Ep 3. Balance of Power
- TV-PG
- February 29, 1988
- 29 min
In Red Dwarf season 1 episode 3, titled "Balance of Power," the episode opens with Dave Lister, the last remaining human aboard the mining ship Red Dwarf, having a nightmare about his former girlfriend Kristine Kochanski. He wakes up to find himself in bed with his unconscious bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer. Lister's attempts to wake Rimmer up result in a hilarious sequence of events that culminates in Rimmer getting his head stuck in the vending machine.
The crew receives a message from an asteroid that contains a severe warning about a "horrible space accident." Rimmer thinks he should be the one to investigate, so he forces Lister to come along by threatening to give him a severe punishment for a minor infraction. The pair suits up and heads to the asteroid, but Lister is terrified when he realizes that they are headed towards an uncharted, unexplored area of the ship.
Once they reach their destination, the crew discovers a large deposit of the compound Taren Capel. The compound is highly explosive, which means the asteroid is a potential bomb. As they investigate the area, they realize that a rat has escaped from the lab and could trigger the explosion at any moment. Rimmer wants to take the credit for the discovery, but Lister insists that it was his idea to investigate the asteroid, so he should get the credit.
The episode's title, "Balance of Power," refers to the power dynamic between Rimmer and Lister. Rimmer is a lower-ranked officer, but he is also a superior officer to Lister and uses his authority to manipulate him. However, Lister is not afraid to stand up for himself, and he shows that he has a better understanding of the situation than Rimmer.
As they work to find a solution to the Taren Capel problem, the crew's evolving relationships and their attempts to maintain power over each other are a comedic highlight of the episode. With tensions running high and the stakes even higher, "Balance of Power" is a thrilling episode that showcases the dynamic and complex relationships between the Red Dwarf crew.
