Future Echoes: Capsule
Recorded: 18/10/1987
Broadcast: 22/2/1988
Written by: Rob Grant and Doug Naylor
Directed by: Ed Bye
What is it?
When Red Dwarf breaks the speed of light, time dilates and the new crew begin to experience visions from their own futures. Sadly for Lister his future appears to include being reduced to his component atoms by a rather large explosion. Happily for Rimmer, Lister’s appears to include being reduced to his component atoms by a rather large explosion.
Production Notes
The show was originally intended to the fourth episode broadcast, but it was brought forward because it was deemed the strongest of the series.
This show was notoriously difficult to rehearse - two days was given purely to rehearsing the 'Double Rimmer' scene.
The pre-recorded elements for this episode were: the future echo of the aged Lister, Lister holding the babies, Rimmer's haircut and, of course, the Double Rimmer scene.
This is the first episode to alter the closing titles, with a polaroid of Lister's sons superimposed over the long tracking shot of Red Dwarf.
Book Version
A section of Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers was a novelisation of Future Echoes. The major plot difference was that the person who really died was Lister's grandson, as opposed to his son. Rob and Doug had always felt that Lister's casual response to news that his son will die young was out of character, and so by distancing the relation, they rectified this.
The advantages offered by the novel as a media were something that Rob and Doug were always aware of. They use the ability to be an omniscient observer, reading the thoughts of a character, by running us through Lister's train of thought as the news of his death sinks in. All those things he'd never done, like never reading a book. But then again, he had been briefly idolised by Kochanski and became a legend on the Aigburth Arms pool table. How many men could say that?
Re-Mastered
- More sound-effects on things like the vending machine and Rimmer's changes of uniform and hairstyle.
- A new CGi shot showed Red Dwarf's jump to light speed as much more sudden, and a motion blur was added to the fist few seconds of the next scene.
- A new piece of background was added to the scene of Lister fixing the Navi-Comp, in an attempt to heighten the tension.
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 Six of the Best I. Released as part of a box set in 1995 by BBC Worldwide. Catalogue No. : BBCV 6160
- 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
- Free episode of Red Dwarf, Plus Special Features. A VCD given away free with DVD Review #45 (December 2002).
Credits
| Rimmer | Chris Barrie |
| Lister | Craig Charles |
| Cat | Danny John-Jules |
| Holly | Norman Lovett |
| Toaster | John Lenahan |
| Written by | Rob Grant and Doug Naylor |
| Music | Howard Goodall |
| 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 | Mike Jackson |
| 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: Remi Brocks and Jordan Russell (Jim and Bexley)