The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

A science-fiction comedy series originally produced as a radio series, created by Douglas Adams. The name may be used to refer to the radio episodes, the series of five books, the stage shows, the BBC television series, a computer game, the 2005 movie, or the Guide of the story, though most commonly the books.

There are a number of variations and contradictions between versions of the Hitchhiker's Guide, but the basic storyline remains the same. This follows an Englishman named Arthur Dent who accompanies Ford Prefect, an alien from a small planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse and reporter for the Guide, in escaping the destruction of Earth by the Vogons. They are later rescued by the automatic systems of the Heart of Gold, a ship powered by the Infinite Improbability Device and crewed by Xaphod, Ford's half-cousin, Trillian, a mathematician, astrophysicist, and very nice girl Arthur met at a party in London, and Marvin the Paranoid Android, depressed robot. They then go looking for the legendary planet of Magrathea, which made planets when the galaxy's economy could afford it.