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The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy: Primary Phase

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The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy: Primary Phase

By: Douglas Adams
Narrated by: Full Cast, Peter Jones, Susan Sheridan, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Stephen Moore
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About this listen

A dynamic remastering of the original BBC Radio 4 full-cast serial - Fit the First to Fit the Sixth - which spawned a phenomenal hitchhiking legend

The 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.

Join Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect,Trillian, Zaphod Beeblebrox and Marvin the Paranoid Android in their first series of adventures as they witness the destruction of Earth to make way for a hyperspace bypass, stumble upon the ancient planet of Magrathea, dine at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe, and seek an answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe And Everything.

Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan, Stephen Moore and a full supporting cast star in these BBC Radio 4 episodes.

A special 55-minute bonus programme, Douglas Adams's Guide to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, explores the genesis of the radio series and its incredible success, with contributions from the original cast andproduction team.

Audio files were replaced in April 2021


©2008 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2008 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

 Adventure Humorous Literature & Fiction Science Fiction Funny Thought-Provoking Witty Scary Feel-Good Dramatised Fantasy
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Most relevant

Would you consider the audio edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to be better than the print version?

No - they're equally fantastic in slightly different ways.

What other book might you compare The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to, and why?

It defies comparison. But don't panic.

Any additional comments?

This is a good books for clearing out the seat next to you on the bus. There's nothing quite like the snort of laughter that escapes after Slartibartfast announces that he loves fjords because they give a lovely baroque feeling to a continent for getting rid of gum-chewing cowards who don't want to sit next to the local nutter.

Still hilarious

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Sitting on a train that struggles along the less fashionable arm of the greater anglian commute into London, I sink into the warm bath of Hitchhiker nostalgia. The words and most of the voices are familiar to me. The images are recreated in my audiowaves as the bable fish headphones feed on my unconscious brainwaves...bliss.

My favourite thing in the galaxy about the galaxy

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really good listen I love all the characters. they are all different. well worth it.

great listen

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Douglas Adams ensures that I can listen to this time after time, it just never gets old.

Stunningly brilliant!

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Before you start this, I can say if you like the sample, the original radio series, the television series, the film or the books, this will blow you away (unless you'd already heard the original radio series, then you're already prepared) - you will want to get all of them, and they have a high re-listen value.



Listening to this, I wouldn't think this began before I was born, with the final books finished while I was just getting into them. The storytelling, the jokes and the dialogue are all so timeless, and the parts fit well together at the end you'd easily believe Adams had a plan for the whole saga from the start.



My favourite part happens in the first 10 minutes, I had the misfortune of listening to it at work, and promptly burst out with laughter. I thought the BBC was a little more reserved in the 70s but this took me by surprise.



The persistent mockery of politicians and everyday people alike is fantastic. For myself, the best part of the series comes later in chapters 3 and 4.



Adams' writing style has a lot in common with Terry Pratchett, in that he uses a fictional universe to make fun of the real one (and masterly performed at that), and in the process creates characters that you can love (both the good, and the bad), set to a backdrop of some epic sinister things happening which seem both inescapable and horrifying, all the while you're still laughing, all the way to the apocalypse.



This is without a doubt one of my favourite audios. I couldn't recommend it any more highly.

Gripping, exciting, hilarious.

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