Three carved theatrical masks in black, charcoal and pale grey show different degrees of frowning against slate.

Original artwork, not a still

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency ‧ 1987

Douglas Adams

Mason gave him another grim look from a vast repertoire he had developed which ranged from very, very blackly grim indeed at the bottom of the scale, all the way up to tiredly resigned and only faintly grim, which he reserved for his children's birthdays.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Mason’s expressions range from deeply grim to only slightly less grim. Saving his mildest look for his children’s birthdays makes the description funny by showing how little room his emotional range leaves for cheerfulness.

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