science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
''
Red Dwarf
A red dwarf is the smallest kind of star on the main sequence. Red dwarfs are by far the most common type of fusing star in the Milky Way, at least in the neighborhood of the Sun. However, due to their low luminosity, individual red dwarfs are ...
'' Series IV and the twentieth episode in the series' run. It was first broadcast on the British television channel
BBC2
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and ...
on 21 February 1991, although it was planned to be broadcast as the fifth episode, it was moved forward in the schedule by the BBC. Written by
Rob Grant
Robert Grant is an English comedy writer, television producer and co-creator of the ''Red Dwarf'' comedy franchise. Since ''Red Dwarf'', Grant has written two television series, ''The Strangerers'' and ''Dark Ages (TV series), Dark Ages'', and ...
and
Doug Naylor
Douglas Rodger Naylor (born 31 December 1955) is an English comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer.
Life and career
Naylor was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, and studied at Chetham's School of Music ...
, and directed by
Ed Bye
Edward Richard Morrison Bye is a British film and TV producer and director. He directed the episodes of the science-fiction sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' from Series I-IV and VII-VIII.
Early life
Ed Bye is the son of Royal Marine Colonel Francis Cliffo ...
, the episode revolves around the genetic engineering technology that the crew discover.
Plot
''Red Dwarf'' encounters a drifting spacecraft which
Arnold Rimmer
Arnold Judas Rimmer is a fictional character and one of the main characters of the science fiction sitcom ''Red Dwarf'', played by Chris Barrie. Rimmer is a second-class technician and the de facto leader of the mining ship ''Red Dwarf''. Portray ...
,
Dave Lister
David Lister, commonly referred to simply as Lister, is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy ''Red Dwarf'', portrayed by Craig Charles.
Lister is characterised as a third-class technician (the lowest ranking ...
,
Kryten
Kryten is a fictional character in the British science fiction situation comedy ''Red Dwarf''. The name ''Kryten'' is a reference to the head butler in the J.M. Barrie play ''The Admirable Crichton''. Originally referred to as a Series III mec ...
, and
Cat
The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...
decide to investigate. Once on board, the group split into pairs. While Rimmer and Kryten find the remains of a mutated human with three heads, Cat accidentally activates a machine that turns Lister into a chicken. When the others arrive, Kryten determines that the ship's crew were researching
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid (; DNA) is a polymer composed of two polynucleotide chains that coil around each other to form a double helix. The polymer carries genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of al ...
modifications and that the machine Cat used can rewrite the DNA of anything with organic matter. When an attempt to reverse the effect on Lister changes him into a hamster, Cat repeats the actions he did to change him. However, while Lister is restored to his human body, Kryten finds himself turned into a human, due to his brain being part-organic.Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 68.
Returning to ''Red Dwarf'', Kryten is initially ecstatic at being human, but finds he cannot conduct certain functions that he did as a mechanoid, and soon regrets the change after he insults his mechanoid spare heads, as well as revealing his sexual arousal to machines in a machine catalogue that he reads. The group agree to help him return to his original form, but Rimmer suggests they use a test subject first on the DNA modifier as a precaution. Lister opts to have the machine change the meat in his
vindaloo
Vindaloo or vindalho is a curry dish from the state of Goa in India. It is known globally in its British-Indian form as a staple of curry houses and Indian restaurants and is often regarded as a fiery, spicy dish. Vindaloo evolved from the Port ...
, but the modifier changes it into a living mutant beast that proves to be indestructible to their weapons. Lister opts to be changed into a powerful fighting machine and becomes a cyborg that he calls "Man Plus", only to be a foot in height. However, he soon discovers that the creature is weak to
lager
Lager (; ) is a Type of beer, style of beer brewed and Brewing#Conditioning, conditioned at low temperature. Lagers can be Pale lager, pale, Amber lager, amber, or Dark lager, dark. Pale lager is the most widely consumed and commercially availab ...
when it stands in some spilled from a can, and so throws another into its mouth and shoots the can, killing the creature explosively.Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 69.
Production
"DNA", official full title "Do Not Alter",changed the continuity of the relationship between Lister and
Kristine Kochanski
Kristine Z. Kochanski is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy ''Red Dwarf''. Kochanski was the first console officer in the navigation chamber on board the spaceship ''Red Dwarf''. As well as appearing in the te ...
. It is established that they had been dating and that she broke up with him, an idea which had been introduced in the novel ''
Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers
''Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers'' is a best-selling science fiction comedy novel by Grant Naylor, the collective name for Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, co-creators and writers of the ''Red Dwarf'' television series, on which the nov ...
