# Emohawk: Polymorph II

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4th episode of the 6th series of Red Dwarf

"Emohawk: Polymorph II" Red Dwarf episode Episode no. Series 6 Episode 4 Directed by Andy de Emmony Written by Rob Grant & Doug Naylor Original air date 28 October 1993 (1993-10-28) Guest appearances Ainsley Harriott as Gelf Chief Steven Wickham as Gelf Bride Martin Sims as Gelf Hugh Quarshie as Computer Episode chronology ← Previous "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" Next → "Rimmerworld" List of episodes

"**Emohawk: Polymorph II**" is the fourth episode of the British [science fiction](/source/Science_fiction) [sitcom](/source/Sitcom) [TV show](/source/Television_show) *[Red Dwarf VI](/source/Red_Dwarf)* and the 34th in the series run.[1][2] It was first broadcast on [BBC2](/source/BBC2) on 28 October 1993.[1] Written by [Rob Grant](/source/Rob_Grant) and [Doug Naylor](/source/Doug_Naylor) and directed by Andy de Emmony, the episode features the crew again being hunted by a polymorph. The first appearance of these creatures was in the series III episode "[Polymorph](/source/Polymorph_(Red_Dwarf_episode))".[3] Also returning in this episode are Duane Dibbley from *["Back to Reality"](/source/Back_to_Reality_(Red_Dwarf))* and Ace Rimmer from ["Dimension Jump"](/source/Dimension_Jump_(Red_Dwarf_episode)).

## Plot

*Starbug* finds itself being hounded by a computer-controlled Space Corps enforcement vessel that soon scans the ship. [Dave Lister](/source/Dave_Lister), [Arnold Rimmer](/source/Arnold_Rimmer), [Kryten](/source/Kryten) and [Cat](/source/Cat_(Red_Dwarf)) find themselves charged with looting derelict spaceships and sentenced to death under frontier law. The crew escape, but crash-land on a GELF moon. Needing a new oxygen generator for the ship, they search for a GELF tribe who might be willing to trade with them. The group meet the Kinitawowi tribe, and begin negotiations, only for Lister to discover he must marry the daughter of the tribe's chief in exchange for the oxygen generation unit. Scared of his wife's advances, Lister flees back to *Starbug*, forcing the others to escape as well with the parts.

Angered at their actions upsetting his daughter, the chief sends his pet Emohawk—a domesticated polymorph—after them. The polymorph manages to get aboard *Starbug* undetected before it leaves the moon. While Lister and Kryten work to install the new parts, the polymorph attacks the others, draining them each of a character trait and morphing them into an alternate persona – Cat loses his cool and morphs into [Duane Dibbley](/source/Red_Dwarf_characters#Dwyane_Dibbley), while Rimmer loses his bitterness and becomes [Ace Rimmer](/source/Red_Dwarf_characters#Ace_Rimmer). When the others are trapped by Rimmer in the cargo hold and learn that he is preparing to sacrifice himself and Cat to get rid of the polymorph via an airlock, Lister and Kryten break free and convince him to track down the creature and freeze it. Rimmer agrees, whereupon the group successfully neutralize the polymorph. Rimmer politely asks that he spends another 24 hours as Ace before he is changed back, while Cat asks to be changed back immediately fearing his persona's clumsiness; his fears are justified when he accidentally freezes the others a few seconds later.

## Production

[Steven Wickham](/source/Steven_Wickham) as [Dave Lister](/source/Dave_Lister)'s Kinitawowi bride

Both the characters Ace Rimmer and Duane Dibbley were huge fan favourites, as was the *Red Dwarf III* episode "[Polymorph](/source/Polymorph_(Red_Dwarf_episode))", and the writers crammed in a sequel to all these aspects with "Emohawk: Polymorph II". The title was originally the other way around, "Polymorph II: Emohawk" until someone suggested that it sounded like a football score.[4]

The GELF settlement was a re-dressed medieval village set which had been created for the aborted British/American television series *[Covington Cross](/source/Covington_Cross)*.[5] [Ainsley Harriott](/source/Ainsley_Harriott) played the role of the GELF chief.[6] Harriott later became a celebrity chef and hosted the television shows *[Can't Cook, Won't Cook](/source/Can't_Cook%2C_Won't_Cook)* and *[Ready Steady Cook](/source/Ready_Steady_Cook)* for the BBC. Later, in 1998, Harriott presented a special edition of *Can't Cook, Won't Cook* called *Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg* for the 10th anniversary of *Red Dwarf* with the cast cooking a meal while remaining in character (Harriott's role was actually addressed during part of the episode). The Tribal chief's daughter, Hackhackhack Ach Hachhachac, is played by [Steven Wickham](/source/Steven_Wickham)[6] (who, 19 years later, would play the BEGG chief in the episode *[Entangled](/source/Entangled_(Red_Dwarf))*). [Hugh Quarshie](/source/Hugh_Quarshie) also played a Computer and Martin Sims also played a GELF.[6]

