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As a lifelong Red Dwarf fan I'd obviously heard of this and seen a few clips but never until today actually sat down and watched it.

What it is is a strange re-hash of the first episode from around the time of series 5 of the UK original. It's fascinating to see what choices have been made and, strangest of all, what works. Namely - Kryten and the slicker integration of Kochanski.

The central crux of the entire of Red Dwarf is the relationship between Lister and Rimmer, and they throw this down the river in favour of a strangely out-of-place but evergreen Robert Llewellyn spoon feeding the plot to the woefully miscast Craig Bierko. He's a Craig yes, but the similarities end there.

Thankfully - it all fell apart and it stands now as an odd and forgotten curio and a testament to how remarkably well constructed, well cast and well conceived the original version is.

I have to disagree with the other comment regarding this. There is a very good reason why this never made it past the pilot. The simple fact is this was appalling.

From George McKintyre speaking directly to the camera and therefore audience to raise a laugh, if it can be called that, to the poor acting and change of original storyline to include Kryten.

Jane Leeves acting as Holly was terrible, which is a disappointment as she is usually quite good. Norm MacDonald would have made a better Holly!

The problem with the Americanised version of the show was that it was re-written for an American audience. The problem was that Red Dwarf was written so that Holly was dead pan when played by Norman Lovett, Rimmer wasnt just an annoying person who you wouldnt invite to dinner as in the US pilot but in the UK version had a totally flawed personality, seen in the UK episode "Me2" when he competed with another holographic image of himself on the most petty of things and later in a UK episode when he was placed on trial for the deaths of the entire crew and objected to his own defence. Rimmers arrogance and self defeating nature is the point of the character. The Rimmer in the US version was not flawed, just socially inept.

Lister was too smug, the Cat not self obsessed enough to the point of being totally uncaring about anyone else and generally the show was poor. Even the upbeat theme music should not even be played in a lift. The original UK theme was solemn, identifying with the futility. Then it turned to a rock version. The american theme, well its indescribable.

The US TV companies will someday realise that:

1) special effects do not "make" the TV Show. Acting has a lot to do with it. 2) Its ok to write about losers. Not everyone is a winner in life. The US TV Executives seem to think that everyone must be a winner. Part of the charm of Red Dwarf was that it was about a group of unlikely people in the worst situation, just surviving and getting into trouble along the way. Each UK episode starts in a bad situation, has a worse situation develop, and goes back to the original bad situation at the end of the show. 3) You cannot re-write a classic. Red Dwarf, Dear John, The Italian Job, Get Carter to name just a few! 4) Most of all they need to learn dead pan humour and how you cant adapt this to make it upbeat. It just doesnt work.

Overall I'd give the pilot 1/10 and thats only because Im feeling charitable. If you liked it good on you, but my opinion is dont spend the time watching it. You will feel cheated out of that time. You cant get it back!

I saw a pretty poor copy of this but the bottom line is that it lacks the punch, clarity and humor of the original series.

The characters are thin, unbelievable, two dimensional copies of the flawed but warm and likeable characters in the original series. The only actor who came from the original series is Robert Llewellyn who tries hard but is let down by the rest of the cast and the direction.

There's something seriously wrong with the timing of the humor. It's set up as if it was a sitcom not a comedy. The timing should be quite different however the canned laughter track is timed for a sitcom not for a comedy show and thus makes all of the comedy fall totally flat.

If you like Red Dwarf, give this a miss. If you haven't seen the original Red Dwarf then beg, borrow, steal or buy the original (or look for re-runs on PBS) but give this remake a wide, wide berth.

The version I saw had poor video quality and the audio was out of synch. But that's not what bothered me, I just didn't get the point. If you're going to do an adaptation then change stuff (more than just bringing Kryton in early), a genuine american take on the idea not just the script would be interesting. This is just recycled jokes, carbon copy characters who didn't suit the actors. I mean the original IS in english, so what's the point?

No wonder this never got past the pilot! The characters (with the exception of Kryten) are generic looking, acting, and speaking with none of the wackiness of the UK version; UTTERLY uninteresting.

The jokes fall flatter than an amoeba in a centrifuge. Even the jokes ripped straight from the UK version are delivered so badly they don't even elicit a smile.

No understanding whatsoever of UK RD's "trench humor". The music adds nothing.

The whole mess is just... PUTRID BEYOND WORDS!

Ho1ywood* just cannot seem to make any kind of comedy except banal machine-gun-rapid "spray stupid sex jokes and hope a few work", sort. Compared to this the minute long "Pigs in Space" segments of the Muppet Show were absolute masterpieces!

* misspelling intentional

I saw this a while back on DVD; one of the producers showed showed it to me because I was such a huge fan of the original UK series. Because this was originally produced as part of a studio demo, and on an extremely limited budget, he knew it would wouldn't look good enough for an actual audience. The goal was just to demonstrate to studio execs that the product could be adapted for an American market.

