The terms Tertiary Phase, Quandary Phase and Quintessential Phase describe the radio adaptations of the books Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish and Mostly Harmless recorded in 2003 and 2004 by Above the Title Productions for BBC Radio 4. These are continuations of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio series, consisting of a total of fourteen episodes. They were preceded by the Primary and Secondary Phases. For more on the history of all five series, please see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series). Life, The Universe and Everything cover Life, the Universe and Everything (1982, ISBN 0345391829) is the third book in the five-volume Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy science fiction trilogy by Douglas Adams. ... So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish (1984, ISBN 0345391837) is the fourth book of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series written by Douglas Adams. ... The front cover of the US first hardcover edition of Mostly Harmless. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Above the Title Productions is a London, UK based radio production company, specializing in producing a variety of radio shows, most of which debut on BBC Radio. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the national publicly funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. ... The cover of the first novel in the Hitchhikers series, from a late 1990s printing. ... The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... The cover of the booklet included with the Collectors Edition CD set release of the first two Hitchhikers radio series. ...

The Tertiary Phase

Front cover of the BBC Audio release of the "Tertiary Phase" (Fits 13-18) of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

The third 6-part radio series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Tertiary Phase, based on Life, the Universe and Everything, ran on BBC Radio 4 from Tuesday September 21 to October 26, 2004, with repeats on the following Thursdays. (Arthur Dent, of course, could never get the hang of Thursdays.) Episodes were subtitled Fits the Thirteenth through Eighteenth. The third novel was adapted by Dirk Maggs following instructions left by Adams. Most of the original radio series cast returned, with the exception of three, due to their passing. Richard Vernon (died 1997) as Slartibartfast, replaced by Richard Griffiths, Peter Jones (died 2000), replaced by his friend William Franklyn; some brief excerpts from Jones's original narration were also used in the first episode, cleverly disguised as the Book's speech-generation system changing as part of updates to the Guide from the publisher. A third absent cast member was David Tate (died 1996), who played a multitude of minor roles in the two original radio series including Eddie, the Heart of Gold's computer. And Bill Wallis, who played the roles of Mr Prosser and Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz in the original series, was not available. Toby Longworth took the role of Jeltz in the new series. On the other hand, John Marsh, who was the original series' continuity announcer returned to announce the credits. There was even a cameo role by Adams himself as Agrajag, edited from his BBC audiobook recording of the novel. Scan of the front cover of the CD box set of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Tertiary Phase - six radio episodes, in extended versions, on 3 CDs, published by BBC Audio in 2004. ... Scan of the front cover of the CD box set of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Tertiary Phase - six radio episodes, in extended versions, on 3 CDs, published by BBC Audio in 2004. ... Life, The Universe and Everything cover Life, the Universe and Everything (1982, ISBN 0345391829) is the third book in the five-volume Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy science fiction trilogy by Douglas Adams. ... BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of chiefly spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dirk Maggs is a radio director who works for BBC Radio 4. ... Sir Richard Vernon (March 7, 1925 - December 4, 1997) was a British actor. ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... Richard Griffiths Richard Griffiths (born 31 July 1947 in Thornaby-on-Tees, Cleveland) is a British actor. ... Peter Jones (June 12, 1920 - April 10, 2000) was an English actor, born at Wem in Shropshire. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... William Franklyn is an actor, born 22 September 1926. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. ... A continuity announcer is a broadcaster whose voice (and, in some cases, face) appears between radio or television programmes. ... There are many minor characters in the 5-part fictional trilogy The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ...

Before the final episode was broadcast, BBC Worldwide released the Tertiary Phase on CD, including additional material. BBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly-owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. ... Interference colors. ...

Since the opening of the third book starts at the same place and time (prehistoric Earth) as the opening of the second radio series, the entire Secondary Phase was dismissed as one of Zaphod's "psychotic episodes" (including events that did take place in the books). The UK edition of the novel was used for the adaptation - this becomes evident in Fit the Sixteenth, when the "Rory" award is said to be given for the Most Gratuitous Use Of The Word Fuck In A Serious Screenplay. The US edition of the same novel substituted "Belgium" for "fuck," as well as the explanation for why the former word is considered to be devastatingly rude in the rest of the galaxy, which is drawn from Fit the Tenth of the Secondary Phase. The broadcast version avoids saying "fuck" on radio by well-timed crashes and explosions — the CD version moves these so that the "fuck" is audible. The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

Fit the Thirteenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 September 2004

Cast:

• The Book: Peter Jones and William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Wowbagger (and Vogon Captain, uncredited): Toby Longworth
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Marvin the Paranoid Android: Stephen Moore
• Eddie the Computer: Roger Gregg
• Zem the Mattress: Andy Taylor
• Announcer: John Marsh

Arthur wakes up in a cave on pre-historic Earth (thus ignoring the events of the Secondary Phase), on the day, four years after he last saw Ford Prefect, that Ford arrives back. Ford carries news that he has detected disturbances in the "space-time wash", and that they might be able to escape. The disturbance turns out to be a Chesterfield sofa, which materialises in a field. They chase the sofa as it runs off, and then are transported elsewhere. William Franklyn is an actor, born 22 September 1926. ... Simon Jones (born July 27, 1950 in Charlton Park, Wiltshire) is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent. ... Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. ... Geoffrey McGivern is a British actor of film, radio and TV. He is well remembered for playing Ford Prefect in the radio series and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which role he reprised for the three new series broadcast in 2004 and 2005. ... Susan Sheridan (born 1947) is an English actress most widely known for her voice work, particularly the roles of Trillian in the radio series The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Princess Eilonwy in the animated film The Black Cauldron. ... Son of actors Peter Davey and Anna Wing, Mark Wing-Davey studied at Cambridge University where he was a member of the Footlights from 1967 to 1970. ... Stephen Moore (born December 11, 1937) is a British actor from Brixton, London. ... Andy Taylor (born 16 February 1961) is a British pop singer who plays guitar in the band Duran Duran. ... Ford Prefect is: a model of car - see Ford Prefect (car) a character in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, named after the car - see Ford Prefect (character) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Zaphod and Trillian are on the Heart of Gold, without Marvin. Zaphod is extremely hungover, and upset that Trillian is dismissing the events of The Secondary Phase as a "psychotic episode". Trillian wishes to do something and is getting increasingly annoyed at Zaphod. After preparing a fabulous meal, and Zaphod still refusing to come out of the bathroom, she teleports away, telling the ship to "transport me the hell out of Zaphod Beeblebrox's life." The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

Meanwhile, Marvin is on a swamp on Squornshellous Zeta, conversing with the native life-forms, mattresses. He is circling around and around on one leg, while his artificial (i.e. replacement) leg is stuck in the swamp.

