Dirk Gently is back on BBC... America !

From the DG comics published by IDW

We knew that Arvind Ethan David, a long time fan of Douglas Adams, and co-creator of "Dirk", the play adaption of the first Dirk Gently back in 1992, was working on a brand new adaptation of Dirk Gently on TV, this time with Max Landis as the main writer (the 2010 TV series on BBC4 was penned by Howard "Misfits" Overman).

The Uk version, broadcast on BBC4 in 2010 and 2012, with Stephen Mangan playing Dirk Gently, just lasted four episodes (one pilote and the three episodes of season 1).

Now Variety just confirmed that BBC America ordered a brand new version. First news, the series will feature one big mystery per season and he will have a brand new sidekick named Todd ("The series will follow the surreal adventures of the highly unconventional detective and his reluctant assistant Todd as they navigate one big metaphysical mystery per season.").

As in the US comics launched in 2015 by IDW (which also co-produce the TV series), Dirk will of course head to the US to live his new adventures.

BBC America president Sarah Barnett is quite enthusiastic about the project and Max Landis' take on Dirk Gently : ” ‘Dirk Gently’ is a very original series, fresh and unlike anything else. The novels have legions of fans, and with Max Landis’ brilliant and audacious take on this material we are excited to bring Dirk to life for our BBCA super-fans".

Apparently we can expect ten episodes for the first series. No news right now about the casting, the filming schedule and so on. But we can expect news quickly.

The new series is co-produced by AMC Studios, Ideate Media and comic book publisher IDW Entertainment with Circle of Confusion producing.

Here is the article published by Variety : http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/bbc-america-douglas-adams-dirk-gentlys-holistic-detective-agency-1201674933/

The post by BBC America http://www.bbcamerica.com/blog/2016/01/douglas-adams-dirk-gentlys-holistic-detective-agency-is-coming-to-bbc-america

Other posts :
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/dirk-gentlys-holistic-detective-agency-853173 

The DNA & H2G2 memorabilia page on facebook

I've just opened a page on facebook for all the Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy fans who want to share their memorabilia with others. Post the pics there and give us details about your rare DNA & H2G2 stuff.

We're not trekkies or Elvis Presley fans, H2G2 and DNA memorabilia is not massive, but there a are of course a lot of collectible, rare and unique stuff, and after years of collecting stuff, i thought it would be nice to share with other fans.

After all, our motto is Share and enjoy, isn't it?

The Dirk Gently TV series based on new stories

Well, we knew that you couldn't base an entire TV series on just two books (and the first chapters of a third one) but even the 60 minutes long TV pilot won't be a straight adaptation of the books as SFX releals in an exclusive interview with writer Howard Overman.

“I’m aware that it’s a bit of a poison chalice... What I did was take the character, Dirk Gently, and his detection method, and write a new story. It has elements from the book, obviously, in it, but it’s kind of a different story. Because if you’ve ever read the book, the story in there isn’t really adaptable for TV. Especially not on the budget we’ve been made to do it on, because it involves an alien planet and all sorts of weird and wacky ideas."

So will it be an understated adaptation with just a bit of Douglas Adams (Dirk Gently and his quirky and weird methods) and a more traditional (and less costly) detective story ?  Well we certainly hope that this Dirk Gently adatpation won't be too classic even if doesn't involve an alien planet!

Dirk Gently TV series on BBC4 this winter!

At last! This is the great news we were all waiting for since Hitchcon 09 where Ed Victor, Douglas Adams' agent, told us that there was a Dirk Gently TV series project under consideration at the BBC.

The news came from an article on bbc.co.uk the 24th august about BBC Four's new season : "Dirk Gently, the bumbling detective creation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams, will come alive on the screen for the first time in a mystery that stems from his attempted rescue of a cat from an old lady's house." 

 Then, the day after, guardian.co.uk published an article with some more informations : "BBC4 will also dramatise Adams's 1987 novel about anti-hero Dirk Gently next year. Adams was writing a third Dirk Gently book, The Salmon of Doubt, at the time of his death in 2001.The books have formed the basis of a play and a BBC Radio 4 series but have never before been filmed for TV. ITV Studios is shooting a one-off pilot for BBC4, adapted by Misfits creator Howard Overman."

