18: From Flolloping to Ford Prefect

Mark Steadman, Danny Smith and Jon Bounds continue their mission to discuss everything in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy canon , in alphabetical order. Flollop Flolloping is a way of moving that only a matress can do. In a sort-of Meaning of Liff kind of way, I wondered if you two had any similarly onomatopoeic terms for movement. The panel shares their favourite onomatopoeic words. Flying There is an art, the guide says, or rather a knack to flying, which lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Danny discusses whether this activity belongs in legitimate sci-fi. Folfanga On the fourth world of the Folfanga system can be found a slug of the genus A Urth Urp-hill Ip-dennoo, which Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolongued made it part of his mission to insult. Wowbagger had planned to call one of the creatures a brainless prat, which is frankly a bit derivative, so Jon is in charge of workshopping new insults for slugs. Foot Warriors The foot warriors are robots intent on keeping all bipedal life from the ground. They’re all dressed in expensive shoes that don’t fit them, so they constantly limp or fall over. We meet them in the second radio series, and they’re pretty ineffective, so the panel embarks on a discussion about robots that are actually useful within the H2G2 universe. Ford Prefect Ford Prefect is Arthur’s best friend. His original name is only pronounceable in an obscure Betelgeusian dialect, now virtually extinct since the Great Collapsing Hrung Disaster which wiped out all the old Praxibetel communities on Betelgeuse Seven. He’s loyal to his friends, doesn’t have much of a backbone but does fight to protect the things he loves, and to annoy or destroy the things he doesn’t. Here, the panel share their favourite Ford things. Get in touch Follow @ iamsteadman (https://twitter.com/iamsteadman), @ bounder (https://twitter.com/bounder/) and @ probablydrunk (https://twitter.com/probablydrunk/) on Twitter. Links (13) The Animated Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Episode 1 Part1 - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9J5h53gawI) Pier Review – A Road Trip in Search of the Great British Seaside (http://pierreview.co.uk/)