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Hitchhiker's Guide BBC Radio Series #2
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Secondary Phase
A Special Edition of the original radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978 and recently voted the Nation's Favourite Audiobook in a Guardian poll.
Starring Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan and Stephen Moore, these six episodes (Fit the First to Fit the Sixth) have been remastered to modern-day standards by Dirk Maggs, and for the first time feature Philip Pope's arrangement of the familiar theme tune, with newly recorded announcements by John Marsh.
Also included on this Special Edition is Douglas Adams's Guide to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast in 1999, which looks at the genesis and phenomenal success of the series.
LENGTH
3 hrs and 50 mins
Starring Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan and Stephen Moore, these six episodes (Fit the First to Fit the Sixth) have been remastered to modern-day standards by Dirk Maggs, and for the first time feature Philip Pope's arrangement of the familiar theme tune, with newly recorded announcements by John Marsh.
Also included on this Special Edition is Douglas Adams's Guide to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast in 1999, which looks at the genesis and phenomenal success of the series.
LENGTH
3 hrs and 50 mins
Audio CD
First published January 25, 1980
29 people are currently reading
812 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Adams
120 books23.6k followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Douglas Noel Adams was an English author, humourist, and screenwriter, best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HHGTTG). Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy developed into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 15 million copies in his lifetime. It was further developed into a television series, several stage plays, comics, a video game, and a 2005 feature film. Adams's contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame.
Adams also wrote Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987) and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988), and co-wrote The Meaning of Liff (1983), The Deeper Meaning of Liff (1990) and Last Chance to See (1990). He wrote two stories for the television series Doctor Who, co-wrote City of Death (1979), and served as script editor for its seventeenth season. He co-wrote the sketch "Patient Abuse" for the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. A posthumous collection of his selected works, including the first publication of his final (unfinished) novel, was published as The Salmon of Doubt in 2002.
Adams was a self-proclaimed "radical atheist", an advocate for environmentalism and conservation, and a lover of fast cars, technological innovation, and the Apple Macintosh.
Douglas Noel Adams was an English author, humourist, and screenwriter, best known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (HHGTTG). Originally a 1978 BBC radio comedy, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy developed into a "trilogy" of five books that sold more than 15 million copies in his lifetime. It was further developed into a television series, several stage plays, comics, a video game, and a 2005 feature film. Adams's contribution to UK radio is commemorated in The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame.
Adams also wrote Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (1987) and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (1988), and co-wrote The Meaning of Liff (1983), The Deeper Meaning of Liff (1990) and Last Chance to See (1990). He wrote two stories for the television series Doctor Who, co-wrote City of Death (1979), and served as script editor for its seventeenth season. He co-wrote the sketch "Patient Abuse" for the final episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. A posthumous collection of his selected works, including the first publication of his final (unfinished) novel, was published as The Salmon of Doubt in 2002.
Adams was a self-proclaimed "radical atheist", an advocate for environmentalism and conservation, and a lover of fast cars, technological innovation, and the Apple Macintosh.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
May 5, 2020
Some people read the bible, and I listen to Douglas Adams' works. It's just how I roll. I'd rather be entertained by possibilities than fear.
I'd rather think that there are no immutable truths, just perceptions, because we can fool ourselves about absolutely everything. I am an agnostic pragmatist, or a pragmatic agnostic, as you like. It makes absolutely no difference.
These books are the ultimate diversion from seriousness, and yet, cover so many scientific concepts in an unusual perspective. Not even science is sacred. Isn't it fun?
Don't you want to find out?
Listen to the primary phase, first.
The bonus here is an interview with D.A. himself. Delightful!
I'd rather think that there are no immutable truths, just perceptions, because we can fool ourselves about absolutely everything. I am an agnostic pragmatist, or a pragmatic agnostic, as you like. It makes absolutely no difference.
These books are the ultimate diversion from seriousness, and yet, cover so many scientific concepts in an unusual perspective. Not even science is sacred. Isn't it fun?
Don't you want to find out?
Listen to the primary phase, first.
The bonus here is an interview with D.A. himself. Delightful!
September 4, 2019
Here the story starts to be a lot different than what you might know from the books. The shoe shops bit is even darker than it was in the books and so is the end.
