Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)

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Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Image:BuckRogersDVD.jpg
Region 1 US DVD cover
Format Science Fiction
Created by Glen A. Larson
Starring Gil Gerard
Erin Gray
Tim O'Connor
William Conrad
Country of origin Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
No. of episodes 37
Production
Running time 60 mins.
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run 20 September 1979 – 16 April 1981
External links
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American motion picture produced by Universal Studios and released in 1979, and is also the title of a television series based upon the film that was aired by NBC for two seasons between 1979 and 1981.

The film and series were based upon the Buck Rogers character that had been featured in comic strips and novellas since the 1920s.

Contents

[edit] Concept and broadcast history

Inspired by the massive success of Star Wars two years earlier, the pilot film was first shown in cinemas in Spring 1979. Good box-office returns led NBC to commission a full series, which began on September 20, 1979 with a modified version of the theatrical release, which trimmed or altered some racier scenes — including a popular reference by Twiki to his "freezing his ball bearings off" — and omitted the death of one character — Tiger Man, Ardala's henchman — who would later appear in several episodes of the series. There was also footage added to replace the censored scenes, including Buck's exploring his new quarters, and his first conversation with Dr. Theopolis regarding the nature of Anarchia.

The production obviously used recycled props, effects shots and costumes from Battlestar Galactica (1978). For example, the control sticks used in the starfighters in the pilot/movie were the same as those used in Battlestar Galactica's older version Viper craft. The Earth starfighters were Ralph McQuarrie's original vision of the Colonial Vipers. The same props were later used in the opening credits of the TV Show, Out of this World.

The new series centered on Captain William Anthony "Buck" Rogers, played by Gil Gerard, a U.S. Air Force pilot who commands Ranger 3, a space shuttle that is launched in 1987. Due to a life support malfunction that Ranger 3 suffers in deep space, Rogers is frozen for 504 years before the derelict spacecraft is discovered in the year 2491. The combination of gases that froze his body coincidentally comes close to the formula commonly used in the 25th Century for cryopreservation, and his rescuers are able to revive him. He learns that the Earth was rebuilt following a devastating nuclear war on November 22, 1987, and is now under the protection of the Earth Defense Directorate.

The series followed him as he tried to fit (not always successfully) into 25th-Century culture. As there were no traceable personal records for him, he was uniquely placed, due to his pilot and combat skills and personal ingenuity, to help Earth Defense foil assorted evil plots to destroy Earth. In many respects, the new Rogers was more similar to James Bond or Col. Steve Austin than to Nowlan's original character. Rogers is aided in his adventures by his friend and semi-romantic interest, Colonel Wilma Deering, played by Erin Gray, and his comic sidekick robot, Twiki, voiced by Mel Blanc (who had previously voiced Daffy Duck as Duck Dodgers in spoofs of the early Buck Rogers and other science fiction serials).

Twiki, a small robot or "ambuquad," tended to express himself with the exclamation "biddi-biddi-biddi" followed by a 20th-Century cliché or catchphrase he had picked up from Buck, or one he already knew from before he met Buck. Dr. Theopolis, a computer, was a large disk with an illuminated face; he was usually worn by Twiki, and was considered one of the planet's scientific leaders. During the first season, Rogers and Deering took their orders from Dr. Elias Huer, played by Tim O'Connor, the head of the Defense Directorate. Some episodes also depicted Huer as the leader of the entire planet. One notable character from the comic strip omitted from the series was that of "Black Barney".

The pilot film depicted human civilization as insular and restricted to a few domed cities, its capital referred to as the Inner City. Travel beyond the Inner City was hazardous, as the rest of the planet was said to be a wasteland inhabited by violent mutants.

[edit] Making the movie

The movie was originally slated for release for September 1978 according to director Daniel Haller, in an interview for Fantastic Films Magazine, Sept '79. There were several start dates for filming but, were repeatedly delayed due to casting problems.

