Buck Rogers

Production: USA, 1979-80
Interpreti: Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Felix Silla, Mel Blanc, Tim O’Connor, Thom Cristopher, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Jeff David.

This serie had a big potential. One of its creators was Glen A. Larson (who had also created “Galactica”), and the charachter was very popular: first appeared in a short story in 1928, then in a comic in 1929, then a radio serie in 1932 and an episode movie in 1939 (with Flash Gordon’s Buster Crabbe).
There had also been a TV serie in 1950, although not very memorable.

The story is well-known: William “Buck” Rogers, former pilot during First World War, is trapped in a cavern and a particular radio-active gas makes him survive in suspended animation for 500 years. He wakes up in XXV century and even in that age he succeeds in becoming a pilot again in a war against Killer Kane, a Mongolian emperor who wants to conquer Earth together with his ally Ardala. His partners in this war are brilliant scientist Dr. Huer and beautiful Wilma Deering (we must not forget that the story was written years before “Flash Gordon”).
Possibilities to make a very interesting product existed... but sadly this didn’t happen.
Glen A. Larson obtained the rights in 1979, and thought to “update” all the

story...
The Disco music era had just begun, so costumes and backgrounds took large inspiration by that.
Then, feminism had made big steps since 1928, so Wilma (Erin Gray) became a colonel, although she still needed to be saved by Buck (Gil Gerard) as well as the original charachter.
Feminism influenced also the villains: Princess Ardala (Pamela Hensley) become the leading villain, while Killer Kane (Henry Silva) was simply one of her henchmen...
Buck Rogers himself changed. In the original story he was a malinconic hard man, who was forced to live in an age which was not his own and had lost all his

references, so he was absolutely alone.
The ‘80s Buck Rogers was instead a very easy-going charachter, and scripts (unconsistant enough themselves) often were very close to comedy.
Making things even worse there was the little robot Twicky, played by Felix Silla and using the voice (for most part of the serie) of Mel Blanc.
Among guest stars appeared even Gary Coleman (the famous Arnold from “Different Strokes”), playing Hyeronimous Fox (a sort of child-scientist), and also Buster Crabbe himself!
The first episode was released on big screen, and it was successful enough.
Unfortunately Glen A. Larson didn’t take much care of the serie, so the episodes which followed were entertaining enough but of average quality.

Gerard was in conflict with the scripts writers, who left the production.
So, the second season was absolutely ludicrous. Buck and Wilma begun a journey aboard the spaceship “Searcher”, searching for lost human colonies, which was terribly similar to “Galactica”.
The alien Hawk joined the cast, and his appearence was intended to look like birds (he had feathers instead of hair...), and his behaviour could have some resemblance with Mr. Spock’s from “Star Trek”.
Other new charachters were Dr. Goodfellow (Wilfrid Hyde-White), an old scientist wearing a typical cardigan (sic), and Krichton, a very unpleasant robot who stole the scene to Twicky.
A charachter named Admiral Asimov (Jay Gardner) existed too, and was

supposed to be a descendant of famous science-fiction writer Isaac (sic).
The original villains, who appeared in the first season, had disappeared.
Ratings fell down, and so did the serie.

37 episodes, colour, 60'

First season

1) Awakening (TV movie, part I)
2) Awakening (TV movie, part II)
3) Planet of the Slave Girls - part I

4) Planet of the Slave Girls - part II
5) Vegas in Space
6) Plot to Kill a City - part I
7) Plot to Kill a City - part II
8) Return of the Fighting 69th
9) Unchained Woman
10) Planet of the Amazon Women
11) Cosmic Wiz Kid
12) Escape From Wedded Bliss
13) Cruise Ship to the Stars
14) Space Vampire

15) Happy Birthday, Buck
16) A Blast for Buck
17) Ardala Returns
18) Twiki is Missing
19) Olympiad
20) A Dream of Jennifer
21) Space Rockers
22) Buck's Duel to the Death
23) Flight of the War Witch - part I
24) Flight of the War Witch - parte II

Second season

25) Time of the Hawk - part I
26) Time of the Hawk - parte II
27) Journey to Oasis - parte I
28) Journey to Oasis - parte II
29) The Guardians
30) Mark of the Saurian
31) The Golden Man
32) The Crystals
33) The Satyr