March 14, 2016
Still good, though maybe not quite as funny as the first one. Also where the hell did Trillian go?? I guess I'll have to go back and listen to the end of the first one to find out.
There's another bonus thing with this one, it's an interview with Douglas Adams. It's extremely boring and long-winded and I wouldn't bother listening to it if I were you.
There's another bonus thing with this one, it's an interview with Douglas Adams. It's extremely boring and long-winded and I wouldn't bother listening to it if I were you.
April 14, 2022
I listened to this with such relish that I started it, finished it, and started & finished the next audio drama before I realized I never entered either into Goodreads! If that doesn't tell you how much I enjoyed it, I don't know what will 😆 The Hitchhiker's Guide series has been among my lifetime favorites since childhood and listening to these dramas for the first time in decades has shown me that my appreciation for the material has only grown as I've aged. The stories are just as plausible as they are ridiculous and I think their firm grounding in science and logic is what gives them evergreen appeal. I can't wait to listen to the rest!
December 15, 2021
The Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy. A comedy. A love story. A ton of intergalactic travel. A ton of fun. The story is about a man in Britain who had to leave the planet of Earth and journey through space. Along his journey, Arthur Dent learns about the galaxy in the wackiest and craziest of ways. I recommend this book (and its sequels) to anyone who wants a good read, an it is easily my favorite book series of all time. The stories told are hilarious and very memorable, and this was a great book!
February 21, 2024
4.5? There is definitely some plot happening, but there's more Vibes than plot. The Vibes are very good though, sooooo
Also it's WILD to me that after this there was a 20something-year gap between radio shows, because it definitely ends in the middle of the action and it was more than a little jarring. Adams did four more books after this, but still! I'll probably keep at it with the radio shows, then try more of the books.
Also also the interview at the end was nice 😭
Also it's WILD to me that after this there was a 20something-year gap between radio shows, because it definitely ends in the middle of the action and it was more than a little jarring. Adams did four more books after this, but still! I'll probably keep at it with the radio shows, then try more of the books.
Also also the interview at the end was nice 😭
January 29, 2021
Funny and with a full cast and soundtrack.
January 21, 2023
No but really, this is my bread and butter.
June 16, 2020
Yup, once again really enjoyed.
The sheer silliness and adventure is super fun and distressing all at the same time - I can't describe it any other way. The voice overs and sound effects are brilliant and all honesty this Secondary Phase just makes you want a good cup of tea because Author can't seem to get one. This series never fails to make me laugh.
Listening to the commentary at the end also hit me in all the heart strings. It is so happy, the making of this Second Phase was such a mess but so successful and Douglas Adams talking about being a Dad and just knowing now that after that interview life did not go as planned.... :(
I will forever love this series.
The sheer silliness and adventure is super fun and distressing all at the same time - I can't describe it any other way. The voice overs and sound effects are brilliant and all honesty this Secondary Phase just makes you want a good cup of tea because Author can't seem to get one. This series never fails to make me laugh.
Listening to the commentary at the end also hit me in all the heart strings. It is so happy, the making of this Second Phase was such a mess but so successful and Douglas Adams talking about being a Dad and just knowing now that after that interview life did not go as planned.... :(
I will forever love this series.
January 30, 2025
Not as fun as the first one, but still much entertainment.
You can absolutely feel the plot spinning its wheels as it stalls for that deadline.... (the first half is really good, the last couple eps are like... huh?)
Making a paradox using a pocket universe to go on an interstellar cruise while remaining in one's office remains my fav "totalz not DoctorWho" plot, and sooo glad the book version reworked it into a more coherent bit
You can absolutely feel the plot spinning its wheels as it stalls for that deadline.... (the first half is really good, the last couple eps are like... huh?)
Making a paradox using a pocket universe to go on an interstellar cruise while remaining in one's office remains my fav "totalz not DoctorWho" plot, and sooo glad the book version reworked it into a more coherent bit
February 8, 2024
Although I love the original radio series my preferred medium is reading the novels. This series is also the most contradictory of all the different versions that contradict each other to some degree or the other. That said, this is still awesome and well worth a listen
December 8, 2020
"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-two million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea."
