[TelevisionUser]

Yes, I know that technically BBC Radio 4 Extra http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/ is a radio station but there's nowhere else where it really fits in and, these days, it's easily available on Freeview, satellite and cable TV too.

It does have a varied mix of cult, horror, sci-fi (e.g. Torchwood) and fantasy programmes of various sorts particularly in the 6pm-7pm and 12am-1am time slots.

So, does anyone listen to, and enjoy, any programmes on 4 Extra and what have you liked?

Right now, I think the adaptation of Stephen Baxter's Voyage is particularly good and I've liked Ray Bradbury's stories too, many of which were new to me.

[TelevisionUser]

...and here's a list of the programmes that they offer http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/programmes/a-z which was inadvertantly missed off the original post.

[Gene the Cow]

I do like listening to the 7th Dimension.

Always a few good stories on there just to listen to as I fall asleep. (Plus lots of Doctor Who)

[TelevisionUser]

Originally Posted by Gene the Cow

I do like listening to the 7th Dimension.

Always a few good stories on there just to listen to as I fall asleep. (Plus lots of Doctor Who)

...and l've enjoyed the Ray Bradbury stuff they recently did http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tgd18 plus Arthur C.'s stories too: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010gkzz

[platelet]

I enjoy a lot of the 7th Dimension stuff, but tend to listen on iplayer or downloads rather than the radio.

Have spent this afternoon listening to Lovecraft's At the mountains of Madness which I read years ago.

Quite nice for a winter's afternoon, half asleep, with a hangover

[thomas58]

Yes I enjoy listening to the 7th dimension shows and also other radio 4 extra stuff (comedy and other dramas) I tend to record them on my PS3 freeview tunner and listen them later

[TelevisionUser]

Originally Posted by thomas58

Yes I enjoy listening to the 7th dimension shows and also other radio 4 extra stuff (comedy and other dramas) I tend to record them on my PS3 freeview tunner and listen them later

Well, thomas58, l'd really suggest trying out the Earthsearch series tomorrow starting at 6.30pm http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/pro...les/2011/12/19. Arthur C. Clarke's short story The Sentinel is also worth a listen http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010tbkp since it provided the inspiration for the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[tiger2000]

Earthsearch is fantastic, I remember listening to it in the early eighties on R4.

[TelevisionUser]

Originally Posted by tiger2000

Earthsearch is fantastic, I remember listening to it in the early eighties on R4.

OMG! http://vse.stopp.se/wp-content/uploa...ppweb_16x9.jpg Two megalomanic computers that could outdo HAL9000, the Sun's got brighter and Earth has disappeared from the Solar System leaving only the Moon going round the Sun and that's only the first episode. Can it get any more intriguing?

[thomas58]

Have listened to the Earthsearch series a couple of months back when it was last on and enjoyed it very much. will have a look for the arthur c clark sentinal story or see if its on iplayer if I missed it. Will probably record the Blakes 7 early years episode at 6pm on Saturday and the one next Saturday (listened to the ones they broadcast earlier in the year and those were good. Also I am also recording the Doctor Who stories on at the moment and next week at 6pm weekdays

[TelevisionUser]

Originally Posted by thomas58

Have listened to the Earthsearch series a couple of months back when it was last on and enjoyed it very much. will have a look for the arthur c clark sentinal story or see if its on iplayer if I missed it. Will probably record the Blakes 7 early years episode at 6pm on Saturday and the one next Saturday (listened to the ones they broadcast earlier in the year and those were good. Also I am also recording the Doctor Who stories on at the moment and next week at 6pm weekdays

So have l, thomas58, and that generation ship concept has been nicely worked. As for The Sentinel story, it's available here: http://econtent.typepad.com/TheSentinel.pdf

ln addition, CS Lewis's fantasy tale The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe started today and it's on iPlayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018p91p

[thomas58]

Thanks for that have downloaded it and will give it a read. Have already recorded the cs lewis stories off radio 4 extra and will listen to them when i get time (have got plenty to listen to at moment (the last couple of episodes of voyage,doctor who the hornets nest,some brian aldis & ray bradbury i have recorded and 2 discworld audiobooks i got for christmas)). Got my ps3 to record the james follet book starting today and the blakes 7 early years story.

