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	{{Infobox television episode		{{Infobox television episode
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	==External links==		==External links==
	~~{{Wikiquote\|Red_Dwarf#.22Back to Reality.22\|Back to Reality}}~~
	*{{BBC episode\|p00bplb0\|Back to Reality}}		*{{BBC episode\|p00bplb0\|Back to Reality}}
	*{{IMDb episode\|0684143\|Back to Reality}}		*{{IMDb episode\|0684143\|Back to Reality}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox television episode
| series = [[Red Dwarf]]
| image = Back to Reality (Red Dwarf).jpg
| caption = In the despair induced hallucination the characters believe that they are (from left to right) fascist police chief Sebastian Doyle, homeless outcast William Doyle, cyborg traffic officer Jake Bullet, and charmless nerd Duane Dibbley
| series_no = 5
| episode = 6
| director = [[Juliet May]] and [[Grant Naylor]]
| writer = [[Rob Grant]] and [[Doug Naylor]]
| airdate = {{Start date|1992|03|26|df=yes}}
| guests = * [[Timothy Spall]] as Andy
* [[Lenny Von Dohlen]] as Cop
* Marie McCarthy as Nurse
* [[John Sharian]] as New Lister
* [[Anastasia Hille]] as New Kochanski
* Julian Lyon as New Rimmer
* David Lemkin as New Cat
* Scott Charles Bennett as New Kryten
| prev = [[Demons & Angels]]
| next = [[Psirens]]
| episode_list = List of Red Dwarf episodes
}}
"'''Back to Reality'''" is the sixth and final episode of [[science fiction]] [[sitcom]] ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' Series 5,<ref name="British Sitcom Guide – Red Dwarf – Series 5">{{cite web | url =http://www.sitcom.co.uk/red_dwarf/series5.shtml | title =British Sitcom Guide – Red Dwarf – Series 5 | publisher =sitcom.co.uk |access-date =2008-01-29}}</ref> and the 30th in the series' run.<ref name="TV.com – Back to Reality summary">{{cite web | url =http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/back-to-reality/episode/10974/summary.html | title =TV.com – Back to Reality summary | publisher =tv.com |access-date =2008-01-29| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080131192146/http://www.tv.com/red-dwarf/back-to-reality/episode/10974/summary.html| archive-date= 31 January 2008 | url-status=live}}</ref> It was first broadcast on the British television channel [[BBC2]] on 26 March 1992,<ref name="BBC – Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF V – BACK TO REALITY">{{cite web | url =http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMRE197T | title =BBC – Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF V – BACK TO REALITY | publisher =BBC | access-date =2007-12-12 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> written by [[Rob Grant]] and [[Doug Naylor]] and directed by [[Juliet May]] and [[Grant Naylor]].<ref name="Back to Reality cast and crew">{{cite web | url =https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0684143/fullcredits | title =Back to Reality cast and crew | publisher =IMDb |access-date =2008-01-29}}</ref> The plot features the crew waking up after a crash to discover that the last four years of their lives has been spent in a "Total Immersion Video Game" called ''Red Dwarf''. This episode marks the final appearance of [[Hattie Hayridge]] as Holly. The episode often tops polls and surveys as the best episode in the entire series.<ref name="Red Dwarf Smegazine">Survey Results, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, {{ISSN|0965-5603}}</ref>

==Plot==
[[Dave Lister]], [[Arnold Rimmer]], [[Kryten]], and [[Cat (Red Dwarf)|the Cat]] take a ''Starbug'' to investigate the wreckage of a ship called SSS ''Esperanto'' on an ocean-covered moon. The group discover that the ship was conducting marine seeding experiments that included accelerating the evolution of life on the planet, but find that all life on board, and even some of the sea life, had committed suicide. Kryten discovers this was caused by a mutated form of squid ink that contained a [[hallucinogenic]] nerve [[toxin]], and that the suicides were caused by the toxin giving its victims severe depression, stating that he, Lister and Cat are now being affected by it. Finding that the ink may have come from the only remaining life form on the moon, a giant squid, the group attempt to escape it, but crash ''Starbug'' and are killed in the explosion. A moment later, the crew awaken from Artificial Reality machines and discover that they have been playing "Red Dwarf – The Total Immersion Video Game" for four years, gaining a score of only 4%, and that the length of time has left them with temporary memory loss.

The group discover who they are in time—Lister is Voter Colonel Sebastian Doyle, head of the secret police in a [[fascist]] state; Rimmer is Billy Doyle, Lister's half-brother and a tramp; Cat is [[Red Dwarf characters#Dwyane Dibbley|Duane Dibbley]], a dorky human; and Kryten is Detective Jake Bullet, a half-human traffic officer. The group feel despair at finding out who they are, Kryten initially being pleased at his "real" existence until he is forced to take a human life to save another, and prepare to commit group suicide. However, before they do this, [[Holly (Red Dwarf)|Holly]] manages to wake them up, revealing that they are still onboard ''Starbug''—their crash and the "reality" they were in were just a hallucination. Holly and Kryten deduce that the squid was the culprit: a [[List of Red Dwarf concepts#Despair Squid|Despair Squid]] which used ink to induce despair in other species and make them commit suicide. Holly confirms that she has killed the squid, and ''Starbug'' leaves the planet.

