Which is your favourite Hitchhikers medium?

DMC · 13-07-2008 1:57am #1

Hi all, interested to see what people think of their favourite way of enjoying The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Which one did it for you?

The radio series?
The books?
The TV series?
The flim?
Audiobook?

Zaph · 13-07-2008 2:06am

Definitely the books for me. I still haven't heard the radio seies, but I intend buying it soon. The tv series was my first introduction to H2G2, but fun and all as it was, a tv series is never going to be able to convey the subtle humour of the Guide in the same way that the books can. The film comes in a distant third for me, it was ok, but that's about it, despite the odd entertaining moment or idea (the light sabre bread knife always makes me smile).

Goodshape · 13-07-2008 2:11am

The books.

Radio series follows pretty closely (though still haven't listened to all of those new ones the did a couple of years ago).

TV series wouldn't be too far behind either tbh. The movie is the only one I'd gladly do without.

mike65 · 13-07-2008 10:04am

Got to be the radio series, its where I started and the picture quailty is exellent.

Mike.

trout · 13-07-2008 11:15am

For me, it's always been the bukes ... I do love the bukes

Bard · 14-07-2008 11:26am

Big thumbs up for the books from me too.

Dinner · 14-07-2008 2:10pm

Has to be the books. But I'm currently going through them on audiobook which is quite nice and very relaxing.

Alun · 14-07-2008 2:12pm

Has to be the original radio series for me as well, as that was my first ever exposure to it. The books come a distant second, and none of the films / television series even make the list for me, I'm afraid.

Zaph · 14-07-2008 8:20pm

i have just recently been made aware of another medium. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you H2G2 - The Play.

Just this week I purchased this book for the princely sume of one penny (well ok, plus £2.95 P&P). I've only just started it, but already I've been made aware of several stage productions of the Guide, including the first ever production where the actors didn't move but the audience were shunted about on hovercraft-like seating, and the disastrous West End production complete with rock band that hastened the closure of the theatre in which it was staged. Interesting little book so far.

P.C. · 15-07-2008 8:11pm

The radio series. It introduced me to the whole thing. Still have not heard the whole series.
Have read the books three times.

:D

Zaph · 15-07-2008 8:31pm

P.C. wrote: »

Have read the books three times. :D

So you've only just discovered the books then?

Gaspode · 13-09-2008 6:43pm

Never heard the radio series, just little clips of it now and then.
The TV series was great, perfectly twee, but holy cow the movie was a, well, cow.
So books for me!

watty · 13-09-2008 8:06pm

Goodshape wrote: »

The books.

Radio series follows pretty closely (though still haven't listened to all of those new ones the did a couple of years ago).

TV series wouldn't be too far behind either tbh. The movie is the only one I'd gladly do without.

Er... I was there. I worked in the Beeb at the time in communications.

The radio series came first. He made it up as it progressed.

Then later he was forced (read about what it was like for agent/publisher to get a manuscript finished by Douglas "whoosh*" Adams). The Books attempt to follow the Radio Series.

*

(He loved deadlines, well the "whoosh" noise they made as they whipped past).

Zaph · 13-09-2008 8:17pm

watty wrote: »

Er... I was there. I worked in the Beeb at the time in communications.

The radio series came first. He made it up as it progressed.

Then later he was forced (read about what it was like for agent/publisher to get a manuscript finished by Douglas "whoosh*" Adams). The Books attempt to follow the Radio Series.

*
(He loved deadlines, well the "whoosh" noise they made as they whipped past).

I think Goodshape was listing the various mediums in his order of preference, rather than chronological order.

Did you have any involvement with the radio show or meet Adams?

Goodshape · 13-09-2008 8:24pm

Zaph wrote: »

I think Goodshape was listing the various mediums in his order of preference, rather than chronological order.

Yes

watty wrote: »

Er... I was there. I worked in the Beeb at the time in communications.

Cool! I'll echo Zaph's question - ever bump into Adams or any of the cast/crew ?

joewicklow · 13-09-2008 8:34pm

Its got to be the books for me, i just didnt get the TV series or the movie.

Is it worthwhile to buy the audio?

mike65 · 13-09-2008 8:38pm

The audio is where its at man! Peter Jones narration is a masterpiece of deadpan.

Mike.

joewicklow · 13-09-2008 8:40pm

Thanks, Amazon here I come!

Goodshape · 13-09-2008 8:45pm

joewicklow wrote: »

Is it worthwhile to buy the audio?

Definitely.

watty · 13-09-2008 11:01pm

Zaph wrote: »

I think Goodshape was listing the various mediums in his order of preference, rather than chronological order.

Did you have any involvement with the radio show or meet Adams?

Sadly no.. "Communications Dept" not Production.
But I did have recording facilities in work to record shows transmitted while I was working and then listen later at home. I couldn't listen to live radio in work other than to check it actually transmitting.. Same Problem with TV. Maybe 5 channels, BBC1, BBC2, UTV, RTE (actually whatever was on the Irish outgoing Eurovision feed) and whatever was on the incoming Eurovision. But no sould unless everyone wanted to hear it and a lull in work. (C4 started some years after I left BBC)

No, I don't have those tapes anymore, which would only have been some of the original broadcasts.

The TV series was a bit under funded and suffered, the Film was better produced. I like the books and radio, but is SO many years since either (esp the Radio, I've never heard the 1st series again since original broadcast in 1970s) I can't honestly say why I prefer.
I have one VHS of the TV for nostalgia. It's not great.

Which is your favourite Hitchhikers medium?

Which is your favourite Hitchhikers medium? 25 votes

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