Red Dwarf/Quarantine

Quarantine
Season 5, Episode 4
Airdate	March 12, 1992
Written by	Rob Grant, Doug Naylor
Directed by	Rob Grant and Doug Naylor
← 5x03 Terrorform	5x05 → Demons and Angels
Red Dwarf — Season Five

Quarantine is the fourth episode of the fifth season of Red Dwarf, and the twenty-eighth episode overall.

Guest Stars: Maggie Steed (Dr Hildegarde Lanstrom)

Plot Overview

Rimmer has been asked to return to Red Dwarf so they can use his remote holo-emitter to rescue a hologramatic survivor from a research base. They find the survivor, Dr. Hildegarde Lanstrom, in a stasis pod. Unfortunately she has a holo-virus, which in addition to giving her extraordinary metal powers such as telekenisis and hex vision, makes her quite mad. She chases them throughout the base, shooting at them with her hex vision.

When they call for help, Rimmer is overjoyed that things are not going well for them. He adheres to his previous orders out of spite, and returns to Red Dwarf. The others are only able to survive, because the holo-virus also dramatically shortens life expectancy. Dr. Lanstrom succumbs to the holo-virus just as she is about to destroy them.

When the others return to Red Dwarf, they discover that Rimmer is now "playing it by the book". Citing Space Corps Directive 595, he has locked the doors and forces them to bay 47, where they will spend three months in quarantine.

Rimmer, in accordance with Space Corps Directive 312 has provided: a chess set (with 31 missing pieces), a knitting magazine, a puzzle magazine (with all puzzles complete), and a video "Wallpapering, Painting, and Stippling: a DIY Guide".

Despite their best efforts, they are unable to remain civil. After three days everyone is on each other's nerves: Lister has a black eye, Cat has a bandaged nose, and Kryten has just beaten his head back into shape.

Kryten has a revelation. It has been five days. He will ask for a re-screening in accordance with Space Corps Directive 699. Rimmer has been listening (for two hours) and chooses this moment to show himself. Something is wrong -- He is wearing a red and white, checked, gingham dress! He has the holovirus.

They try to talk him into letting them go, but they only end up agitating him, and he cuts off the oxygen to their room. To get out they will need to use the luck virus, which Kryten found on the research base. A sufficient dose of it will temporarily make that person the luckiest person alive.

With a dose of the luck virus Lister is able to guess the password to the door lock on the first attempt. Once free, they try to make their way to the Hologram Simulation Suite, so they can help Rimmer.

Unfortunately, Rimmer has gotten worse. He now prowls the corridors with a cute, fuzzy hand puppet called Mr. Flibbles. Mr. Flibbles whispers in Rimmer's ear, telling him to do terrible things!

Fleeing from Rimmer, Kryten asks Lister to rely on his luck (from the luck virus). Lister is able to stumble across several unusual items that Kryten needs to save them:

• a remote link to the hologram projection system.
• a power transfer adapter capable of holding spikes up to 5 million volts.
• a B47/7R resistor

Just as Rimmer is about to zap them with his hex vision, Kryten activates the unit, and Rimmer is returned to normal. Since turnabout is fair play, Lister, Kryten and the Cat lock Rimmer in the quarantine room. When Rimmer wakes up, he sees that the others are now wearing red and white, checked gingham dresses.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Kryten finds samples of various positive viruses:
  • inspiration
  • charisma
  • sexual magentism
  • luck (felicitous populi)

Trivia

The Show

• The scanner Kryten uses in this episode is a "PsiScan model 345", which secured PsiScan of the Year (best budget model) for three consecutive years.
• Kryten, Listen, and the Cat spend five days in quarantine suite 152.

Allusions and References

• Dr. Lanstrom initially mentions Schopenhauer's philosphy.
• An irritated Kryten asks Lister, what he expects to find in his handkerchief, "a Turner seascape perhaps? [...] an undiscovered Shakespearean sonnet?"
• While stuck in quarantine, the Cat threatens Kryten, calling him Frankenstein.

Memorable Moments

• The "Launch Scouter" Incident

As the show opens (aboard Starbug), Kryten is preparing to launch a probe to explore an abandoned research base. He gives the order: "Launch scouter". Cat moves to press the button, but Rimmer insists that he is the one who says "launch scouter", not Kryten.

When Rimmer tries to give the order himself, everyone deliberately ignores him. After several attempts to get Cat to listen to him, he gives up and goes in the back.

With Rimmer in the back, Kryten discreetly asks the Cat to launch the scouter. The Cat is more than happy to comply. He answers Kryten in a loud voice so that Rimmer can hear in the back, "Aye, Aye, Sir! ... Scouter launched, Sir!"

• When the group is exploring the research station, Lister finds a warning sign. As he cleans the sign, the messages revealed become more and more worrisome.
  • Viral Research Department
  • Most Gross Danger!
  • Biosuits must be worn at all times!
  • and finally, a warning icon depicting a creature erupting from someone's abdomen!

• The Cat tries to humor a clearly deranged Rimmer into letting them out of quarantine, but Rimmer maneuvers the Cat into asking to see the King ... of the potato people ... on a magic carpet; none of which helps their case.

Quotes

• After Dr. Lanstrom goes berserk and starts shooting at them, barely missing ...

Lister: Why can't we ever meet anyone nice?

Cat: Why don't we ever meet anyone who can shoot straight?

• Rimmer melts his way through a metal hatchway with his mind powers. He is wearing a dress, and has a hand puppet on his right hand, "Mr. Flibble's very cross."

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