<Li> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Primary and Secondary Phases (1978--80) </Li> <Li> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Tertiary to Quintessential Phases (2004--05) </Li> <P> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (sometimes referred to as HG2G, HHGTTG or H2G2) is a comedy science fiction series created by Douglas Adams . Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, including stage shows, novels, comic books, a 1981 TV series, a 1984 computer game, and 2005 feature film . A prominent series in British popular culture, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has become an international multi-media phenomenon; the novels are the most widely distributed, having been translated into more than 30 languages by 2005 . </P> <P> The broad narrative follows the misadventures of the last surviving man, Arthur Dent, following the demolition of the planet Earth by a Vogon constructor fleet to make way for a hyperspace bypass . Dent is rescued from Earth's destruction by Ford Prefect, a human - like alien writer for the eccentric, electronic travel guide The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by hitchhiking onto a passing Vogon spacecraft . Following his rescue, Dent explores the galaxy with Prefect and encounters Trillian, another human that had been taken from Earth prior to its destruction by the President of the Galaxy, the two - headed Zaphod Beeblebrox, and the depressed Marvin, the Paranoid Android . Certain narrative details were changed between the various adaptations . </P>

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