Category: Universes, Franchises & Characters

Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy: Episode 13

Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyThe 13th episode of the radio science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy is first broadcast on BBC Radio, beginning a radio adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel Life, The Universe, And Everything and reuniting most of the original radio cast (though even the late Peter Jones is represented via brief clips from the 1970s radio series before being “rebooted” to the voice of actor William Franklyn). Adapted by Dirk Maggs, this is the first Hitchhiker’s Guide radio project undertaken after Adams’ death in 2001. Toby Longworth guest stars. Read more

Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy: Episode 14

Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyThe 14th episode of the radio science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy is broadcast on BBC Radio, continuing Dirk Maggs’ adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel Life, The Universe, And Everything with most of the original radio cast. Real-life BBC cricket commentators Henry Blofeld and Henry Trueman appear as themselves. Read more

Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy: Episode 15

Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyThe 15th episode of the radio science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy is broadcast on BBC Radio, continuing Dirk Maggs’ adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel Life, The Universe, And Everything with most of the original radio cast. An archival audiobook recording of the late Douglas Adams allows the Hitchhiker’s Guide creator to play the part of Agrajag. Read more

Christopher Reeve, Superman actor, dies

Christopher ReeveThe man who went from an unknown actor to man of steel to activist, Christopher Reeve dies at the age of 52 after falling into a coma a day earlier. He was best known to most as the star of 1978’s Superman and its three sequels, but he also distinguished himself with roles in other films such as Somewhere In Time. He was picky with his roles, turning down the lead parts in such films as The Running Man, Total Recall and American Gigolo. In 1995, he was paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from a horse, and he took on a new role of a tireless campaigner for spinal injury research (and, more recently, stem cell research). He had recently been seen in the recurring role of the mysterious Dr. Swann in the TV series Smallville.

2004 Robot Hall Of Fame inductees

C-3PORobbyCarnie Mellon University inducts five new members to its Robot Hall Of Fame at a press event promoting the movie adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot. The 2004 inductees, again split almost evenly between fictional and real robots, are:

  1. Astro Boy (1951, manga/anime character)
  2. Robby The Robot (1956, from Forbidden Planet)
  3. Shakey (1966, Stanford Research Institute – first robot capable of autonomous tasks)
  4. C-3PO (1977, from Star Wars)
  5. ASIMO (2000, Honda – humanoid robot capable of navigating uneven terrain)

Judges for the 2004 Hall include SimCity creator Wil Wright, roboticist Ruzena Bajcsy and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy: Episode 16

Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyThe 16th episode of the radio science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy is broadcast on BBC Radio, continuing Dirk Maggs’ adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel Life, The Universe, And Everything with most of the original radio cast. An archival audiobook recording of the late Douglas Adams allows the Hitchhiker’s Guide creator to play the part of Agrajag; Joanna Lumley (Sapphire & Steel, Absolutely Fabulous) also guest stars. Read more

Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy: Episode 17

Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyThe 17th episode of the radio science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy is broadcast on BBC Radio, continuing Dirk Maggs’ adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel Life, The Universe, And Everything with most of the original radio cast. Read more

Battlestar Galactica: 33

Battlestar GalacticaBritish satellite channel Sky One premieres the first episode of Ronald D. Moore’s re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica, months ahead of the first season premiere in North America on the Sci-Fi Channel. The remainder of the season airs first in the UK due to Sky One’s financial contribution to the production of the series (without which it’s unlikely that Sci-Fi Channel alone would’ve continued production). Read more