{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox television episode | series = [[Red Dwarf]] | image = | image_size = | caption = | series_no = 4 | episode = 6 | director = Ed Bye | writer = Rob Grant & Doug Naylor | airdate = {{Start date|1991|03|21|df=yes}} | guests = * [[Clayton Mark (actor)|Clayton Mark]] as [[Elvis Presley]] * [[Kenneth Hadley]] as [[Adolf Hitler]] * [[Martin Friend]] as [[Albert Einstein]] * [[Stephen Tiller (actor)|Stephen Tiller]] as [[Pythagoras]] * [[Jack Klaff]] as [[Abraham Lincoln]] * [[Tony Hawks]] as [[Caligula]] * [[Michael Burrell]] as [[Pope Gregory I|Pope Gregory]] * [[Forbes Masson]] as [[Stan Laurel]] * [[Roger Blake]] as [[Noël Coward]] * [[Pauline Bailey]] as [[Marilyn Monroe]] * Charles Reynolds as [[Mahatma Gandhi]] | prev = [[Dimension Jump (Red Dwarf episode)|Dimension Jump]] | next = [[Holoship]] | episode_list = List of Red Dwarf episodes }} "'''Meltdown'''" is the sixth, and final, episode of [[science fiction]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' Series IV<ref name="British Sitcom Guide – Red Dwarf – Series 4">{{cite web | url =http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series4.shtml | title =British Sitcom Guide – Red Dwarf – Series 4 | publisher =sitcom.co.uk | access-date =2008-01-28 | archive-date =22 November 2008 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081122103347/http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series4.shtml | url-status =dead }}</ref> and the twenty-fourth episode in the series run.<ref name="TV.com – Meltdown summary">{{cite web | url =http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/meltdown/episode/10968/summary.html | title =TV.com – Meltdownsummary | publisher =tv.com | access-date =2008-01-25 | archive-date =22 April 2008 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20080422035940/http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/meltdown/episode/10968/summary.html | url-status =dead }}</ref> It was first broadcast on the British television channel [[BBC Two|BBC2]] on 21 March 1991. Written by [[Rob Grant]] and [[Doug Naylor]], and directed by [[Ed Bye]],<ref name="Meltdown cast and crew">{{cite web | url =https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684164/fullcredits | title =Meltdown cast and crew | publisher =IMDb |access-date =2008-01-28}}</ref> the episode, featuring Wax-Droids of famous historical figures involved in a war of good versus evil, was originally supposed to open the series but was postponed due to the [[Gulf War]].
==Plot== [[Kryten]] discovers a [[matter]] transporter paddle in the research lab of ''Red Dwarf'' – a device capable of transmitting an individual as light beams to another point in space within 500,000 light-years. The decision is made to use the device to explore an interesting planet with breathable air within range of the ship,<ref name="Prog Guide p73">Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 73.</ref> with Kryten and [[Arnold Rimmer]] as electronic beings going first to determine if it is safe and return the matter paddle back. When the pair reach the planet, they find a number of unrealistic-looking dinosaur-like creatures, and are then taken prisoner by [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Pope Gregory XIII]] wielding guns. After some time, the paddle returns to [[Dave Lister]] and [[Cat (Red Dwarf)|Cat]], who follow after their friends. However, the pair find themselves seemingly transported through time, materializing in a war room somewhere in the [[Third Reich]] and thrown into jail on the orders of [[Adolf Hitler]], with the device being confiscated.<ref name="Prog Guide p74">Howarth & Lyons (1993) p. 74.</ref> Kryten and Rimmer discover that the group have travelled to Wax-World, a theme park inhabited by wax-droids—animatronic replicas of famous real-life and fictional characters in human history.
