Production has started on the new TV version of Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.

Based on the novels by Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Doctor Who writer Douglas Adams, BBC America’s series is written by Max Landis (Chronicle) and comes from the producers of The Walking Dead.

Described as a “comedic thriller”, the story follows the bizarre adventures of eccentric “holistic” detective Dirk Gently (Samuel Barnett) and his reluctant assistant Todd (Elijah Wood).

> Buy the first book on Amazon.

This first season will see Dirk and Todd “wind their way through one big, seemingly insane mystery, crossing unlikely paths with a bevy of wild and sometimes dangerous characters, each episode landing them a few random steps closer to uncovering the truth,” reports Anglophenia.

Alongside Samuel Barnett and Elijah Wood, the cast also includes Hannah Marks as Todd’s sister Amanda, Jade Eshete as Security Officer Farah Black, Mpho Koaho as nerdy, friendly-faced tech Ken, Fiona Dourif as “Holistic Assassin” Bart Curlish, Michael Eklund as violent ring leader Martin, Miguel Sandoval as Colonel Scott Riggins, Dustin Milligan as Riggin’s moronic subordinate Sergeant Hugo Friedkin, and Aaron Douglas as enigmatic loser Gordon Rimmer. ‎

Creator Max Landis commented: “I couldn’t be happier. We got such wonderful actors, it’s really a shame we’re killing so many of the characters.”

Showrunner Robert Cooper added: “Douglas Adams might have said we ended up with the cast we were meant to have. I’d add we’re extremely happy about it,”

The Dirk Gently novels were previously adapted for TV by BBC Four, with four episodes airing between 2010 and 2012.

> Buy the series on DVD on Amazon.

Written by Misfits creator Howard Overman and Doctor Who writer Jamie Mathieson, the series starred Steven Mangan and Darren Boyd.

Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency will continue filming in Vancouver until August and the series will premiere on BBC America this autumn.

Are you looking forward to Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency? Let us know below…