  • The movie's opening credits featured a song Suspension sung by Kipp Lennon and co-written by Glen Larson using the same score as the series main title (as an instrumental rather than with lyrics).
  • To make Buck appear frozen in his space shuttle he was sprayed with dry shampoo. Because of this Gerard couldn't open his eyes or move. During the waits between takes, he reportedly dozed off.
  • Aerial dogfights were choreographed with the aid of a Hewlett-Packard 45 computer.
  • The ruined City of Chicago called Anarchia was shot on the back lot of MGM Studios.
  • Several stock shots portraying futuristic buildings on Earth are that of remaining pavilions on the site of Expo 67, including the British and French national pavilion (now open as the Montreal Casino). These shots were originally filmed for the Battlestar Galactica episode, "Greetings from Earth" where they were said to be the ruins of "Paradeen City."
  • The movie grossed more than $11 million in its opening weekend.

[edit] The series

The series showed a more positive picture of future Earth. The Inner City was renamed New Chicago, and it was established that human civilization had spread once again across the planet, and also to the stars. After the movie pilot, little reference to barren wastelands was made; in several episodes Buck ventures beyond the dome of New Chicago with no hazards encountered. As opposed to the isolationist planet seen in the film, Earth is shown to be the center of an interstellar human-dominated government, sometimes called "the Federation", other times "the Alliance", with its capital at New Chicago. During the first season, references were also made to other "new" Earth cities such as New Detroit, New Manhattan, New Phoenix, and New Tulsa. A "City-on-the-Sea" was also mentioned as being the former New Orleans.

Not much can be said with certainty about the nature of the Earth's government. It is plausible, but speculative, to assume that the 'Federation' refers to the city-states of Earth such as New Chicago, New Detroit, etc, and is thus the formal government of the planet Earth, and that the Alliance is Earth plus it's off-world possessions, colonies, etc. Some support for this idea might be found in the episode "Planet of the Slave Girls", in which we see that a world is governed by a 'governor' answerable to the Terran state, it's not clear that the natives/settlers of the planet have any direct input into their governance, but whether this is typical or a special case is also not clear. Kaleel's world might be a conquered planet, or a territorial possession of some sort, and not typical of the Terran demesne.

Likewise, little can be said of the organization of the government of Terra. It is canonically known that it is divided into various 'directorates', the Food and Defense Directorates, at least, are mentioned by name. How the directorates operate and how they relate to each other is not clear. A 'computer council' is mentioned occasionally, but humans such as Dr. Huer also clearly have significant powers.

One speculation, based on the use of the title 'doctor' for so many appareantly political positions, is that the title 'doctor' has come to make reference to political power rather than academic achievement. Again, this is purely speculative.)

Most of the protagonistic characters we encounter are either part of the Defense Directorate, such as Wilma Deering, or otherwise associated with it, such as 'freelance' personnel such as Buck Rogers. Most Defense Directorate personnel seem to regard Buck as being at least an 'honorary' captain, in reference to his pre-War American military rank, but it is usually said that his membership in Earth's defense forces is unofficial. Nevertheless, Buck often flies with the fight squadrons, and assists in their training.

It is not clear whether Dr. Huer is head of the Defense Directorate specifically, of if he is the overall leader of all the directorates, the hints seem to trend toward the later (or perhaps the head of the Defense Directorate is also the head of the other directorates constitutionally, which could be the case). Dr. Huer does appear to be the voice of Earth's 'foreign policy', it is almost invariably Dr. Huer who meets, greets, and otherwise deals with representatives of other sovereign powers, and who sometimes 'faces them down' in hostile situations. Huer also has been seen in military uniform (at formal occasions), thus indicating that he is a member of the military (past or present).

Travel between the stars was accomplished with the use of stargates; these devices were only shown as a diamond-shaped quartet of brilliant lights that shimmered when a vessel was making transit. Some people appear to find the transit from stargate to stargate physically unpleasant, Buck Rogers is portrayed as disliking them on at least once occasion.

To portray futuristic-looking buildings on Earth, the show used stock shots of the remaining national pavilions of Expo 67, particularly the French and British pavilions as well as shots of the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Juanin Clay, who played Marla Landers in the first season episode "Vegas in Space", was originally cast as Wilma for the television series before Erin Gray decided to return. In the first season Buck had a different girlfriend every week. Producers demanded that Wilma have blond hair. Repeated dye jobs were needed to lighten Erin Gray's brunette locks to an appropriately bright yellow. During the final episodes of the first season, Gray was allowed to return to her natural hair color, and Wilma was dark-haired thereafter. A relationship between Rogers and Wilma was hinted at, but rarely expanded upon. His best-known enemy during the first season was Princess Ardala of Draconia, played by Pamela Hensley, whose desire was to conquer and possess both Earth and Buck Rogers.

