Ep 1. Backwards

In the third season premiere episode of Red Dwarf, titled "Backwards," the crew of the eponymous spaceship finds themselves stranded on an alternate Earth where everything happens backwards. Lister, the slobbish and somewhat clueless former chicken soup machine repairman, is thrilled to discover that on this world, time runs in reverse, making everything look like it's happening in reverse motion. However, when the Red Dwarf crew realizes that their situation isn't temporary and that they may never be able to return to their own world, they must find a way to survive and adapt to their bizarre new surroundings.

The episode opens with Lister and Cat, an extravagantly dressed humanoid with feline tendencies, playing golf with a variety of household items on the spaceship. However, when they try to retrieve their ball from a time hole, they find themselves transported to an Earth-like planet covered in snow. As they explore their new surroundings, they realize that everything is happening backwards - people walk backwards, cars drive in reverse, and even text is written in mirror image.

Despite the potential danger of their situation, Lister is excited about the prospect of witnessing all of his favorite moments in reverse, including an alien invasion and a disastrous date with a famous historical figure. The rest of the crew, including the neurotic hologram Rimmer and the efficient but distant mechanoid Kryten, are less enthusiastic, however, and try to find a way to reverse the effects of the time hole and return to their own world.

As the crew attempts to gain a better understanding of how the backwards planet operates, they encounter a number of strange and baffling phenomena. They find that they can reverse the effects of a fire by creating a vacuum, and that the best way to eat a meal is to regurgitate it from their stomachs. Meanwhile, Lister gets into a fight with a group of thugs, but since the fight is happening backwards, it looks like he's playfully tossing them around.

In their search for a way back to their own world, the crew stumbles upon a group of rebels who are trying to overthrow the corrupt leadership of the backwards planet. Despite their initial distrust of the crew, the rebels agree to help them reverse the effects of the time hole in exchange for their assistance in taking down the planet's tyrannical ruler.

As the crew prepares for the final conflict against the backwards planet's rulers, they realize that they are beginning to adapt to their new surroundings. Rimmer, who has always been terrified of anything remotely dangerous, discovers that he enjoys living on the dangerous, chaotic opposite world. Lister begins to realize that life is not always better backwards, and that his obsession with reliving his favorite moments has caused him to miss out on new experiences.

In the end, the crew manages to defeat the backwards planet's rulers and reverse the effects of the time hole, returning to their own world. However, Lister finds that he is no longer content with his old life and begins to question what he wants out of life.

Overall, "Backwards" is a hilarious and inventive episode that showcases Red Dwarf's unique blend of science fiction and comedy. The episode's premise is both bizarre and engaging, and the clever use of backwards-motion effects adds an extra layer of humor to the proceedings. As always, the show's strong characterizations and relatable humor make for an entertaining and engaging episode that is sure to leave audiences eager for more.