Red Dwarf (Dave, 9pm)

TEN years have passed since a new episode of space comedy Red Dwarf has been seen on TV, although the series has rarely been off our screens.

The arrival of Freeview channel Dave has ensured there’s been what appears to be round-the-clock re-runs of the eight series about the adventures of lost-inspace characters Dave Lister, Arnold Rimmer, Cat, Kryton and ship’s computer, Holly.

Talk of a movie version has been about since the series ended, with several start dates being announced, but never actually happening.

Dave makes a rare foray into original programming with a new three-part Red Dwarf showing over the Easter period.

The show originated from a recurring sketch, Dave Hollins: Space Cadet, in a mid-Eighties BBC Radio 4 comedy show, Son Of Cliché. The writers of that, Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, created Red Dwarf and wrote the first six series.

The show ran on BBC2 between 1988 and 1999 with an episode from the sixth series, Gunmen Of The Apocalypse, winning an International Emmy Award in the popular arts category. The same year the show was named top BBC comedy series at the British Comedy Awards.

The original stars – Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny-John Jules and Robert Llewellyn – all return for the new 21st anniversary series. But Charles, now a regular on Coronation Street as cabbie Lloyd, reckons the new episodes go a step beyond the sitcom origins.

“This is Red Dwarf for the 21st Century,”

he says. “This isn’t a situation comedy, this is comedy drama. It looks like it’s shot on film.

“The performances are a lot more considered.

It’s not us running around shouting at each other and insulting each other anymore, there’s a lot of emotion, a lot of pathos.”

As for plot, the first episode sees the team up to their old tricks aboard Red Dwarf, until the discovery of a dimension- hopping creature threatens to change everything.

The new story continues on Saturday and Sunday, at 9pm, along with a Smegups special, with Patrick Stewart introducing outtakes, on Saturday, at 9.35pm, and a Making Of.. documentary on Sunday, at 9.30pm

The Real Swiss Family Robinson (BBC1, 9pm)

MORE of the series casting away families on a desert island for three weeks (without eight gramophone records as far as I can tell) where they’re forced to work together to build shelter and find food as there’s no Tesco Express down the road.

In the third programme, Laura Hunt is concerned that her children have had it too easy due to her husband Rikki’s career in big business, so she volunteers to take their three teenagers to the Cook Islands to experience a simpler life.

Laura’s in her element, but the rest of the family need more convincing that this is a good idea.

Numb3rs (five, 10pm)

DON, David and Nikki are faced with more problems when they are called to a break-in at the residence of Brazilian diplomat Consul Nespola.

The team realise a unique pair of final edition Primers sneakers have been stolen from his huge collection. Nespola owns up to paying $250,000 for the one-off shoes in an auction.

Rap artist Eve guests stars as La-La, the store assistant who organised the auction. She admits there was tension between Nespola and Vic Moritz, the only “sneakerhead” with a collection bigger than Nespola’s.

The plot thickens when David and Nikki are called to a murder scene – where the victim is wearing one Primer.

A Place in the Sun: Home or Away (C4, 8pm)

NO sign yet of a downturn in the TV property show boom as Jasmine Harman and Jonnie Irwin come to the aid of early retirees Mick and Linda Broadhead, who are looking to find the ideal retreat.

However, they’re not sure whether to snap up a home in the dramatic mountains of Snowdonia in Wales, or to head for the Cape Verde islands off the west coast of Africa, which are equally impressive and probably a good bit warmer.