h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And it turned out that the hole in the plot was so big that it went all the way through the Earth and out both sides. A large hole, with a sense of humour, that no-one had ever noticed before a spectacularly precise statistical analysis brought it to their attention.

I thought the best acting last night came from Gwen's father. 'Nuf said.

The Families were so powerful they infiltrated the army and CIA, yet couldn't be bothered to lock their front door...

Overall, I enjoyed the series but agree it could have easily have been improved by making it a lot shorter - it has drifted since the death of our favourite new character.

<BB<

I thought one of the best actors in the series was Bill Pullman aka Oswald Danes. He had a strong screen presence, although his acting style did get a bit repetitive after a while.

On the whole I enjoyed the series although it left a niggling sense of disatisfaction and I'm not sure why. This is discarding the fact that it is completely implausible for something like a gaping hole (or anything similar) to exist from one side of the planet to the other.

Yes, I saw the ending last week and said nothing so as not to spoil it for you all. It left me feeling a bit 'meh' as well. I've had a week to think about why I didn't like the ending and I think it's because I have this nagging feeling that they only had the show end that way so they can do their own US version without any of the British cast involved.

They have their own 'Jack' now, conveniently with the backing of the boss of the CIA. It's the classic set up of a failed US TV series in the making. The immortal CIA superhero who will no doubt be running his team of 'vets' as they fight drug barons, terrorists and run missions to get 'their people' out of Eye-ran etc. rather than fighting aliens in Cardiff.

I groaned when we got the Basil Exposition from Gwen when the two families had each other at gunpoint.

I didn't really bother watching the final two episodes ... the TV was on but I was browsing the web ...

There was just nothing coherent about the storyline ... the characters were dislikeable ...

Never been a Torchwood fan follower and that didn't enthuse me to start now.

I came into the final episode with lowered expectations, and so was pleasently surprised. There were some very good bits, e.g. Oswald Danes' last moments. In fact, in many way he was the best thing about the final episode, full stop.
On the whole, this isn't a patch on "Children of Earth" (or any of Dr. Who at all), and only half a step above Crotchwood seasons 1 & 2.
By the way, the less said about Jack throwing his vital essence down a huge gaping meat chasm from both ends, the better...

Clive, sorry for being thick, but what is a 'Basil Exposition'?

(Congrats on getting the job!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8w95xIdH4o

explaining the plot for the benefit of those watching by having a character literally go through it bit by bit

I gathered that from the context, but didn't get the reference. Thanks.

Basil Exposition is a character in 'The Eyre Affair' and sequels by Jasper Fforde. The lead character, Thursday Next, drives a multi-coloured Porsche a lot like the car in that clip.
(The film came first).

Now that has thrown me. I love Jasper Fforde and have just finished 'One of Our Thursdays is Missing' a couple of days ago, and I have no recollection of a character of that name. Mind you, the amount of clever, jokey references he uses I am bound to miss some, especially as I have never seen Austin Powers.

Time to go back to 'The Eyre Affair' again and start over!

Basil was Thursday's boss in SpecOps.

I've also never seen Austin Powers, and had wondered, until tonight, whether the name Basil Exposition had any meaning I was unaware of.

I'm amazed I don't remember that. Definitely time for a re-read. (Any excuse!)

The problem with Fforde is sometimes he is too clever. I am well read and like to think I have good general knowledge and get more of the references than I would imagine the average reader does, but where there is a gap in my knowledge, like film, I will miss out.

Now far be it from me to me point it out but a lot of people are stupid, and even highly intelligent people sometimes have a shallow knowledge base, so a lot of his references are probably missed by a lot of readers, who then go 'nah, don't get that' and give up.

This does not mean I think he should change, as I love his work, but does probably mean he will stay outside the mainstream, and there is an obvious undercurrent in OOOTIM that he is frustrated with that.

(BTW, I do not think I am in the highly intelligent category)

I also enjoy his books, though I do feel that the Thursday Next books have (amusingly, in light of this thread) become increasingly bogged down by exposition. I haven't read the latest, but I found First Among Sequels a bit of a slog. There's nothing to compare to the delights in the first book of things like teenage gangs fighting over whether Milton was better than Shakespeare.

Absolutely the TN books have not lived up to the first two, but the Nursery Crime series must still have legs (new book please), and Shades Of Grey, whilst very different, was fantastic!

Not tried the Last Dragonslayer yrt. Doesn't appeal somehow. Don't know why.

And he (may) have done wonders for the profile of Swindon....

Mid you I did have to read Shades of Grey three times before I felt I *got* it, but I feel that is sometimes the mark of a really good read.

I'm actually now a bit worried. I just had a very quick skim through The Eyre Affair - no sign of Basil Exposition. A quick google also doesn't link BE and Fforde, but lots of mentions of Austin Powers. Am I doing some very odd misremembering? Or has someone been messing about with reality?