Fit the Fourteenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 28 September 2004

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Marvin the Paranoid Android: Stephen Moore
• Krikkit Robots: Dominic Hawksley
• Slartibartfast: Richard Griffiths
• Zem the Mattress: Andy Taylor
• Walkie Talkie: Fiona Carew
• The Boy: Theo Maggs
• Wowbagger: Toby Longworth
• Deodat: Bruce Hyman
• Henry Blofeld: Himself
• Fred Trueman: Himself
• Announcer: John Marsh

Arthur and Ford arrive at Lord's Cricket Ground on the sofa that they had caught in the previous episode. They have arrived in the final Test Match in the Ashes, in the middle of the field. A policeman apprehends them, and they retire to the stadium. Richard Griffiths Richard Griffiths (born 31 July 1947 in Thornaby-on-Tees, Cleveland) is a British actor. ... Henry Calthorpe Blofeld (born at Hoveton Home Farm in Norfolk on 23 September 1939) (known as Blowers) is a cricket commentator for BBC Radio 4, although he also commentated for ITV in the 1960s and for Sky Television from 1991 to 1994. ... Frederick Sewards Trueman (born February 6, 1931 in Stainton, Yorkshire) was an English cricketer, regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in history. ... The Mound Stand The Grand Stand For more coverage of cricket, go to the Cricket portal. ... Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. ... For more coverage of cricket, see the Cricket portal. ...

Watching the match, Arthur drinks some tea and glances upon a newspaper. He notices the date on the newspaper, and realises that it was from the day before the Earth was demolished. A ball lands in Arthur's bag, and when the fielder comes to collect it, Arthur decides to keep it.

With the planet about to be demolished again, they then look for another lift from the planet. They discover a spaceship, hidden by a "Somebody Else's Problem field", hidden behind a screen. The Somebody Elses Problem field (SEP field) is a fictional technology from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy by Douglas Adams. ...

The game finishes, with England winning the Ashes, and Slartibartfast joins Arthur and Ford. Slartibartfast explains that he has arrived because "something terrible is about to happen". He walks to the centre of the cricket pitch, and asks to be given the Ashes saying that they are "vitally important for the past, present and future safety of the Galaxy".

Another spaceship arrives. Eleven white robots, carrying bats and balls, and wearing rocket pads on their shins (dressed like crickets), come suddenly out, and start attacking the spectators and players with their grenades. They take the Ashes, say "we declare", and go back into their ship. Ford and Arthur catch a lift on Slartibartfast on his ship.

Meanwhile, Marvin is once again making conversation with a matress. A similar ship to before arrives, and white robots get out and take Marvin's one remaining leg. After a brief while, they return and decide to take all of Marvin instead.

Fit the Fifteenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 5 October 2004

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Slartibartfast: Richard Griffiths
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Wikkit Voice: Dominic Hawksley
• Agrajag: Douglas Adams
• Eddie the Computer: Roger Gregg
• Judiciary Pag: Rupert Degas
• Krikkit Man One (and Mancunian Correcting-Fluid Magnate, uncredited): Michael Fenton Stevens
• Krikkit Man Two (and Krikkit song by): Philip Pope
• Krikkit Man Three: Tom Maggs
• Henry Blofeld: Himself
• Fred Trueman: Himself
• Announcer: John Marsh

Slartibartfast shows Ford and Arthur an Informational Illusion about the Krikkit Wars and the Wikkit Gate, and that the game of cricket on Earth is a "racial memory" of the Wars. Investigating further, they discover that the Krikkitmen, a previously peaceful people, built their first spaceship in a year, after a spaceship landed on their planet. The planet and its sun had been previously obscured in a dust cloud that left the Krikketmen unaware of the existence or even possibility of existence of stars. It is considered remarkable that they constructed a working ship in just a year. After they saw the rest of the universe existed, they decided to annihalate it. Douglas Noël Adams (March 11, 1952 – May 11, 2001), also known (to fans) as Bop Ad or Bob (after his illegible signature) or by his initials DNA (it is notable that Watson and Cricks famous discovery was announced in Cambridge, nine months after Douglas Adams was born there). ... Michael Fenton Stevens is a UK actor and comedian, member of The Heebeejeebees and person behind the voice of the Spitting Image number 1 hit in 1986, The Chicken Song. ... Philip Pope is a British composer and actor. ... The Wikkit Gate is a fictional artifact in the universe of Douglas Adams The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, as featured in the novel Life, the Universe and Everything. ... Cricket is a team sport played between two groups of eleven players each. ...

Meanwhile, on the Heart of Gold, Zaphod Beeblebrox hears the noise of thousands of people saying "Wop". He intercepts them on the bridge, where he is told they want the "Golden Bail", the ship's Infinite Improbability Drive. They take it, shoot him, and leave. Heart of Gold is a fictional spaceship in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. ... The Infinite Improbability Drive is the spaceship drive for the starship Heart of Gold in the science fiction story The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. ...

Back on Slartibartfast's ship, Ford and Arthur watch the Krikkit War Crimes Trial, presided over by Judiciary Pag. Pag's sentence is that Krikkit will be locked in an envelope of "Slo-Time", until the universe has ended, when it will be released, thus saving the universe from attack from Krikkit, and allowing Krikkit to exist in isolation after the end of the universe. Howver, a Krikkit ship escaped. There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ...

Slartibart notes that parts of the key to the Wikkit Gate, sealing the envelope of Slo-Time, have been re-appearing. After a failed attempt to recover the Wooden Pillar (the Ashes), Slartibartfast plans to go to a party, to locate the Silver Bail. Ford disagrees with this objective but agrees with the concept of going to a party. They teleport from the ship.

Arthur does not materialise with Ford and Slartibartfast, but elsewhere, in a gloomy room, with signs such as "DO NOT BE ALARMED. BE VERY VERY FRIGHTENED, ARTHUR DENT". The episode ends on a cliff-hanger, with the previously unintroduced character of Agrajag saying "Bet you weren't expecting to see me again." There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ...