The pair discover that since the park was abandoned, the droids gained sentience over time, but divided into two warring factions – "Heroes" and "Villains" – with the heroes being on the brink of defeat as their captured comrades are melted down and turned into more villains.<ref name="Prog Guide p74"/> Meanwhile in their jail cell, Lister and Cat, after observing a parade of villains from different eras of history (including [[Benito Mussolini]], [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], [[Al Capone]], [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] and [[James Last]]) executing of [[Winnie the Pooh]], are brought up to speed on the situation by a captured [[Abraham Lincoln]]. They manage to escape an interrogation about the matter paddle conducted by [[Caligula]] and [[Gregory Rasputin]], making it back to the Heroes' HQ. Rimmer decides to lead the heroes into battle and trains them up into a fighting unit, detaining Lister and Cat after the former objects. Rimmer, possibly unhinged from Lister's earlier chewing of his light bee, devises a strategy to send in the heroes in as a distraction, while Kryten is smuggled into the Villains' Third Reich HQ and turns up the building's thermostat to melt them. The plan succeeds and the device is recovered, though Rimmer is forced to admit that all the droids were destroyed as a result. Disgusted by the pointlessness of war and Rimmer's plan, Lister requests Rimmer's hologram-projecting light bee and swallows it, assuring Kryten he will be okay for the next couple of days, before the group use the paddle to return to ''Red Dwarf''.<ref name="Prog Guide p74"/>
==Production== For the scene transitional cuts the usual Red Dwarf model shots were replaced by a technique of stretching the shot, cutting then releasing it back. These scenes were produced in post-production<ref name="Red Dwarf Series IV Production">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_4/Production.html |title=Red Dwarf Series IV Production |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2008-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421131757/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_4/Production.html |archive-date=21 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and were accompanied by a military style drum riff.<ref name="Red Dwarf Series IV Music">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_4/music.html |title=Red Dwarf Series IV Music |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2008-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080421131801/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_4/music.html |archive-date=21 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The intentionally unconvincing monsters of Wax World's prehistoric section were taken from footage of the kaiju movie ''[[Daikyojū Gappa]]'' (1967).<ref name="Red Dwarf Series IV Production"/>
Director Ed Bye thought that ''Red Dwarf IV'' would be the last series and he agreed with his wife, [[Ruby Wax]], to direct her television show ''The Full Wax''. This was the last episode he directed until his return in Series VII and VIII.<ref name="Interview: Ed Bye">Interview: Ed Bye, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 12, February 1993, Fleetway Editions Ltd, ISSN 0965-5603</ref>
The many guest appearances included [[Clayton Mark (actor)|Clayton Mark]] as wax-droid [[Elvis Presley]], [[Kenneth Hadley]] as wax-droid [[Adolf Hitler]], [[Martin Friend]] as wax-droid [[Albert Einstein]], [[Stephen Tiller (actor)|Stephen Tiller]] as wax-droid [[Pythagoras]], [[Jack Klaff]] as wax-droid [[Abraham Lincoln]], [[Tony Hawks]] as wax-droid [[Caligula]], Michael Burrell as wax-droid [[Pope Gregory I|Pope Gregory]], [[Forbes Masson]] as wax-droid [[Stan Laurel]], [[Roger Blake]] as wax-droid [[Noël Coward]] and [[Pauline Bailey]] as wax-droid [[Marilyn Monroe]].<ref name="Meltdown cast and crew"/>
For the second time in as many episodes, the arrangement of the end theme tune was changed. The tune itself was retained as normal; however, the lyrics were sung by the Elvis wax-droid instead of by [[Jenna Russell]].
==Cultural references== The plot theme of wax-droids running amok is based on the 1973 film ''[[Westworld (film)|Westworld]]''.<ref name="Meltdown movie connections">{{cite web | url =https://www.imdb.com/rg/title-tease/movieconnections/title/tt0684164/movieconnections | title =Red Dwarf movie connections | publisher =IMDb |access-date =2008-01-08}}</ref> When the Elvis wax droid explains the war to Kryten and Rimmer he states that all the best good warriors are gone: [[John Wayne]], [[Sir Lancelot]], [[Joan of Arc]], [[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Nelson]], [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Wellington]], even [[Doris Day]]. The [[Pythagoras]] wax-droid also refers to several members from the "Villain World": [[Hitler]], [[Napoleon]], [[Messalina]], [[The Boston Strangler]], and [[Caligula]], among others. Lister references the 1967 film ''[[The Dirty Dozen]]'' when he sees what Rimmer's doing with the good wax-droids.<ref name="Meltdown movie connections"/> During his abuse of the troops, Arnold Rimmer quotes Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from ''[[Full Metal Jacket]]''. One of the people in "Villain World" is [[James Last]], who recorded the version of "[[Copacabana (song)|Copacabana]]" that was used on the first transmission of the episode "[[Terrorform]]". Lister mentions that he recognises him from Rimmer's record collection.
