Complete Guide
Epideme
Series VII, Episode 7
Recorded: May-Aug 1996, Shepperton Studios
First Broadcast: 28.02.1997 (BBC 2)
VHS Release: 01.10.1999 (BBCV 6791)
DVD Release: 07.11.2005 (BBCDVD 1692)
Blu-ray Release: 14.01.2019 (BBCBD 0441)
Written by Paul Alexander & Doug Naylor
Directed by Ed Bye
Synopsis
A strange, intelligent virus has impregnated Lister. He tries to set up a communication link with the disease to sweet-talk it into not killing him, but when this doesn't work, he realises that he'll have to submit to Kochanski's disarmingly simple cure.
Cast
Craig Charles (Lister), Danny John-Jules (Cat), Robert Llewellyn (Kryten), Chloe Annett (Kochanski), Nicky Leatherbarrow (Caroline Carmen), Gary Martin (Epideme)
Did You Know?
A quite different version of this script existed fairly close to its recording - with a virtual reality sequence in which Lister would meet some of history's greatest minds even having its parts cast and costumes tested. One of the actors, Ian Masters, would return in Series VIII as Birdman instead.
The original draft also featured Rimmer as integral to the solution of defeating Epideme, before the final plans were laid out for how and when Chris Barrie would be written out.
Epideme is the second episode of the show to end with a "To Be Continued..." tag - although this time around the wait for the resolution would only be a single week, rather than the three-and-a-bit years of Out of Time.