This book calls out humans in so many different ways, I lost it! 🤣
Another example -
"One of the things Ford Prefect had always found hardest to understand about humans was their habit of continually stating and repeating the very very obvious."
This comedy, science-fiction novel, that started out as a 70's radio-show on the BBC’s Radio 4, kept me entertained throughout its entire course with its oddly nihilistic and existential dry humor. This is first book I've read in which the preface: "A Guide to the Guide", or as Adams prefers to call it - "Some unhelpful remarks by the author" is almost as entertaining as the story itself!
Adams will have you hooked onto this absurd, quirky ride alongside hitchhikers- Arthur Dent (a common Englishman) and his best friend Ford Prefect (a cleverly disguised alien stranded on Earth, working on a revised guide to the galaxy). Douglas Adams is an incredibly witty and smart writer. He drops seemingly harmless little lines of satire and wisdom which make you re-think your entire way of living. Not to mention, the visionary elements he thought of way back in 1979, when he wrote the book! Like - the "book inside a book" concept, the electronic tablet with a touch-screen on which you have the guide itself, etc.
There are MANY gems of one-liners strewn throughout the entire book, but I'll only quote few of my favorite ones here :
# "Life, loathe it or ignore it, you can't like it."
# "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"
# "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."
You can check out my Instagram page : BriefBookBits for more of such reviews.
This book calls out humans in so many different ways, I lost it! 🤣
Another example -
"One of the things Ford Prefect had always found hardest to understand about humans was their habit of continually stating and repeating the very very obvious."
This comedy, science-fiction novel, that started out as a 70's radio-show on the BBC’s Radio 4, kept me entertained throughout its entire course with its oddly nihilistic and existential dry humor. This is first book I've read in which the preface: "A Guide to the Guide", or as Adams prefers to call it - "Some unhelpful remarks by the author" is almost as entertaining as the story itself!
Adams will have you hooked onto this absurd, quirky ride alongside hitchhikers- Arthur Dent (a common Englishman) and his best friend Ford Prefect (a cleverly disguised alien stranded on Earth, working on a revised guide to the galaxy). Douglas Adams is an incredibly witty and smart writer. He drops seemingly harmless little lines of satire and wisdom which make you re-think your entire way of living. Not to mention, the visionary elements he thought of way back in 1979, when he wrote the book! Like - the "book inside a book" concept, the electronic tablet with a touch-screen on which you have the guide itself, etc.
There are MANY gems of one-liners strewn throughout the entire book, but I'll only quote few of my favorite ones here :
# "Life, loathe it or ignore it, you can't like it."
# "Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?"
# "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't."
You can check out my Instagram page : BriefBookBits for more of such reviews.
October 4, 2025
The Good: Scifi, humor, all-around madness… in stereo!
The Bad: Poor audio quality in parts
The Literary: BBC Radiophonic Workshop created the distinctive sound design
The original second-book radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 is re-mastered and re-released here in six episodes. Also included is an interview with the author himself, Douglas Adams, as he reflects on the genesis and success of the series.
If you haven't read any of Hitchhiker's, don't start here. Either listen to the Primary Phase or pick up the books themselves, which are based on the radio broadcasts. These stories are known for their devout attachment to absurd humor. Some people have religion; some have The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
What's special about listening to these radio broadcasts after so many years of familiarity with the books is how different they are. The Secondary Phase really starts to diverge in the plot details. The sound effects and voice overs are incredibly fun and bring an entirely new layer to the experience, though perhaps the mastering could be updated again.
The authentic interview with Adams reveals his curious and reflective mind. Recommended with a good cup of tea in honor of Arthur not being able to get a good one.
The Bad: Poor audio quality in parts
The Literary: BBC Radiophonic Workshop created the distinctive sound design
The original second-book radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 is re-mastered and re-released here in six episodes. Also included is an interview with the author himself, Douglas Adams, as he reflects on the genesis and success of the series.
If you haven't read any of Hitchhiker's, don't start here. Either listen to the Primary Phase or pick up the books themselves, which are based on the radio broadcasts. These stories are known for their devout attachment to absurd humor. Some people have religion; some have The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
What's special about listening to these radio broadcasts after so many years of familiarity with the books is how different they are. The Secondary Phase really starts to diverge in the plot details. The sound effects and voice overs are incredibly fun and bring an entirely new layer to the experience, though perhaps the mastering could be updated again.
