The HITCH HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY

   Tv series (1981). BBC TV. Written and created by Douglas ADAMS, prod Alan J.W. Bell, associate prod John Lloyd, starring Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, David Dixon as Ford Prefect, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox and Sandra Dickinson as Trillian. 6 35min episodes, re-edited to 7 episodes for first US release. Colour.

   This tv serial began life in 1978 as a 6-episode radio series (officially numbered Fit the First through Sixth) followed the same year by a one-off Fit the Seventh, with 5 more episodes in 1980 (2 cowritten with its producer John Lloyd, who also received a production credit on the tv series). This had built up a massive (for radio) cult following; commercially released recordings of the radio broadcasts sold widely. Adams then turned his scripts into the bestselling novels The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979) and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980), with two further volumes later. The tv version was largely based on the first 6 radio episodes, only slightly on the subsequent 6; many scenes from the radio series were not included in the books. Adams had substantial tv experience, having been a script editor on DR WHO. The tv series was very funny indeed (although less liked by many aficionados than the original radio version) and was notable for the sophisticated graphics with which the eponymous talking Guidebook itself was animated. The series belongs to a very English school of comparatively deadpan (and somewhat cruel) absurd humour, based on the implicit premise that the Universe is arbitrary and unkind, especially to the English, and suffers from galloping ENTROPY. Although US tv seldom produces work of this sort, the programme was successful there also, although not to the same extent as in the UK. It is often replayed, and is available on video, slightly expanded, with average episodes of 40 rather than 35 mins.

   PN