The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Tertiary Phase | ||||||||
Douglas Adams | ||||||||
BBC Audiobooks | ||||||||
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A review by Steven H Silver
Following in the footsteps of Arthur C. Clarke, who decided to write a sequel to the more widely known film 2001
rather than his book of the same title, the BBC produced a radio sequel to the books Adams wrote rather than to the radio
series. The result is the complete disregard for fits 7 through 12 of the radio broadcasts as the beginning
of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Tertiary Phase picks up where the now
retitled The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Primary Phase left off. There is a slight attempt to
explain Zaphod's adventures in those missing fits, but not Arthur nor that of Ford.
The BBC has successfully put together the surviving cast from the first series, which was more than they did for
the second series. Simon Jones, Stephen Moore, and Mark Wing-Davey, who played Arthur Dent, Marvin, and Zaphod
Beeblebrox on both radio and television, and Geoffrey McGivern (Ford Prefect) return for their third series. Susan
Sheridan, who portrayed Trillian in the first series has returned to the role for the third series. The replacement
of Peter Jones (the Book) by William Franklyn and Richard Vernon (Slartibartfast) by Richard Griffiths works well.
The inclusion of Adams's own voice for the character Agrajag is a nice touch. Since Adams died before the series could begin
production, a recording of him reading Agrajag's lines from the audio version of Life, the Universe and Everything was used
with some resampling which allowed it to fit in quite well with the general flow and sound of the broadcast.
Unfortunately, one of the problems with the Tertiary Phase is the same as one of the problems with the novel upon which it is
based. Notably, although it contains the characters Adams created for the Hitchhiker's Guide series, the story itself is a
plot originally created by Adams for the television series Doctor Who. Another difficulty with the Third Phase is that
because it is based on the novel, Life, the Universe and Everything, it lacks the sense of originality of the first two
series, which formed the basis of everything that came after.
The Tertiary Phase strives to recreate the feel of the original series broadcast twenty-five years ago, and
manages to achieve that goal. However, both the dialogue and the plot lack the originality of wit which caused those first
two series to be so successful and launch Adams's career. Fans of the Guide will enjoy listening to the broadcast, and
will eagerly await the final phase, but it won't recreate the feeling of listening to The Hitchhiker's Guide to
the Galaxy in the late seventies.
Steven H Silver is a four-time Hugo Nominee for Best Fan Writer and the editor of the anthologies Wondrous Beginnings, Magical Beginnings, and Horrible Beginnings (DAW Books, January, February and March, 2003). In addition to maintaining several bibliographies and the Harry Turtledove website, Steven is heavily involved in convention running and publishes the fanzine Argentus. |
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