The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

In the early eighties Arthur Dent awakes to find the council is preparing to bulldoze his home to make way for a by-pass. Arthur is determined to sop them but is distracted by his friend Ford Prefect who is sure the world is about to be destroyed by the Vogons. Arthur is shocked to find that Ford is not from Gilford but really from another planet and that he is correct in his assertions. The two escape by hitching a ride on the Vogon ship and thus begins an adventure that will see them meet old friends and see places in new ways thanks to the guidance of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Based on the radio show, this was what made Douglas Adams. The plot is pretty thin but is matched by the observations from the aforementioned book itself. The is allows one half of each show to be moving things forward and making the show actually go somewhere and for the other half to be absurdly funny. The story is good enough to be amusing by itself but with the sly wit of the guide taking swipes at things in a sideways fashion it becomes even better.

It is rarely laugh out loud funny, and I've yet to meet an American who gets the satire/wit of the thing (although there are some!). Simply because this is a witty thing rather than a silly, hilarious thing. The plot does require some leaps of faith as our characters escape death in several unlikely ways – but this is sci-fi and more importantly we always have the book to put it all in focus. The guide's comments show that the galaxy, like earth, is an insecure place that is really quite meaningless at the end of the day.

Jones is perfect as the book – he always sound slightly unbelieving of what he was saying, as if he was taken aback by the sheer amazement he was feeling! Simon Jones is likable as Arthur but I always found Dixon a little too cocky for Ford. Likewise I was never a real fan of Wing Davey but I must admit the two heads were good for the time. The rest of the cast are very good – but really the two Jones's are carrying the two separate elements of the show.

Overall those who know the books and the radio show will feel some material is missing, but really these 6 episodes cover the basic material very well and are very true to the source. The wit may go over the head of some people but this is absurd British wit of the finest sort.

'What does it say now?' 'Mostly harmless.'

So says the Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy's definition of the recently exterminated Planet Earth, as Arthur Dent goes on a fabulous and very silly journey through space and time without even having time to change out of his pyjamas and dressing gown. He's accompanied by his friend Ford Prefect (so called because he chose the name as the one most likely to blend in), a field reporter for the Guide.

The Guide itself of course is a huge best-seller mainly because it has 'Don't Panic' on the front in big letters ...

I'm watching it again as I write, now knowing every line and enjoying it immensely. It looks inept despite the cost (but the animation to create the computer sequences was good). It gives a few visual pointers to the (superior) radio series of the late 1970s, which had many of the same cast (specifically Peter 'voice of the book' Jones, Simon 'Arthur Dent' Jones, and the totally wonderful Mark 'Zaphod Beeblebrox' Wing-Davey - the sexiest two-headed guy you'll see in deep space).

Added to this version is Sandra Dickinson as Trillian, excellent in her bubble bimbo blonde astrophysicist way; and David Dixon as a charming Ford Prefect. There are other good actors in the cast - Colin Jeavons, Dave Prowse, David Rowlands, Richard Vernon, and Peter Davison. And who can forget Marvin 'I'm feeling very depressed' the Paranoid Android, voiced by Stephen Moore?

Can this BBC class act be topped by the upcoming movie? I doubt it. The good news is that many of the cast from this version will be back on the radio continuing the story very soon. That's something to look forward to.

In the meantime, those of you who are waiting for the film and haven't seen this, please seek the original out. So many highlights and so hilarious, not to mention 'What a Wonderful World'. 'Resistance is useless...'.

I absolutely love "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"! This is one of the funniest, most satirical, and most memorable mini-series I've ever seen! I've listened to the BBC radio broadcast, read all of the books, and now I've seen the TV series! It's awesome, and a very involving story with realistic and believable characters! The satire lies in how the aliens in the Universe perceive the planet Earth, which was destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. It reflects our bureaucracy, and how the people of our world live in it. People wonder what there role in existence really is. "The Hitchhiker's Guide" doesn't give the answer, but it does show people who are searching for it. This could've been made into a theatrical production, although it probably would have been far too long. I love the characters, because their presence just makes fun of everything in their pathway. Much of the purpose of the character's existence, I think, is to make fun of the other characters they will meet later in the story. I love the talking electronic book, which narrates the story and gives a sort of "average person's" answer to everything. Simon Jones, who played Arthur Dent in the BBC audio broadcast, reprises his role with the same confused, yet humanistic personification. Mark Wing-Davey also reprises his role as the conceited Zaphod Beeblebrox. Peter Jones is back too, as the electronic book, as is David Tate as the annoying, overly eccentric computer. What effect will this have on someone's life? Only that it reflects the insecurity of much of our population, and how insignificant it all is compared to the rest of the universe. We already know this, but we never take it into mind. This also satirizes our modern world, without making any direct references to the people it's poking fun at. This is a great story which should be read, listened to, and likewise, seen with this miniseries. This isn't just pure entertainment, satire, and comedy. This is something that will make you think about the world you live in, and what your existence in life means to the universe itself!

In this 6-part Mini based on the Douglas Adam's radio scripts, Ford Perfect (David Dixon) saves his friend Arthur Dent (Simon Jones, whom made not one, but two of the best mini's of the '80's, this and Brideshead Revisted, both in 1981 mind you. I'm inclined to think that Simon got a hold of the Infinite Improbability Drive) from the annihilation of Earth to pave the way for an intergalactic hyperspatial express route . Ford, unbeknowst to Arthur is an alien and whisks him away on a comical adventure that includes, but not limited to, everything. The humor is delightfully British,most of the characters dead-on (a given, since a lot of the cast were holdover's from the radio play). The effects may be a tad dated (an understatement if I ever heard one), however I feel that it adds to the charm of the show rather than detracts. All in all a marvelous adaption.

My Grade: A

Unlike the recent Movie, this mini-series is mostly good, and does an excellent job of capturing the quirky spirit of the radio original.

Probably the biggest reason why this adaptation works well is that the marvelous dialogue of the radio version has not been messed up. There are changes (as there have been in every medium the guide has been adapted into), but unlike the film version, the best and most memorable parts haven't been tampered with – See the memorable quotes section for examples of this. The biggest difference between this version and the film may be that Douglas Adams was directly involved with the production of the Television version, but sadly was not around to oversee the film version, for which the loss is evident.

The special effects aren't great (think Doctor Who, circa 1980), but the performances are enough fun that it doesn't matter all that much. Many of the cast members are the originals from the radio series, and even those that aren't originals mostly do a good job with their characters. The one exception is Sandra Dickinson, who just isn't convincing as Trillian – She's supposed to a very bright astrophysicist, but comes across as a bimbo/airhead. Still, the rest of the casting is excellent, so this one lapse can be forgiven.

The best part of the whole series is the visuals for the actual Guide. These are extraordinarily detailed animations, buttressing Peter Jones' voice-over from the radio original with lots of extra visual jokes and humor. One of the best parts about being able to watch this on DVD is the ability to freeze-frame some of the more interesting bits to be able to better appreciate all of the funny stuff contained within. These visuals were actually accomplished using a painstaking manual animation technique to simulate the computer displays, as 1980-era computers just weren't up to the job of doing things like this. Ironically, the simulated computer animations are a lot funnier than the actual computer animations (with 25 years worth of improved technology) in the film version.

In sum, given the choice between this and the film version, I would take this any time. The DVD version also includes lots of extra material – production notes, making-of documentaries, and a tribute to the late Douglas Adams.