Although popular with viewers, the first season failed to receive much critical acclaim; it was seen as being too light-hearted and comic bookish. One vocal critic of the series was Gerard himself. He pushed for more serious storytelling and conflicted with the producers over the show's tone. "He was a smart-ass," Gerard said of Buck. "Dr Huer is trying to tell him about an assignment and all Buck is doing is making one wisecrack after another."

The opening title sequence included stock footage from the Apollo 4 and Apollo 6 launches.

The series had an overall budget of $800,000 per hour of air time, according to Starlog #32.

[edit] The second season

Production of the second season was delayed by several months due to an actors' strike. When production resumed in the fall of 1980, the format of the series was changed.

Instead of defending the Earth from external threats, Buck, Wilma and Twiki were now a part of a crew aboard the Earth spaceship, Searcher. The Searcher, which displayed the Latin motto, Per Ardua Ad Astra, on its side, had a mission to seek out the lost "tribes" of humanity who had scattered in the decades after Earth's 20th century nuclear war (which is a theme apparently borrowed from another Glen Larson science fiction television series, Battlestar Galactica).

Also notable in the second season was the disappearance of the regular characters of the first season, such as Dr. Huer, Dr. Theopolis, Princess Ardala, and Kane. In their place, the following characters were added:

  • Admiral Efram Asimov, commander of the Searcher and a descendant of the famous science fiction author Isaac Asimov.
  • Hawk, an alien character who represents the last of the nearly extinct bird people.
  • Dr. Goodfellow, a scientist with insatiable curiosity.
  • Crichton, a snobbish robot, built by Goodfellow, who finds it difficult to believe that lowly humans could have ever built him, and whom Twiki considers as a son.

Another noticeable change of the second season was the sound of Twiki's voice. Mel Blanc left the series at the start of the season and another actor, Bob Elyea, supplied Twiki's voice. After fans protested this change, Blanc returned for the final six episodes of the season.

The opening narrative was also modified for the second season, both in terms of the narrator's voice and content. In the first season, William Conrad delivered the following opening narrative:

The year is 1987, and NASA launches the last of America's deep space probes. In a freak mishap, Ranger 3, and its pilot Captain William "Buck" Rogers, are blown out of their trajectory into an orbit which freezes his life support system and returns Buck Rogers to Earth 500 years later.

In the second season, another uncredited individual delivered the following alternate narrative:

In the year 1987, NASA launched the last of America's deep space probes. Aboard this compact starship, a lone astronaut, Captain William "Buck" Rogers, was to experience cosmic forces beyond all comprehension. In a freak mishap, his life support systems were frozen by temperatures beyond imagination. Ranger 3 was blown out of its planned trajectory into an orbit a thousand times more vast, an orbit which was to return Buck Rogers to Earth 500 years later.

The quality of the storylines was also another noticeable change in the second season. With a few exceptions, Gerard was successful in scaling back the humor in the second season in favor of more serious episodes. Buck and Wilma became more serious characters taking part in plotlines that might have been holdovers from Battlestar Galactica. One change that was considered an improvement was Buck and Wilma's relationship became more romantic during the second year, though most romantic activity took place off screen.

Moreover, the second season deals with serious issues such as evolution, ecology, racism, pollution, war, nuclear power, identity, the self, and religion. It also draws very much on mythology as an inspiration as exemplified by the Hawk's people, which are a variant on the Bird people known from many mythologies around the world and makes special reference to the moai of Easter Island, and by Pangora the satyr.

As well as its parallels to Larson's previous Battlestar Galactica, the second season was felt by many to have distinct overtones of Star Trek, with the Searcher roaming through space like the Starship Enterprise, Buck being the maverick explorer true to the style of Captain Kirk, and the serious, rather stoic Hawk being a revamped version of Mr. Spock. (It should be noted that Battlestar Galactica itself was a reworking of the basic Star Trek "Wagon Train to the stars" concept.)

The changes to the show split the audience. Ratings dropped significantly after the season premiere. Citing cost concerns, NBC cancelled the series at the end of an eleven-episode strike-abbreviated season, though the ratings were still considered strong by comparison to other series.

