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Better Than Life (Red Dwarf episode)
Encyclopedia
"Better Than Life" is the second episode from Red Dwarf
series two, and the eighth in the series run. It was first broadcast on BBC2 on 13 September 1988. Written by Rob Grant
and Doug Naylor
, and directed by Ed Bye
, this episode introduces the total immersion video game "Better Than Life", which features in both the first
and second
Red Dwarf novels.
states, is about average for second class mail. Among the usual bills and junk mail is the "Better Than Life" total immersion . Rimmer
receives a large tax bill from Outland Revenue, along with a letter from his mother informing him that his father is dead. Although he knew his father (and in fact, everyone he knew on Earth) is already long dead, seeing the news in writing upsets him despite the fact he hated the man. To cheer him up, Lister
and the Cat
invite Rimmer to play "Better Than Life", where everyone's deepest desires come true. Everything is going well; the Cat has got himself two girlfriends, Marilyn Monroe
and a mermaid
(top half fish, bottom half woman). Rimmer, who has a physical form in the game, leads an admiral's life with drinks and parties, while Lister enjoys golfing around the lavish golf courses.
But eventually Rimmer's mind rebels against him and he can't control his imagination. He soon ends up with a wife, (Yvonne McGruder) seven kids, a mortgage and an unsympathetic Outland Revenue Collector. This continues until the others find themselves caught up in his nightmare, buried up to their necks in sand, smeared with jam and about to be eaten by ants. Holly, apparently, ends the game, which comes as a great relief to everyone. But is it over? When they get back to their quarters, the tax collector emerges from a locker and breaks Rimmer's thumbs.
.
Much of the episode was filmed on location. To film the "Better Than Life" scenarios the crew went to locations including a seaside landscape in Rhyl
and Sacha's Hotel in Manchester
. The same hotel would later hold science fiction conventions for Star Trek
, Space: 1999
and Doctor Who
. The seaside beach location caused a headache as it was dull and cold looking. One scene proved so problematic — when they were meant to be sunbathing on the "paradise-like" beach, Craig Charles and Danny John-Jules could not stop shivering — that the scenes were re-written and re-shot as on a golf course. Even the golf course scenes looked dull and cold looking, but director Ed Bye convinced the crew that it was okay and that the sunshine could be put in during the edit. However, it couldn't be made to look sunny and it wasn't until the episode was remastered that the sunshine was finally seen.
Other "Better Than Life" appearances were made by Ron Pember
, who played the Taxman, Debbie Ash as Marilyn Monroe
and Judy Hawkins as Yvonne McGruder. Tony Hawks
, who had appeared in the Red Dwarf I episode "Future Echoes
",. returned to the series to play the 'Better Than Life' game guide. Gordon Salkilld
appeared as computer Gordon, the chess email gaming
chum of Holly.
part 1649, and a remake of Casablanca
, but Lister
preferred the version with Myra Binglebat and Peter Beardsley
. Lister found at least one total-immersion video game, which were extremely desirable, comparing them to Venus
's arms and Brooke Shields
' buttocks.
Marilyn Monroe
appeared in the Cat's "Better Than Life" scenario as one of his girlfriends, the other being a mermaid
. Rimmer met one of his historical heroes in the game, Napoleon Bonaparte, who gave an autograph. Lister's choice of transportation in the game was a Harley Davidson which he willed to appear before his very eyes, whereas Rimmer's choice was a Reliant Robin
, and after a re-think, became a Jaguar E-type
.
Rimmer referred to the skutters as "Pinky and smeggy Perky", referring to the long-running British children's television show Pinky and Perky
. The reference to "Blind Pew" is to a character from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island
.
Bob Geldof
was referenced in the "Groovy Channel 27" news show as the newsreader stated that it was Friday, the 27th of Geldof. Also mentioned in the news reel was Mount Sinai
where archaeologists had discovered a page believed to be from the Bible
. A man was found attempting to poison the mineral spring in France
which is the source of all the world's Perrier
water. And finally a city called New Tokyo was mentioned as having run out of "Better Than Life" games.
, followed on from there. The episode has also been described as "one of the all time best episodes of Red Dwarf!" from one reviewer.
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
series two, and the eighth in the series run. It was first broadcast on BBC2 on 13 September 1988. Written by Rob Grant
Rob Grant
Robert Grant is a British comedy writer and television producer, who was born in Salford and studied Psychology at Liverpool University for two years....
and Doug Naylor
Doug Naylor
Douglas R. Naylor is a British comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer.Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio 4 entitled Cliché and Son of Cliché...
