The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy

Episode 5

First Aired: 02-02-1981

When we last saw Arthur Dent he and his friends were on the planet Magrathea, hiding behind a bank of computers, and under fire from two leather-clad members of the intergalactic police force. And when the computers went up in smoke it rather looked like they had done likewise. Fortunately this is not the case, everyone is very much alive and when the smoke clears they find themselves at Milliways, the Restaurant at the end of the Universe.

Milliways exists in a time bubble that has been projected into the distant future and to the precise moment when the universe ends. It is, it has to be said, rather a unique place to visit.

Some of the items on the menu are rather unique as well and Arthur is rather disgusted when the dish of the day is brought to their table. It is a live animal, on a platter, and it is very keen to be eaten. The pig-like creature has been specially bred to want to be eaten. It has been force-feeding itself for months and when it recommends its liver to Arthur he decides to have a salad instead. Zaphod, being the kind of bloke he is, tells the waiter that they will have four rare steaks. “Very wise choice,” says the dish of the day. “I’ll just nip off and shoot myself.”

Marvin the Paranoid Android

The dish of the day is played by Peter Davison, who later went on to marry Sandra Dickinson, who plays Trillion, which has, of course nothing to do with the story at all, but is, I think, an interesting bit of trivia.

While everyone is eating the waiter comes and informs Zaphod that there is a telephone call for him. Zaphod is worried in case it is the Intergalactic Police, but it is not. It is only Marvin the Paranoid Android, who has been waiting for them, at Milliways, for several million years. The gang, it would seem, has travelled forward in time, but not in space and the restaurant is build on the site that used to be the planet of Magrathea. To fill in time, while he waited, Marvin has been working in the car park, parking cars.

After their reunion with Marvin Zaphod decides to steal a spaceship. He could have made a better choice, though, because, once they are underway, the gang discover that the ship is on a pre-programmed flight path. Into the sun.

CAST

Voice of the Hitch Hikers Guide    ~~~ Peter Jones

Arthur Dent    ~~~ Simon Jones

Ford Prefect         ~~~ David Dixon

Zaphod Beelebrox ~~~   Mark Wing-Davey

Trillian ~~~    Sandra Dickinson

Voice of Marvin the Paranoid Android ~~~ Stephen Moore

Garkbit (the waiter) ~~~ Jack May

Max Quordlepleen ~~~ Colin Jeavons

Hotblack Desiato ~~~ Barry Frank Warren

Bodyguard ~~~ David Prowse

Zarquon ~~~ Colin Bennett

Dish of the Day    ~~~ Peter Davison