Editing Red Dwarf (section)

==Themes==
''Red Dwarf'' was founded on the standard sitcom focus of a disparate and frequently dysfunctional group of individuals living together in a restricted setting. With the main characters routinely displaying their cowardice, incompetence and laziness, while exchanging insulting and sarcastic dialogue, the series provided a humorous antidote to the fearless and morally upright space explorers typically found in science-fiction series,<ref name="screenonline: Red Dwarf"/> with its main characters acting bravely only when there was no other possible alternative. The increasing science-fiction elements of the series were treated seriously by creators Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. Satire, parody and drama were alternately woven into the episodes, referencing other television series, films and books. These have included references to the likes of ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]'' (1968),<ref name="2001: A Space Odyssey parody">{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=2&sectionID=behind-the-scenes&subsectionID=writing |title=Red Dwarf series II Writing |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=17 January 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421163512/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=2&sectionID=behind-the-scenes&subsectionID=writing |archive-date=21 April 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''[[Top Gun]]'' (1986),<ref name="Top Gun influences">{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=4&sectionID=behind-the-scenes&subsectionID=music |title=Red Dwarf: Series IV music |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |access-date=17 January 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081124230251/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?sectionID=behind-the-scenes&seriesID=4&subsectionID=music |archive-date=24 November 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> ''[[RoboCop]]'' (1987), ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'' (1977), ''[[Citizen Kane]]'' (1942), ''[[The Wild One]]'' (1953), ''[[High Noon]]'' (1952), ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'' (1955), ''[[Casablanca (film)|Casablanca]]'' (1942), ''[[Easy Rider]]'' (1969), ''[[The Terminator]]'' (1984),<ref name="GreatDebate"/> ''[[Pride and Prejudice]]'' (1813), Isaac Asimov's [[Robot series|''Robot'' series]] (1939–85) and the [[Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]].

The writers based the whole theme of some episodes on the plots of feature films. The series III episode "Polymorph" references and parodies key moments from ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' (1979); from series IV, "[[Camille (Red Dwarf)|Camille]]" echoes key scenes from ''Casablanca'' (1942),<ref name="GreatDebate"/> while "[[Meltdown (Red Dwarf)|Meltdown]]" borrows the main plot from ''[[Westworld (film)|Westworld]]'' (1973). For series IX, "[[Red Dwarf: Back to Earth|Back to Earth]]" was partially inspired by ''[[Blade Runner]]'' (1982).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=121&title=red_dwarf_back_to_earth_this_weekend_s_e_1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 |title='Red Dwarf: Back To Earth' – This Weekend's Essential Viewing |first=Rob |last=Howard |date=9 April 2009 |website=[[NME]] |access-date=15 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011201714/http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=121&title=red_dwarf_back_to_earth_this_weekend_s_e_1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 |archive-date=11 October 2012}}</ref> The series' themes are not limited to films or television, having also incorporated historical events and figures.<ref>Howarth & Lyons (1993) pp. 67–68.</ref> Religion also plays a part in the series, as a significant factor in the ultimate fate of the Cat race, and the perception of Lister as their 'God', both in the episode "[[Waiting for God (Red Dwarf)|Waiting for God]]"<ref>Howarth & Lyons (1993) pp. 48–49.</ref> (whose title makes a literary reference to the [[Samuel Beckett]] play ''[[Waiting for Godot]]''), as well as the crew meeting a man whom they believe to be [[Jesus Christ]] in series X episode "[[Lemons (Red Dwarf)|Lemons]]". The series VII episode "[[Ouroboros (Red Dwarf)|Ouroboros]]" derives its name and theme from the ancient mythological snake of the [[Ouroboros|same name]]. The third episode of series VI, "[[Gunmen of the Apocalypse]]", was based on the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The series explores many science-fiction staples such as time-travel paradoxes (including the [[grandfather paradox]]), the question of [[determinism]] and [[free will]] (in several episodes), the pursuit of happiness in virtual reality and, crucially to the show's premise of Lister being the last human, the near-certainty of the human species' [[extinction]] sometime in the far future.

[[Extraterrestrial life|Aliens]] do not feature in the series, as Grant and Naylor decided very early in the process that they did not want aliens involved. This is usually addressed with Rimmer's belief in extraterrestrial life being shot down, as with a vessel he believes to be an alien ship (which turns out to be a garbage pod). However, there are non-human life forms such as evolutions of Earth species (e.g. the cat race), robotic or holo-life forms created by humans, and a "genetically engineered life form" (GELF), an artificially created creature. Simulants and GELFs frequently serve as antagonists during the later series of the show.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/features/analysis/ten-moments-that-shaped-red-dwarf/index.cfm |title=Ten Moments That Shaped Red Dwarf |website=RedDwarf.co.uk |date=14 November 2008 |access-date=5 March 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307064851/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/features/analysis/ten-moments-that-shaped-red-dwarf/index.cfm |archive-date=7 March 2009}}</ref>