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The Worst Episodes of Red Dwarf

Every episode of Red Dwarf ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Red Dwarf!

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The adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Red Dwarf Season 12 Episode 3 - Timewave
    6.0/10(522 votes)

    #1 - Timewave

    S12:E3

    The boys from the Dwarf discover a ship where all forms of criticism are illegal.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  2. Red Dwarf Season 9 Episode 2 - Back to Earth (2)
    6.1/10(916 votes)

    #2 - Back to Earth (2)

    S9:E2

    Rimmer's replacement, Katerina, is determined to guide Lister back to his home planet. But Earth in 2009 is not everything the boys had expected, and Rimmer has no intention of being replaced.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  3. Red Dwarf Season 9 Episode 3 - Back to Earth (3)
    6.1/10(915 votes)

    #3 - Back to Earth (3)

    S9:E3

    When Lister's busy day of annoying Rimmer was interrupted by the discovery of a dimension-hopping leviathan in the ship's mile-deep water tank, transporting the crew back to Earth, all Lister's dreams appear to be coming true.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  4. Red Dwarf Season 9 Episode 1 - Back to Earth (1)
    6.2/10(1670 votes)

    #4 - Back to Earth (1)

    S9:E1

    Nine years later the Red Dwarf crew are older but still none the wiser. Lister's busy day of annoying Rimmer is interrupted by the discovery of a dimension-hopping leviathan in the ship's mile-deep water tank.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  5. Red Dwarf Season 11 Episode 1 - Twentica
    6.2/10(658 votes)

    #5 - Twentica

    S11:E1

    The Dwarfers find themselves in an alternative version of America where modern technology is prohibited, making Rimmer and Kryten illegal. The Dwarfers infiltrate the tech-savvy underground and try to bring down the authoritarian regime.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  6. Red Dwarf Season 8 Episode 1 - Back in the Red (1)
    6.3/10(774 votes)

    #6 - Back in the Red (1)

    S8:E1

    Thanks to the nanobots, the Red Dwarf is back in business with its original crew on board, which means Rimmer is alive and well.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  7. Red Dwarf Season 8 Episode 6 - Pete (1)
    6.3/10(739 votes)

    #7 - Pete (1)

    S8:E6

    After infecting the prison guards' basketball team with a sexual-enhancement virus, Lister and Rimmer are sent to the hole.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Doug Naylor, Paul Alexander

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  8. Red Dwarf Season 8 Episode 5 - Krytie TV
    6.6/10(818 votes)

    #8 - Krytie TV

    S8:E5

    After being cornered and reprogrammed by restless, sex-starved prisoners, Kryten launches his own television station called Krytie TV.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Doug Naylor, Paul Alexander

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  9. Red Dwarf Season 7 Episode 5 - Blue
    6.7/10(808 votes)

    #9 - Blue

    S7:E5

    Lister is conflicted when he discovers that he actually misses Rimmer, who's been away protecting the universe for far too long.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Kim Fuller, Doug Naylor

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  10. Red Dwarf Season 12 Episode 1 - Cured
    6.7/10(593 votes)

    #10 - Cured

    S12:E1

    The crew stumble upon a science centre where vile historical figures have been 'cured' of evil.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  11. Red Dwarf Season 8 Episode 2 - Back in the Red (2)
    6.8/10(749 votes)

    #11 - Back in the Red (2)

    S8:E2

    Armed with a stash of confidential files, Rimmer proceeds to brown-nose Capt. Hollister in hopes of receiving officer status.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  12. Red Dwarf Season 8 Episode 7 - Pete (2)
    6.8/10(736 votes)

    #12 - Pete (2)

    S8:E7

    In an attempt to bring Pete the sparrow back to life, the Red Dwarfers inadvertently cause him to devolve into a tyrannosaur that stalks the ship.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Doug Naylor, Paul Alexander

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  13. Red Dwarf Season 11 Episode 5 - Krysis
    6.8/10(525 votes)

    #13 - Krysis

    S11:E5

    Kryten has a mid-life crisis and changes his body cover from mech grey to Ferrari red. The posse try to show him how much he's achieved in life by taking him to visit a mechanoid from his old fleet.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  14. Red Dwarf Season 12 Episode 5 - M-Corp
    6.8/10(471 votes)

    #14 - M-Corp

    S12:E5

    A long-overdue software update spells trouble for the crew when they discover that the Jupiter Mining Corp has been sold!

