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Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, The Secondary Phase Special
- Narrated by: Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan, Stephen Moore
- Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins
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Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, The Secondary Phase Special
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Summary
A dynamic remastering of the second BBC Radio 4 full-cast serial - Fit the Seventh to Fit the Twelfth - which spawned a phenomenal hitchhiking legend.
The second original series of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy remastered by Dirk Maggs (director of the Tertiary, Quandary and Quintessential Phases) to give a full, vibrant sound, now with Philip Pope’s version of the familiar theme tune and specially re-recorded announcements by John Marsh.
Stranded on Prehistoric Earth since the end of the first series, Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect are once again trying to hitch their way off the planet. Zaphod finds his visit to the offices of the Guide rudely interrupted by Frogstar fighters, who further threaten to feed him to the Total Perspective Vortex. Eventually reunited, the three fetch up on the planet Brontitall and discover the indigenous species in something of a flap. Arthur meets Lintilla (several of her), Marvin gets to be a hero once again, and there is a meeting with the Man in the Shack who apparently runs the Universe....
Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Stephen Moore and a full supporting cast star in these BBC Radio 4 episodes.
Also included is a bonus 50-minute interview with Douglas Adams - who died in 2001 - in which he discusses his career and work.
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What listeners say about Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, The Secondary Phase Special
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alexander Macallister
- 02-02-14
Science meets philosophy - and laughs
What did you like most about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
This is the funniest unit of text and dialogue in the history of text and/or dialogue. If there is indeed a god, this is his sense of humour reflected back at him/her to prove what a complete dingoe's kidney the act of creation has proven to be. No-one is spared: scientists, the media, philosophers, all are lampooned.
What did you like best about this story?
The sheer level of creativity is awesome, or monumental. It makes Machu Pichu look like a Play-dough project. Shakespeare may be more tragic, but never funnier - or indeed, more profound in the way human vanity is so mercilessly exposed and observed. Adams may not use a cold light, but it's terriby BRIGHT.
Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favourite?
While all the characters have great style and wonderful lines, there is an element of being there just to say the funny things. Having said that, the competitive banter between Arthur and Zaphod is credibly acerbic. Similarly, the way Ford swaps alliances between these two is also effectively unfair. Marvin deserves a seperate chapter of comment. However, the most endearing voice is that of Peter Jones as the book, whose style is that of a research professor presenting the facts with deliberate precision and not a hint of irony. This makes for historic comedy, while making you wonder if what he is describing actually exists or has happened somewhere out there in the time/space continuum!
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I laughed while it was on. I cried when it finished. Then I put it on again, and started laughing again. Until it stopped again. I think you get the picture.
Any additional comments?
Indespensibly invaluable, and beyond the scope of any superlative in any human language. Ask your god(s) for more appropriate perspicacity. I rest my case for the acquisition.
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13 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan Pagel
- 02-12-14
Great series but sound quality is disappointing
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
This is a classic radio production from the BBC, and it is great to have the chance to hear it again. But the sound quality of this edition is terrible. It's mono, slightly distorted and has been unsympathetically transcoded. A shame.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Odd to hint
- 03-02-15
The hitchhikers guide. It is a classic
This is what started it all. It is fantastic funny and alternative view on the universe. It is full of quotable lines that stay with you day after day.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anita Fronczak
- 04-06-15
Beautiful, very British
I love the accent, the British sense of humour. Interview at the end seems to be about nothing in particular, yet I could listen to those trained voices again and again.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- john
- 27-05-15
"who is this God bloke, anyway?"
If you haven't listened to THGTTG yet then I envy you. I remember my first time listening to this and finding it the most crazy and amazing story I've ever heard and the further you go into it the crazier it gets. Get in there
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew
- 07-01-10
First time
The hitch hikers guild to the galaxy, this is a classic audio book, having ownd (and still do) the origional cassetts of the broadcast by the bbc, it has kept it's conversion with no loss of quality, but bringing it to the next portable media, If you to have a odd out look on life, and to wonder if there is any meaning to life, the universe & Everything, then this book will take you on an epic adventure though space and time, and have you back in time to enjoy a pangalactic gargleblaster (rehab centers are avalible) so sit back and takle a trip on the heart of gold
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Jordan
- 13-04-13
Brilliant
The second installment of Douglas Adams' absolutely brilliant sci-fi comedy. An eternal classic everyone should listen to, ideally after listening to the first one! The humour is bizarre and the narrative can be loopy, but that's the style of it. Stick with it and it'll grow on you.
The show is excellently produced, well-acted and of the highest quality.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lenny Bear
- 28-05-17
Brilliant as ever
Excitement and really wild things. And a good helping of nostalgia. Reminder of when an electronic book was unbelievable and 42 meant everything
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Trustable
- 13-04-13
Entertainment at it's best
Many years ago I listened to this on the radio, it is still as amazing as ever, every time I listen I can hear new things in it. Soo worth getting for lovers of science fiction/comedy. A classic that still lives.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andy T
- 07-11-15
Classic
Just a great retelling of the Hitchhiker series - subtly different from the books (which, of course, came later). My only sadness is that the quality of the recordings is poor - like listening to R4 on 1500m LW, I guess...
