The HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy returns to the radio tonight!
“Listen Ford,” said Zaphod, “everything’s cool and froody.”
“You mean everything’s under control.”
“No,” said Zaphod, “I do not mean everything’s under control.
That would not be cool and froody. If you want to know what
happened let’s just say I had the whole situation in my pocket. OK?”
–The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
The HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy returns to the airwaves today as Radio 4 Extra broadcasts series one and two (Fits One to Twelve) to celebrate the show and the award-winning game’s anniversaries. Today see’s the 36th anniversary of the original broadcast and 30 years since the creation of the now notorious game. Originally devised in 1984 by the book’s author Douglas Adams and Steve Meretzky from Infocom, the game is incredibly difficult and full of oddities, going on to become one of the best-selling games of its era. You’ll be able to play it once more on the BBC’s website.
The radio series has long been a part of my childhood, as you can hear in a special podcast we devoted to it as well as my Mum recounting my unusual reading habits that were formed from it. If you’ve never heard THHGTTG in it’s original form then tune in tonight at 6pm on Radio 4 Extra or don’t panic and catch it again on the iPlayer.
– Rob @robchilver