The episode includes several Guide interludes, notably the story of Lallaffa the poet, and a description of Brockian Ultra-Cricket. There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... Brockian Ultra-Cricket is a fictional sport from Life, the Universe and Everything written by Douglas Adams. ...

Fit the Sixteenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 12 October 2004

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Slartibartfast: Richard Griffiths
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Thor: Dominic Hawksley
• Agrajag: Douglas Adams
• Award winner: Bob Golding
• Woman with the Sydney Opera House Head: Joanna Lumley
• Party Doorman: Paul Wickens
• Announcer: John Marsh

The episode begins with Arthur, who has been "diverted" by Agrajag, who claims that Arthur has killed previous incarnations of him hundreds of times. He also claims to have been the bowl of petunias that materialised into existence in Fit the Third. Eventually it transpires one of the deaths was at Stavromula Beta, where someone tried to assassinate Arthur, and he ducked, hitting Agrajag. Arthur however has never been there. Agrajag cries "I've brought you here too zarking soon", but decides to attempt to kill Arthur anyway. Joanna Lumley and David McCallum as Sapphire & Steel. ... Purple Petunias Petunia is a widely-cultivated genus of flowering plants, in the Solanaceae family. ... The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... This is a list of places featured in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

Arthur and Agrajag struggle, and Agrajag dies. Arthur escapes from the Cathedral of Hate, to which he had been diverted, by running into a passageway in the mountain. He notes that he has ended up somehow the wrong bag - one he lost on Earth many years ago. He trips, and falls, only to discover that he is flying. He experiments with flying for a while, only to be hit in the small of the back by the party that Ford and Slartibartfast are at.

The party is flying as well, and Ford and Slartibartfast are on a ledge around the building, not being permitted entry due to the lack of a bottle. Arthur remembers that his bag contains a bottle of Retsina, and this gets them entry. They see Trillian and Thor at the party, where Thor is chatting Trillian up. Retsina is a Greek resinated white (or rosé) wine dating back at least 2700 years. ... Tricia McMillan aka Trillian is a fictional character from Douglas Adams series The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ...

They quiz people trying to find the Silver Bail, and discover that it has been instantiated as an award (a Rory) for the Most Gratuitous Use Of The Word Fuck In A Serious Screenplay. Before they are actually able to find it, the Krikkit robots appear, massacre the party-goers and take the Silver Bail.

Arthur tricks Thor into walking out of the building by challenge him into a fight, leaving Trillian with no choice but to come with them. The Krikkitmen now have all the parts of the Wikkit Key, and Slartibartfast notes that their next move must be to go to the Wikkit Gate itself and try to intervene.

Fit the Seventeenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 19 October 2004

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect (and Hactar, in flashbacks, uncredited): Geoffrey McGivern
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Marvin the Paranoid Android: Stephen Moore
• Krikkit Commander: Dominic Hawksley
• Slartibartfast: Richard Griffiths
• Eddie the Computer: Roger Gregg
• Dispatcher (and Silastic Armorfiends, uncredited): Bob Golding
• Krikkit Man One: Michael Fenton Stevens
• Krikkit Man Two: Philip Pope
• Announcer: John Marsh

The episode opens with a Guide entry about the Silastic Armorfiends, a very aggressive species, who apparently were the first race ever to shock a computer, by asking it (Hactar) to design the "Ultimate Weapon". Hactar designed one, a small bomb which would destroy every sun in the universe by connecting them in hyperspace. However, it turned out to be a dud, because Hactar had decided that any possible consequence of making it a dud would be better than it actually being used. The Silastic Armorfiends were unimpressed with this and destroyed Hactar, and later themselves. There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ...

They arrive at the asteroid, but too late to do anything but watch. The Krikkit robots place the key into the Wikkit Gate, revealing Krikkit. As the robots from the escaped Krikkit ship leave their ship, they notice that Zaphod Beeblebrox is with them, who gets knocked out by the Krikkitmen, who then proceed to actually destroy the lock. Zaphod explains that they had brought him on their ship, but had not killed him, but not for any obvious reason.

Zaphod comes with the others on Slartibartfast's ship, where Slartibartfast announces that they have no choice but to go down to the surface of Krikkit. Arthur had recovered two items - the Golden Bail, in order to allow the Heart of Gold to work once more, and more importantly, the Ashes of the Wooden Pillar. Zaphod returns to the Heart of Gold, and asks Trillian whether she wishes to come with him - she declines. For more coverage of cricket, see the Cricket portal. ...

Arthur, Ford, Trillian and Slartibartfast finally land on Krikkit, where they notice that there are hundreds of floating buildings and warships above the surface. They are soon apprehended by some Krikkitmen, who ask them if they are aliens. The Krikkitmen ask them about the "balance of nature". They express concern that the plan of universal destruction would upset the balance of nature, and also would stop them from having sporting links with the rest of the Galaxy.

The leader of the group, in private, explains to Trillian they have a bomb, that can destroy everything that exists, and cries about this. Trillian asks him to to "take me to your leader, up there", in the sky.

Meanwhile, the others notice that the Heart of Gold is visible in the war zones above the planet. Zaphod sneaks into one of the floating buildings, where he finds the original starship that crash-landed on Krikkit. He dismisses it instantly as a fake. He later overhears a conversation between two Krikkit officers, and that apparently the robots are getting depressed and do fiendishly difficult quadratic equations instead of fighting. The episode ends with Zaphod over-hearing Marvin sing a depressing song.

Fit the Eighteenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 26 October 2004

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Marvin the Paranoid Android: Stephen Moore
• Elder of Krikkit: Dominic Hawksley
• Slartibartfast: Richard Griffiths
• Eddie the Computer: Roger Gregg
• Krikkit Civilian: Bob Golding
• Wowbagger: Toby Longworth
• Henry Blofeld: Himself
• Fred Trueman: Himself
• Prak: Chris Langham
• Hactar: Leslie Phillips
• Announcer: John Marsh

Ford, Arthur and Slartibartfast are on the surface of Krikkit, prisoners of the Krikkit-men, and waiting for Trillian to get back, or for Zaphod to do something. Chris Langham (born 14 April 1949) is a British writer and comedian. ... Leslie Phillips OBE (born April 20, 1924) is a British comedy actor, born in Tottenham, London. ...