==Production==
"Back to Reality" was the first script written for series 5,<ref name="Red Dwarf Series V Writing">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm |title=Red Dwarf Series V Writing |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref> and it was thought of at the time that this would be the final series as there looked like there would be a cast availability problem: [[Chris Barrie]] was starring in the increasingly popular sit-com ''[[Brittas Empire]]'', while [[Robert Llewellyn]] was appearing in ''[[Red Dwarf#U.S. version|Red Dwarf USA]]'', a ''Red Dwarf'' pilot commissioned by American production company [[NBC]], with the possibility of being committed to that for several years.<ref name="Interview: Grant Naylor">Interview: Grant Naylor, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 6, August 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, {{ISSN|0965-5603}}</ref>

Although the budget for the series had increased, certain sets were still able to double for different scenes. The corridors of the holoship, from the episode of the same name, were adapted for the Artificial Reality suite.<ref name="Red Dwarf Series V Sets">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm |title=Red Dwarf Series V Sets |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref>

The interiors of the SSS ''Esperanto'' were filmed at Sunbury Pumphouse, and were the only scenes directed by Juliet May.

Several model shots of the Despair Squid were filmed but it was decided that they did not work well. Instead, a superimposed shadow was used to illustrate the squid closing in on ''Starbug''.<ref name="Red Dwarf Programme Guide">{{cite book |last=Howarths |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>

[[Lenny Von Dohlen]], known for appearing in ''[[Twin Peaks]]'', agreed to appear as a policeman after speaking with former guest star [[Frances Barber]] (who appeared in the Series III episode, "[[Polymorph (Red Dwarf)|Polymorph]]", as the Jenny Mutant).<ref name="Red Dwarf Series V Casting">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm |title=Red Dwarf Series V Casting |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref> The episode also featured a new ''Red Dwarf'' crew for the new Artificial Reality game. [[Anastasia Hille]], in her first ever TV role, played Kochanski, David Lemkin played the Cat, Julian Lyon played Rimmer, [[John Sharian]] played Lister and Scott Charles Bennett played Kryten. [[Timothy Spall]] and Marie McCarthy played two employees, a staff worker named Andy and a nurse respectively, attending to the 'Red Dwarf Total Immersion Video Game'.

==Reception==
The episode was originally broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 26 March 1992 in the 9:00pm evening time slot,<ref name="BBC – Programme Catalogue – RED DWARF V – BACK TO REALITY"/> and is generally considered to be one of the best of the entire series' run.<ref name="Red Dwarf Smegazine: Survey Results">Red Dwarf Smegazine: Survey Results, issue 10, December 1992, Fleetway Editions Ltd, {{ISSN|0965-5603}}</ref> It has been described as a "classic episode [that] questions our certainty about what is real. It has us believing that what we thought was real was only a simulation of dream, only to reveal later on that the waking up was actually a falling asleep."<ref>{{cite book |last=Cox |first=Gary |title=How To Be A Philosopher: Or How to Be Almost Certain that Almost Nothing is Certain |page=60 |year=2010 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=1441144781}}</ref> Another review said that it was "one of the best and most clever episodes ever made—here we see the birth of Dwane Dibbly—'nuff said."<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/16533/red-dwarf-series-5/ | title =Red Dwarf Series 5 | publisher = DVD Talk |access-date =2012-11-20}}</ref> [[Rob Grant]] has described this episode as one of his favourites: "that was a show I was sorta in the director's chair for and personally it's a gobsmackingly good show in terms of RD shows."<ref name="inquisitor">{{cite web |url=http://theinquisitorsreddwarfsite.4t.com/custom3.html |title=Rob Grant Interview |work=The Inquisitors Red Dwarf Site |access-date=29 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118000040/http://theinquisitorsreddwarfsite.4t.com/custom3.html |archive-date=18 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

At the end of 1992 the episode helped the fifth series gain a nomination for an [[International Emmy Award]],<ref name="News From The Dwarf">News From The Dwarf, Red Dwarf Smegazine, issue 11, January 1993, Fleetway Editions Ltd, {{ISSN|0965-5603}}</ref> and in 1995, following a BBC viewers vote, it was repeated on 22 December 1995 as 'The Best-Ever Red Dwarf'.<ref name="BBC – Programme Catalogue – THE BEST EVER RED DWARF">{{cite web|url=http://catalogue.bbc.co.uk/catalogue/infax/programme/NMYH781S |title=BBC – Programme Catalogue – THE BEST EVER RED DWARF |publisher=BBC |access-date=2007-12-12 }}{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

The episode had proved popular enough for the BBC to ignore the original running order and use the popular episodes from the series to maximise sales of the video releases. The episode that featured on the other series 5 video release being "[[Quarantine (Red Dwarf)|Quarantine]]".<ref name="Red Dwarf Series V Aftermath">{{cite web|url=http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_5/aftermath.html |title=Red Dwarf Series V Aftermath |publisher=reddwarf.co.uk |access-date=2008-01-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080104013115/http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/deck05/series_5/aftermath.html |archive-date=4 January 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Red_Dwarf#.22Back to Reality.22|Back to Reality}}
*{{BBC episode|p00bplb0|Back to Reality}}
*{{IMDb episode|0684143|Back to Reality}}
*[http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/guide/index.cfm?seriesID=5 Series V episode guide at www.reddwarf.co.uk]

{{Red Dwarf episodes}}

[[Category:Red Dwarf V episodes]]
[[Category:1992 British television episodes]]

Back to Reality (Red Dwarf) - Revision history

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