is the following quote:
"At number two was “Don’t Panic!” from 1970s war comedy “Dad’s Army,” one of Britain’s best-loved programs about a group of aging Home Guard soldiers ill-prepared for a feared German attack. "
Never having heard of Dad’s Army on this side of the pond, I was somewhat shocked. To me “Don’t Panic” is from Hitchhikers, and that’s that. Anyone know if it was meant to be a reference to this TV show? (or perhaps vice versa?)
It wouldn’t surprise me. All artists borrow from elsewhere. An awful lot of Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide seems to have been adopted from Robert Sheckley’s SF novel Dimension of Miracles (and Adams was a confessed Sheckley fan).
I don’t know, but I doubt it. Jones’ “Don’t Panic” was what he said whilst panicking in response to pretty much anything. In the Guide, it’s friendly advice.
It’s possible that Dad’s Army inspired Douglas Adams, but I don’t remember any signed that he meant it as a reference. Douglas Adams’ version is in nice friendly letters. In Dad’s army whichever character uttered the phrase ‘Don’t Panic’ said it in a loud panicky voice, more likely to get everyone else in a panic, usually when the home guard are in some sort of trouble.
The other way around is impossible, based on what I can find out, as dad’s army ran from '68 to '77, whilst the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy started in '78.
If Douglas Adams intended a reference, he presumedly would have made the link more obvious. I suspect this is a coincidence, as I’ve never heard any mention of a link, and there are no particular clues I’ve noticed that point to their being one.
I’m fairly sure people were putting the words “don’t” and “panic” together, both for comedic and serious purposes, before either “Dad’s Army” or “Hitchhiker’s Guide” came along. It’s pretty hard to create a truly original catchphrase, and also pretty unimportant. Catchphrases aren’t even the icing on the cake of comedic literary goodness; they’re more like sprinkles on top of the icing. Don’t worry about it.