Zaphod has discovered Marvin, who since he was stolen by the Krikkit robots, has been plugged into the Krikkit mainframe and is being used as its central computer, hence depressing the robots, and making them unable to kill Zaphod. Marvin shows Zaphod CCTV of Trillian talking to the Elders of Krikkit.

Trillian is explaining that Krikkit's history is a sequence of contrived coincedences that was set-up in order to provoke a race into wanting to destroy the universe. She points out their ultimate weapon, the supernova bomb, would destroy Krikkit as well, and that they ought to know that if they'd built it themselves instead of taking instructions from Hactar. A robot (independent from Marvin) detonates the bomb, only for it to turn out to be a dud.

Arthur, Ford, Marvin, Slartibartfast, Trillian and Zaphod all return to the Heart of Gold, just outside the dust cloud. A pocket of pseudo-gravity has opened with an oxygen atmosphere, and Arthur and Trillian exit the airlock into it.

There, they meet Hactar, who explains that when the Silastic Armorfiends tried to destroy him, they failed, because of his cellular nature, he was eventually able to coalesce sufficiently to influence things. In the long years he grew to regret his decision to make the bomb a dud. He created the dust cloud around Krikkit and also the fake wrecked spacecraft that provoked them to develop spaceflight. He knows they are going to destroy them, and they do. His final words are "I have fulfilled my function..."

They have in the mean-time picked up a man named Prak, who was a witness at a trial when the Krikkit robots broke in and stole the Perspex Pillar. The robots jogged the arm of the person administering him truth drugs, and he took a huge overdose. He was then told to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" - a horrifying fate. The court-house was abandoned, with him in place.

He has apparently stopped telling it ("there not nearly as much of it as people imagine"), but is still finding much of it, particularly frogs and Arthur Dent, hilarious. They ask him if he knows the Question to the Ultimate Answer of 42. He explains that knowledge of Question and the Answer are mutually exclusive and that if both to be known the universe would be replaced by something more bizarre and inexplicable. However, he does have the address of God's Last Message to his Creation, which he gives to them, but before Arthur is able to take down the address, Prak dies.

After this, they return to Lord's Cricket Ground, on Earth, after the Krikkit robot attack, to return the Ashes. In the destruction, Arthur is unable to find anyone to return the Ashes to. He notes that he is at Lord's, and one of his ambitions was always to bowl at Lord's. He still has the ball he caught last time he was there, he decides to bowl the ball at the batsman standing at the wicket.

Mid-run, Ford points out that "it's not an England batsman, it's a Krikkit robot", and that the ball is probably a supernova bomb, and not a dud. He is unable however to stop running and bowls anyway. It goes wide, and Ford catches the ball, the universe being saved by Arthur's poor bowling. Arthur decapitates the robot with its own bat, and then expresses his desire for a cup of tea.

The fourth and fifth radio series

A fourth and fifth series based on So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish and Mostly Harmless respectively follow. The names for these series have apparently been chosen to be more humorous than the standard terms quaternary and quinary, which are rarely used anyway. So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish (1984, ISBN 0345391837) is the fourth book of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series written by Douglas Adams. ... The front cover of the US first hardcover edition of Mostly Harmless. ... The Quaternary Period is the geologic time period from the end of the Pliocene Epoch roughly 1. ... Quinary is the base five numeral system. ...

While these are being treated as the fourth and fifth Hitchhiker's Guide radio series, they are being broadcast in one eight-week stretch from May through June 2005, to stop people (in the words of Dirk Maggs) from "nodding off in between." The tradition of "Fits" continues; these will be known as Fit the Nineteenth through Fit the Twenty-Sixth. The manner of broadcasting these episodes carries over from the Tertiary Phase: the original broadcast is on Tuesday, with a Thursday repeat (with the exception of Fit the Nineteenth, which was not repeated due to election coverage). After the initial Tuesday broadcast, audio streams of the episode are available until the following Tuesday (which is a slight change from the Tertiary phase, where streaming audio was only available between Thursday evening repeats). For these final phases, the core cast (Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan and Stephen Moore) have returned, along with William Franklyn as the new voice of The Book (assisted by Rula Lenska). In addition, David Dixon, Sandra Dickinson, Bill Paterson, Roy Hudd and Jonathan Pryce, who had roles in the TV adaptation or the original radio series, all return, though Dixon and Paterson both play new roles.

The "Quandary Phase" was released in a 2-CD set in late May 2005. The CDs contain material not present in the original transmissions, due to time constraints. The enclosed booklet contains notes from Dirk Maggs, Simon Jones, Bruce Hyman and Helen Chattwell. A 2-CD release of the "Quintessential Phase" was released in mid-June 2005, with similar material left out of the original transmissions, and notes in the booklet by the same four individuals.

The Quandary Phase

Front cover of the BBC Audio release of the "Quandary Phase" (Fits 19-22) of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Scan of the front cover of the CD set of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Quandary Phase - four radio episodes, in extended versions, on 2 CDs, published by BBC Audio in 2005. ... Scan of the front cover of the CD set of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Quandary Phase - four radio episodes, in extended versions, on 2 CDs, published by BBC Audio in 2005. ...

Fit the Nineteenth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3 May 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• The Book's "Update" voice (uncredited): Rula Lenska
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Rob McKenna: Bill Paterson
• Fenchurch (Fenny): Jane Horrocks
• Barman: Arthur Smith
• Russell: Rupert Degas
• Vogon Guard (and Alien Teaser, uncredited): Bob Golding
• Stewardess: Alison Pettitt
• Hooker: Fiona Carew
• Vogon Helmsman: Michael Cule
• Evil-looking bird/Canis Pontiff: Chris Emmett
• Vogon Captain: Toby Longworth
• Announcer: John Marsh

Arthur discovers that the entry for "Earth" in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which formerly had been edited down to "Mostly Harmless," has been replaced, with Ford's original full version. They head towards Earth independently, Arthur arriving first. After landing in a field in Somerset, Arthur tries to hike a lift to Cottington, to see if his house still exists. Along the way, he meets Rob McKenna, a man who complains about the rain, before realising he has hitched a lift the wrong way. He gets out, and gets a lift with Russell, whose sister, Fenchurch, is out cold on a back seat of the car. Arthur is instantly smitten, and asks about her. Russell claims that she is mad, and has been ever since "the hallucinations" — the Vogon Constructor Fleet. William Franklyn is an actor, born 22 September 1926. ... Rula Lenska is a British actress, who was born as Countess Roza-Marie Leopoldnya Lubienska on 30 September 1947 in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, of Polish extraction. ... Simon Jones (born July 27, 1950 in Charlton Park, Wiltshire) is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent. ... Geoffrey McGivern is a British actor of film, radio and TV. He is well remembered for playing Ford Prefect in the radio series and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which role he reprised for the three new series broadcast in 2004 and 2005. ... Bill Paterson is a Scottish actor who has appeared in many films, plays and television series. ... Jane Horrocks (born January 18, 1964) is an English comedian and actress. ... Arthur Smith (born 1954) is a British alternative comedian and writer. ... Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. ...

