Why Can't We Live in Bliss? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Game Heads

At the beginning of 'Red Dwarf', we meet Denis and Josie, a couple of addicts who have been travelling the galaxy after meeting at a festival. Denis is addicted to a drug called Bliss that makes users - who become addicted just by looking at it - believe they are a god, although the high only lasts for fifteen minutes, and Josie is a 'Game Head'.

She has a degree in Pure Mathematics, but lives on the streets due to being addicted to 'Better than Life', after buying a headset on Callisto. Denis keeps her alive by sharing his food with her.

Answer: It costs a lot of money to play

Once a user puts on the headset, a set of electrodes burrow their way into the user's skull and brain. This means that it cannot be removed physically as it will kill the user. 'Better than Life' was originally legal, but was withdrawn from the market; however, illegal labs made copies that were sold by dealers. The game is so clever that users do not even realise they're in it, and what makes it so addictive is that it gives them things that they subconsciously desire, as Lister finds out. The only way to get out of the game is to want to leave it, but almost nobody does.

While users are in the game, they do not eat or drink and neglect themselves, and starve to death unless someone feeds them (as Denis does with Josie).

Answer: Petrovitch

Petrovitch was a technician and the leader of A Shift, the shift who got the most important jobs. Rimmer had a grudge against him because Petrovitch passed his astronavigation exam while Rimmer failed it after writing 'I am a fish' several times. Like the rest of the crew minus Lister, he was killed by an explosion.

When they were alive, Rimmer heard a rumour about Petrovitch being a drug dealer and did his best to spread it. The rumour turns out to be true as, when the crew are celebrating returning to Earth, the Cat finds a stash of headbands in Petrovitch's old room. He goes into the game and the others follow him one by one.

Answer: It's a Wonderful Life

Lister is a huge fan of 'It's a Wonderful Life' and watched it multiple times while he and Kochanski were together. In his fantasy world, he lives in Bedford Falls, which is populated by characters from the movie, and has changed his name to George Bailey.

He is married to Kochanski and they have twin sons, Jim and Bexley. Every day is Christmas Eve. His life is not particularly glamorous, but he has enough to live on.

Answer: Juanita

Juanita Chicata, aka the Brazilian Bombshell, is an extremely beautiful and bad-tempered model and actress who is married to Rimmer in his fantasy world. She is having an affair with Hugo, a pool attendant, and constantly has temper tantrums and breaks Rimmer's expensive possessions.

She also goes on time travel shopping trips with famous women such as Cleopatra and Marie Antoinette. It is later revealed that she is based on Janine, the wife of his brother Frank.

Answer: 'U=BTL' and 'DYING'

Although Lister is immersed in his fantasy world, he has sore arms, and when he applies cream to the sore areas, the words 'U=BTL' and 'DYING' appear. Lister eventually realises that someone is trying to send him a message to warn him that he is in 'Better than Life'.

This turns out to be Kryten, who is keeping Lister and the Cat alive in the real world by feeding them and preventing them from harming themselves; however, he is becoming increasingly desperate and eventually, with Holly's persuasion, resorts to lasering the messages into Lister's arms.

Answer: Dogs

The Cat's fantasy world is the most ridiculous (he is a humanoid cat after all). He lives in a golden castle surrounded by a moat of milk, with Valkyrie servants and statues and portraits of himself everywhere. One of his favourite leisure activities is playing polo using small fluffy creatures as balls, and another one involves hunting dogs with a gun while riding on a fire-breathing yak. Lister is naturally horrified when he sees the Cat killing dogs, which the Cat sees as 'vermin'.

Answer: A prostitute called Trixie

Rimmer goes bankrupt, has his body repossessed and becomes nothing more than a disembodied voice trapped in a cell with other voices, including a prostitute called Trixie and a criminal called Jimmy. When the voices break out of their cell, Jimmy takes Rimmer's old body and Rimmer is forced to take Trixie's body. Jimmy and his brother Tonto escape from the prison and stay in a motel, where they treat Rimmer/Trixie like a slave.

When Jimmy and Tonto are shot by police and Rimmer's old body is destroyed, he steals a truck and drives to Bedford Falls.

Answer: Rimmer

Rimmer's self-loathing and neuroses ruin 'Better than Life' not only for himself, but for the others as well. He drives a truck into Bedford Falls, causing untold amounts of damage, and Kochanski assumes Lister is cheating on her with 'Trixie' and walks out on him. Bedford Falls then has a sewage plant and open-air prison built.

In the Cat's fantasy world, where Kryten is also based, the Valkyrie servants go on strike, the milk moat turns to cheese and a volcano erupts once Rimmer enters. Because the crew's fantasy worlds are ruined, they are able to leave the game.

Answer: Rimmer is nice to Lister

At first Lister thinks everything is back to normal, but then warning signs appear. When he has a second cup of coffee, it tastes even better than the first; his fridge is stacked with healthy, wholesome food such as salads and lamb instead of rotting or out-of-date food; his towel is much bigger and softer than usual; and when he puts marmalade on his toast, it always lands marmalade side up. He also has a microwave dinner that tastes good and notices that his videos are tidied up and labelled.

Kryten reports that three people are alive and in stasis, and Lister immediately guesses who they are: Rimmer, Kochanski and his old friend Olaf Petersen. When Lister reminds the others that they are still in the game, the game developer appears and informs them that they have passed the final obstacle. The crew leave 'Better than Life' for real and both Lister and the Cat begin a long recovery.