, and directed by Ed Bye
Ed Bye
Edward Richard Morrison Bye is a British film and TV producer and director. He is best known for his work with Grant Naylor, Harry Enfield and Jasper Carrott, and has worked with many of British TV's best known comedians and comedy actors...
, this episode introduces the total immersion video game "Better Than Life", which features in both the first
Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers
Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers is a best-selling science fiction comedy novel by Grant Naylor, the collective name for Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, co-creators and writers of the Red Dwarf television series, on which the novel is based...
and second
Better Than Life
Better Than Life is a science fiction comedy novel by Grant Naylor, the collective name for Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, co-creators and writers of the Red Dwarf television series, on which the novel is based...
Red Dwarf novels.
Plot
The post pod arrives 3 million years late, which, as HollyHolly (Red Dwarf)
Holly is the ship's computer on the science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf.The character is played by Norman Lovett in Series I and II and, following a "head sex change" to look like his parallel universe alter ego "Hilly", played by Hattie Hayridge in the series 3 episode Backwards, is female...
states, is about average for second class mail. Among the usual bills and junk mail is the "Better Than Life" total immersion . Rimmer
Arnold Rimmer
Arnold Judas Rimmer is a fictional character in the science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, played by Chris Barrie. He is unpopular with his crew mates, and is often the target of insults or pranks...
receives a large tax bill from Outland Revenue, along with a letter from his mother informing him that his father is dead. Although he knew his father (and in fact, everyone he knew on Earth) is already long dead, seeing the news in writing upsets him despite the fact he hated the man. To cheer him up, Lister
Dave Lister
David "Dave" Lister, commonly referred to simply as Lister, is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, portrayed by Craig Charles...
and the Cat
Cat (Red Dwarf)
The Cat is a character in the British science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf. He is played by Danny John-Jules.-Character development:According to Danny John-Jules, the character of Cat is based on a combination of Little Richard's look, James Brown's moves and Richard Pryor's facial...
invite Rimmer to play "Better Than Life", where everyone's deepest desires come true. Everything is going well; the Cat has got himself two girlfriends, Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
and a mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
(top half fish, bottom half woman). Rimmer, who has a physical form in the game, leads an admiral's life with drinks and parties, while Lister enjoys golfing around the lavish golf courses.
But eventually Rimmer's mind rebels against him and he can't control his imagination. He soon ends up with a wife, (Yvonne McGruder) seven kids, a mortgage and an unsympathetic Outland Revenue Collector. This continues until the others find themselves caught up in his nightmare, buried up to their necks in sand, smeared with jam and about to be eaten by ants. Holly, apparently, ends the game, which comes as a great relief to everyone. But is it over? When they get back to their quarters, the tax collector emerges from a locker and breaks Rimmer's thumbs.
Production
After looking back at the first series the writers, Grant and Naylor, realised that they needed to expand on Rimmer's background and explore his character. To achieve this the Rimmer family was written into the episode. There were his three high-flying brothers, his distant mother and psychotic father. His father appeared in the "Better Than Life" scenario, played by John AbineriJohn Abineri
John Abineri was an English actor.Born in London, he attended the Old Vic drama school and described himself as "Well educated from the age of five to eighteen"...
.
Rhyl
Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south...
and Sacha's Hotel in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The same hotel would later hold science fiction conventions for Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, Space: 1999
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
and Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. The seaside beach location caused a headache as it was dull and cold looking. One scene proved so problematic — when they were meant to be sunbathing on the "paradise-like" beach, Craig Charles and Danny John-Jules could not stop shivering — that the scenes were re-written and re-shot as on a golf course. Even the golf course scenes looked dull and cold looking, but director Ed Bye convinced the crew that it was okay and that the sunshine could be put in during the edit. However, it couldn't be made to look sunny and it wasn't until the episode was remastered that the sunshine was finally seen.
Other "Better Than Life" appearances were made by Ron Pember
Ron Pember
Ron Pember is a British actor, best known for his role as Alain Muny in the 1970s BBC drama series Secret Army.Pember played the part of the psychopathic taxman in the Red Dwarf episode "Better Than Life"...
, who played the Taxman, Debbie Ash as Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
and Judy Hawkins as Yvonne McGruder. Tony Hawks
Tony Hawks
Antony Gordon Hawksworth, better known as Tony Hawks, is a British comedian and author.-Early life:Born in Brighton in 1960, Hawks was educated at Brighton Hove and Sussex Grammar School and Brighton College...
