Duct Soup
Encyclopedia
"Duct Soup" is the fourth episode of science fiction
sit-com Red Dwarf
Series VII and the 40th in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British
television channel BBC2 on 7 February 1997. Written by Doug Naylor
and directed by Ed Bye
.
(Chloë Annett
) is having a hard time on Starbug with the boys. No baths (she doesn't like showers), no decent food and the pipes in her sleeping quarters squeak all night. Lister
(Craig Charles
) arranges for her to have a bath in his quarters, and finds some extra clothing for her - gestures that worry Kryten
(Robert Llewellyn
) considerably. But before she gets the chance to dip into the bath, an engine failure leaves the crew trapped in Lister's quarters, and the ship is on a collision course with a meteor shower
. The only way to re-fire the backup generator is by going through the service ducts.
As they navigate through the narrow ducts, Kochanski helps Lister with his claustrophobia
, while Kryten and Cat (Danny John-Jules
) look for any hatches that they can use to get back into Starbug. After dealing with Re-cyc water flushing through the vents, and hurricane-force winds to dry the ductways, Kryten admits that he perpetrated the whole thing. He adjusted the thermosettings so it would overload and locked them in Lister's quarters. They eventually exit the ducts but end up back in Lister's quarters. Kryten makes another admission - the doors to Lister's quarters aren't locked after all; he excluded them from the shutdown override in case anything happened. Lister goes off to steer the ship away from disaster, while Kochanski asks Kryten to repeat the squeak noises that the pipes make while repeatedly hitting his head with a spanner (which she had been doing earlier to the squeaking pipes).
").
Being the last episode written, and the fact that the series had stretched the budget a that point, "Duct Soup" turned out to be the "bottle show
", a cheap production script that replaced the initially more expensive story that was written, Identity Within
.
In Series 7's bonus features, Craig Charles mentions one word has been dubbed over in the scene where he tells his story about him developing claustrophobia
, as it turns out this word was left un-dubbed on the first VHS release of Series 7 and is, in fact, 'Fuck
'.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
sit-com Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
Series VII and the 40th in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television channel BBC2 on 7 February 1997. Written by Doug Naylor
Doug Naylor
Douglas R. Naylor is a British comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer.Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio 4 entitled Cliché and Son of Cliché...
and directed by Ed Bye
Ed Bye
Edward Richard Morrison Bye is a British film and TV producer and director. He is best known for his work with Grant Naylor, Harry Enfield and Jasper Carrott, and has worked with many of British TV's best known comedians and comedy actors...
.
Plot
KochanskiKristine Kochanski
Kristine Z. Kochanski is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kochanski was the first console officer in the navigation chamber on board the spaceship Red Dwarf...
(Chloë Annett
Chloë Annett
Chloë Victoria Annett is an English actress, best known for her role in series 7 and 8 of the British sitcom Red Dwarf.-Early life and family:...
) is having a hard time on Starbug with the boys. No baths (she doesn't like showers), no decent food and the pipes in her sleeping quarters squeak all night. Lister
Dave Lister
David "Dave" Lister, commonly referred to simply as Lister, is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf, portrayed by Craig Charles...
(Craig Charles
Craig Charles
Craig Joseph Charles is an English actor, stand-up comedian, author, poet, radio and television presenter, best known for playing Dave Lister in the British cult-favourite science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf...
) arranges for her to have a bath in his quarters, and finds some extra clothing for her - gestures that worry Kryten
Kryten
Kryten is a fictional character in the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kryten's registration code on Red Dwarf is "Kryten additional 001". The name Kryten is a reference to the head butler in the J.M...
(Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn
Robert Llewellyn is an English actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known as the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf, and for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge.-Early career:...
) considerably. But before she gets the chance to dip into the bath, an engine failure leaves the crew trapped in Lister's quarters, and the ship is on a collision course with a meteor shower
Meteor shower
A meteor shower is a celestial event in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate from one point in the night sky. These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories. Most meteors are smaller...
. The only way to re-fire the backup generator is by going through the service ducts.
As they navigate through the narrow ducts, Kochanski helps Lister with his claustrophobia
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
, while Kryten and Cat (Danny John-Jules
Danny John-Jules
Daniel "Danny" John-Jules is a British actor, singer and dancer. John-Jules attended Rutherford Comprehensive School, Penfold Street, Marylebone, from 1972 to 1977. He is best known for portraying Cat in the television programme Red Dwarf.-Dance and song:John-Jules is a baritone...
) look for any hatches that they can use to get back into Starbug. After dealing with Re-cyc water flushing through the vents, and hurricane-force winds to dry the ductways, Kryten admits that he perpetrated the whole thing. He adjusted the thermosettings so it would overload and locked them in Lister's quarters. They eventually exit the ducts but end up back in Lister's quarters. Kryten makes another admission - the doors to Lister's quarters aren't locked after all; he excluded them from the shutdown override in case anything happened. Lister goes off to steer the ship away from disaster, while Kochanski asks Kryten to repeat the squeak noises that the pipes make while repeatedly hitting his head with a spanner (which she had been doing earlier to the squeaking pipes).
Production
The episode overran by three minutes, and had to be cut down. Rather than lose vital scenes it was decided that the opening title could be omitted to save precious time. The scenes would be reinstated for the X-tended edition. This is the third Red Dwarf episode to forfeit the opening titles for the purposes of time and episode pacing (the others being Series II episode "Parallel Universe" and the previous episode "OuroborosOuroboros (Red Dwarf episode)
"Ouroboros" is the third episode of science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf Series VII and the 39th in the series run. It was first broadcast on the British television channel BBC2 on 31 January 1997...
").
Being the last episode written, and the fact that the series had stretched the budget a that point, "Duct Soup" turned out to be the "bottle show
Bottle episode
The term bottle episode is used in episodic television to refer to episodes which are produced using the least money, and restricted in their scope to use as few, or no, non-regular cast members, effects, and sets as possible...
", a cheap production script that replaced the initially more expensive story that was written, Identity Within
Identity Within
"Identity Within" is described as a 'lost episode' of the British science fiction comedy television series Red Dwarf.-A 'lost episode':"Identity Within" was originally the supposed second episode in the seventh series...
.
In Series 7's bonus features, Craig Charles mentions one word has been dubbed over in the scene where he tells his story about him developing claustrophobia
Claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms...
, as it turns out this word was left un-dubbed on the first VHS release of Series 7 and is, in fact, 'Fuck
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
'.