The marching song led by "Sergeant Elvis Presley" is an example of a [[military cadence]], or jody call, commonly used by military personnel while running or marching in the United States.{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}} A further revision of this song would later appear in the failed pilot for the US version of the show.
This episode also borrows footage from the 1967 [[Kaiju]] film, ''[[Gappa|Gappa The Triphibian Monster]]'', when depicting the scene where Rimmer and Kryten run away from the two giant monsters, which were the titular monsters from the film.
The plot of a battle between historical heroes and villains, including a good Abraham Lincoln, is similar to the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'' episode "[[The Savage Curtain]]".
==Reception== The episode was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 21 March 1991 in the 9:00pm evening time slot.<ref name="BBC – Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF IV – MELTDOWN">{{cite web | url =http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMRI076J | title =BBC – BBC – Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF IV – MELTDOWN | publisher =BBC | access-date =2007-12-12 }}{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> It wasn't originally intended to be shown as the series' finale, but because of the [[Gulf War]] conflict at the time the BBC had decided to postpone the episode due to its antiwar theme. When the hostilities had ceased the episode was able to be broadcast at the end of the series' run.<ref name="Red Dwarf Programme Guide">{{cite book |last=Howarth |first=Chris |author2=Steve Lyons |title=Red Dwarf Programme Guide |year=1993 |publisher=Virgin Books |section=Section 1: The History |isbn=0-86369-682-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/reddwarfprogramm0000howa }}</ref>
Although Series IV performed well overall in the ''Red Dwarf'' magazine poll, "Meltdown" was considered the least favourite from the series, gaining 1.3% of the overall votes.<ref name="Red Dwarf Smegazine: Survey Results">Red Dwarf Smegazine: Survey Results, issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, ISSN 0965-5603</ref> One review said that "this episode gets overlooked because fans feel it's hokey", but added "there really are a lot of laughs to be had here."<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/10213/red-dwarf-series-4/ | title =Red Dwarf Series 4 | publisher = DVD Talk |access-date =2012-11-20}}</ref> In the Series IV DVD commentary, the cast talk about how most fans dislike the episode, speculating that perhaps it wasn't 'space-y' enough. In contrast, the cast all talk about their love for it and how many classic scenes it contains. That said, the episode's standing has improved in more recent years as its anti-war stance has become more appreciated in light of further controversial conflicts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ganymede.tv/forums/topic/how-do-you-solve-a-problem-like-meltdown/|title=How do you solve a problem like Meltdown? – Ganymede & Titan}}</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== *{{cite book |last=Howarth |first=Chris |author2=Steve Lyons |title=Red Dwarf Programme Guide |year=1993 |publisher=Virgin Books |isbn=0-86369-682-1 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/reddwarfprogramm0000howa }}
==External links== {{Wikiquote|Red_Dwarf#.22Meltdown.22|Meltdown}} *{{BBC episode|p00bp2t0|Meltdown}} *{{IMDb episode|0684164|Meltdown}} *[http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=4 Series IV episode guide at www.reddwarf.co.uk] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227010740/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=4 |date=27 December 2012 }}
{{Red Dwarf episodes}}
[[Category:Red Dwarf IV episodes]] [[Category:1991 British television episodes]] [[Category:Fictional depictions of Abraham Lincoln in television]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Adolf Hitler]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Albert Einstein]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Elvis Presley]] [[Category:Depictions of Caligula on television]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Marilyn Monroe]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Laurel & Hardy]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Mother Teresa]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Al Capone]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Messalina]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Benito Mussolini]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Grigori Rasputin]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Pythagoras]] [[Category:Depictions of Queen Victoria on television]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Mahatma Gandhi]]