The cast of the radio series. Copyright: BBC / Above The Title Productions
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 1978 - 2018
  • 32 episodes (6 series)

A science fiction radio comedy series written by Douglas Adams that started off the H2G2 multi-media franchise phenomenon. Stars Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Peter Jones, William Franklyn, John Lloyd and more.

Episode menu

The Tertiary Phase, Episode 3 - Fit The Fifteenth

In which Slartibartfast teaches Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect the history of the worst wars in the galaxy, the origins of cricket (or rather Krikkit) and Arthur is diverted by a very angry and deadly creature.

Further details

Arthur and Ford learn about the greatest war in the history of the galaxy - the Krikkit Wars. It turns out the sport of cricket is a form of 'racial memory', which everyone but Earth sees as a tasteless game.

The actual history concerns the planet Krikkit. This planet is covered by a dust cloud so that from the surface, the only thing that can be seen is the sun. Nothing else can be seen in the sky. One day, a space ship crashed onto the planet. They rebuilt it in a year and broke through the dust cloud and saw the universe for the first time. Their first reaction: it had to go.

As a result, the people of Krikkit built robots that fired bombs, launching them with bats. After losing the war, the planet Krikkit was locked in a 'slo-time envelope' which could only open after the universe ended or if someone opened it from the outside using the key. The key was shaped in the form of the symbol of the galaxy - the Wikkit Gate. However, one Krikkit ship, the one that Arthur and Ford saw at Lord's, escaped and is trying to find the key.

Slartibartfast tells them that one part of the key is the Wooden Pillar - The Ashes. Failing to get them, he now plans to get another part of the key, the Silver Bail, by going to a party. To get there, Slartibartfast, Arthur and Ford teleport to toilets of the Starship Bristomath. Arthur however teleports to a damp dark room, where he bumps into an unknown character who says, bet you weren't expecting to see me again.

Elsewhere, the Krikkit robots steal the Gold Bail, which is the heart of the Heart of Gold's Infinite Improbability Drive. Zaphod is shot while trying to stop them.

Broadcast details

Date
Tuesday 5th October 2004
Time
6pm
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Monday 14th May 2018 10:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Saturday 9th May 2020 6:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Sunday 10th May 2020 12:00am Radio 4 Extra

Cast & crew

Cast
Simon Jones Arthur Dent
Geoffrey McGivern Ford Prefect
William Franklyn The Book
Mark Wing-Davey Zaphod Beeblebrox
Stephen Moore Marvin
Roger Gregg Eddie
Richard Griffiths Slartibartfast
Guest cast
Douglas Adams Agrajag
Rupert Degas Judiciary Pag
Michael Fenton Stevens Krikkit Man One
Philip Pope Krikkit Man Two
Tom Maggs Krikkit Man Three
Henry Blofeld Self
Fred Trueman Self
Writing team
Douglas Adams Writer
Production team
Dirk Maggs Producer
Philip Pope Composer

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