and the twenty fifth in the series run.[2] It was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 20 February 1992.[3] Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Juliet May.[4] The episode, which was the third filmed,[5] was brought forward to open the series.[6]

Contents

[edit] Plot

Starbug comes into contact with another craft that doesn't show up on the monitors. It is a Holoship called Enlightenment, consisting of a vessel and crew that are entirely computer-generated holograms. What is more, the crew are holograms of Space Corps elite personnel. The fact that the ship's regulations impose sex twice a day is an added bonus. Rimmer falls in love with one of the Enlightenment's crew members, Commander Nirvana Crane. With an existence where he can eat, drink, touch, feel and taste, Rimmer feels that the Enlightenment is his true spiritual home.

However one obstacle stands in Rimmer's way: Enlightenment already has a full crew and new members can only join on a dead-man's-shoes basis. If Rimmer succeeds in an intelligence contest it will be at the expense of a fellow hologram's existence. Rimmer might not be excessively bright but he is shrewd and furthermore he's got a perfect plan - he'll cheat. Using a mind-patching operation he significantly increases his IQ. But during the contest the mind-patch fails as his mind rejects it. Despite this he is assigned to the Enlightenment and bids farewell to his acquaintances on Red Dwarf.

Rimmer arrives on the Enlightenment and is given Nirvana Crane's quarters. Rimmer didn't realise it but Crane was his opponent in the intelligence contest - she had sacrificed herself so that he could live the life of his dreams. Going back on his earlier statement that career would always come before love, Rimmer resigns his new commission and returns to Red Dwarf, so that Nirvana can be re-instated.

[edit] Production

Although "Holoship" was filmed third,[5] it was chosen to lead off the series as it was felt that it would draw in viewers the same way as "Camille" had done the previous series. It worked as the viewing figures increased as the series progressed.[6]

The Holoship model was built by Paul McGuiness. The transparent perspex miniature was a casualty of the editing cut.[7] One of the cut scenes showed the ship changing shape.[8] Besides the holoship special effects, other scenes and lines were cut out or trimmed down, including many holoship crew scenes and Holly's unhelpful speech to Rimmer.[9]

Guest stars included Jane Horrocks as Nirvanah Crane, Matthew Marsh as Captain Platini, Don Warrington as Commander Binks, Simon Day as No. 2, Jane Montgomery as No. 1 and Lucy Briers as Harrison.[4]

[edit] Cultural references

The King of Kings, the story of Jesus, is mentioned by Lister as a film that Rimmer stated as unrealistic. Kryten references Albert Einstein in trying to convince Rimmer that you are not merely your job. Rimmer suggests that St. Francis of Assisi himself said "Never give a sucker an even break", but as Kryten states, if so it must have been strictly off the record.

[edit] Reception

The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 20 February 1992 in the 9:00pm evening time slot.[3] Despite going out first the episode was considered the worst in this series, gaining 0.2% in the Red Dwarf Smegazine poll.[10] Sci-Fi Dimensions stating that while the production values had increased greatly, the stories are becoming pedestrian and predictable.[11] Although others have noted "Holoship" as "one of the great episodes".[12]

[edit] References

  1. ^ British Sitcom Guide - Red Dwarf - Series 5. www.sitcom.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
  2. ^ TV.com - Holoship summary. www.tv.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
  3. ^ a b BBC - BBC - Programme Catalogue - RED DWARF V - HOLOSHIP. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
  4. ^ a b Holoship cast and crew. www.imdb.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
  5. ^ a b Series V Preview, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 1, March 1992,Fleetway Editions Ltd, issn 0965-5603
  6. ^ a b Grant and Naylor Look Back, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 11, January 1993, Fleetway Editions Ltd, issn 0965-5603
  7. ^ Red Dwarf Series V Effects. www.reddwarf.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  8. ^ Red Dwarf Programme Guide. Section 1: The History: Virgin Books. ISBN 0-86369-682-1. 
  9. ^ Red Dwarf Series V Production. www.reddwarf.co.uk. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  10. ^ Red Dwarf Smegazine: Survey Results, issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, ISSN 0965-5603
  11. ^ Series V review at Sci-Fi Dimensions. www.scifidimensions.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
  12. ^ Series V review by Gavrielle. www.reviewsbygavrielle.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.

[edit] External links

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