# The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981)

> An ordinary Englishman escapes the demolition of Earth with an alien friend and hitches rides across the galaxy in search of the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/1939

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 6
- Episode runtime: 33 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, science fiction
- Created by: Douglas Adams
- Network: BBC Two
- Cast: Simon Jones, David Dixon, Peter Jones, David Learner, Stephen Moore, Richard Vernon, Martin Benson, Cleo Rocos
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081874/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: deadpan, witty, irreverent, whimsical, melancholic

## Synopsis

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981) is a British science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams for BBC Two. Simon Jones plays Arthur Dent, an ordinary Englishman whose narrow escape from the demolition of Earth comes courtesy of his friend Ford Prefect, played by David Dixon, a researcher for the titular electronic guidebook who turns out to be an alien. Peter Jones provides the wry voice of the Guide itself, and David Learner plays the gloomy robot Marvin. Across six roughly half-hour episodes, the pair hitchhike through deep space, bumbling from one absurd predicament to the next while chasing the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything. Each episode is a brisk, self-contained adventure built from bureaucratic indifference, bizarre aliens, and sardonic narration that pokes fun at science fiction conventions. The tone is deadpan, witty and cheerfully irreverent, with an underlying melancholy about insignificance in an uncaring cosmos. Its satirical spirit and quirky invention make it a natural pick for fans of Red Dwarf and Monty Python's Flying Circus, and for anyone who enjoys the surreal, dry humour of classic British comedy. Its single season offers a complete, accessible introduction to one of television's most beloved cult comedies.

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- [Clangers (1969)](https://ember.film/tv/245)
- [Hyperdrive (2006)](https://ember.film/tv/2411)
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- [Truth Seekers (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/78100)

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