DNA (Red Dwarf)
A DNA modifier turns Lister into a chicken and Kryten into a human.
"DNA" is the second episode of Red Dwarf Series IV and the twentieth episode overall. It was first broadcast on BBC2 on 21 February 1991. The episode centers on genetic engineering technology discovered by the crew.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Red Dwarf
- Episode
- 2
- Director
- Ed Bye
- Writer
- Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
- Air date
- 21 February 1991
- Guests
- Richard Ridings as D.N.A. Ship Computer
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Red Dwarf encounters a drifting spacecraft, and the crew—Arnold Rimmer, Dave Lister, Kryten, and Cat—investigate. Splitting into pairs, Rimmer and Kryten find a mutated human with three heads, while Cat accidentally activates a machine that turns Lister into a chicken. Kryten determines the ship's crew researched DNA modifications and that the machine rewrites organic matter. Attempts to reverse the effect change Lister into a hamster; Cat repeats his actions, restoring Lister but turning Kryten human due to his part-organic brain. Back on Red Dwarf, Kryten initially enjoys being human but soon regrets it after insulting his spare heads and revealing arousal from a machine catalogue. The group agrees to help him revert, but Rimmer suggests a test first. Lister uses the modifier on his vindaloo meat, which becomes an indestructible mutant beast. Lister transforms into a one-foot-tall cyborg called "Man Plus" and kills the creature by exploiting its vulnerability to lager.
Production
The episode's full title is "Do Not Alter". It established that Lister and Kristine Kochanski had been dating and that she broke up with him, an idea from the novel Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers. Doug Naylor and Craig Charles felt Lister's infatuation with Kochanski despite barely knowing her was unrealistic. With finances low, the DNA ship's set was rushed and grungy-looking but better than nothing. Paul McGuinness wore the Vindaloo Mutant outfit and produced the three-headed corpse. Richard Ridings voiced the D.N.A. Ship Computer. Blue-screen techniques made Craig Charles appear one foot tall as Man Plus, with other crew members also shot against bluescreen.
Reception
Broadcast on BBC2 at 9:00 p.m. on 21 February 1991, the episode's running order was affected by the Gulf War, delaying "Dimension Jump" and "Meltdown". It was considered one of the better episodes of the fourth series but received criticism for shifting humour from characters to situation-based comedy. Sophie Davies, writing for CultBox in 2017, noted that the ending lets the episode down by abandoning Kryten's story, and that seeing Robert Llewellyn without his mask was fun but the episode could have explored the change more.
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