''. Doug Naylor and
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles (born 11 July 1964) is an English actor, comedian and radio presenter. He is best known for his roles as Dave Lister in the science fiction sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' and Lloyd Mullaney in the soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (2 ...
explained that Lister's infatuation with Kochanski, despite barely knowing her,'' Red Dwarf I'' episode " Balance of Power". was unrealistic.
With the tail end of production and finances running low the DNA ship's set was rushed and was not as had been expected. However, the grungy-looking corridors and rooms were better than nothing which may have been the case.
Paul McGuinness, a member of the effects team, wore the Vindaloo Mutant outfit. He also produced the three-headed corpse that Kryten and Rimmer discover on board the DNA ship.
Richard Ridings
Richard John Ridings (born 19 September 1958) is an English actor. He portrayed Alan Ashburn in the ITV television drama '' Fat Friends'', Mr. Lipa in the Academy Award-nominated World War II drama ''The Pianist'' (2002), Bernard Green in the ...
voices the D.N.A. Ship Computer.
A cast-inspired gag came in at the end of the scene with Rimmer planning to clone himself from his own dandruff. Timing it just right into the rehearsals,
Danny John-Jules
Daniel John-Jules (born 16 September 1960) is a British actor, singer and dancer. He is best known for playing Cat (Red Dwarf), Cat in the sci-fi comedy series ''Red Dwarf'', Barrington in the comic children's series ''Maid Marian and Her Merry M ...
sneezed on the microscope at the right moment.
Blue-screen techniques was used to produce the transformation of Lister to a "super-human" man plus. Craig Charles was shot in front of a bluescreen to make him appear one foot tall, while this was added to the other crew's footage, who were also involved in blue screen, as they run by the small Lister.
Cultural references
The 1935 film ''
Bride of Frankenstein
''Bride of Frankenstein'' is a 1935 American Gothic science fiction horror film, and the first sequel to Universal Pictures' 1931 film ''Frankenstein''. As with the first film, ''Bride of Frankenstein'' was directed by James Whale starring ...
'' is referenced by the Cat regarding the way he looks when he cannot use an electrical socket to blow-dry his hair.
Rimmer initially concludes that the spacecraft encountered is alien and that it is attempting to contact the Red Dwarf crew in order to return
Glenn Miller
Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...
. This references the alien abduction myth of Miller, whose plane went missing in 1944 and was never found.
Lister attributes
Popeye the Sailor Man
Popeye the Sailor Man is a fictional cartoon character created by E. C. Segar, Elzie Crisler Segar.Descartes (in reference to the latter's famous line, "
I think, therefore I am
The Latin , usually translated into English as "I think, therefore I am", is the "first principle" of René Descartes's philosophy. He originally published it in French as , in his 1637 ''Discourse on the Method'', so as to reach a wider audi ...
"), but the attribution is corrected by Rimmer. (Kryten later makes the same mistake.)
Using the DNA modifier, Holly turns Lister into a super-human fighting machine "Man Plus". The result transforms Lister into a small replica hybrid of
RoboCop
''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dani ...
from the 1987 film of the
same name
''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...
.
When Lister is being chased by the vindaloo mutation he parodies
Bruce Willis
Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955) is a retired American actor. He achieved fame with a leading role on the comedy-drama series ''Moonlighting (TV series), Moonlighting'' (1985–1989) and has appeared in over one hundred films, gaining ...
' line from ''
Die Hard 2
''Die Hard 2'' (also known by its tagline ''Die Harder'' or ''Die Hard 2: Die Harder'')The film's onscreen title is ''Die Hard 2'', as also given at the initial home-video release'official website The film's original advertising used "Die Har ...
'' (1990); "How can the same smeg happen to the same guy twice?", referencing the previous series when he was attacked by what he thought to be a
shami kebab
Shami kabab or shaami kabab is a South Asian variety of kebab, composed of a shallow fried small patty of minced meat, generally beef, but occasionally lamb or mutton (a chicken version exists as well), with ground chickpeas, egg as binder, ...
in " Polymorph". '' Jaws'' is then parodied in the final scene when Lister disposes of the vindaloo mutation by throwing a lager can into its mouth and then shooting at the can, making it explode along with the mutation.
Reception
"DNA" was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 21 February 1991 in the 9:00 p.m. evening time slot, although it was intended to be broadcast fifth in the series run—as seen in the repeat showings in 1992 and 1994. The change in the scheduling was affected by the
Gulf War
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
hostilities at the time, which meant that " Dimension Jump", originally the series' opener, and " Meltdown" were held back.
The episode was considered to be one of the better episodes from the fourth series;Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd., ISSN 0965-5603 however, it did receive some criticism for moving the humour away from the characters and into situation-based comedy.