Balance of Power: Capsule
Recorded: 4/10/1987
Broadcast: 29/2/1988
Written by: Rob Grant and Doug Naylor
Directed by: Ed Bye
What is it?
Rimmer encounters his most dangerous blood chilling challenge ever - Lister is taking the chef's exam. If Lister passes he will hold sufficient rank to have Rimmer replaced as the ship's hologram. Just how low will the universe's most obnoxious dead man stoop to stop him?
Production Notes
Balance of Power was the second episode recorded, but was put back to third for the broadcast due to Future Echoes being pushed forward.
The pre-recorded scenes for this episode were: the disco scenes, the cinema scene, the chef from Lister's video, Rimmer getting changed in the bunkroom and the voice of the toilet.
This show features the first cliff-hanger of sorts, Lister lying about passing the chef's exam. Not quite in the same league as getting blown up by one's future selves, but there you go.
Deleted Scenes
The recent DVD release featured:
- An extended version of Lister boozing with Chen, Selby and Petersen.
- Additional dialogue as Lister prepares to enter the chef's exam.
- The full-length version of the exam scene, featuring a larger role for C.P. Grogan as 'Rimmer' inside Kochanski's body.
Re-Mastered
- In what is widely regarded as the worst piece of editing ever, all references to black and white cards were removed. Still, the CGI shots are more important than funny dialogue, after all.
- A lot of loud music and ambient noise was added to the disco scene, with the undesired result of much of the dialogue being obscured. This scene was used in a promotional piece for the Re-Mastered series, which was shown on 13/02/1998 on BBC TWO. They showed a before/after comparison of the scene, and most viewers concluded that it was better before.
Recycled Ideas
Rimmer's analysis of his exam question in this episode came from the final episode of Rob and Doug's early radio show Cliché (broadcast 20/04/1981).
The sequel to Cliché, Son of Cliché, featured a series of sketches called Freshers. The notion of constructing a huge revision timetable comes from here, and is expanded further in Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers.
Videos/DVDs
The episode is (or at least was) availiable on the following releases:
- Red Dwarf I Byte I: The End. Released in 1993 by BBC Enterprises. Catalogue No. : BBCV 4914
- Red Dwarf Series One Re-Mastered: Episodes I - III. Released in 1998 by BBC Worldwide. Catalogue No. : BBCV 6436
- Red Dwarf I - The Original Series. Released in 2002 by BBC Worldwide. Catalogue No. : BBCDVD 1117
Credits
| Rimmer | Chris Barrie |
| Lister | Craig Charles |
| Cat | Danny John-Jules |
| Holly | Norman Lovett |
| Trout a la Creme & Chef | Rupert Bates |
| Chen | Paul Bradley |
| Selby | David Gillespie |
| Petersen | Mark Williams |
| Kochanski | C P Grogan |
| Written by | Rob Grant and Doug Naylor |
| Music | Howard Goodall |
| Disco Music | Motor City Diva |
| Developed for Television by | Paul Jackson Productions |
| Graphic Designer | Mark Allen |
| Visual Effects Designer | Peter Wragg |
| Properties Buyer | Mike Fallon |
| Assistant Floor Manager | Dona Distefano |
| Production Assistant | Alison Thornber |
| Unit Manager | Mario Dubois |
| Production Manager | George R. Clarke |
| Costume Designer | Jacki Pinks |
| Make-up Designer | Suzanne Jansen |
| Vision Mixer | Jill Dornan |
| Camera Supervisor | Melvyn Cross |
| Technical Co-ordinator | Ron Clare |
| Videotape Editor | Ed Wooden |
| Lighting Director | John Pomphrey |
| Sound Supervisor | Tony Worthington |
| Designer | Paul Montague |
| Executive Producer | Paul Jackson |
| Produced & Directed by | Ed Bye |
Uncredited Extras: Rupert Bates (Toilet); Beverley Isherwood, Steve Meridith, Cordell, Julie Fowley, Soni Walker, John Barryman, Phillip Haigh, Stephen Holt, Richard Hennassey, Alison Cragg, Paul Taylor, Stewart Hurst, Janet Kane, Kevin Coloridge, June Rosco, Simon Alexander, Glynis Williams, Debbie King, Tracey Bayler, Kelly Jay (Crew).