Of course, if it'd gotten the green light, it would've been re-cast and re-shot before being shown to test audiences. But obviously it didn't get the green light, so what we have here is a rare diamond in the rough. On first glance, most people are inclined to compare the quality. But for those who are interested in working in the industry, this is an opportunity to delve a little deeper.

Why did Dave appeal so strongly to Brits, and why didn't the execs at Universal think it would translate to an American audience? Did the producers fail to make the American Dave a working class protagonist? Or was it done at a time when American audiences preferred more of a hero or leader character in their sci-fi roles? Bear in mind the fact that studio execs are looking for product that will appeal to the largest possible audience, and the protagonist - the character with whom the audience identifies the most - is key to bringing in an audience, and the advertising revenue that follows.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed watching this. But more as an intellectual exercise than entertainment.

This is without a doubt the worst adaptation ever. Im sorry but british comedy is only funny when its *British*. The American humour aint at all funny and the characters are weak to say the least. The only good point about this show is Kryten......only because its the original. An absolutely terrible tv show, if you like Red Dwarf then watch the original.

Red Dwarf, like any established sci-fi show carries a baggage of nerds with it - they attend filmings, conventions and book signings. They don't realise that they make up a tiny proportion of any show's audience.

Given that, it's no surprise that the RD nerd crew did not like the US pilot. The main reason seems to be the recasting of Lister, who was in fact played by a fine actor who fitted into the role well. I understand that Chris Barrie was asked to do the US pilot but declined, while Cat was always going to be a US actor, another factor to upset the nerds.

The things that spoil the pilot are:-

Dreadful music. Poor editing, especially the inclusion of the UK scenes at the end.

Overall, I laughed out loud several times, yet when watching The End I only managed a chuckle at one line.

Just discovered this existed, saw it on a really bad copy. To be honest the first few episodes of the UK Red Dwarf were not that good, and this US version stands up pretty well. Shame that it wasn't given a chance.

Why do Americans always feel like they have to take something which is already good and change it to suit them. The show had 8 series in england and easily had more if the actors wanted. so why did the Americans think they could do a better version of the show. Think of your shows. Did i just mention the office?? There could only be one lister ( Craig Charles). There can only be one Rimmer (Chris Barrie). The show was meant to be a low budget sci-fi TV series show because it wanted to be not because it had to be. Please watch the original show of red dwarf not the us pilot shows. Thank you and good night. Don't Forget that one day with any luck there will be a movie and with any luck it will be with the original cast and directors. Is It Over? The Smeg It Is....

Just watched a very poor quality copy. In fact I'm quite glad it was a poor quality copy because if it was good quality I would probably have been even more aware of how rubbish this was. (Kryten being the only exception).

Lister was too "Wholesome American", his character needs to be more scummy. Rimmer wasn't arsy enough. Cat looked to be reasonably well cast but there really wasn't enough of his character in the pilot to draw any real conclusion. Holly was also okay except perhaps a little too chirpy. Kryten, well Kryten was played by Robert Llewellyn so you can't really go wrong there.

If the Americans want to watch Red Dwarf why don't they just buy the original episodes off the BBC instead of butchering an absolutely timeless cult classic. I actually feel dirty, I need to watch an original episode to cleanse that detritus from my mind!

This has to be one of the worst adaptations of any program I have ever seen. The acting is wooden, there's no spark between the characters, and the jokes are purely recycled.

The pilot episode takes jokes from across the range of the BBC series, and tries to compress them into one episode, failing miserably.

The actors who play Lister, Rimmer and the Cat try hard, but they just cannot achieve the same level that the original actors had. Kryten looks purely uncomfortable acting with them, and the whole cast lack the camaraderie that the original crew have.

If you're new to Red Dwarf, watch the original. If you're a die-hard fan, don't even bother with this version.

Oh dear. They tried, but I'm afraid that a 28 minute pilot in Britain DOES NOT GO INTO 22 minutes. Well it would if you didn't have an extra character, more plot and changing lines like "My library books are overdue" to some rubbish about Baseball cards. Too rushed, too short - the only redeeming features being Jane Leeves and of course the always excellent Llewelyn.

Why? The British one is unique. Just why. Do Americans think they are the only ones to make good tv. Erm well your bloody wrong. It's just the same story with American accents but just bad. And yes I agree with others, kryten wasn't in it from the beginning. I JUST WANNA KEEP SAYING WHY WHY WHY WHY Oh and Jane leeves as holy trying to be sexy. Well at least she sounds like a drip at the best of times , so she got that part just right. The less said about that sodding cat the better.

The Red Dwarf (US) Pilot has become something so notorious that it's like an urban legend of crappiness. How the hell did this unfunny abomination get made? The distinctly post-colonial British-ness of the original cult classic is COMPLETELY gone, and replaced with generic American sitcom syndrome chock-block with canned laughter galore and woeful music. Not to mention the actors (besides Robert Llewellyn) lack ANY synergy or basic chemistry making for interesting viewing.

