THHGTTG Logo 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide
to the Galaxy'
(Part 5)

by Douglas Adams
and John Lloyd
THHGTTG Cast

Following the atomisation of the computer bank that they were hiding behind, Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian wake up and find themselves in what they believe to be the Afterlife. However, when they are then offered drinks by a congenial Head Waiter named Garkbit they realise that they have in fact been blasted through a time-warp and ended up at ‘Milliway's - the Restaurant at the End of the Universe’. This fashionable, exclusive and highly-implausible establishment is suspended within a time-bubble which is then projected into the future; here guests can dine on the best food known to inhumankind, drink the best Pan-Galactic Gargle-Blasters ever mixed, and then watch the universe meet its final destruction over coffee. Wandering around the restaurant, Ford spots his old buddy Hotblack Desiato, lead singer of the notoriously loud rock-band ‘Disaster Area’, whose gigs have been known to destroy entire planets just from the output of their sound system; however, after a few minutes of unresponsive conversation Ford discovers that Hotblack is taking a year off dead for tax-purposes. Ford rejoins Arthur, Trillian and Zaphod as they are introduced to the Dish of the Day: a pig-like creature that has been bred specifically so that it wants to be eaten. To Arthur and Trillian’s horror, the Dish proceeds to inform them of which parts of its body are the most succulent, due to the fact that it has been force-feeding itself especially. While Arthur orders a salad, much to the creature’s disgust, Zaphod receives a phone call from Marvin, who is in the car park working as an attendant. The paranoid android reveals that ‘Milliway's’ was built on the ruins of Magrathea, and he has spent the last several million years waiting for them to rejoin him. Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian join Marvin in the car park, where Zaphod and Ford then decide to steal an incredibly cool-looking jet-black spaceship. Unfortunately, they do not realise that the ship belongs to ‘Disaster Area’, and is to be used at the climax of the band’s show - when it crashes into a sun!

Peter Jones (Voice of the Book), Simon Jones (Arthur Dent), David Dixon (Ford Prefect), Sandra Dickinson (Trillian [Trisha McMillan]), Mark Wing-Davey (Zaphod Beeblebrox), David Learner (Marvin), Stephen Moore (Voice of Marvin), Jack may (Garkbit the Head Waiter), Colin Jeavons (Max Quordlepleen), Barry Frank Warren (Hotblack Desiato), Dave Prowse (Bodyguard), Colin Bennett (Zarquon), Peter Davison (Dish of the Day)

Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. Bell
Associate Producer John Lloyd

Adapted from the B.B.C. Radio series

TX:
UK (BBC 1):
February 2nd, 1981 @ 9.00 pm - 9.30 pm

Notes:
*Featuring Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect, Zaphod Beeblebrox, Trillian and Marvin