On the Constructor Fleet, a junior crew member notices that Earth has re-appeared. He is overridden by the captain, Jeltz, who declares that he saw it destroyed himself.

Meanwhile, Ford is stuck in a bar with a large bill, which he avoids paying by promising to write an entry for the bar in the Guide. On the streets, he is asked by a hooker whether he is "rich", and says that he might be — being owed several years back pay for writing two words. He shows the two words — "Mostly Harmless" — to the hooker, and is shocked to see the guide updating this to his full entry. He decides to go to Earth himself.

Fit the Twentieth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 10 May 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Rob McKenna: Bill Paterson
• Fenchurch: Jane Horrocks
• Raffle Woman: June Whitfield
• BT Operator/Barmaid/News Anchor 2: Ann Bryson
• Jim (Bartender)/News Anchor 1: Simon Greenall
• Speaking Clock: Brian Cobby
• Ecological Man/Zirzla Leader: David Dixon
• Arthur's BBC Boss: Geoffrey Perkins
• Announcer: John Marsh

Arthur arrives at his house, finding it undemolished and the phone ringing. He is unable to get to the phone before it rings off. The contents of the house are as he left them, apart from a large pile of junk mail just inside the front door, and a strange bowl, bearing the inscription 'So Long and Thanks for All the Fish'. He phones his boss at the BBC to explain that he has been absent due to going mad and would return to work when hedgehogs come out of hibernation. June Whitfield (born London, England, on November 11, 1925) is a highly-respected veteran British actress who has worked constantly for more than 50 years. ... David Dixon is a British actor and screenwriter. ... Geoffrey Perkins has been a central figure in British comedy broadcasting. ...

Driving, he encounters Fenchurch again, and gives her a lift to the train station, saying that he has something he wants to tell her. At the station pub they attempt to engage in conversation, but are interrupted by someone offering raffle tickets. Fenchurch has to leave to catch her train, and leaves her phone number on a ticket — which Arthur then wins the raffle with.

Distraught, Arthur decides to find the Islington cave that he spent some years in during prehistoric times. He knocks on a few doors in Islington near where he thinks that cave was, firstly calling at Friends of the World. When there he attempts to make a donation to "save the dolphins" but is met with mockery. The next door he knocks on is Fenchurch's. She is surprised that he didn't call first, shows him his misplaced copy of the Guide, and notes that they need to talk.

Fit the Twenty-First

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 17 May 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Fenchurch: Jane Horrocks
• Murray Bost Henson: Stephen Fry
• East River Creature: Jackie Mason
• Vogon Councillor: Dominic Hawksley
• Steward: Simon Greenall
• Mrs Kapelsen: Margaret Robertson
• Vogon Clerk: Michael Cule
• Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz: Toby Longworth
• Wonko the Sane (John Watson): Christian Slater
• Announcer: John Marsh

Fenchurch tells Arthur about her revelation at the time of the Vogon fleet's visit. At her urging, Arthur figures out that her feet do not touch the ground, leading him to suspect that she also can fly, and to a romantic tryst on the wing of a Heathrow-bound airplane. Stephen Fry on the cover of his autobiography (US Edition) Stephen John Fry (born 24 August, 1957) is a British comedian, author, actor, and director. ... Jackie Mason (born Jacob Maza on June 9, 1931, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) is an ordained rabbi and an American stand-up comedian. ... Christian Slater (born Christian Michael Leonard Hawkins on August 18, 1969 in New York) is an American actor. ... London Heathrow Airport (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL), often referred to simply as Heathrow, is the United Kingdoms busiest and best-connected airport. ...

Curious about the dolphins' fate, Arthur and Fenchurch head to California to visit Wonko the Sane, a scientist considered the foremost expert on the species. Wonko, who lives in an inside-out house called "The Outside of the Asylum" and claims to have had conversations with green-winged angels, tells Arthur and Fenchurch that they all received the same glass bowls — farewell gifts from the dolphins that, when pinged, play their final message to humans. Genera See article below. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Meanwhile, a Vogon inquiry reveals that Earth's location in a plural zone means that any destroyed version is highly likely to be replaced by an alternate one. The Vogons decide that all Earths must still be destroyed, even though the bypass project has been cancelled.

Fit the Twenty-Second

• The final episode in the adaptation of So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish.
• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 24 May 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Rob McKenna: Bill Paterson
• Fenchurch: Jane Horrocks
• Tricia McMillan: Sandra Dickinson
• Marvin the Paranoid Android: Stephen Moore
• The Lajestic Vantrasheel of Lob: Bob Golding
• Stewardess: Alison Pettitt
• Speaking Clock: Brian Cobby
• Nick Clarke: Himself
• Charlotte Green: Herself
• Peter Donaldson: Himself
• Sir Patrick Moore: Himself
• Announcer: John Marsh

Fenchurch and Arthur return to England, to discover that a large spaceship has landed in Knightsbridge, London, bringing Ford Prefect with it. Fenchurch, Arthur and Ford leave on the ship. Arthur begins to suspect that this is not the Earth he and Ford knew — there is a "Tricia McMillan" on the news, with an American accent and blonde hair, but otherwise identical to the Trillian who left his earth with Zaphod Beeblebrox. Fenchurch and Arthur go to see God's Final Message to His Creation, and bump into Marvin, who is also en route to see it. Marvin is now older than the universe itself, and needs assistance to read the message, which turns out to be "WE APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE". Declaring that he "feels pretty good" about the message, Marvin dies. So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish (1984, ISBN 0345391837) is the fourth book of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series written by Douglas Adams. ... Stephen Moore refers to multiple people: Stephen Moore is an English actor. ... Charlotte Green is a British radio announcer and news reader for the BBCs Radio 4. ... Peter Donaldson is a main newsreader on BBC Radio 4. ... This article is about Patrick Moore, the astronomer. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Ethnicity... Click Here for Knightsbridge, Castle Hill Australia Knightsbridge is a place in the City of Westminster, London notable for its expensive shops, including Harrods. ... St. ... Ford Prefect is: a model of car - see Ford Prefect (car) a character in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, named after the car - see Ford Prefect (character) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox, from the TV adaptation. ... Spoiler warning: Related to The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Gods Final Message To His Creation, written in fourty foot high flaming letters on the spine of the tallest mountain range in the whole Universe: WE APOLOGISE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE ...