The authentic interview with Adams reveals his curious and reflective mind. Recommended with a good cup of tea in honor of Arthur not being able to get a good one.
March 19, 2021
The episodes for the Secondary Phase were ones I was familiar with as they were also a part of the collection my college friend gave me a loan of once she'd found I was a big fan of the books. Feelings of nostalgia washed over me to listen to these again. Truth be told, I thought the memory of was just a fever dream.
As with the Primary Phase, there are some audio issues here, though not quite as bad and relegated to the middlish parts. There were also some bits--again, somewhere middlish--that did not quite hit me then nor now, but there were also some bangers in there, like trying (and failing) to deal a blow to Zaphod's ego and The Man in the Shack.
The conclusion of this Audible release included an interview with Douglas Adams which I had not heard before. The man was brilliant and articulate, as one would expect. I could hear it in that interview, why his style of writing appealed to me beyond just the humor. It makes me miss him all the more.
As with the Primary Phase, there are some audio issues here, though not quite as bad and relegated to the middlish parts. There were also some bits--again, somewhere middlish--that did not quite hit me then nor now, but there were also some bangers in there, like trying (and failing) to deal a blow to Zaphod's ego and The Man in the Shack.
The conclusion of this Audible release included an interview with Douglas Adams which I had not heard before. The man was brilliant and articulate, as one would expect. I could hear it in that interview, why his style of writing appealed to me beyond just the humor. It makes me miss him all the more.
August 20, 2017
I quite enjoyed the first radio play in this series. I had thought, given the part where I'm liking a lot more sci-fi now than I used to, that it might be a good thing to give this one a go.
Unfortunately, it turned out that this was no my kind of sci-fi. All the same characters that we got to know from the first Hitchhiker's Guide were present here, but there was so little plot holding them together. Or, at least, it might be more correct to say that there were totally disparate plots that only seemed like they were starting to come together right at the end around the time that the truth came out that Zaphod Beeblebrox had been responsible for the space highway that had been the cause of destroying the Earth.
And then the story ended. I was not satisfied by this at all.
Unfortunately, it turned out that this was no my kind of sci-fi. All the same characters that we got to know from the first Hitchhiker's Guide were present here, but there was so little plot holding them together. Or, at least, it might be more correct to say that there were totally disparate plots that only seemed like they were starting to come together right at the end around the time that the truth came out that Zaphod Beeblebrox had been responsible for the space highway that had been the cause of destroying the Earth.
And then the story ended. I was not satisfied by this at all.
January 6, 2019
This science fiction comedy radio series written saw its broadcast in the United Kingdom by BBC Radio 4 in 1978. "The Primary Phase"adventures of Arthur Dent and his alien friend Ford Prefect, who writes for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, are the genesis of what Adams adapted into the best-selling novel in 1979 (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). So, even with this later phases we are hearing the emergence of the core stories of the "trilogy". I had not known that radioplay beginnings of the popular books, until now. This edition packing the Phase as an audiobook includes an afterword interview with Adams looking back on the success of his writings as well as biographical details such as his school days and even working with Graham Chapman on the TV series Out of the Trees (1975), during the height of Chapman's alcoholism.
November 23, 2019
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]
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]
January 31, 2017
Douglas Adams writes very well giving comedy in a science fiction and fantasy setting. He stacks normal expressions and reasoning in unexpected ways to reach absurd and hilarious conclusions. I have now read the full Hitchhiker's Guide series several times and found new things each time I read it. Reading the series in order will help a person new to the work in following the action but it is probably not required to get much of the messages under the entertaining plot. If you have more time for this author, I recommend reading the original 5 book series first and then listen to the 5 part radio play version as well.
If you then want more try the Dirk Gently series next.
If you then want more try the Dirk Gently series next.
May 15, 2018
I listened to this via Audible.
If you're checking out the review for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Secondary Phase without having listened to the Primary Phase, then I'm very confused. Basically, what it boils down to is if you liked the first one, you'll like the second. It's more of the same fantastic writing, acting, and producing, and was a stupendous experience.
