Three million years ago…

Sometimes you just catch lightning in a bottle. So it is with the British comedy sci-fi series Red Dwarf. Twelve full seasons of show aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 2017. They starred Craig Charles as Dave Lister, a competent vending machine repairman, sentenced to eighteen months in suspended animation for smuggling his pregnant cat aboard the mining ship Red Dwarf.

While Lister remained in stasis, a radiation leak killed the rest of the crew. Safely sealed in the hold, the cats evolved into humanoid form. The cats now roam deep space in a fleet of their own…

The new 90-minute special is the thirteenth outing of the legendary sci-fi comedy. It reunites the original cast of Chris Barrie (Rimmer), Craig Charles (Lister), Danny John-Jules (Cat) Robert Llewellyn (Kryten) and sees the return of Holly (Norman Lovett) the much loved ship’s computer. Written and directed by Doug Naylor, it was recorded in front of a live studio audience over two nights at the world famous Pinewood Studios.

The special will see the posse meet three cat clerics (Tom Bennett, Mandeep Dhillon, Lucy Pearman) who worship Lister as their God. Lister vows to help them as they’re being hunted by Rodon, the ruthless feral cat leader (Ray Fearon) who has vowed to wipe out all cats who worship anyone but him.

Also joining the cast are Tom Bennett (Rocketman, David Brent: Life on the Road, Phone Shop, Only Fools and Horses: The Musical) Mandeep Dhillon (Afterlife, Some Girls, Fried) Ray Fearon ( Fleabag, Beauty and the Beast, In Search of Shakespeare) Lucy Pearman (Mister Winner, The Mind of Herbert Clunkerdunk) Al Roberts (Stath Lets Flats, King Gary, Truth Seekers).

Red Dwarf: The Promised Land is set to premiere on Thursday, April 9, 2020 in the U.K. on UKTV’s Dave.

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