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

A quick heads up for those that are interested. If you didn't see this the first time 'round it's well worth a look - you can see where ITV News (and especially Tonight with Trevor McPatronising) got their techniques.

Damn, missed it I really enjoyed it first time round. Esp the fake CNN footage, and wasn't the day in the life of the leisure centre on The Day Today? And when the foreign correspondent didn't speak to the German chancellor ...

Mol

That would have been tonight's episode.

I bought the DVD box set and have sat chortling at 'em with my flatmate. An obnoxious neighbour was round this evening and we thought it would be fun top make out it was a proper news programme. Unfortunately that was scuppered when 'Major's Government' was mentioned in the first five minutes!

Wot, all of what I remembered most was from the first episode? Wow.

Mol

I'm impressed by your memory! Mind you, when TDT turned up I was in the midst of my bonged-up period, so I remember little (despite watching the VHS tapes until the picture went funny!)

I too have the DVDs - this is just superb stuff, and I'd recommend it to anyone who missed it / has forgotten it. If anything it's got more relevant as time passes....

"Fact times importance equals news......."

"Due to a printing error, tomorrow's Guardian is full of water"

If you're a student, or work in HE /FE, you may be able to get access to Screen Online - they have a whole episode there for free, which I watched last week coincidentally. Some of it's funny, but other bits just make me cringe.

Funny - "My name is Rosie May, my milk is green - come drink me."
Not funny - all the Steve Coogan bits, yuk

Steve Coogan bits not funny? Not even 'Two fat ladies'? Crivvens.

I do find that some of it shouldn't be funny anymore. It seems that TV news producers ignored its message and carried on regardless, thereby creating a world where you have to take everything on telly news programmes with a pinch of salt (if you can sit through the graphics long enough.)

Wasn't it Steve Coogan who did the "In 1981, no-one died" section? Superb. I don't like everything he's done (not a big Alan Partridge fan) but sometimes he pulls off a blinder. Cruise of the Gods springs to mind.

TDT certainly showed what 24-hour news was going to look like ...

Mol

The headlines were the best part;

"Bouncing Elephantiasis woman destroys central Portsmouth"
"Where now for man raised by Puffins?"

and my personal favourite;

"Bank Of England emerges from swollen Chairman unusualness"