Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Secondary Phase (Dramatized)  By  cover art

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Secondary Phase (Dramatized)

By: Douglas Adams
Narrated by: Peter Jones,Simon Jones,Geoffrey McGivern,Mark Wing-Davey,Susan Sheridan,Stephen Moore
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.33

Buy for $20.33

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's 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.

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

What listeners say about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Secondary Phase (Dramatized)

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    985
  • 4 Stars
    183
  • 3 Stars
    39
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    9
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    886
  • 4 Stars
    94
  • 3 Stars
    28
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    827
  • 4 Stars
    133
  • 3 Stars
    44
  • 2 Stars
    11
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

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!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Radio Broadcast

This is the original radio drama production, and includes an interview with the author at the end. Good audio quality and chaptering.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

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...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

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]

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fun listen

This is a very entertaining listen. The story, while offbeat, is hilarious - I was laughing out loud! The whole production is excellent. I also liked the interview at the end with the author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

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.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!