Jump to content

35 Years Ago Today, The Hitchhiker’s Guide First Hit the Airwaves


securitybreach

Recommended Posts

securitybreach
Before March 8, 1978, a Ford Prefect was just an old car. The world was blissfully unfamiliar with Vogon poetry. And 42, believe it or not, was just another number.

 

I speak not of the publication of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but rather to the premiere ofthe BBC Radio show that begat the “trilogy” so dear to so many science fiction fans. (In other news, in 1978 there still was such a thing as a radio show.) The first episode made its debut on this date 35 years ago and was very popular right away, which was particularly remarkable because it aired at 10:30pm GMT on a Wednesday night, which in terms of radio programming is close to but not quite as bad as being “on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.’”

So we fans of the classic books, TV series and movie that grew out of that radio show all owe a measure of gratitude to all those who listened to BBC Radio 4 on that fateful night.

 

The original radio series is available for purchase on CD (link goes to first part), and is highly recommended to those who haven’t heard it before — note that it is not precisely the same story as in the books, though of course it’s close (and the radio show has Simon Jones, Mark Wing-Davey, and Peter Jones, the actors who later portrayed Arthur Dent, Zaphod Beeblebrox, and The Book (respectively) in the TV series, in those same roles)

 

The first part of the series covers the story of the book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, while the second part covers The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.....

http://www.wired.com...radio-35-years/

 

In lieu of the anniversary, here is one of my favorite HHGTG wallpapers:

WT5QY0W.jpg

Fullsize: http://i.imgur.com/WT5QY0W.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest LilBambi

Happy Anniversary to the BBC Radio's first episode of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Radio Show!

 

I think it is very cool that SNF shares it's March 8th Anniversary with the date of the first episode's debut 35 years ago today of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy BBC Radio Show.

 

And another very good reason we changed the old Water Cooler's name to The Restaurant at the Edge of the Universe!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 6 years later...

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

 

Well I was going to tell you all about the new sequel to THGTTG, there is a new series starting on the beeb, first episode has aired, but it seems that there have been several more series that I seem to have missed as well.

The latest series is called The Hexagonal Phase,

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03v379k

 

However it seems that I have missed a large chunk of the radio stuff ! Like I missed series two, at least I think I did,

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy_(radio_series)

 

Quote

In series two, Zaphod, wanted for stealing the Heart of Gold amongst other misdemeanors, attempts to contact the editor of The Guide while escaping mercenaries from Frogstar, "the most totally evil place in the Galaxy". Arthur and Ford are rescued after being stranded on prehistoric Earth for years and reunited aboard the Heart of Gold, where they are pursued by Vogons. Finding themselves on the planet of Brontitall, populated by a race of bird people, they hear about the rudest word in the universe and the Shoe Event Horizon. Escaping using a 900-year-old spaceship, the three find themselves in the offices of the Guide editor, Zarniwoop, and we discover that it was Zaphod who accidentally signed off the Earth for destruction.[21]

 

I can not remember any of the above. Nor have I ever listened to series three, four and five. So I have a lot of investigating to do. Meanwhile if you are up to date but missed series six it is now airing again after its premier in 2018.

 

Quote

 

Sixth radio series

A six episode series dubbed the "Hexagonal Phase" was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 beginning on 8 March 2018, exactly 40 years after the first series' initial broadcast in 1978, and concluding 12 April 2018.[67][68] The series is based on the sixth novel And Another Thing... by Eoin Colfer and adapted by the director Dirk Maggs who included some dialogue and material based on unfinished ideas in Adams's papers.[69] Dirk Maggs produced the series which features members of the original radio and television casts.[70][71]

 

 

Happy listening folks. 😎

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, securitybreach said:

Cool. Hopefully they do not ruin it like they do with every other remake/new episode of media.

 

I caught episode one of series six and it seems pretty well done. It did throw me a tad as they were referencing stuff that seemed strange to me, but now I know I am missing several series then it sort of make s sense.

 

I'm of hunting the missing series 3, 4, and 5. Waves towel and disappears.😎

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Cluttermagnet

In a burst of divine creativity and amazing deduction, I have finally

solved the  question for the answer "42". The original question was:

 

"Computer: What is six times seven?"

 

Chalk it up to internet latency and processor overhead.

Oh- and the computer, knowing how much it cost, was

going for "...what is the meaning of six times seven?"

 

You're welcome.

 

Clutter

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...