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Red Dwarf series 12 – all you need to know

Photo credit: UKTV / Dave
Photo credit: UKTV / Dave

From Digital Spy

Calling all smegheads! Red Dwarf is returning for a 12th series later this year, and we're so excited, all six of our nipples are tingling.

The small rouge one has had an odd history when it comes to new series, and this will be the first time since 1993 that we've had new Red Dwarf two years in a row.

Here's everything you could possibly wish to know about the brand new run so far:

Red Dwarf XII: When is it back?

The 12th series will return on Thursday, October 12, 2017 on Dave.

RED DWARF XII. Landing on Dave in Autumn 2017!

Posted by Red Dwarf on Friday, July 7, 2017

A special screening of episode one first aired at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday, August 23 to a handful of lucky fans.

Red Dwarf XII trailer - is there a teaser?

Yes! Behold:

Red Dwarf cast: Who's coming back?

The core four of Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Robert Llewellyn and Danny John-Jules are all back on board as Lister, Rimmer, Kryten and Cat respectively.

Not only that, but Norman Lovett will be back as Holly after three series and 18 years away! What's happening dudes?

It has yet to be announced if any other former cast members, including Hattie Hayridge (Holly 2.0) or Chloe Annett (Kochanski), could be making a comeback.

Co-creator Doug Naylor is once again back as its chief writer.

Red Dwarf XII plot details: What are the episode titles?

UKTV and Dave revealed the titles for the next series' six episodes on August 11, and they're as cryptic as you'd imagine:

Photo credit: UKTV
Photo credit: UKTV

The official synopsis for the series reads like this:

"For the very first time, the rest of the crew discover just how it feels to be Kryten when they're arrested by the Mechanoid Intergalactic Liberation Front.

"The Dwarfers come across a ship where criticism is illegal, and another where the crew have developed a cure for evil.

"The Cat struggles to choose between Kryten or Rimmer when the ship's machines revolt, while Lister discovers a simple update of the red Dwarf's latest software could be a matter of life or death.

"Finally, Rimmer decides to leave this universe in search of a parallel one where hopefully he isn't such a massive loser."

The finale title 'Skipper' is a potential call back to the nickname Ace Rimmer gave to Lister way back when. Could Ace be making a triumphant return?

And if so, will we finally find out what happened regarding the 'original' version of Rimmer who became Ace in series 7, and the nanobot-created Rimmer in series 8?

Well, probably not, as Doug Naylor dismissed this idea when Digital Spy spoke to the team in September. He said: "Originally, it was called 'Starbots', And that's where [Rimmer] quantum skips. It's about quantum skipping, rather than Ace Rimmer."

Since the Dave era, the Rimmer we have been laughing at appears to be the original Rimmer, as he has memories of events that happened in early series, and is once again a hardlight hologram. The nanobot-created Rimmer was not a hologram and was essentially a copy of the Rimmer from back in series 1, without any of the 'growth' he achieved since then.

Of course, we might be totally off course and we may never find out what happened, but a geek can dream.

One of the most exciting elements, which has been long teased, is the prospect of Lister, Rimmer and Cat becoming mechanoids just like Kryten, as these pictures show:

Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: UKTV / Dave
Photo credit: UKTV / Dave

After years and years of Robert Llewellyn enduring (and no doubt complaining about) his hours and hours of make-up, the rest of the main cast finally found out just how uncomfortable it is.

Danny John-Jules (Cat) said: "It was quite disturbing. The thing was we could only see your eyes, scary, it actually looks like you in the mask. We ended up in the scenes kind of staring at each other.

"The problem was, the sweat sort of collects under the mask but outside it was about -5 degrees, so we'd run out to get fresh air and then nearly die of pneumonia!"

Craig Charles (Lister) said: "It was so uncomfortable, so hot, I thought I was crying at one point but I wasn't, I was sweating through my eyes! Chris got ill wearing it."

Chris Barrie (Rimmer) added: "It was brilliant in the morning, wasn't it, but over lunch, sitting in it and waiting is always the hardest bit. When you're working I'm not bothered about it, but when you're having to wait, and you're in the mask and you can't do anything, you're thinking, 'Is this going to come off?!'"

