Red Dwarf A-Z (TV story)

This topic might have a better name.

The name should more accurately reflect the nature of the skit, so either the full documentary title 'Red Dwarf A-Z' or perhaps just the excerpt 'E Exterminate'.

Talk about it here.

Red Dwarf A-Z
Key crew
Writer:	Doug Naylor
Director:	Ed Bye
Producer:	Ed Bye
Release details
Premiere broadcast:	14 February 1998
Premiere network:	BBC Two
Format:	Faux-documentary

Red Dwarf A-Z was a 1998 BBC TV special. Although principally spun off from the series Red Dwarf, one of its segments featured essentially a crossover between the Red Dwarf and Doctor Who universes as two Daleks were interviewed about the series under the letter "E", for "Exterminate". This was followed by a clip from the series which depicted a specific joke being discussed.

As it is arguably parodical, the sketch is not considered a valid source on this Wiki. In addition, for the sake of common sense, our coverage of it is centered on the Dalek-focused sketch rather than the wider compilation, which is of minimal interest to scholars of the DWU.

Synopsis

Daleks discuss Red Dwarf, including a particular light bulb joke.

Plot

Two Daleks state they are not familiar with the TV series Red Dwarf as they do not watch anything on BBC2, and all TV is merely human propoganda. They also take credit for the works of William Shakespeare, and Beethoven.

After this however, one Dalek does state "that light bulb gag was funny though", prompting an argument between the two. It ends with one exterminating the other.

Cast

• Dalek voices - Rupert Bates
• Dave Lister - Craig Charles (archive footage)
• Arnold Rimmer - Chris Barrie (archive footage)
• Kryten - Robert Llewellyn (archive footage)
• The Cat - Danny John-Jules (archive footage)

Crew

• Writer - Doug Naylor
• Director - Ed Bye
• Producer - Ed Bye

Clip taken from Legion, written by Rob Grant & Doug Naylor, directed by Andy de Emmony

References

• The Daleks take credit for the works of William Shakespeare and Ludwig van Beethoven, but not Barry Manilow

Story notes

• The small skit was approximately 2 minutes in length, Daleks appeared in most of the sketch and the Red Dwarf crew were seen at the end.
• The clip of the Red Dwarf crew at the end of the skit comes from the Red Dwarf Series VI episode Legion.
• The Daleks in the skit were two Black Daleks. One had silver sense globes and was a fan-made prop, while the one in the right was an actual BBC prop, the one previously used for the Supreme Dalek in Remembrance of the Daleks.
• The notion that the Daleks were responsible for the works of Shakespeare also appears in the 1964 comic story City of the Daleks.
• The Red Dwarf A-Z Documentary is included as a special feature on the Red Dwarf Series II DVD.
• This is one of three Doctor Who references in Red Dwarf content. Rimmer makes reference to "Dr. Who" in the novel Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers. A more subtle reference is the inclusion of the Doctor's TARDIS in model shots of Starbug leaving Red Dwarf's docking bay - the TARDIS itself is barely visible in the show, but can be seen in some outtakes, some of the extended model shots included on the DVD, and in behind-the-scenes photos available on the official Red Dwarf website.
• The skit also includes a clip from the season six episode Legion which contains the light bulb gag, and begins with Kryten stating "Whatever it is, they clearly have a technology way in advance of our own", possibly used as in-joke reference to the Daleks. The gag itself is that switching the ship's current status to red alert would mean "changing the bulb".