, who had appeared in the Red Dwarf I episode "Future Echoes
Future Echoes
"Future Echoes" is the second episode of the science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf series one, and was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 22 February 1988...
",. returned to the series to play the 'Better Than Life' game guide. Gordon Salkilld
Gordon Salkilld
Gordon Salkilld was an English supporting actor best known for his portrayal of carpenter Jack Wood in the 1970s BBC cult series Survivors....
appeared as computer Gordon, the chess email gaming
Play-by-mail game
Play-by-mail games, sometimes known as "Play-by-post", are games, of any type, played through postal mail or e-mail. One example, chess, has been played by mail for centuries . Another example, Diplomacy, has been played by mail since the 1960s, starting with a printed newsletter written by John...
chum of Holly.
Cultural references
The post pod that arrived on the ship contained many references to popular culture including a new version of Friday the 13thFriday the 13th
Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on a Friday, which superstition holds to be a day of bad luck. In the Gregorian calendar, this day occurs at least once, but at most three times a year...
part 1649, and a remake of Casablanca
Casablanca (film)
Casablanca is a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid, and featuring Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Dooley Wilson. Set during World War II, it focuses on a man torn between, in...
, but Lister
Dave Lister
David "Dave" Lister, commonly referred to simply as Lister, is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, portrayed by Craig Charles...
preferred the version with Myra Binglebat and Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
. Lister found at least one total-immersion video game, which were extremely desirable, comparing them to Venus
Venus de Milo
Aphrodite of Milos , better known as the Venus de Milo, is an ancient Greek statue and one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture. Created at some time between 130 and 100 BC, it is believed to depict Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It is a marble sculpture, slightly...
's arms and Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
' buttocks.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
appeared in the Cat's "Better Than Life" scenario as one of his girlfriends, the other being a mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
. Rimmer met one of his historical heroes in the game, Napoleon Bonaparte, who gave an autograph. Lister's choice of transportation in the game was a Harley Davidson which he willed to appear before his very eyes, whereas Rimmer's choice was a Reliant Robin
Reliant Robin
thumb|right|250px|1975 Greek advertisement for Mebea Robin The Reliant Robin is a small three wheeled car formerly manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company in Tamworth, England...
, and after a re-think, became a Jaguar E-type
Jaguar E-type
The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar between 1961 and 1975. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing established the marque as an icon of 1960s motoring...
.
Rimmer referred to the skutters as "Pinky and smeggy Perky", referring to the long-running British children's television show Pinky and Perky
Pinky and Perky
Pinky and Perky is an animated children's television series first broadcast by the BBC in 1957, revived in 2008 as a CGI animation.-Original series:...
. The reference to "Blind Pew" is to a character from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
.
Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
was referenced in the "Groovy Channel 27" news show as the newsreader stated that it was Friday, the 27th of Geldof. Also mentioned in the news reel was Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
where archaeologists had discovered a page believed to be from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. A man was found attempting to poison the mineral spring in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
which is the source of all the world's Perrier
Perrier
Perrier is a brand of bottled mineral water made from a spring in Vergèze in the Gard département of France. The spring is naturally carbonated...
water. And finally a city called New Tokyo was mentioned as having run out of "Better Than Life" games.
Reception
Originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on the 13 September 1988 in the 9:00 pm evening slot, the episode gained average viewing ratings. The episode may not have topped many fans' favourites lists, but the story turned out to be very influential. Grant and Naylor used the plot for their first and second novels - Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers ended on a cliffhanger when the crew entered the game and the majority of the second novel, Better Than LifeBetter Than Life
Better Than Life is a science fiction comedy novel by Grant Naylor, the collective name for Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, co-creators and writers of the Red Dwarf television series, on which the novel is based...
, followed on from there. The episode has also been described as "one of the all time best episodes of Red Dwarf!" from one reviewer.
See also
- Better Than LifeBetter Than LifeBetter Than Life is a science fiction comedy novel by Grant Naylor, the collective name for Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, co-creators and writers of the Red Dwarf television series, on which the novel is based...
- the second Red Dwarf novel which expands on the total immersion video game theme. - Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers - the first Red Dwarf novel which ends as the crew discover the game and enter it.
- Simulated realitySimulated realitySimulated reality is the proposition that reality could be simulated—perhaps by computer simulation—to a degree indistinguishable from "true" reality. It could contain conscious minds which may or may not be fully aware that they are living inside a simulation....