Better Than Life: A Red Dwarf Podcast

Happy New Year! Why not treat yourself to some deleted scenes: Bits of interviews with our brilliant guests which couldn't quite fit in their episode - but which are a smashing good time anyway. Featuring snippets from the awesome Cariad Lloyd, Tom Salinsky and Travis McElroy!

SO WHAT IS IT?

Better Than Life is the pod where comedians talk Red Dwarf, the greatest sci-fi sitcom, one episode at a time. With a fresh guest every ...

Merry Christmas! For our festive special, we unwrap some great listener emails and attempt some seasonal chat… but somehow it keeps going a bit weird 

SO WHAT IS IT?

Better Than Life is the pod where comedians talk Red Dwarf, the greatest sci-fi sitcom, one episode at a time. With a fresh guest every ep, we’re your perfect podcast companion for a first watch or a rewatch. Be warned: spoilers! 

Hosted by Fergus (h...

Alexis Dubus tells us what it’s like to be in Red Dwarf! He’s an award winning stand-up and character comic (you may know his alter ego, Marcel Lucont) and his childhood fandom of Red Dwarf was a formative influence on his comedy. So imagine his delight when he was asked to guest star in series 11! It’s very cool to hear his behind-the-scenes stories. What’s more, having performed his own standup show, A R*ddy Brief History Of Swea...

Acclaimed standup, animator, filmmaker and children’s author Alasdair Beckett-King cannot overstate how much of a Red Dwarf fan he was back in the day. Case in point: he was angered by CGI Starbug in the way only a true fan can be. The show even influenced his taste in food… and his accent! He loved rekindling his youthful obsession for the podcast. 

Turning our focus to series 5 episode 5, Demons and Angels, we cover all t...

Filmmaker and comedian Matthew Highton remembers when Red Dwarf set the agenda for all playground conversations. And he certainly brings his A game to this chat, sharing so much of what he loves about the show - from the fantastic model work, to the endlessly entertaining relationship between Lister and Rimmer. What’s more, he gives us not one but three approaches to a fantasy re-cast. His insight into the links between comedy and ...

American podcaster, writer and comedian Travis McElroy has been a fan of Red Dwarf since it started airing on PBS. He has such a unique take on the boys from the Dwarf as a surrogate family, he really made us see the show in a different light. He gently challenges easy assumptions about how the crew relate to each other and why they say the things they do. Travis also reveals why Rimmer is his favourite - and a much better person t...

Tom Salinsky wrote the book on Red Dwarf. Two books, actually. We tap into his awesome knowledge - from the show’s alternative comedy roots, to a fascinating idea Grant and Naylor had for the pilot episode, which would have been very different… and very legendary. Tom also gives us the last word on continuity (who are we kidding?). We discuss Tom’s five star ratings… and Fergus judges Tom’s take on Justice. 

Speaking of jud...

Podcast royalty - and phenomenal comedian, actor and writer - Cariad Lloyd joins us to say some of the geekiest things she’s ever said on a pod. It all begins with the reveal of a teenage Christmas present, which will have you wishing this was a visual medium. Cariad also confesses the enduring influence of Kristine Kochanski in her life. 

Moving on to series 5 episode 4, Holoship, we leave no stone unturned. You’ll wonder ...

Find out which awesome comedians are joining us to talk Red Dwarf Series 5… and when we’re launching! 

SO WHAT IS IT?

Better Than Life is the pod where comedians talk Red Dwarf, the greatest sci-fi sitcom, one episode at a time. With a fresh guest every ep, we’re your perfect podcast companion for a first watch or a rewatch. Be warned: spoilers! 

Hosted by Fergus (huge fan) and John (lapsed fan). 

Production,...

We wrap up series 4 with some great listener emails and reflections on our Red Dwarf journey so far. We also look ahead to series 5...

Plus: will Fergus humble John with his surprise quiz? 

And we give you a special musical treat...

SO WHAT IS IT?

Better Than Life is the pod where comedians talk Red Dwarf, the greatest sci-fi sitcom, one episode at a time. With a fresh guest every ep, we’re your perfect podcast com...

Tom Salinsky is our special guest to talk about his two volume book, Red Dwarf: Discovering The TV Series. Packed with history, trivia and insights, it's a comprehensive companion to the show across all media. 

Volume 1 covers the original BBC series and is due to be released on 30th August 2024. Have a listen to this week's ep to find out how much effort Tom has put into this epic work.

SO WHAT IS IT?

Better Than Lif...

Hear more from Andrew O’Neill and Bethany Black. As we drift through deep space towards series five, this is the third in a short series featuring extras from our series four guests.

Andrew O’Neill talks about how much fans will forgive, misquoting music, and metalheads in Red Dwarf.

Bethany Black shares some juicy TV insider knowledge, unexpected biographical details about Pythagoras, and a critique of a famous movie script ...

Exclusive extra content from Tom Neenan and Alice Fraser, to bridge the gap between series four and five. This is the second in a short series featuring more from our series four guests.

Tom Neenan brings his brilliant brain to bear on continuity, the later series, Barbara Bellini, the Justice Field, Nicholas Ball, space mumps, and… just how clever is the Cat?

Alice Fraser’s supermassive intelligence is, frankly, wasted on th...

Before we launch into series five, enjoy some more from Matt Kirshen and Garrett Millerick. This is the first in a short series of specials featuring extra content from our great series four guests.

Matt Kirshen muses on the difference between US and UK comedy – specifically TV scheduling, stand-ups, stunt casting, sitcom scuzziness, and science.

Garrett Millerick ponders why series 7 might not have lived up to fan expectatio...

Top comedian, writer and actor Bethany Black was the first kid in her school to get into Red Dwarf. She spread the word and soon everyone was into it. So, you can expect a lifetime of wisdom and enthusiasm! 

We have an interesting chat about how the show relates to the Alternative Comedy movement and other sitcoms of the time. Bethany reveals how her favourite characters influenced the way she lived and dressed as a kid (sp...

Andrew O’Neill knows the exact date they got into Red Dwarf, telling us “it was exactly ‘me’ flavoured”. Surely we can all relate? And, refreshingly, they’re a proper fan of the Dave era episodes! Andrew is very insightful on why the show is perfect for young people… and metalheads. 

Series 4 episode 5, Dimension Jump, raises some interesting questions. Listener, would you like your own “Ace” if you met them? What are the m...

The incredible Alice Fraser goes all-in on what makes Red Dwarf awesome. Cleverness! Silliness! Heart! Toast! An amazing parliament-based metaphor (don’t worry, not political). A very cool comparison with a Pixar classic. And a traumatic memory of Rimmerworld that lives forever in a dark corner of Alice’s mind. 

Onto series 4 episode 4, White Hole, and it’s all going on. Alice shines a light on the different types of humour...

Smashing comedian and lead writer of The Mash Report, Tom Neenan brings his giant comedy brain to bear on Red Dwarf. Unsurprisingly for such a seasoned comedy writer, he is super insightful on the special ingredients that make Red Dwarf so great - from its vivid nature, to Grant and Naylor’s knack for smuggling in psychology. Plus: the lessons kids can learn from the characters. And what’s the best episode to show a friend who’s ne...

Acclaimed standup Garrett Millerick came to Red Dwarf aged 11, with series 6. He quickly became an obsessive collector of the VHS collections, falling in love with both classic ‘eras’ (series 1-2 and series 3-6). He even had an Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers t-shirt custom printed. 

As we unravel series 4 episode 2, DNA, Garrett reveals an interesting take on how the story might have been treated differently in series 1 ...