Red Dwarf: Every Major Character Ranked From Worst To Best
3. Holly 1
It seems odd to suggest that anyone needed to inject any surreality into Red Dwarf, by its nature a far out show, but Norman Lovett does a spectacular job of this in the earlier and later seasons of the show. Playing a talking computer with a 6000 IQ is a tough remit, but he does the job perfectly with a mix of authority and detachment.
Holly is forced to amuse himself with pranks, gags, and quick games of charades, but it never feels twee or forced - it stands to reason that a being of such intellect would need to create his own entertainment surrounded by such a motley crew of individuals.
For all Hattie Hayridge’s great work, the return of Lovett’s Holly late in the show is a true joy (and what a pop from the studio audience) - his portrayal is definitive, and the confidence of the performance injects an undeniable logic into a far out character.
It’s a real art to make such an unfeeling and ultimately uncaring character so likeable, but the writers and Lovett smash it every time.