Flickering Myth recently had the chance to speak with Arvind Ethan David, recently announced as the Exec Producer of the Dirk Gently TV Series – for BBC America – with Max Landis writing. Last year Arvind was overseeing the edits of the Dirk Gently comic book, written by Chris Ryall, this year we see Arvind is picking up the writer’s pen with Dirk Gently: A Spoon Too Short, and the exec producer duties of this new comic book series falls to Max Landis.
Villordsutch: What was the pull towards Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently? Was there a reason why you technically never attempted another reimagining of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which in the eyes of the public is more well-known and would have possibly generated more free publicity both positive and negative?
Arvind Ethan David: There are reasons personal, legal & narrative.
Personal – I adapted the first Dirk Gently novel as my high school play more than 20 years ago — and then the great man himself, Douglas Adams, came to see it and my career as a professional story teller started… So returning to it as a grown-up is a wonderful way to make 16 year old me happy, which is as good a reason to do anything as I can think of!
Legal — The Hitchhiker rights are very tied up with the Mouse House, since Disney made the movie about a decade ago. I hope that something happens one day with it…
Narrative — whilst you are right that HHGG is the better known of the properties, DIRK GENTLY is, to our minds, the more natural fit for an episodic, continuing series. This is about the narrative DNA of the respective pieces. HHGG is more novelistic, picturesque, it’s sort of a tone-poem of comic genius — it works best as novels and radio-plays. The Disney movie, for all its charms and affection, didn’t really work. Dirk, by contrast, is a detective who investigates impossible cases in impossible ways – that gives you an engine that works for comics and TV.
Arvind Ethan DavidV: Was the idea for a rebooted Dirk Gently show – for BBC America – mooted before the IDW Publishing comic book series began, or was The Interconnectedness of All Kings the spark that ignited the flame which drew Max (and BBC America) over like a moth?
AED: Ideate (the company I help run) acquired the rights from the Adams Estate in 2014 and started at once to figure out the best partners to do it with. I always knew I wanted to bring Dirk to both comics and TV, so I brought it to Max Landis and our friends at IDW at the same time and we started development on both more or less simultaneously. Chris was writing Interconnectedness of all Kings at about the same time as Max was working on the TV pilot. Comics move a bit faster than TV though, but in this case TV is moving pretty fast too…. Watch this space for more on that front.
V: The Interconnectedness of All Kings was a fantastic series of comics which managed to capture Douglas Adams perfectly and I even my doubts – at the start – being a huge Adams fan were quashed. How difficult are you all finding bringing the series to a screen however, have you hit any stumbling blocks due to moments you feel could be lost in translation for non-Adams fans?
AED: It’s a mistake for anyone to try and directly “adapt” Douglas. His genius was his own. What we’re aiming for, is taking Dirk and setting him off on new adventures, ones that are true to the tone and world of the original novels, and true to Dirk’s character, but aren’t trying to bend Douglas’ novels to mediums where they don’t quite fit. I think Chris did an amazing job of that in Interconnectedness, and I’m doing my best to keep up in the new comic arc.
Chris Ryall: I’m basically poking my head into the interview here to just say “thank you!” I’ve never worked on a project that was more intimidating or challenging, both in terms of trying to plot something intricately enough to even deserve to have the association with Douglas, and then to also not disappoint his fans. So it’s great to hear that it worked for you — and if it did, it’s due in huge part to the guidance, suggestions, story help and proper curating offered by Arvind along the way, too.
Chris RyallV: With the second series of Dirk Gently comic books set to land this month (February 2016) with Max taking the chair of Exec Producer, will these now become part of the lore linked to the television series or are these set to be standalone tales? Do you all have a bigger plan – for Dirk’s universe – via the numerous mediums available?
AED: I’m Executive Producing the TV show, that Max is lead writing; so it’s kind of fun for us to reverse roles on the comic book. All the various versions of Dirk are consistent with each other, and exist in the same universe/continuity, but they are also all different. The new Comic series, for example, is narrated by Dirk himself — and he may, or may not be the most reliable witness to his own cases.
V: A few years back the BBC launched a Dirk Gently series starring Stephen Mangan (Green Wing, Episodes), will he be making a return to the series as Dirk or is the cast as yet undecided? As the comic is set in San Diego you will hopefully be able to bring in the numerous people and former Norse lovers within Dirks life, are you aiming to stitch in the many colourful random threads to this complete this fantastic tapestry?
AED: Too early to comment on casting for the TV series, though I know and love Steve but he’s a bit busy being the lead on two other series (EPISODES, HOUDINI & DOYLE) at the moment.
You’ll see both old faces and new ones in the next run of the comic. I’m delighted to return to the wonderful Susan Way from the first book, and the fantastic Sally Mills (the Nurse from Long Dark Tea Time who fixes Dirk’s nose) but also we will have a more international and diverse cast that the books had. This is Dirk 2016!
Sally Mills returnsV: Finally Douglas Adam’s had a fair few cameos in his numerous productions, should we be keeping our eyes open on BBC America for you three?
AED: Chris has already kindly put me in the first run of the comics (I’m looking horrified in an elevator at a pile of zombified corpses), so keep your eyes peeled!
Flickering Myth would like to thank Arvind and Chris for taking time out of their day to speak with a Douglas Adams fan and also we’d like to thank Cayce for helping to organise the interview.
For all our Dirk Gently coverage at Flickering Myth click here.
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
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