Arthur is awakened on prehistoric Earth by a flying saucer. Sensing that salvation has arrived, he’s naturally a little bit disappointed when the spaceship’s occupant, instead of rescuing him, insults him and then moves on. Arthur isn’t much more encouraged by the appearance of Ford Prefect, especially when Ford has fished the Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy out of the nearest river, and yet hasn’t spoken to Arthur in years. Furthermore, when Ford points out that a Chesterfield sofa has appeared on a grassy plain in prehistoric Earth and instructs Arthur to jump on it, it’s clear that Arthur’s reality is once again leaning toward surrealism. Elsewhere in the universe, Trillian decides she’s had enough to Zaphod’s particular mixed cocktail of reality and leaves the Heart of Gold for good.
written by Douglas Adams
adapted by Dirk Maggs from the novel “Life, The Universe And Everything”
directed by Dirk Maggs
music by Paul “Wix” WickensCast: Peter Jones (The Voice of the Book), William Franklyn (The Voice of the Book), Simon Jones (Arthur Dent), Geoffrey McGivern (Ford Prefect), Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox), Susan Sheridan (Trillian), Stephen Moore (Marvin), Roger Gregg (Eddie), Andy Taylor (Zem), Toby Longworth (Wowbagger)
Notes: Original late 70s recordings of the voice of the late Peter Jones – the original voice of the Book – is interspersed with that of William Franklyn, the new voice of the Book, in the introduction of this episode. It’s explained that the Hitchhiker’s Guide is now being published in a new edition, and updates are being downloaded into older copies such as Ford’s – with mixed results.
LogBook entry by Earl Green