[TelevisionUser]

...and today's 4 Extra ration consists of the last episode of Doctor Who and the Pyramids of Mars at 6pm (tomorrow it's Red Dwarf: Better Than Life) followed by Earthsearch 2: The Return.

[TelevisionUser]

Leigh Brackett's Martian novella, Last Days of Shandakor, set on a Ray Bradbury-style Mars is now on BBC iPlayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00dztmm

I was pleasantly surprised by this tale for it really is good and l recommend it. I won't spoil the plot but it's well worth listening to if you like Mars-centered fiction.

[Seymour Cat]

Not on at the moment, but on a semi-regular basis they broadcast great full-cast adaptations of six of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels.

They are (in order of original broadcast)
Guards! Guards! (1992)
Wyrd Sisters (1995)
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (2003)
Mort (2004)
Small Gods (2006)
Night Watch (2008)

[TelevisionUser]

...will be broadcast this coming Sunday at 1.30pm in the afternoon:

Firefighters in the future no longer stop fires, but start them - by burning books. But one has forbidden doubts. Dark futuristic tale starring Michael Pennington.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vs0f0

I once saw the 1966 film adaption http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenh...281966_film%29 by the late, great François Truffaut and l thought that it was fine. I'm now looking forward to listening to the radio adaptation.

[TelevisionUser]

...and on 4 Extra's iPlayer list right now there are some good Ray Bradbury short stories (continued live on Monday at 6pm, 12am) and the first part of Nevil Shute's On the Beach apocalyptic tale. Links below:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011ts3f
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0120yh1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Beach_%28novel%29

[platelet]

Book six of the hitchhikers guide (Eoin Colfer taking up from Douglas Adams) Starts Monday night. This aired in 2009 I believe as part of the book at bedtime. Anyone heard it then?

[Verence]

Other things that have been broadcast on 4 Extra

All three series of Journey Into Space
The Twilight Zone
I Am Legend
Day Of The Triffids
The Price Of Fear

and they regularly broadcast The Scarifyers

[tiger2000]

Originally Posted by platelet

Book six of the hitchhikers guide (Eoin Colfer taking up from Douglas Adams) Starts Monday night. This aired in 2009 I believe as part of the book at bedtime. Anyone heard it then?

Is it just a reading of the book or an actual adapatation similar to the original Hitchiker's series?

[Rorschach]

From the adverts I've heard it appears to be a reading of the book by Steven Mangan.

[TelevisionUser]

At 6pm tomorrow and 12am Thursday, 4 Extra will be broadcasting a series of Robert Heinlein stories starting with the The Green Hills of Earth:

A fantastic tale about the heroic adventures of Rhysling, the blind singer of the spaceways.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lblq5

[Bester]

Originally Posted by TelevisionUser

Right now, I think the adaptation of Stephen Baxter's Voyage is particularly good and I've liked Ray Bradbury's stories too, many of which were new to me.

Ooh, I'm a fan of Baxter's Nasa trilogy so I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the headsup!

[TelevisionUser]

Originally Posted by Bester

Ooh, I'm a fan of Baxter's Nasa trilogy so I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the headsup!

4 Extra regularly repeats the episodes so it'll be broadcast again sometime, Bester. As well as checking the 4 Extra schedules, some of the dramas, readings, etc. are on iPlayer or are available online from the BBC shop, etc.

More details are here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lh6t1/episodes/guide and that excellent dramatisation does still appear to be available but only in old cassette tape form :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Voyage-Radio...ef=pd_sxp_f_pt

There are pieces of kit, like Ion's Tape Express which I have, that will convert cassettes to MP3 (and thence to CD).

[Bester]

^^ Cheers for the info - I assumed that someone, somewhere would have made an MP3 version available - I had a look, they did, and now I'm getting.

Thanks again.