From: neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite)
Newsgroups: alt.comedy.british
Subject: Re: Holly vs Holly  How the heck did that happen
Date: 10 Apr 92 13:18:40 GMT
Organization: Dept of Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland

In article <dpenner.702774532@ee.ualberta.ca> dpenner@ee.ualberta.ca (Darren E. Penner (Dokken)) writes:
>I watched most of the first two episodes (I had a freind who managed to
>record the whole series off of PBS) but I never caught the episode where
>they changed places, could someone enlighten me how this occured.

[Deleted]

	I kept this article I posted ages ago. It pretty much explains
the changes in Red Dwarf from series II to III on and off the screen.

	Neil

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In article <819@news.duke.edu> amu@egr.duke.edu (Audrey M. Urling) writes:

>Is there some story behind the rather abrupt transition between
>seasons 2 and 3?  After a cliff-hanger like that, it seemed very odd
>and a bit of a waste IMO to resolve everything off camera, and then
>throw in significant cast changes to boot.

	I mail the reasons to someone and forget to post to the net. There
is more behind the season II ---> transition.

	Firstly and most importantly. Series one and two were BBC NorthWest
productions. Because of certain government meddling in TV the BBC is forced
to put a certain amout of production out to 'private companies'. Red Dwarf
was one of the first series's to go BBC/Independent. The company making it
is Noel Gay TV, of which Grant/Naylor part own or run if I remember correct.
From series III Red Dwarf became independent, you may notice differences
in set, new spaceships (Starbug I and II), new style Kryten, Holly (of which
more later). In general the production, done by Grant/Naylor rather than the
previous exec producer Paul Jackson and producer/director Ed Bye. Though
Ed Bye is still the director of RD III/IV etc. Paul Jackson is I think
the director of Noel Gay TV Ltd, and this is why the production was taken
over by Grant/Naylor, it is their baby after all and why it is now done by
NG TV, of which RD is their flagship show.

	To explain/fudge over the obvious differences a story was concocted,
the Star Wars scrolly text at the start of RD III/1 (Backwards). It went
Lister had given birth to twin boys, they had accelerated growth due to
being born in a parallel universe and to halt their growth to normal they
went to live with their father (ie Ms Lister on the other Red Dwarf). Holly
was so overcome with Hilly, he changed his appearence to that of her and
Holly became Hilly. Kryten had crashed into a asteroid on Lister's space
bike, RD II/1 (Kryten) and was smashed up. Lister repaired him, but could
not quite catch (ahem !) Kryten's former personality !

	The story continues ...

	The Same generation, well almost .....

	Secondly. The real reason for the change of Holly from Norman Lovett
to Hattie Hayridge was because Norman Lovett had left the show because he
was launching his own career which, hasn't really taken off, though he is quite
funny and pop's up from time to time on Channel 4 (UK). The obvious choice
to replace a key cast member was Hilly and cook up a smoke screen story to
explain it.

	The new Kryten was because a new cast member was needed to give a
new input to the show. New actor, new look costume (rather than the old
plastic bag !).

	The stories do seem more independent of each other these days I'll
admit, though the production is better and I think the transition has worked
well. More money is available to do bigger/better stories. For example the
last one in series IV with the war on waxworld, a bigger if not better story.

	Other things missing from earlier. The 'quiet' scenes in the
observation 'bubble' where Rimmer went to think/mope. A favourite quote
is is from RDII/2: Better than Life when the cat appears there and is hungry.

	Cat: `I'm hungry, I just have to eat'
	Lister: `Shh, Rimmers dad's just died'
	Cat: `I'd prefer chicken'

	Incase there are a lot of people out there who haven't read the two
Red Dwarf books (Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers and Red
Dwarf: Better Than Life) I would advise them to get a hold of them. Series
one and two are based on these though like other TV books the stories
don't follow that well.

Spoilers ahead !

 For example, in Marooned (RD III/2), in the book
the snow/ice melts and the planet is a rubbish tip. The planet is earth
BTW as far as I remember (My books have been borrowed for 18 months !).
There is also an expansion on better than life (BTL). Lister lives with
Christine Kochanski in Beford Falls, where it is Christmas eve/Christmas
every day, until Rimmer appears crashing a articulated lorry through the
town, occupying the body of a hooker. The TV series picks it's way
through the books adapting this and that. The books are well worth a read
because of the expansion on the story/characters.


	That's about it for this posting,


	Neil



P.S. I think my favourite favourite episode is RDII/6: Parallel Universe.
     The re-working of a swap in the gender orientation of the world.
     Where Ms Rimmer tries to pick up Rimmer (mesmer-stare etc, Rimmer
     is a piece of 'Tottie' etc ...