Far away in the endless reaches of space, among the bizarre crew of the spaceship Red Dwarf, there is a human who embodies humor and resilience in the face of chaos and uncertainty: Dave Lister. His loyal and devoted android companion Kryten is ever present to look after the details and clear up the messes.
If you’ve stumbled onto this vector of the digital galaxy, congratulations—you’re now in the presence of greatness, because Dave Lister has been elected the spiritual President of this blog, while no-one could be Guardian Angel but Kryten.
And no, I didn’t ask for anyone else’s votes. This is a Davetatorship fueled by curry, lager, and the eternal spirit of Red Dwarf.
Dave Lister first meets Kryten in season 2, episode 1.
(Click the 
menu icon top-right in the player for other episodes.)
Why Dave Lister?
Why Dave Lister, you ask? Simple: he’s the perfect embodiment of everything Dave Café wants to stand for. He’s scrappy, unapologetically himself, and always ready to tackle life’s challenges with a mix of humor and ingenuity. Plus, who doesn’t love a guitar-playing, curry-loving, cat-loving space bum with delusions of grandeur?
Lister is more than a character; he’s a philosophy. He’s a reminder to embrace the absurd, find humor in the mundane, and never take yourself too seriously. That’s what Dave Café wants to be like—a place where thoughts run wild, creativity takes center stage, and the soul of Red Dwarf lives on, one smegging blog post at a time.
Kryten: the neurotic but loveable Guardian Angel
Kryten, played by the talented Robert Llewellyn, is not just an android—he’s a walking, talking contradiction wrapped in a neurotic, overly-polite exterior. Designed to serve and clean, Kryten often finds himself questioning his programming in hilarious and heart-warming ways. His endless devotion to Lister and the rest of the crew makes him the ultimate team player, even when his advice is occasionally as rigid as his mechanoid joints.
What makes Kryten special isn’t just his obsession with cleanliness or his encyclopedic knowledge of etiquette; it’s his humanity. He’s the character who, despite being mechanical, constantly strives to understand emotions, ethics, and what it means to be alive.
Whether it’s his ongoing struggle to break free of his programming or his awkward attempts to learn human behavior, Kryten embodies the heart and humor of Red Dwarf.
Plus, his knack for turning the most mundane tasks into epic adventures adds an extra layer of charm to his character. He’s not just the Guardian Angel of the crew—he’s the glue that often holds their absurd world together.
So, pull up a seat, grab a lager (or a cup of tea if you’re feeling posh), and let’s get weird. Whether you’re here to relive the adventures of the Boys from the Dwarf or just share in some good laughs, you’re in the right place.
Almost. You are actually going to get your cult comedy binge fix from Dalek Zone’s Red Dwarf tribute channel page.
As Lister would say, “It’s not the future, it’s not the past, it’s just me, baby!” Be with us at Dave Café, mate. Let’s keep the smeg alive.
About Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British sci-fi comedy series that takes place aboard the eponymous mining ship, three million years into deep space.
It follows the misadventures of the last human alive, Dave Lister, his holographic bunkmate Rimmer, the fashion-forward Cat, the neurotic mechanoid Kryten, and the ship’s quirky computer, Holly.
Packed with absurd humor, clever writing, and a lot of heart, Red Dwarf has earned its place as an iconic cult classic, beloved by fans across the galaxy.
Why claim it’s iconic? It’s because Red Dwarf portrays so many states and situations that we contemporary humans go through that the scenes and words may come back to you in multiple moments of your day and life, echoing the take of the Boys from the Dwarf.
Warning! You may find it influencing your whole world view!
The cast and creators have managed to maintain the tang, magic and hysterical funniness from end to end of twelve seasons and various one-off specials. Be sure to watch Red Dwarf seated on a stable chair after performing your ablutions.
Red Dwarf’s main characters and creators
Here’s a quick guide to the main characters of Red Dwarf and the actors who bring them to life:
- Dave Lister (played by Craig Charles):- The last human alive, a curry-loving slob with a heart of gold and an unshakable spirit.
- Arnold Rimmer (played by Chris Barrie):- A hilariously uptight and self-absorbed hologram with a penchant for bureaucracy.
- The Cat (played by Danny John-Jules):- A flamboyant, fashion-obsessed humanoid evolved from Lister’s pet cat.
- Kryten (played by Robert Llewellyn):- A neurotic and loveable mechanoid with a knack for cleaning and overthinking.
- Holly (played by Norman Lovett and Hattie Hayridge):- The ship’s computer, alternating between a deadpan wit and charming absentmindedness.
- Kristine Kochanski (played by Clare Grogan and later Chloë Annett):- Lister’s former love interest and the source of much of his pining, Kochanski is smart, resourceful, and sometimes exasperated by the rest of the crew.
- Captain Hollister (played by Mac McDonald):- The somewhat oblivious and often bemused captain of the Red Dwarf mining ship, whose interactions with the crew often add to the humor of the series.
Each character adds their own flavor to the wild and hilarious adventures aboard Red Dwarf. Follow the Wikipedia hyperlinks to learn more about these actors and their incredible contributions to sci-fi comedy.
The series was created and written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, whose brilliant comedic minds brought the Red Dwarf universe to life.
In the earlier seasons, Red Dwarf had a low-budget charm typical of many BBC gems. With minimalist sets, props and effects, everything depended on the witty writing and the charisma and empathy of the characters.
As the series gained popularity, later seasons saw a significant boost in production resources and technology, so the producers could explore more-ambitious storylines and settings while retaining the dark, irreverend Brit humor that Dwarf fans love.
Red Dwarf first aired on the BBC in 1988 (now available on iPlayer), where it became an instant hit. In later years, it found a new home on Dave (now become U), introducing a whole new generation to its unique brand of humor and adventure.
For more information, visit the official website at www.reddwarf.co.uk.