This is followed by an event only mentioned in Mostly Harmless. Fenchurch asks Arthur to show her the universe. However, on a commercial liner flight, Fenchurch disappears, and the ship's crew deny she ever existed... The front cover of the US first hardcover edition of Mostly Harmless. ...

At the conclusion of the show's credits, a tie-in website is announced: McKenna's All-Weather Haulage.

The Quintessential Phase

Front cover of the BBC Audio release of the "Quintessential Phase" (Fits 23-26) of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

The Quintessential Phase has one sub-plot of Zaphod attempting to reach Zarniwoop (which did occur in Fit the Twelfth, but that version was said to be Zaphod having a "psychotic episode"). Zarniwoop has been merged with the character Vann Harl from Mostly Harmless. This radio series also sees the return of the characters of Max Quordlepleen, Thor, and Zarquon (who all appeared in Fit the Fifth at Milliways), and also Mr. Prosser, from Fit the First. None of these characters appear in the book version of Mostly Harmless. Image File history File links Scan of the front cover of the CD set of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Quintessential Phase - four radio episodes, in extended versions, on 2 CDs, published by BBC Audio in 2005. ... Image File history File links Scan of the front cover of the CD set of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: The Quintessential Phase - four radio episodes, in extended versions, on 2 CDs, published by BBC Audio in 2005. ... The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... The front cover of the US first hardcover edition of Mostly Harmless. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ... The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

The start of some of the plot threads from Mostly Harmless were introduced in the Quandary Phase (though they did not appear in So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish) - notably the Vogons discovering that Earth had re-appeared and resolving to destroy all versions of it, Arthur having sold his DNA, a mention that Trillian now has a child and is now a reporter. Also the final episode saw the introduction of an alternate version of Trillian, still known as Tricia McMillan, who is identical to the original Trillian except for being blonde and American. This alternate McMillan is played by Sandra Dickinson, who played Trillian in the television series. So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish (1984, ISBN 0345391837) is the fourth book of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series written by Douglas Adams. ... Sandra Dickinson (born 20 October 1948) is a American actor, born in Washington DC. She has often played the dumb blonde. ... Opening titles from the TV series, designed by Doug Burd The televised adaptation of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, broadcast in January and February of 1981 on BBC Two, became the fifth version. ...

Fit the Twenty-Third

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 31 May 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Voice of the Bird: Rula Lenska
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Tricia McMillan: Sandra Dickinson
• Zarniwoop Vann Harl: Jonathan Pryce
• Eddie the Computer: Roger Gregg
• Grebulons: Andy Taylor and Michael Fenton Stevens
• Prophet: John Challis
• Information Creature: Mitch Benn
• Gail Andrews: Lorelei King
• Colin the Robot: Andrew Secombe
• Announcer: John Marsh

The episode opens with a Grebulon spaceship suffering an accident, and losing nearly all records of what it is and what it should be doing, along with the crew's memories of why. Based on what little remains of their orders, they land on the tenth planet from the Sun, and start to 'monitor' Earth. William Franklyn is an actor, born 22 September 1926. ... Rula Lenska is a British actress, who was born as Countess Roza-Marie Leopoldnya Lubienska on 30 September 1947 in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, of Polish extraction. ... Simon Jones (born July 27, 1950 in Charlton Park, Wiltshire) is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent. ... Geoffrey McGivern is a British actor of film, radio and TV. He is well remembered for playing Ford Prefect in the radio series and subsequent LP releases of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, which role he reprised for the three new series broadcast in 2004 and 2005. ... Son of actors Peter Davey and Anna Wing, Mark Wing-Davey studied at Cambridge University where he was a member of the Footlights from 1967 to 1970. ... Susan Sheridan (born 1947) is an English actress most widely known for her voice work, particularly the roles of Trillian in the radio series The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Princess Eilonwy in the animated film The Black Cauldron. ... Sandra Dickinson (born 20 October 1948) is a American actor, born in Washington DC. She has often played the dumb blonde. ... Jonathan Pryce (b. ... Andy Taylor (born 16 February 1961) is a British pop singer who plays guitar in the band Duran Duran. ... Michael Fenton Stevens is a UK actor and comedian, member of The Heebeejeebees and person behind the voice of the Spitting Image number 1 hit in 1986, The Chicken Song. ... John Challis (born August 16, 1942 in Bristol, England) is a British actor best known for his role as Aubrey Boycie Boyce in the long-running comedy show Only Fools and Horses. ... Mitch Benn is an English musician and stand-up comedian famous for his satirical songs, many of which have been featured on BBC Radio 4 where he is a regular contributor to The Now Show, and BBC Radio 2s Its Been A Bad Week. ... Andrew Secombe (born April 26, 1953 in Mumbles Head, South Wales), better known as Andy Secombe, is a British actor, voice actor, and author. ... Ever since the discovery of Pluto, the existence of a tenth planet has been speculated by astronomers and the general public alike. ...

After a year's travelling Arthur has returned to the co-ordinates ZZ9 plural Z alpha - where he is expecting to find Earth, and perhaps Fenchurch. In its place, he finds a barely colonised planet called NowWhat, although with the right continents for Earth. The creature at the information desk explains that beings from a "plural" region are not advised to travel in hyperspace due to the risk of slipping in dimensions. He is directed to Hawalius, a planet of oracles.

During a flashback, the introduction between Trillian and Zaphod Beeblebrox is revealed. But on a parallel Earth, an American and blonde Tricia McMillan (who was left behind by her universe's Zaphod) is interviewing Gail Andrews, an astrologer, about the effect that the recently-discovered planet Persephone (nicknamed Rupert) will have on astrology. The Grebulons, monitoring this, have an idea. An astrological chart (or horoscope) - Y2K Chart — This particular chart is calculated for January 1, 2000 at 12:01:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time in New York City, New York, USA. (Longitude: 074W0023 - Latitude: 40N4251), using the tropical zodiac Astrology (from Greek: αστρολογία = άστρον, astron, star + λόγος, logos, word) is...

