“Just when you think life can’t possibly get any worse it suddenly does”
This week we’re reading Douglas Adams’ cult sci-fi comedy novel ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. While Paul wonders if anyone anywhere dislikes this book, Rachael tries her best to cast a critical eye over this beloved work by comparing it to the original radio series, while Andy shares his favourite joke of all time with the team (it involves hippos). Paul describes the difficulty of trying to simultaneously cope with jogging, having a mid-life crisis and listening to this audio book, Andy suggests that knocking back a few drinks might help to realign the brain to Adams’ distinctive brand of logic and the naturally squiffy-brained Rachael sets down her very strict rules for discovering more books that mix the mundane with the fantastical.
Elsewhere, Andy takes a look at strange and ludicrous character names in films, Rachael explores the potentially controversial practice of new authors taking on existing series, and both manage to have a pop at James Bond’s sexual politics in the process.
This week’s scale: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster or Vogon poetry
SPOILER Animation Specials: Sheldon Cohen (The Sweater, My Heart Attack)
SPOILER Animation Specials: John Weldon (Special Delivery, Real Inside)
SPOILER Animation Specials: Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis (When The Day Breaks, Wild Life)
SPOILER Animation Specials: Joanna Quinn (Girls' Night Out, Famous Fred)
SPOILER Animation Specials: Jerry Rees (The Brave Little Toaster, Tron)
Birdman (2014, Michael Keaton, Emma Stone, Edward Norton): SPOILER Episode 31
Romeo & Juliet (1996, Baz Luhrmann, Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes): SPOILER Episode 30
Children of Men (2006, Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine): SPOILER Episode 29
Fleabag (2016, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman): SPOILER Episode 28
The Truman Show (1998, Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris): SPOILER Episode 27
Die Hard (1988, Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman): SPOILER Episode 26
Composer Special featuring Stephen Rennicks (Room), Debbie Wiseman (Wolf Hall) and Deborah Lurie (An Unfinished Life): SPOILER Episode 25
When Harry Met Sally (1989, Rob Reiner, Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal): SPOILER Episode 24
High-Rise (2015, Ben Wheatley, Tom Hiddleston, Sienna Miller): SPOILER Episode 23
Mulholland Drive (2001, David Lynch, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring): SPOILER Episode 21
Humans Season 1 (Gemma Chan, Katherine Parkinson, John Hurt, 2015): SPOILER Episode 20
Withnail & I (Richard E Grant, Paul McGann, 1987): SPOILER Episode 19
The Breakfast Club (Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson, 1985): SPOILER Episode 18
Room by Emma Donoghue (2010 book) and Room (2015 film): SPOILER Episode 17
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