I’ve just been reading Better Than Life

[Tonguetied]

Wonderful as the second novel is, I’ve always had a problem with the Rimmer of the novels. Chiefly his reaction towards Lister’s subsequent death related heart attack at the end of the book. He seems unrealistically moved for a man who in Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers was overcome with audacious joy at the knowledge of Lister’s seemingly imminent death fortold by the future echoes. However when it actually came to the last human’s demise, Rimmer finds himself saddened at the death of a man he hates? The fact that when Holly churns out a solution to resurrecting Lister, Rimmer has ”laughter of joy”. Isn’t this stretching Rimmer’s character too far? The only believable comment I can make is that he was saddened at the prospect of the entire human race to be extinct with the death of his crew mate not his friend. Rather his official raison d’etre as declared by Holly was vanquished with the death of Lister. Namely that of keeping the last human sane. Sure he didn’t have to like Lister, but perhaps he had self worth in thinking that he had a duty of importance even if he didn’t realize it all the time. I can’t believe Rimmer was genuinely moved by Lister’s death. Rather he found his own existence without someone to loath somewhat empty. What does everyone else think?

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[JamesTC]

I think Rimmer was just having fun teasing Lister about his death and he was actually rather worried about it, or subconsciously Rimmer knew that it wasn’t Lister who he saw die.

[Ben Paddon]

When two people share tough times together it can only serve to bring them closer together. Especially considering that the “Marooned” conversations happen in BTL… maybe Rimmer doesn’t dislike Lister quite so much by the time the end of BTL rolls around.

[Muzzy]

I think it’s quite obvious throughout the show that they really do kind of need each other. As much as driving Rimmer nuts keeps Lister going, blaming his failings on Lister and driving HIM nuts it what keeps Rimmer going.

And there’s plenty of moments also to suggest that they do like each other too. Lister missing Rimmer in Blue, Rimmer doing pretty much everything he can do to keep Lister alive in Marooned, Rimmer’s ‘death’ and funeral, Lister wanting to give Rimmer a really good deathday present in Thanks For the Memory etc. etc. It never really struck me as strange that Rimmer would miss Lister at all.

[Tonguetied]

I would never go as far to say the relationship between Lister and Rimmer could be classified as friendship. I certainly think that as Muz mentioned in relation to Marooned, there is a tolerance between the two. While in said episode, Rimmer spurs Lister on to survive, not out of friendship but out of Rimmer’s sense of duty and love of coercing order to others.

Take another episode now, Stoke Me a Clipper: Lister looks distinctly uncomfortable with having to honor Rimmer at the funeral. He does however try his best to keep the pretence that Rimmer has died and not Ace.

As for Blue, well Lister himself is disgusted with the prospect of missing Rimmer and is proven that his feeling of loss is completely wrong found by the end of the episode where he recalls just how bitterly he related to Rimmer and all his traits.

Also, in the article on the official Red Dwarf website, an analysis on the character of Rimmer defines his personality and relationship towards Lister perfectly; Rimmer hates Lister, he never embraced a false persona to keep the last human sane. Merely acting as he was, the irony is that Rimmer fitted all the right categories to keep Lister alive. He only really cares about himself. That’s why he’s the character we love to hate.

In the novels I feel that there is a distinct difference with the relationship between the two in comparison to the TV series. Rimmer’s empathy towards Lister is never shown to the same degree as in the Better Than Life novel. The fact that TV Rimmer and novel Rimmer are parallel equivalents spells this out. TV Rimmer is more anally retentive, bitter towards Lister than novel Rimmer is.

[Nakrophile]

Of course they are friends. They just don’t want to admit it.

I have always loved the bit where Lister convinces Rimmer to become Ace in Stoke, and in fact if you compare their goodbyes in both Stoke and Holoship it’s pretty obvious they like each other.

[pfm]

> I have always loved the bit where Lister convinces Rimmer to become Ace in Stoke

This. I find the funeral and goodbye one of the most interesting moments across all series’, the way Rimmer and Lister know what’s going on but the Cat and Kryten don’t.

[Author]

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