Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2565 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-11-08
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, Esperanto
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 180 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's brown alert time all over again for Red Dwarf fans with the fifth season of the much-loved sci-fi/comedy series. Episode-wise, it's business as usual for the crew of the Red Dwarf--that is, if one considers encountering an alien squid that squirts a despair-inducing hallucinogen ("Back to Reality", later voted the best episode of the series by viewers and Stephen Hawking!), evil (and not particularly bright) versions of the crew ("Demons and Angels"), a virus that causes insanity ("Quarantine"), and a trip to a moon created entirely from the mind of the insufferable hologram Rimmer ("Terrorform") business as usual.

In short, it's six hilarious episodes, highlighted by the typically terrific writing of creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor (who also direct two episodes). As with the previous deluxe DVD releases, Series V features a wealth of supplemental features, the most intriguing of which is a look at the failed attempt to recreate the show in America (with U.K. cast member Robert Llewellyn and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Terry Farrell as Cat). Also included are cast and fan commentaries, featurettes on the show's "science" and villains, special effects tests, blooper reels, and a sampling of Grant and Naylor's BBC 4 radio sketch "Dave Hollins, Space Cadet", which served as the inspiration for Red Dwarf. Dedicated DVD owners will also be rewarded by Easter eggs lurking throughout the menus. --Paul Gaita

Special Features
- Cast Commentary - Fan Commentary - Back To Reality Fan Profiles - "Heavy Science" Series V doco - Weblink - "Dwarfing USA" featurette - The SFX Of Red Dwarf - Deleted Scenes - Smeg Ups Trailers - BBC2/Skutter Channel Idents Lister - Intro to "Best Episode Ever" "Bad Guys" - Music Featurette - Photo Gallery - Raw Effects Footage - Isolated Music Cues - Dave Hollins Radio Sketch - 3 Easter Eggs including Animated Back To Reality

Synopsis
Featuring the complete Series 5 which originally aired in 1992 with viewing figures of around six million.

Customer Reviews

'Bullet Cybernautics!'...'That's Traffic Control!'
Red Dwarf is one of the finest sitcoms ever to hit the British screen, and even though this series loses its way from time to time it is still a gem. The lines are brilliant, we meet Dwayne Dibley (rivals Ace Rimmer for funniest bit part character ever) and many episodes simply shine. Unfortunately, some of the flaws that BEGAN to surface in IV and would eventually cripple the show in later series are all too clear.

Quarantine is one of the episodes that can lose its way, with the focus sometimes shifting towards special effects although it still has its momenets with the King of the Potato People. The Enquisitor is much the same, with perhaps too much sci fi but laughs a plenty with Rimmer's adventures with Fiona Barrington. The low point is definately Terraform, but even that is still very funny, as Kryten's SOS terrifies the Cat and Lister. The series picks up in the later half though, Demons and Angels is brilliant, with Lister forced to do things he would never do, eat things he would never eat and spill things onto things that no one should ever spill things onto! Holoship is another that suffers from too much glitz rather than plot, but yet again it's a good laugh as Rimmer finds love (and she does NOT want to throw up all over him). But then comes the real reason to buy this DVD - Back to Reality. Quite simply one of the funniest episodes ever for any sitcom, the episode is legendary. From Norman Bates' mum, to the Cybernautics division, to Dwayne Dibley and from William Doyle aka Good 'Ol Bill Doyle to Billy Doyle, a name from the wrong side of the tracks, this episode is perhaps the best Red Dwarf episode ever.

Overall, the series is too hampered by special effects and glitz, taking away from the brilliance of the plot and characters. While the Enquistior, Demons and Angels and especially Back to Reality rank up with the best, the other three all have their moments but fall short of the mark. Sometimes disjointed, never less than hilarious, always worth watching!

Best of the best of the best!
Here it is - the last point where absolutely EVERYONE agrees the series was still on top form. Some start to moan with series 6 (though I love it), and 7 and 8 really come in for a lot of flak. No such problems here though, there's nary a rough edge or weak moment to be seen - and there's a good reason why series 5 is considered among the majority of fandom the best series. It's the absolute peak of Red Dwarf.

It gave us some of the most iconic villians and secondary characters the series ever had - Daune Dibbley, later to be vastly overused but hilarious here in his first appearance - Psycotic glove-puppet penguin Mr Flibble - the chilling Inquisitor - while also introducing a whole ship of holograms, (where Rimmer finaly gets laid!), giving us 'Rimmer in a red gingham dress with hex vision', and Red Dwarf's best ever epsiode, Back to Reality.

The episodes are much darker and more dramatic than ever before - it's becoming borderline sci-fi drama/horror here - and it's all much more story-centric, though it remains as funny as ever. No time for the sitting around chatting from series 2 and 3, there's characters to be developed, monsters to be fought and the series' most hilarious set-pieces to be set up. The ideas and themes on display here would give any 'serious' sci-fi show a run for their money, with the writers really pushing all the boundaries of what was possible with the format and budget of the show. It's also really Rimmer's series - at least three of the six episodes revolve entirely around him - and what with him being the best and most popular character, that's no bad thing. In short, it's simply phenomonal, containing moments never to be bettered in the four previous or three following series. The DVD package itself is as top-notch as ever too - which is nothing less than the greatest Dwarf series deserves. If you only buy one series, buy this one.

Mr. Flibble says "Buy Series 5"
Red Dwarf still makes me laugh even now. From it's humble beginnings to the slightly overdone series 7 and 8, it is still one of the best british comedies ever.

Series 5 is quite a step up from the previous series but no less funny. IMO Quarantine is one of the best episodes ever.