Later, Andrews and McMillan talk. Andrews has sensed that McMillan is unhappy about the stars - McMillan reveals that she met an alien (Zaphod Beeblebrox) at a party once (a variation of the previous flashback ensues), but didn't get to go with him because she fetched her bag. She also reveals that she just missed out on a TV job in New York City because she did not go back to fetch her bag.

Meanwhile, Zaphod (who does not appear in the book) is attempting to meet Zarniwoop once more, convinced that the Total Perspective Vortex (from Fit the Eighth) was not just his imagination. He has arrived at Saquo-Pilia Hensha, the new location of the offices for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He sneaks into the building pretending to deliver pizza, and goes to the editor's office. He meets Zarniwoop Vann Harl, who promises to explain matters.

The story turns back to Arthur, who has arrived at Hawalius. He is told by an oracle that prophecy is a dead business now, due to news reports from the future using time travel. He is given a piece of free advice - "it'll all end in tears, probably already has", and sent on his way to the next cave.

Back at the Hitchhiker's building, Ford is also sneaking in. He climbs into the building through the ventilation system, disables a security robot (which he dubs "Colin") by hardwiring it to be happy all the time, and then gets it to cover his entrance to the editor's office, finding out along the way that the Guide has been taken over and is no longer owned by Megadodo Publications. He too manages to get into the editor's office and finds that Vann Harl has been expecting Ford. The episode ends here on a cliff-hanger.

Fit the Twenty-Fourth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 7 June 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Voice of the Bird: Rula Lenska
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Zarniwoop Vann Harl: Jonathan Pryce
• Old Man on the Pole: Saeed Jaffrey
• Smelly Photocopier Woman: Miriam Margolyes
• Tricia McMillan: Sandra Dickinson
• Stewardess: Lorelei King
• Colin the Robot: Andrew Secombe
• Accountancy Bird and Lift: Roger Gregg
• Grebulon Underling: Philip Pope
• Grebulon Lieutenant and Accountancy Bird: Michael Fenton Stevens
• Accountancy Bird: Danny Flint
• Announcer: John Marsh

Arthur is still trying to gain advice on the planet Hawalius, but when he finally leaves the planet, the spaceship he's on develops "a major glitch" just as they jump into hyperspace. Meanwhile, on Earth, Tricia McMillan agrees to go with the Grebulons and work out a system of astrology that would be valid on the planet Persephone (Rupert), in exchange for exclusive rights to the story. Saeed Jaffrey (born 8 January 1929) is an Indian actor. ... Miriam Margolyes Miriam Margolyes (born May 18, 1941 in Oxford, England) is a British character actress. ... Philip Pope is a British composer and actor. ...

Back in The Guide's offices, Zarniwoop Vann Harl, the new editor of the guide, asks Ford to be his restaurant critic. He explains that there is a new Guide, aimed at families rather than hitchhikers, and they plan to make one and sell it in billions of billions of alternate worlds. Ford steals the Dine-a-Charge and Ident-i-Eze cards from him, then hacks into the accountancy system. The universe there is equated with the artificial universe inside Zarniwoop's office, and Ford discovers Zaphod, in a shack by the beach, claiming he has been there on his own for a month. Zaphod claims that the Presidency and the Krikkitmen were just a distraction, and that they have "shrunk the Vortex and given it the voice of that Lintilla chick" in order to create the new Guide. The episode ends with Ford going to floor 23, and being forced to jump out of a window, in order to escape from Zarniwoop Vann Harl, who is revealed as a disguised Vogon. The Total Perspective Vortex, in the fictional world of Douglas Adamss The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, is the most horrible torture device a sentient being can be subjected to. ... There are many minor characters in the various versions of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams. ...

Fit the Twenty-Fifth

• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 14 June 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn
• Voice of the Bird: Rula Lenska
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Tricia McMillan: Sandra Dickinson
• Random: Sam Béart
• Old Thrashbarg: Griff Rhys Jones
• Strinder and Doctor: Roger Gregg
• Grebulon Leader: Andy Taylor
• The Patient: Lorelei King
• Grebulon Lieutenant: Michael Fenton Stevens
• Colin the Robot: Andrew Secombe
• Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz: Toby Longworth
• Speaking Clock: Brian Cobby
• Announcer: John Marsh

Arthur Dent has, since the last episode, settled on the planet his ship crash-landed on, Lamuella, which is partly in a "plural zone". He is occupied as The Sandwich Maker, making sandwiches for the inhabitants of a village from the meat of the Perfectly Normal Beast. Perfectly Normal Beasts are rather like bison, and migrate. Samantha Béart is the stage name of a British actress called Sam Burke. ... Griff Rhys Jones (born 6 November 1953) is the comedy partner and foil of Mel Smith. ... Toby Longworth is a British actor who has appeared on film, radio and television. ...

A messenger brings news to the Sandwich Maker that a spaceship has landed on the planet. When Arthur approaches it, he is surprised to see Trillian disembark. Trillian explains that the crash was known about, but nobody has been to able to rescue him for insurance reasons. She explains that she had a daughter, using sperm sold by Arthur, and has come to drop off her daughter (of indeterminate age due to time travel, but probably around 16), whilst she is off covering a war.

At the Hitchhiker's Guide building, Ford saves himself by using Colin's antigravity systems to get to a ledge on the 13th floor of the building. He bypasses the rocket-proof glass by unlatching the window. Colin notes that the rocket-proof glass was installed after the Frogstar attack on the building (in Fit the Seventh), which Ford knows nothing about. The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

Meanwhile, on Lamuella, Random is not settling in well. Born on a spaceship going from one place to another place, she doesn't consider anywhere home, and Earth, the world both her parents are from, has been destroyed. A robot courier arrives with a package, for Ford Prefect care of Arthur Dent, which Arthur decides to keep safely closed on the basis that anything that involves Ford Prefect is dangerous. Distraught at her lack of place in the universe, Random runs off with the package into the forest, which is considered haunted by the natives of Lamuella.