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  15. Red Dwarf Season 7 Episode 6 - Beyond a Joke
    6.9/10(776 votes)

    #15 - Beyond a Joke

    S7:E6

    The crew reluctantly explores the works of Jane Austen when Kristine Kochanski takes them on a virtual reality tour of Pride and Prejudice World.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Doug Naylor, Robert Llewellyn

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  16. Red Dwarf Season 12 Episode 4 - Mechocracy
    6.9/10(478 votes)

    #16 - Mechocracy

    S12:E4

    The machines of Red Dwarf go on strike. Kryten and Rimmer campaign against each other for their votes in an election to represent them.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  17. Red Dwarf Season 1 Episode 4 - Waiting for God
    7.0/10(1080 votes)

    #17 - Waiting for God

    S1:E4

    When Holly, the ship's computer, reports a mysterious pod floating in space, Rimmer insists on capturing the capsule.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Rob Grant, Doug Naylor

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  18. Red Dwarf Season 7 Episode 3 - Ouroboros
    7.0/10(819 votes)

    #18 - Ouroboros

    S7:E3

    The Red Dwarfers pick up a new crew member -- Lister's old flame, Kristine Kochanski -- when they encounter a wormhole.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  19. Red Dwarf Season 10 Episode 5 - Dear Dave
    7.0/10(671 votes)

    #19 - Dear Dave

    S10:E5

    Lister gets involved in a love triangle with snack dispensers 23 and 34.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  20. Red Dwarf Season 11 Episode 6 - Can of Worms
    7.0/10(491 votes)

    #20 - Can of Worms

    S11:E6

    Cat takes time off from being in love with himself to fall head-over-heels in love with a female cat with a big secret.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  21. Red Dwarf Season 6 Episode 5 - Rimmerworld
    7.1/10(878 votes)

    #21 - Rimmerworld

    S6:E5

    Rimmer finds himself on a strange planet where the only other inhabitants are the clones he's made of himself.

    Director:Andy de Emmony
    Writers:Rob Grant, Doug Naylor

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  22. Red Dwarf Season 8 Episode 8 - Only the Good...
    7.1/10(747 votes)

    #22 - Only the Good...

    S8:E8

    The series concludes as a mysterious life form invades the Red Dwarf courtesy of an escape pod and starts eating away at the ship.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  23. Red Dwarf Season 12 Episode 6 - Skipper
    7.1/10(513 votes)

    #23 - Skipper

    S12:E6

    With the aid of a Quantum Skipper, Rimmer leaves the Red Dwarf to travel the multiverse in search of a dimension where he isn't such a loser.

    Director:Doug Naylor
    Writer:Doug Naylor

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  24. Red Dwarf Season 1 Episode 3 - Balance of Power
    7.2/10(1115 votes)

    #24 - Balance of Power

    S1:E3

    Fed up with Rimmer always pulling rank, Lister decides to take the chef's exam to become his superior -- which doesn't sit well with Rimmer.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Rob Grant, Doug Naylor

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  25. Red Dwarf Season 1 Episode 5 - Confidence & Paranoia
    7.2/10(1110 votes)

    #25 - Confidence & Paranoia

    S1:E5

    Plagued by a nasty case of space pneumonia, Lister begins to hallucinate.

    Director:Ed Bye
    Writers:Rob Grant, Doug Naylor

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Timewave" is the worst rated episode of "Red Dwarf". It scored 6/10 based on 522 votes. Directed by Doug Naylor and written by Doug Naylor, it aired on 10/26/2017. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Back to Earth (2)".