Editing Red Dwarf (section)

====''Red Dwarf: Back to Earth''====
{{Main|Red Dwarf: Back to Earth}}
In 2008, a three-episode production was commissioned by the digital channel [[Dave (TV channel)|Dave]]. ''Red Dwarf: Back to Earth'' was broadcast over the [[Easter]] weekend of 2009, along with a "making of" documentary.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/4348317/Red-Dwarf-to-return-in-new-series.html |title=Red Dwarf to return in new series |date=27 January 2009 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=27 January 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225174247/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/4348317/Red-Dwarf-to-return-in-new-series.html |archive-date=25 February 2009 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/02/20/back-to-earth-the-trilogy |title=Back To Earth: The Trilogy |date=20 February 2009 |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=20 February 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223073817/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/02/20/back%2Dto%2Dearth%2Dthe%2Dtrilogy |archive-date=23 February 2009}}</ref> The episode was set nine years after the events of "[[Only the Good...]]" (with the cliffhanger ending of that episode left unresolved, a situation that would continue with Series X). The storyline involves the characters arriving back on Earth, circa 2009, only to find that they are characters in a TV show called "Red Dwarf". Kochanski is supposedly dead and Holly is offline due to water damage caused by Lister leaving a tap running.<ref name="The Kryten Factor">{{cite magazine |title=Red Alert |date=April 2009 |magazine=[[SFX (magazine)|SFX]] |issue=181 |page=8}}</ref> Actress [[Sophie Winkleman]] played a character called Katerina, a resurrected hologram of a ''Red Dwarf'' science officer intent on replacing Rimmer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dave.uktv.co.uk/library/red-dwarf/red-dwarf-news-new-character-revealed |title=Red Dwarf News: New character revealed! |date=4 March 2009 |website=[[Dave (TV channel)|Dave]] |access-date=4 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090816161621/http://dave.uktv.co.uk/library/red-dwarf/red-dwarf-news-new-character-revealed |archive-date=16 August 2009}}</ref>

To achieve a more cinematic atmosphere, ''Back to Earth'' was not filmed in front of a studio audience. Some previous ''Red Dwarf'' episodes had been shot in that way ("[[Bodyswap (Red Dwarf)|Bodyswap]]" and all of the seventh series), but ''Back to Earth'' represented the first time that a laughter track was not added before broadcast.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/02/13/red-through |title=Red-Through: A high-definition start to the new ''Dwarf'' production |date=13 February 2009 |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=13 February 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216112653/http://reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/02/13/red%2Dthrough |archive-date=16 February 2009}}</ref> It was also the first episode of ''Red Dwarf'' to be filmed in [[High-definition television|high definition]].<ref name="The Kryten Factor"/>

The specials were televised over three nights, starting on Friday 10 April 2009. The broadcasts received record ratings for Dave;<ref name="BTE ratings Guardian">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/apr/14/red-dwarf-dave-record-ratings |title=TV ratings: Red Dwarf brings Dave record audience |last=Holmwood |first=Leigh |date=14 April 2009 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |publisher=[[Guardian Media Group|Guardian News and Media Limited]] |access-date=5 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513064349/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/apr/14/red-dwarf-dave-record-ratings |archive-date=13 May 2014}}</ref> the first of the three episodes represented the UK's highest-ever viewing figures for a commissioned programme on a digital network.<ref name="BTE ratings">{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/04/17/back-to-earth-ratings |title=Back To Earth Ratings |date=17 April 2009 |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=5 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913040530/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/04/17/back-to-earth-ratings |archive-date=13 September 2012}}</ref> ''Back to Earth'' was released on DVD on 15 June 2009,<ref name="BTE DVD date">{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/02/20/dave-episodes-dvd-date-revealed |title=Dave Episodes' DVD Date Revealed |date=20 February 2009 |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=20 February 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223073856/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/02/20/dave%2Depisodes%2Ddvd%2Ddate%2Drevealed |archive-date=23 February 2009}}</ref> and on [[Blu-ray]] on 31 August 2009.<ref name="BTE BR date">{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/07/24/bluray-in-the-uk |title=Blu-ray In The UK |date=24 July 2009 |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=5 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121201031235/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/2009/07/24/bluray-in-the-uk |archive-date=1 December 2012}}</ref> ''Back to Earth'' was subsequently described on the series' official website as "for all intents and purposes, the 'ninth series' of ''Red Dwarf''".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/help |title=The Show: Q&A |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=30 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717125011/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/help |archive-date=17 July 2012}}</ref> This placement was confirmed when Series X was commissioned and branded as the tenth series, although ''Back to Earth'' continues not to be referred to as "Series IX" on home media or digital releases.