## Reception

The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 28 October 1993 in the 9:00 pm evening slot.[7] The episode received mixed reactions, as had Series VI as a whole.[8] Some felt the re-introduction of Ace, Duane Dibbley and the polymorph was a wasted opportunity.[9]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-British_Sitcom_Guide_-_Red_Dwarf_-_Series_6_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-British_Sitcom_Guide_-_Red_Dwarf_-_Series_6_1-1) ["British Sitcom Guide - Red Dwarf - Series 6"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081122104040/http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series6.shtml). sitcom.co.uk. Archived from [the original](http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series6.shtml) on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-TV.com_-_Emohawk:_Polymorph_II_summary_2-0)** ["TV.com - Emohawk: Polymorph II summary"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080212031207/http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/emohawk---polymorph-ii/episode/10978/summary.html). tv.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/emohawk---polymorph-ii/episode/10978/summary.html) on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Red_Dwarf_Smegazine:_Survey_3-0)** Red Dwarf Episode Survey, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, ISSN 0965-5603

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Red_Dwarf_Series_VI_Writing_4-0)** ["Red Dwarf Series VI Writing"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080104013131/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_6/writing.html). Red Dwarf.co.uk. Archived from [the original](http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_6/writing.html) on 4 January 2008. Retrieved 17 December 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Chris Howarth, Steve Lyons, (1997), *Red Dwarf: programme guide - Part 4*, page 126

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-IMDb_Crew_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-IMDb_Crew_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-IMDb_Crew_6-2) [""Red Dwarf" Emohawk: Polymorph II (1993) - Full cast and crew"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684155/fullcredits). [IMDb](/source/IMDb). Retrieved 31 December 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BBC_-_Programme_Catalogue_-_RED_DWARF_VI_-_EMOHAWK,_POLYMORPH_II_7-0)** ["BBC - Programme Catalogue - RED DWARF VI - EMOHAWK, POLYMORPH II"](http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMRE274F). BBC. Retrieved 12 December 2007.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Red_Dwarf_Series_VII_Writing_8-0)** ["Red Dwarf Series VII Writing"](https://web.archive.org/web/20071022124350/http://reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_7/writing.html). Red Dwarf.co.uk. Archived from [the original](http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_7/writing.html) on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Red_Dwarf_Episode_Guide:_Series_VI_9-0)** ["Red Dwarf Episode Guide: Series VI"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040413080607/http://www.reviewsbygavrielle.com/dwarf6.shtml). Perry, Gavrielle. Archived from the original on 13 April 2004. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

## External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to ***[Emohawk: Polymorph II](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Red_Dwarf#.22Emohawk_Polymorph_II.22)***.

- ["Emohawk: Polymorph II"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00bplkm) at [BBC Online](/source/BBC_Online)

- ["Emohawk: Polymorph II"](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684155/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier))

- [Series VI episode guide at www.reddwarf.co.uk](http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=6) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121219191726/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=6) 19 December 2012 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

v t e Red Dwarf Characters Dave Lister Arnold Rimmer Holly The Cat Kryten Kristine Kochanski Books Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers Better Than Life Last Human Backwards Red Dwarf: Titan Episodes Series I (1988) "The End" "Future Echoes" "Balance of Power" "Waiting for God" "Confidence and Paranoia" "Me2" Series II (1988) "Kryten" "Better Than Life" "Thanks for the Memory" "Stasis Leak" "Queeg" "Parallel Universe" Series III (1989) "Backwards" "Marooned" "Polymorph" "Bodyswap" "Timeslides" "The Last Day" Series IV (1991) "Camille" "DNA" "Justice" "White Hole" "Dimension Jump" "Meltdown" Series V (1992) "Holoship" "The Inquisitor" "Terrorform" "Quarantine" "Demons & Angels" "Back to Reality" Series VI (1993) "Psirens" "Legion" "Gunmen of the Apocalypse" "Emohawk: Polymorph II" "Rimmerworld" "Out of Time" Series VII (1997) "Tikka to Ride" "Stoke Me a Clipper" "Ouroboros" "Duct Soup" "Blue" "Beyond a Joke" "Epideme" "Nanarchy" Series VIII (1999) "Back in the Red" "Cassandra" "Krytie TV" "Pete" "Only the Good..." Miniseries (2009) Back to Earth Series X (2012) "Trojan" "Fathers & Suns" "Lemons" "Entangled" "Dear Dave" "The Beginning" Series XI (2016) "Twentica" "Samsara" "Give & Take" "Officer Rimmer" "Krysis" "Can of Worms" Series XII (2017) "Cured" "Siliconia" "Timewave" "Mechocracy" "M-Corp" "Skipper" Television film (2020) The Promised Land Unmade episodes "Bodysnatcher" Other Red Dwarf Remastered Grant Naylor Dimension Jump "Tongue Tied" Dave Hollins: Space Cadet Category

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