10 Best One-Time Characters In Red Dwarf
2. Queeg
When the crew lose all faith in the senile ship's computer, Holly, it triggers the activation of a backup program named Queeg 500. Queeg, unlike Holly, has retained his IQ, and, as Holly is relegated to a lowly hall monitor on a television, the strict new computer enforces a gruelling military-esque regime for Lister, Rimmer and the Cat.
Forcing them to run miles every day around the ship's decks and limiting Lister's food to a pea on toast, they quickly realise they were too hard on Holly and wish for him back. Holly proposes a game of virtual chess, the loser of which will be erased for good. Queeg trounces him easily, and, after the crew each say their heartfelt farewells to Holly, that's when the rug is pulled right out from underneath them.
As a self-proclaimed "April, May, June, July and August fool", Holly reveals he was Queeg all along, and put them through all that as a lesson in appreciating what they have, no matter how senile. It's a brilliant bait-and-switch, and makes a great change to have Holly in the spotlight for once. Pity he never tried to fool them a second time.