Random discovers that the holo-entertainment system from the rocket ship that Arthur Dent crash landed in, which is still functional, as the source of the "hauntings." She opens the package, revealing the Guide Mark II, in the form of a black bird. The Bird explains the nature of probability and that some alternative Earths do exist, and persuades Random to go to one of them. Random challenges the Bird to get her a spaceship there, and just at that moment, one lands. She downs the pilot with a well-thrown rock, and leaves Lamuella.

The alternate Tricia McMillan has been taken to Rupert and meets the Grebulon leader, who explains their problem of having forgotten everything, and their reasoning in trying to gain purpose through astrology. Meanwhile, Arthur has been looking for Random and has seen the spaceship. Searching the forest he stumbles onto the pilot of the ship, Ford Prefect.

Fit the Twenty-Sixth

• The final episode in the adaptation of Mostly Harmless
• Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 21 June 2005

Cast:

• The Book: William Franklyn and Peter Jones
• Arthur Dent: Simon Jones
• Voice of the Bird: Rula Lenska
• Ford Prefect: Geoffrey McGivern
• Zaphod Beeblebrox: Mark Wing-Davey
• Old Thrashbarg: Griff Rhys Jones
• Trillian: Susan Sheridan
• Tricia McMillan: Sandra Dickinson
• Random: Sam Béart
• Marvin the Paranoid Android: Stephen Moore
• Bartender: Roger Gregg
• Vogon Helmsman: Michael Cule
• Thor: Dominic Hawksley
• Grebulon Leader: Andy Taylor
• Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz and Wowbagger: Toby Longworth
• Grebulon Lieutenant: Mike Fenton Stevens
• Elvis: Philip Pope
• The Newsreader: Neil Sleat
• Max Quordlepleen: Roy Hudd
• Runner: Tom Maggs
• Agrajag: Douglas Adams
• Fenchurch: Jane Horrocks
• Announcer: John Marsh

The episode opens with Ford and Arthur on Lamuella. Ford explains about the new guide and its ability to use Reverse Temporal Engineering in order to arrange circumstances for the benefit of its user. Ford's spaceship itself he obtained by jumping from a building and falling into it, its previous occupant having accidentally pressed the wrong sort of eject button. Tracing back, he discovered that a trial of coincedences led back to the new Guide, which was responsible. With Random stealing the ship and the Bird, they are stuck, with no immediate way to get order to prevent the Vogons from doing whatever it is they intend to do. The front cover of the US first hardcover edition of Mostly Harmless. ... Peter Jones (June 12, 1920 - April 10, 2000) was an English actor, born at Wem in Shropshire. ... Stephen Moore (born December 11, 1937) is a British actor from Brixton, London. ... Neil Sleat is a newsreader and continuity announcer on BBC Radio 4. ... Roy Hudd (b. ... Douglas Noël Adams (March 11, 1952 – May 11, 2001), also known (to fans) as Bop Ad or Bob (after his illegible signature) or by his initials DNA (it is notable that Watson and Cricks famous discovery was announced in Cambridge, nine months after Douglas Adams was born there). ... Jane Horrocks (born January 18, 1964) is an English comedian and actress. ...

They decide that the Perfectly Normal Beasts are the best way off the planet. The migration has already started, and this sees them appear at one point, run past Lamuella, and then disappear again, evidence of a dimensional shift. Old Thrashbarg helps them slow a Perfectly Normal Beast long enough for them to get on to it, and tells them that they will be entering the Domain of the King.

On the alternate Earth, Tricia McMillan has returned from Rupert, and is lamenting that none of the footage she has took is usable. She is interrupted by a member of the hotel staff, telling her that a spaceship has landed in Regent's Park, and the young girl on the ship is demanding to see her.

Meanwhile, the Grebulon leader is still unhappy. Whilst they know have horoscopes, he now knows that unless he takes positive action, then due to the Earth rising, he will have a very bad month. He decides to investigate the possible astrological uses of the Grebulon's gun turrets.

Arthur and Ford arrive at the Domain of the King Bar and Grill, which has numerous spaceships outside of it, including a large pink one. Inside, they have a couple of bacon rolls, whilst Ford buys the pink spaceship from the bar singer, Elvis Presley. They then depart for Earth.

After arriving on Earth, they find that Tricia McMillan has taken Random to a club, and go there themselves. A strange man confronts Arthur, and says "I told you not to come here!" Arthur and Ford find Random, along with Tricia and Trillian (who had arrived in the meantime on a third spaceship). Random is holding a gun and threatening to shoot.Trillian explains they must leave the planet immediately, as the Grebulons (a missing spaceship from the war she was sent to cover) are about to destroy the planet, once again.

Arthur explains it is impossible for him to die (and hence for the planet destroyed), but the strange man goes for Random's gun and she ends up shooting him. Trillian points out the name of the club to Arthur: Stavro Müller Beta. The man was Agrajag, and Arthur is now mortal. The Earth is destroyed. The book version of Mostly Harmless ends here.

After a while, the Guide entry on Babel fish is played. At the end it notes that in addition to their translation abilities, they are capable of shifting sideways in probability when needed, bringing their host and sometimes other people in the vicinity, with them, a trick they had apparently learnt from the dolphins. Anatomy of a Babel fish as explained in the BBC TV series The Babel fish is a fictional species of fish in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. ...

In the extended edititon, there then follows three alternate possibilities. The first, continuing from the end of Fit the Twelfth, sees Arthur and Lintilla alone on the starship Heart of Gold. The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

The second goes back to the very start of Fit the First, and sees Arthur lying in front of the bulldozer about to knock down his house, and sparring with Mr Prosser, with Fenchurch siding with Arthur. The terms Primary Phase and Secondary Phase describe the first two radio series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ...

The third, and more probable one (and in the broadcast version, the only ending), sees Arthur, Ford, Random, Zaphod and a merged Trillian in the Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Max Quordlepleen introduces Zarquon. Meanwhile, Trillian is getting off again with Thor.

It is discovered that Fenchurch is waitressing at the Restaurant. She had an experience similar to Arthur's - from her perspective he had vanished. She has been waiting for him at Milliway's since it seemed like a good place, and agrees to go travelling with Arthur once more. She has brought a phone call for Zaphod, from Marvin, who has been working at the Restaurant now for thousands of years (having discovered that his warranty hadn't run out) and has had a promotion, and now has his own bucket. Zaphod tells him to give the Heart of Gold a hot wax.

Finally, after the credits, Jeltz is able to tick the box that he is supposed to tick after he has destroyed the Earth and Arthur goes flying with Fenchurch.