Red Dwarf didn't deserve to be mocked this way, but thankfully this pilot is hard to find, and never officially aired either. Even with the whole bootleg novelty of its existence, it still sucks hard.

Good luck trying to find this one WITHOUT using the black market that is pirated DVDs, streaming, YouTube posts and so forth. Besides, I think even Grant Naylor Productions disowned this joke altogether.

The 1992 American pilot of Red Dwarf is a fascinating but deeply flawed attempt at adapting the beloved British sci-fi sitcom for a U. S. audience. While the idea of bringing Red Dwarf to a wider market wasn't necessarily a bad one, this version loses nearly everything that made the original so special-resulting in a bland, uninspired sitcom that lacks the wit, charm, and chemistry of the UK series.

The biggest problem with this pilot is the casting. While Craig Bierko as Lister does a passable job, his portrayal lacks the lovable scruffiness that made Craig Charles' version so iconic. Even worse is Chris Eigeman's Rimmer, who is utterly forgettable and fails to capture the neurotic, self-important energy that Chris Barrie brought to the role. Robert Llewellyn returning as Kryten is one of the few redeeming elements, but his presence only highlights how much the rest of the cast fails to match the original dynamic.

The humor is another major issue. The British Red Dwarf thrived on dry wit, clever dialogue, and a unique mix of comedy and existential dread, but the American version waters everything down into generic 90s sitcom banter. Jokes that worked in the UK series fall flat here, often feeling forced or awkward. The pacing is also off, as the pilot rushes through the original show's setup without giving enough time for characters or relationships to develop.

Visually, the production values are higher than the BBC version, but that doesn't help when the set design lacks personality and feels like a typical, sterile sci-fi set from the era. The grittiness and lived-in feel of the UK Red Dwarf is completely lost.

While it's interesting as a piece of Red Dwarf history, the 1992 American pilot is ultimately a forgettable misfire. It proves that simply copying a show's concept without understanding its heart and humor is a recipe for failure.

Final Score: 4/10 - An uninspired and watered-down remake that loses everything that made Red Dwarf great. Best left as a curiosity for hardcore fans.

This is a surprisingly wonderful version of Red Dwarf. Good copies are hard to come by however even at the usual bad quality copies are more that enough to convey the bright promise of this version. In some ways it is funnier than the original "The End". The effects and special sequences are used to enhance the storytelling not hinder it. Although the entire cast, save Kryten, has been recast the magic glow of smegginess remains. Not only do some of the jokes pack more of a punch and some wonderful new material shines through, the story itself is more dramatically sound. This altered version has a more tragic moment for Lister entering stasis and a better explanation for his actions regarding Frankenstein, his pet Cat. The crew holds up as the biggest whacked out bunch of space bums ever to set foot in an alternative dimension.

Classic example of American interference, even with one of the boys and the original writers they still manages to mess it up - Read the Man in the Rubber Mask by Robert llweleyn for the story.

I was surprised to see a US pilot for Red Dwarf, then shocked and saddened when I actually watched it. US Lister was so whitebread and unscuzzy. Rimmer snivels so little that I actually thought the actor would make a better Lister than the one I was watching. Cat no longer had his Little Richard-ish persona. It WAS nice to see the original Kryten (loved the eyeballs in the coffee gag) and Jane Leeves as Holly (*spark* ooh that one felt gooood) but they wouldn't have been able to save this US version from oblivion. As for pilot number two, which I've only seen a cast photo of, it was interesting to see Terry Farrell dressed up like a cat but it was far from being sound as a dollar-pound. Don't mess with perfection!

This version of Red Dwarf is strictly a worthless footnote. The script is almost completely cribbed from the original British episode "The End" with a poorer cast, flat performances and nothing original to speak of.

It is astonishing that Someone thought it useful to Americanize what was already a classic comedy on both sides of the Atlantic. That Someone must think all Americans are parochial morons who would be alienated by the original. This is yet another failed attempt to de-Anglicize a British hit. At least this version died before being officially aired.

*this is the REAL pilot not the 15 min promo with female cat*

After watching this pile of drivel I was one step from cracking the VCD in my hand so that i could symbolically kill at least one of the copies of it.

The acting is at best ... questionable. And at worse...? well there was more life in a "dawn of the dead" zombie.

The script is almost identical to "the end" with a few changes for the american market (baseball cards etc)... but somehow it dont seem ...right. the canned laughter as well makes it a chore to watch.

Still Robert Llewellyn is (and always will be) a gem to watch.....and Jane Leeves makes a fine holly (all be it her British accent sometimes...just sometimes comes through ..making u think u are back watching the UK series).

Havent seen the promo 15 mins that was made after this...but have seen pictures of Terri Farrell in a cat suit..so its not a complete loss I would think...

(acctually on reflection it would be bad....Red dwarf was mostly about a man..who has lost his only true love 3 million years ago and will never see female company again..so to have a female character would be pointless)