Red Dwarf: Just The Shows (Vol. 1) (Series 1-4) [DVD] [1988]

Also, not only do you get the shows, you also get a selection of highly enjoyable extra features, and if that weren't enough, with this special collectors edition, you even get a little model starbug to play with. What more could you want?

Buy this and I promise you won't be disappointed, especially at this price. I've seen the DVD on it's own for sale in shops for more than this. This is a fantastic item for any Red Dwarf fan, and if you haven't seen Red Dwarf, then this is one of the best series to get you hooked on it - this series is the one that got me hooked.

Happy watching!

If you are the sort of person that loves extras such as cast and crew interviews, loads of background detail on how things were made, stuff about character progression, that sort of thing, then please don’t buy these. You will do much better with the original release DVDs which feature all sorts of stuff like that.

If on the other hand you’re like me, and perhaps you’ll look at one or two extras just because they’re there, but the reason you want Red Dwarf is to see the episodes then don’t hesitate – buy this set now.

I was looking for series 4 when I found this set - sold my old 1 2 & 3 DVDs here on Amazon and bought this instead. Worked out cheaper for me; and some people who would appreciate the extras much more than I have the full discs. So that’s a result all round I reckon.

Anyway, a thoroughly-deserved five stars. The episodes are here in all their wondrous glory. Truly magnificent British comedy. Just don’t expect any extras!

The first 4 series of Red Dwarf sum up everything that was right about BBC 2 during the late 80s and early 90s - ground-breaking, original comedy that was experimental with drama, comedy, genre and featuring new, young, talented actors (Chris Barrie as the acerbic Rimmer and Danny John-Jules as Cat were revelations). With this boxset you can see the evolution from a cheap, studio space sitcom into a lavish sci-fi comedy-drama featuring such brilliant characterisation that you wish TV comedy could stumble across its own stasis leak and rediscover this kind of programme. The first four series are also characterised by a tongue-in-cheek irreverence that never really takes itself too seriously - a factor sadly lacking in the later incarnations of Red Dwarf. (A good example is the Star Wars-style intro to series 3 that explains away the ending of series 2 as they obviously rewrote it as a totally new series - George Lucas could learn a thing or two!)

Laden with the best one-liners in the last 20 years and gleefully celebrating its own ingenuity with episode after episode of classy comic timing, character acting and brilliant scripting, Red Dwarf 1-4 are some of the most brash and confident comedy series ever produced by the Beeb. This gets 5 stars from me and it is thoroughly deserved;