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Joseph Norton
- 06-12-08
Another great addition from the BBC and Audible
Here it is! The continuation of the adventures of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect and the rest of the Hitchhiker characters! The next 6 episodes take up where the first phase left off and take you in a completely new direction from the books, TV series or the movie. Some things will be familiar, but, others are completely new. Whether you're a long-time Hitchhiker fan or new to the series, you won't want to miss this unique production from Douglas Adams and the BBC. Get it now! Don't wait! Add it to your cart right now before you forget it! Then, sit back, listen, and, again, most of all, Don't Panic!
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16 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- 20eagle16
- 23-06-11
Possible Reason For Some Low Ratings
In the Primary Phase, one reviewer (Vance) gave the series a very low rating. It seemed odd to me, as I had listened to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases with no problems. Yes, I know I'm listening to them backwards, but it doesn't matter, as they are all fun. As I write this, I have not listened to the Primary Phase where Vance gave his review, but I have listened to the Secondary Phase, which also is a remastered version, as opposed to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases, which are not.
Here is what I found from the Secondary Phase. I always download the audio book to the iPod side of my iPhone, and I listen a lot while driving. Though I had no problems with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases while driving, I had quite a bit of a problem with the Secondary Phase. It seems that some of the voices for some of the time have been mixed at too low of a volume. I'm not sure if the recording engineer mixed the stereo pan too far left or right, but here's what happened. While driving in the car, a voice would drop so low in volume that I had to turn up the radio dial volume (I have my iPhone connected to the car's stereo system)...then the volume on the next voice would come booming through, and I had to quickly turn the volume back down. After about 15 minutes of playing with the volume, I gave up on listening to it in the car. Eventually I finished it, but I did so with my iPhone ear phones stuck in my ears while on my walks. There was still a problem with the volume swing of the voices, but not to the extent that I had while listening in the car. Again...no such problem with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases.
One fun thing about the Secondary Phase is that is provides us with an audio interview of author Douglas Adams. I found it very enjoyable. It is a shame that he died so very young. I think the interview is worth the purchase of the audio alone. If you feel you can deal with the volume swings, then make the purchase, as the story and the acting are both great.
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15 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ralph Broom
- 03-04-15
Radio Broadcast
This is the original radio drama production, and includes an interview with the author at the end. Good audio quality and chaptering.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- sovos
- 24-04-20
Predatory BS
Amazon offers me free shit with Prime then gives my card info and email adress to a sister company carte blanche, I can't even access the content without jumping through hoops and after cancelling the subscription to this sister company that costs more then prime itself and finding I can't assess the content from amazon the first thing the sister companys website does is bring up my card info and say "so you want to pay us right now?" No! No I don't ever want to give you a dime. If I noticed your ceo going for a penny of the street I'd snatch that shit, lick lincon on his filthy frickin face and then offer it to him. No context. Just a blank expression to haunt his money grubbing dreams next time these kinds of choices come up...
"Marketing thinks we should go with a more predatory business model. What do you think boss?"
"His eyes were just... Empty..."
"Sorry what boss?"
"I think we better be careful how it looks"
Then in the off chance he does take it off me I'll just demand $15 a month for it's use... All the same...
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Nick H
- 23-11-19
Lackluster Followup
Lackluster followup to a brilliant first series. The story doesn’t really go anywhere, starting a few threads and then leaving them all quite uninterestingly for a future sequel, which never came during the author’s life. I don’t like the way they changed Beeblebrox’s character to rely so heavily on the crutch of 70’s colloquialisms. It was also frustrating how many times they’d cart out old jokes from the first series, just to get a cheap laugh from remembering that much more inspired work.
The first series’ behind-the-scenes featurette laid out the completely rushed process of making this second series, and it definitely shows. Still an impressive full cast, fully produced radio play though. [AUDIBLE]
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- CrunchySocks
- 17-07-16
Book and interview are great
While slightly different than the books the radio programs are fantastic. Easy to see why it's become such a phenomenon.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- G. Parish
- 15-10-15
More zany craziness, but not as much pop.
This is just as crazy as the first series, but not quite as well done or filled out. It doesn't move as well. Having said that it is still a bit of fun well worth listening to, especially as it it is performed by a top notch cast.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- RKR
- 14-07-11
Enjoyable, but not as GREAT as The Primary Phase
I enjoy listening to radio shows such as this, and after having read the books, this is a neat way to revisit Arthur Dent through a different, unfamiliar medium. I had a little problem with some of the audio. Some characters (for effect I'm sure) were to be heard in the distance. I found some conversations and lines difficult to make out. Other than that, a fun addition to fans of the series.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- T. Kirby-Green
- 03-07-23
Simply wonderful.
His Douglas-ness is generally one of the finest satire writers to exist.
I keep loosing my sock, though. Every scene is so brilliantly crafted they just fly off and I can’t find them.
RIP my many brave socks. You will be missed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chris Miller
- 27-05-23
Good Book
I would definitely recommend this book for teen readers and up.
I started listening probably a year ago, and every time I listen to it again I just love the comedy and story.
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