Paradise Lost in Space | Colin Swash | The Science Fiction Comedy Collection | BBC Radio Drama

Welcome to a cosmic disaster of epic proportions! You are listening to Paradise Lost in Space, a cult-classic BBC Radio 4 sci-fi sitcom that begins with a literal bang—specifically, an exploding toilet on a lunar shuttle.

The explosion strands two very different humans on a distant desert planet: Norman (Tony Robinson), an idealistic, Beethoven-loving revolutionary, and Max (David Haig), a cheerful but relentlessly boring timeshare salesman. They are "rescued" by the Oblivions, a friendly alien race that has spent years learning English from a discarded book of Noël Coward plays. The result? A society of aliens who speak like 1930s high-society socialites, obsessed with martinis, tennis, and the "priceless" gifts of human civilization.

🎧 Inside the Mission:
The Ultimate Odd Couple: Tony Robinson (Blackadder) and David Haig (The Thin Blue Line) deliver masterclass performances as two survivors who can't stand each other.

The Oblivions: Meet an alien race that has modeled its entire culture on the polite, upper-class wit of Noël Coward—until human influence starts to take hold.

A Darker Shade of Comedy: While it starts as a lighthearted farce, the series gradually deepens into a bleak and thought-provoking parable about the innate corruption of human "civilization."

Star-Studded Cast: Featuring early performances and guest appearances from Peter Serafinowicz, Ronni Ancona, Alistair McGowan, and Geoffrey McGivern (Ford Prefect from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).

🎙 About the Series
Originally broadcast in 1995, Paradise Lost in Space is a unique entry in the Science Fiction Comedy Collection. It combines the surreal world-building of Red Dwarf with a satirical edge reminiscent of Jonathan Swift. It’s funny, unsettling, and entirely unforgettable.

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💬 Comment Below: If you were stranded with a Noël Coward-obsessed alien race, what’s the first human invention you’d try to explain to them?

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