As with the Primary Phase, at the end of the story there's some behind the scenes material - this time an interview with Douglas Adams that goes into his past, the creation of the guide, and Adams as a person. It was a great addition to an already awesome production!
If you're checking out the review for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Secondary Phase without having listened to the Primary Phase, then I'm very confused. Basically, what it boils down to is if you liked the first one, you'll like the second. It's more of the same fantastic writing, acting, and producing, and was a stupendous experience.
As with the Primary Phase, at the end of the story there's some behind the scenes material - this time an interview with Douglas Adams that goes into his past, the creation of the guide, and Adams as a person. It was a great addition to an already awesome production!
September 4, 2024
The second series of The Hitchhiker’s Guide isn’t quite as thematically scathing nor consistently funny as the first, but it is a fascinating continuation that builds out the criticism of capitalist systems to the the complexity of governance within said society. It’s still a blast, wildly more philosophical and absurdist, still often hysterically funny, and Adams’ brilliance with meta writing, sci fi concepts and philosophical interests is wonderful, but within that, it feels like it can be a bit too ambitious for its own good, which feels very clear when it leaves off with a strange cliffhanger as it does. Very fun, very good, just doesn’t quite nail everything it tries.
August 2, 2021
This book will introduce you to entire new worlds of humor. The wry wit and delivery is beyond just being genuinely funny is also studied by writers for being very good at delivering ideas in ways that not just give information with brevity but up it a notch further to also have an effect of making you laugh, or sigh, or feel anticipation, or mystery, or adventure. His writing craft is top of the line and when you combine that with such a funny premise, and story, that also makes fun of humans and the world we live in and leaves you with a hopeful smile on your face well sign me right up.
January 14, 2021
I was surprised to hear how different the stories between the novels and the original radio drama. I thought I knew this story backward and forward, and here I am surprised with a new development (which left out another development, which I was really looking forward to hearing...).
This also has a bonus track, this time an interview with Douglas Adams. It makes me sad when I remember he's gone....
This also has a bonus track, this time an interview with Douglas Adams. It makes me sad when I remember he's gone....
January 2, 2021
Hep okumak isteyip, şimdiye kadar ertelediğim bir kitaptı. Dili bana akıcı geldi, bir solukta okudum. Hikayesi gayet ilginç, insanı hayal etmeye sevk ediyor. Bazen ya yoksa gerçek olabilir mi? diye düşünürken bulabilirsiniz kendinizi. Ekşisözlük kurucusu da bu kitaptan esinlenmişti galiba. Tavsiye ediyorum, herkese iyi okumalar.
October 4, 2021
Well, that was a mess. There were great bits, funny bits and even great, funny bits. But this series lacked that most important thing... a decent plot. Zaniness is fun and all, but it wears thin after a while - and so does Douglas Adams' inability to treat female characters as anything but expendable.
March 26, 2017
Have saw the serial and the movies and read the books individually and as omnibus and different sets, hardback, still in my library, says a lot. Date wrong, just saw it to review. also listened to radio ones of course
March 6, 2018
İlk yayınlandığı şekliyle radyo programı olarak dinlemek eğlenceli, bazen esprileri yakalamakta zorlansam da. Bu sesli kitabın daha eğlenceli kısmı son bölümündeki yazar ve ekiple yapılan sohbetler. Bu kitabın sonunda "niye 42" sorusunun cevabı var, ayrıca yazar radikal ateistmiş, agnostik değil.
July 22, 2021
I think it was really fun. I enjoyed the imagination it let me have and though I listened to the audiobook it was rather pleasant, I can't wait to finish the second as I am reading it right now!
Sci-fi is totally the move.
Sci-fi is totally the move.
December 10, 2022
The search for the Ruler of the Universe is very different in this version. Still loving experiencing the Radio play for the first time. How often do you get the opportunity to reexperience your favorite book for the first time. (With the radio, tv, Movie and book versions this is my fourth!)
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May 9, 2025Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood but it felt like the sporadicness and absurdism was turned up a notch. There were still lots of funny parts but I sort of lost focus. I think it mostly comes down to personal taste.
April 23, 2018
As fun as the first one but I missed Trillian.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews