Balance of Power

Red Dwarf: Season 1: Episode 3

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Balance of Power

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BBC-2 | BBC Two | Air Date: February 29, 1988
Starring: Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules, Norman Lovett, Hattie Hayridge, Chloe Annett, Robert Llewellyn
Summary: Lister takes a break from Rimmer's supremely boring inventory checks and goes for a drink. Sitting in the empty bar, he flashes back to a disco that he attended with his past-time shipmates -- Petersen, Chen and Selby -- and finally senses how alone he is.After he wallows in self-pity for being alone in deep space, Lister pleads with RimmerLister takes a break from Rimmer's supremely boring inventory checks and goes for a drink. Sitting in the empty bar, he flashes back to a disco that he attended with his past-time shipmates -- Petersen, Chen and Selby -- and finally senses how alone he is.After he wallows in self-pity for being alone in deep space, Lister pleads with Rimmer to allow him to create a hologram of Kristine Kochanski, an attractive crewmate he had flirted with despite her being far above him in the pecking order. When Rimmer invokes his standing as a superior crew member (2nd Technician as opposed to 3rd Technician) and flatly refuses, Lister vows to circumvent him, and threatens to take the exams to become an officer, so that he would then outrank him.
Rimmer scoffs at the idea but wakes up in the morning to discover that Lister is off studying for the chef's exam, a fairly trivial officer position, but an officer position nonetheless.
Rimmer tries to discourage Lister from taking the exam and even orders him not to, but Lister doesn't give in, saying that the only way he won't take the exam is if Rimmer lets him see Kochanski.On the day of the exam, Kochanski walks in and Lister is stunned beyond belief. However, Kochanski tells him that she isn't interested in him and wants a real man. Lister is hurt but is puzzled at her manner. He comments on the night that they slept together, and she replies in disbelief, proving to him that it is actually Rimmer who has simply reorganized his Holoprojection to look like Kochanski. Lister tells Rimmer to go away and he takes the exam.Lister comes from the exam room to receive his results and Rimmer asks how he did. Lister's face is expressionless until he leaps in the air and shouts "How'd I do, Mr Lister, Sir!"… Expand
Creator: Rob Grant and Doug Naylor
Genre(s): Comedy, Science Fiction
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