 James Thrift, Douglas Adams' brother, wrote on the DAC forum, that "I (too) had reservations, until I saw the script. Good feeling about this one."

Many thanks to DaveH from the ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha fan club for this incredible news.

What to expect in 2010?

In 2009, we got a fast-paced year with the 30th years anniversary of the first book and the publication of “And another thing”, both celebrated with Hitchcon 09, which was the biggest hitchhiker event for a long time.  We were lucky enough also to enjoy the publication of a sequel to  “Last chance to see”  with a new book and  a BBC TV series thanks to Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine.

So what can we expect in 2010? Well I probably forgot some events and I will edit the post if necessary but there are just two events listed right now :

- Thursday March 11th.  Eighth Douglas Adams Memorial Lecture. Marcus du Sautoy, the mathematician, Oxford professor and host of BBC TV series "The Story of Maths", talking about 42

- "The Doctor and Douglas", a radio documentary about Douglas Adams and Doctor Who (see previous news) in March or April.

What we could hope for :

- The official announcement of a Dirk Gently TV series (at Hitchcon 09,  Douglas Adams agent Ed Victor have confirmed that talks are now in progress with the BBC about a TV-show based on the Dirk Gently novels).

- The announcement of a radio adaptation of "And another thing" by Dirk Maggs (this would be a great idea even if you don’t like Colfer's book).

- “Hitchhiker live” (as seen at the Hitchcon) could become a real show touring across the UK – and why not the world???

- Well, I don’t know if it’s a hope or a fear here, but maybe Penguin will announce a new Hitchhiker book by Eoin Colfer or another writer (Colfer said it would be a great idea to ask some other writers to pen Hitchhiker books – he said Iain Banks, Neil Gaiman and M Atwood could do it). But were the sale figures of “And another thing” that impressive? I don’t think so. And the readers’ reactions to Colfer effort were not that enthusiastic (even if I was not against the project in the first place, I must admit that my  own copy gather dust on my bookshelves, my bookmark stuck on page 190).

- Disney won’t make a second movie,  so it would be cool if they return the rights of Hitchhiker, so we can have again some new stuff and big projects in the Hitchhiker universe (plays, TV series, a second movie but not produced by Disney). Let’s remember that for all the Hitchhiker events in the recent years (the new radio series, Hitchhiker live,…),  there is a big discussion with Disney lawyers.

- ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha (the official H2G2 and Douglas Adams fan club) announces that they will organize their own Hitchcon in 2011 (come on dear ZZ9, you now you want it!)

A DIRK stage play in Southern California

DIRK GENTLY'S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY by Douglas Adams was adapted into a stage play by James Goss and Arvind Ethan David and is in production to open September 29th 2006 in Los Angeles, CA. It is the first profesionnal theatre production of Dirk Gently in the US.

I'll try to get soon an interview with the guys. Here is anyway their press release :
"Following on the success of smash hits such as NAPOLI MILIONARIA, THE WOMAN IN BLACK, OUROBOROS, and BUNBURY, the Ovation Award-winning Road Theatre Company will produce the professional US Premiere of DIRK, a quirky, witty and highly entertaining offering from the mind of Douglas Adams, directed by Jeff Griffith. A perfect way to begin the Road’s 16th season!
...
Director Jeff Griffith has been with the Road Theatre Company the past 3 years, where he has stage-managed the critically acclaimed and award winning productions of NAPOLI MILIONARIA and THE WOMAN IN BLACK. Jeff has also assistant directed with Deborah LaVine for SEVENTH MONARCH and Michael Michetti for OUROBOROS. DIRK marks Jeff’s Road Theatre debut as director.
The production is supported by producers Helen Harwell, Amy Buffington, Scot Burklin, and Julie Quinn with multimedia elements produced by Tye Beeby; digital scenography Anaitte Vaccaro; sound designer David B. Marling; publicist Marci Hill; and production stage manager and multimedia director Matt Kaiser. DIRK will play September 29 to December 3, 2006, playing Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. The production will be dark on November 24 for Thanksgiving."
MORE INFOS ON THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE