Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

Dirk Gently TV writer Howard Overman speaks

It's not a straight adaptation of the books, reveals Howard Overman.

Adams's unfinished novel heads to R4

Douglas Adams's unfinished Dirk Gently novel is to be adapted for Radio 4.

Douglas Adams' final Dirk Gently novel to be adapted for Radio 4

Spice World writer Kim Fuller has been enlisted to adapt and complete Douglas Adams' final and unfinished Dirk Gently novel for BBC Radio 4.

Bad news. Dirk Maggs won't make "the salmon of doubt" radio series

Dirk Maggs who succesfully adapted and directed the three new phases of the Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy radio series, the two Dirk Gently books, has decided he won't write and direct the last Dirk Gently radio series which was going to be based on the unfinished "salmon of doubt".

Blog Review

It isn't the greatest thing you'll ever hear on the radio and if you're new to Adams, this probably isn't the best place to start. But if you're already fan - if you've long had the book tucked away on a shelf somewhere - you'll enjoy it.

Last Thursday the second six-week series of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency began on Radio 4, with our intergalactic sleuth (Harry Enfield, still perfect) somewhat down on his luck and obliged to dress up as a gypsy woman and tell fortunes. Come and warm yourself by this sprig of flaming white heather, he enjoined a record company executive being stalked by a couple of demons. They arranged to meet the following morning at 6.30 so that Gently could save the terrified man from a fate worse than death. Gently overslept and the man disappeared. Ah well, Gently said, philosophically.

Series two of Dirk Maggs's brilliant dramatisation and production of Douglas Adams's cosmic sleuth, and if the first episode is anything to go by the next six weeks of The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul should just surf by on a wave of surreal laughter.

It has to be admitted that knowing the book probably helps the listener to follow the plot, which seems at this early stage to be a bit all over the place.

We find Dirk Gently (Harry Enfield again, wonderful again) somewhat on his uppers (a scene in which he prizes the arrival of an envelope containing a charity appeal for the free pen that comes with it - very Ed Reardon). We also discover that Odin, Thor and other gods have been reduced to appearing in commercials. No doubt it will all start to come together next week. But even if it doesn't, who cares?

The return of Dirk Gently

How can one resist? Of course, some probably will. 'Comedy sci-fi?' they will scoff, and put it aside in favour of an early night. More fool them.