EPISODE
Quarantine
Series V
Written By	Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
Director	Rob Grant & Doug Naylor
Guest Star(s)	Maggie Steed as Dr. Hildegard Lanstrom
Episode Chronology
Episode 28
Previous Episode: Terrorform
Next Episode: Demons & Angels

OverviewEdit

When Rimmer contracts a holo-virus, Lister, The Cat and Kryten are stuck in quarantine by an insane Rimmer.

SummaryEdit

Red Dwarf receives a distress call from the hologram Dr. Hildegard Lanstrom. Lanstrom had been working on a theory that viruses can be negative or positive and had isolated several positive viruses, including ones that grant whoever contracts it extreme good luck. However, when Starbug lands at Lanstrom's lab she proves to have contracted a holo-virus that caused her to become insane. She attacks the Dwarfers with hex vision and speaks to Rimmer aboard Starbug via the radio. She then burns out her remaining life force and dies. Kryten takes several vials of positive viruses with him for study.

Rimmer is annoyed that the rest of the team have used Space Corps Directives to sideline him and send him back to Red Dwarf. When they approach the ship, Rimmer sends themto the Quarantine area. Space Corps Directives insist that they spend 12 weeks in medical isolation to avoid giving Rimmer any diseases they may have picked up. He also insists that they share a one-person room, since only Lister qualifies as a crew member. Their diet consists solely of sprout-based dishes and their entertainment choices include a wallpapering video, a knitting magazine, a chess set with 1 piece left and a completed puzzle book. They insist that they will be fine...

5 days later Lister has a black eye, The Cat a broken nose and arm, while Kryten is panel beating his head back into shape following a brawl caused by the wallpapering video. They can't take much more of each others annoying habits and attitudes. Luckily, Kryten remembers that they can insist on being rescreened for disease after 5 days. Rimmer appears at the window again, only this time he is wearing a gingham dress and has a penguin glove puppet called Mr. Flibble. He has succumbed to the holo-virus and is totally insane, switching off the oxygen in the quarantine suite.

Using the Luck Virus, Lister guesses the code to unlock the door and they head for the hologram projection room to find a cure for Rimmer's ailment. Rimmer has now tapped into his psychic powers and tries to kill Kryten with a telekinetically thrown fireaxe. He then blasts his hex vision at them, taking advice from Mr. Flibble. Using Lister's luck, they find all the things they need to purge the virus from Rimmer's body, just by tripping over them in the corridor. Rimmer is saved and put into quarantine, where he is "entertained" by his shipmates wearing the same gingham dresses.

NotesEdit

This is the first and only episode to contain Mr. Flibble the hologramatic glove puppet. However, the puppet became a Red Dwarf icon and now is the official interviewer on the official Red Dwarf site. He has also become a toy glove puppet sold in numerous places.

While the crew create the antidote, Craig Charles hits one of his legs on the side of the set and exclaims in pain.

Noteworthy DialogueEdit

• Dr. Langstrom: Schopenhauer was right, wouldn't you say? Life without pain has no meaning. Gentlemen, I wish to give your life meaning.
• Rimmer: Mr. Flibble is very cross. You shouldn't have run away from him. What shall we do with them, Mr. Flibble?
  Mr. Flibble: (Whispers into Rimmer's ear)
  Rimmer: *Gasp* We couldn't possibly do that. Who would clean up the mess?
• Mr Flibble: Uncle Arnie's gonna fry them alive with his hex vision.
• Rimmer: So let me get this straight: You want to ride on a magic carpet to see the king of the potato people and beg with him for your freedom. And you're telling me that you're completely sane?

Background InformationEdit

Any behind the scenes information or any other information that doesn't fit in the other categories.

Guest StarsEdit

Maggie Steed as Dr. Hildegarde Lanstrom (Deceased).

ReferencesEdit

It is said ^{[By Who]} that Chris Barrie only agreed to wear the gingham dress if the other cast members would wear one too, as they appear at the end in the dresses to entertain Rimmer while he is in quarantine.

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Red Dwarf: Episode List

Series I|Series II|Series III|Series IV|Series VI|Series VII|Series VIII|Back to Earth|Series X

Series V

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