Old Harry's Game
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Old Harry's Game is a UK radio comedy written and directed by Andy Hamilton, who also plays the cynical, world-weary (or is that underworld-weary) Satan ("Old Harry" was one of many names for the devil). Beginning in 1995, four series of six half-hour episodes each were aired by 2001 and a Christmas special followed in 2002. A fifth full series has been frequently delayed due to a cast member's illness. The most recent postponement was in January 2005.
It is set mainly in Hell with episodes based around philosophical arguments. Satan usually takes one side in the argument, with the somewhat idealistic main human character, Professor Richard Whittingham (James Grout), taking the other. The Professor, despite his moral idealism, was sent to Hell due to his atheism. The fact of the afterlife has not changed his views.
The arguments often lead to vignettes in which Satan shows the Professor scenes from the mortal world, designed to prove his cynical world view. This provides ample scope for Hamilton's satire, although the Professor's idealism is usually shown to have some validity as well. More often than not the Professor wins the argument, although Satan always insists he hasn't.
The other main human in the series is Thomas Quentin Crimp (Jimmy Mulville), an execrable character with few morals, held up by Satan as an example of all that is detestable about humanity. In the first episode, it is demonstrated that Thomas caused the car crash which landed him and the professor in Hell.
Other characters featured are Satan's minions, Gary (Steven O'Donnell) in the first series and Scumspawn (Robert Duncan) from the second onwards. Several members of the damned also appear, including some famous people (Nero, Leonardo Da Vinci and Helen of Troy to name three) and God makes the occasional appearance, played by Gary Waldhorn.
Originally aired on BBC Radio 4, Old Harry's Game was repeated on BBC 7 in winter 2003-04. Two compilation sets were available but there has been no full series release to date.