User Reviews

When they detect an SOS message from a ship being pulled into a black hole Lister and Cat download the ship's 'e-cargo'. When Rimmer finds out he is shocked that they have ignored company protocols by not checking for viruses. For once Rimmer is right; the SOS was a fake and soon the ship's computers are infected and the crew start preparing to evacuate. Luckily the anti-virus software stops the virus; that isn't the end of the crew's problems though; the mechanical members of the crew are unimpressed that they were going to be abandoned so go on strike. The crew decide to recognise their interests by giving them an official representative. Rimmer and Kryten put their names forward… which with the various scutters, dispensing machines, lifts and toasters vote for?

I didn't think the central story was the strongest of the season but the episode did provide plenty of really good laughs and some nice references to much older episodes. The episode opened with a great prolonged gag where Kryten is waiting for Lister to teach him about 'patience' but ends up being taught by Rimmer; the final twist was priceless. Once the main story got underway it made a nice change for Rimmer to be right for once. The service mechanoids aren't particularly funny, although it was fun to see the irritating 'Talkie Toaster' back again and rival campaigns were pretty funny. Overall this was a fairly average episode… thankfully an average episode of 'Red Dwarf' is still a lot of fun.

The Boys have to abandon Red Dwarf and all of the vending machines expect to be able to go along with them.

Feeling that they are being exploited all of the machines go on strike even the lifts.

Rimmer and Kryten stand for Election to try and con the machines, into believing that they actually give a monkeys for them.

With the two Candidates neck and neck there is only one piece of kit that holds their fates in its slots. But which idiot is going to be stupid enough to ever wish to seek his assistance?

Given the antics at the start of the episode, I was convinced that the entire "election" campaign was a big giant manipulation by Rimmer, to get back at Kryten, and to saddle Kryten with what appeared (to me as a viewer) to be a completely lame job that no one would want. It seemed so obvious! And therefore I was very disappointed to find they had been playing it straight, and the episode ended with the election loser thinking about his fate. Otherwise quite funny and as always, I enjoy the banter between the Boys From The Dwarf.

A funny episode indeed, I knew Talkie Toaster was coming, I saw it coming, it was brilliant. The whole episode was done so well, a big round of applause for what I deem is a near-classic level episode.