The Last Day

"The Last Day" is the sixth, and last, episode of science fiction sit-com Red Dwarf Series III, and the eighteenth in the series run. It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 19 December 1989. Written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and directed by Ed Bye, the story is about Kryten's expiry date and how Lister decides to give him a last day to remember. The episode was re-mastered, along with the rest of the first three series, in 1998. Plot Kryten discovers that a message pod has reached Red Dwarf from Diva-Droid International, his manufacturers, announcing that he has reached his expiry date and will be forced to shut down automatically in 24 hours before he is to be replaced. Lister, Rimmer and Cat learn that Kryten has resigned himself to his fate, hoping to enjoy his reward in "Silicon Heaven", the mechanoid's version of an afterlife, despite Lister claiming no such place exists. Sickened by Kryten's attitude, Lister decides that he and the others should give Kryten an enjoyable time for his last day and hold a party for him. Kryten is touched by this and the presents they provide, including a special concoction of mechanoid alcohol crafted by Holly, and parties with the group all night. The next morning, Kryten wakes up with a hangover, and realises he had experienced true pleasure for the first time. Desiring more, he decides he would much rather delay his departure, but when Lister suggests he overrides his shutdown programme, Kryten explains that he operates on a service contract; failing to shut down means his replacement will be programmed to terminate him as a result. The group opt to stand by him and force his replacement, Hudzen 10, to leave Red Dwarf when he arrives. However, they soon find that Hudzen had been driven insane from travelling alone across space for millions of years and decides to kill everyone as a result, arguing that none of them is human, so he is not violating the Three Laws of Robotics. As he prepares to kill his predecessor, Kryten blurts out that Silicon Heaven does not exist. Unable to cope with this revelation, Hudzen shuts down. When Lister quizzes why Kryten's mind could cope but Hudzen's could not despite being a newer model, Kryten replies that he had a distinct advantage – his revelation was just a lie. Production The character of Hudzen 10, played by Gordon Kennedy, was a last-minute addition to the script.