On being mean to Robert all this time, Danny added: "28 years of guilt, of calling him a big wuss. We literally went out bowing to [Rob], because it was amazing."

Robert said: "It was just the weirdest thing, they were absolutely them but they were all mechanoid versions of them, there's no way of describing it."

Red Dwarf XI photos: Are there any teasers?

There have been a few teaser photos from the upcoming series, behold:

Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave

When did filming begin?

Filming for series 12 actually began back in January 2016, as it was filmed back to back with last year's series 11.

Will there be a series 13?

There's yet to be any official word on a further series, but considering the impressive ratings Dave has achieved, we would be surprised if 12 was the last.

Speaking to Digital Spy earlier this year, Craig Charles said that he expects it to keep going after that.

"I'm sure we'll be doing more, having done these two series," he said. "Because it's right back to where we should be, it's won comedy awards, so a lot of people appreciated what we did, and we're really grateful for that.

Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave

"Because when you go and mess with a legacy like Red Dwarf, you've got to get it right. I think people were disappointed with series 9, but I quite liked it.

"People always go on about, 'You've got to make the Red Dwarf movie', that was what a Red Dwarf movie would be like. So I say, let's forget about the movie, let's focus on Red Dwarf the sitcom, because it's a sitcom."

Craig also promised fans that series 12 will be even better than the last. He said: "12 is stunning. It's like saving the best till last, there. We're really happy with the way it went, and it's definitely back on form.

"There's a lot of energy, and a lot of great ideas. Doug Naylor is a genius writer. There's that chemistry between the cast, that you can't teach.

"Some people say the secret of comedy is timing, it's not. It's energy. The energy was there, the energy was right. And we haven't grown up, which is really important. We haven't become world weary. We're still enjoying it."

When Digital Spy chatted to Doug Naylor in September, he said: "They [Dave] want more. It's just a question of working out schedules and everything.

"We don't want to overstay our welcome, but equally, if it's being well-received, you know, we'll do more."

Are there any guest stars in series XII?

The boys from the Dwarf are going to get a taste of the 'Pussay Patrol' (sorry) when The Inbetweeners star James Buckley shows up in an upcoming episode. And he's playing a mechanoid!

Speaking to Digital Spy, James said that it was a dream come true to feature in a new episode of Red Dwarf, but he might not be so obvious to spot.

Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave

"I absolutely love Red Dwarf," he said at UKTV Live last year. "Like, I read a few of the books when I was at school and I don't read! So to be alongside that, it's quite nice for me. I'm quite proud of that."

Talking about his appearance, he continued: "It was, yeah. It was like Make A Wish. I felt like a little sick child.

"I was on set and to be in an episode… I can't say too much but I don't think you'll recognise me. You'll hear my voice but you won't be able to recognise me. It was an absolute dream. And the four guys were so lovely to me. It was just really nice meeting them.

"What I maybe should have done is just watched an episode being made! Because I was on set just looking, going, 'Oh my God, that's the Cat! There's Kryten!'"

Meanwhile, series XII will also see appearances from comedian Johnny Vegas and Call the Midwife star Helen George. Behold these teaser pics:

Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave
Photo credit: Dave

Will Red Dwarf ever end?

Photo credit: Digital Spy
Photo credit: Digital Spy

Apparently not, if co-creator Doug Naylor has anything to do with it. But will the sci-fi series ever get a proper ending? Will Dave ever reunite with Kochanski and get back to Earth? Will Rimmer become an officer? Will Cat get laid?

Speaking at a BAFTA screening last year, Doug said that he'd rather never write a series finale and just let it end naturally.

"I don't want to write that final episode," he said. "Seinfeld did a final episode and Larry David said it was a mistake, if he had his time again, he wouldn't write it. I think the feeling was it was a slight disappointment.

"I think when people die, you don't really get any warning."

When is the next Dimension Jump fan convention?

The official Red Dwarf Fan Club convention is still a huge attraction for any proud Dwarfer, and it will be back in 2018, the year of the show's 30th anniversary.

Dimension Jump XX will also be the 20th convention to date. There have yet to be any more details about next year's event, but there are bound to be plenty of special goodies in store.


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