[edit] DVD release

Universal Studios Home Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in North America (Region 1) on November 16, 2004. While it does contain every episode (from both seasons) of the series, it is not complete. The original movie version of the first episode is included in the set instead of the extended version that was broadcast when the show became a series. New segments were filmed to help set up the weekly series. The shots included Buck checking out his new apartment and Buck being approached by Dr. Huer and Wilma to be in effect a secret agent for the Earth Directorate (the latter scene is also remembered as the first appearance of the popular catsuit-style uniform Erin Gray would wear throughout the first season). While the new footage lasts less than five minutes in total, it was not included in the DVD release. It is shown when the series is syndicated. The footage is not completely absent from the DVD, however, as it can be glimpsed during the opening credits of the season finale, which contains extra scenes.

The series was released on DVD in Europe (Region 2), though each season was released separately as opposed to all in one set like the Region 1 release. Season 1 was released on November 22, 2004 and season 2 on October 31, 2005, neither of which had the same cover artwork as the Region 1 release. Notable differences are the addition of subtitles for various European languages, and translated text sections on the DVD boxes.

[edit] Cast

Image:Gilgerard.jpg
Gil Gerard's title card for Season 2

After the decision was made to produce a weekly television series following the success of the movie, it was not certain if Erin Gray would return as Wilma Deering. Juanin Clay was cast in the role as a replacement, but ultimately Gray returned. Clay subsequently played a very Wilma Deering-like character, Major Marla Landers, in the episode "Vegas in Space."

[edit] Episodes

[edit] Season 1 (1979–1980)

  1. "Awakening" (September 20, 1979) – two-hour episode, a revised version of the theatrical release Buck Rogers in the 25th Century with a different opening credits sequence and additional scenes. Syndicated as a two-part episode. (Note: the theatrical version of the pilot, not the TV version, is included in the 2004 DVD release.)
  2. "Planet of the Slave Girls" (September 27, 1979) – two-hour episode, later syndicated as a two-part episode. In a special appearance, Buster Crabbe, who played Buck Rogers in the original serial, plays Brigadier Gordon, which also refers to his other famous role, Flash Gordon. It also features Jack Palance as the villain, Kaleel.
  3. "Vegas in Space" (October 7, 1979) – Guest stars Cesar Romero as Amos Armat and Ana Alicia as Felina Reding.
  4. "Plot to Kill a City, Part 1" (October 11, 1979) – Frank Gorshin guest starred as Seton Kellogg (continuing the trend of former "Batman" villain guest stints) as the leader of the Legion of Death, a group of criminals with various superhuman powers. Markie Post also appeared as JoElla Cameron, one of Buck's many female friends, as well as James Sloyan, who appeared as Barney Smith.
  5. "Plot to Kill a City, Part 2" (October 17, 1979)
  6. "Return of the Fighting 69th" (October 25, 1979) – Guests Peter Graves and Woody Strode.
  7. "Unchained Woman" (November 1, 1979) – Guest starring Jamie Lee Curtis, fresh from her role in Halloween as Jen Burton.
  8. "Planet of the Amazon Women (November 8, 1979) Guest stars Ann Dusenberry as Ariela and Anne Jeffreys as Prime Minister Dyne.
  9. "Cosmic Wiz Kid" (November 15, 1979) – Guest appearances from Gary Coleman (as the titular whiz kid, Hieronymus Fox, likely a nod to Hieronymus Bosch) who also hailed from the 20th century, Ray Walston as the villain, Roderick Zale, and Melody Rogers as Lieutenant Dia Cyrton, Hieronymus' bodyguard.
  10. "Escape from Wedded Bliss" (November 29, 1979) – Guest Pamela Hensley, Anne Jeffreys, and Michael Ansara, (who replaced Henry Silva) as Kane.
  11. "Cruise Ship to the Stars" (December 27, 1979) – Guest starring Kimberly Beck as Alison Michaels, a superhuman entity known as a transmute, who had the ability to transform herself in times of extreme stress into another being completely different from herself, Trisha Noble as Sabrina, Alison's malevolent and superhuman alter-ego, who had superhuman strength and the ability to generate incapacitating energy blasts, and Dorothy Stratten as Miss Cosmos, the 25th century equivalent of Miss Universe.
  12. "Space Vampire" (January 3, 1980) – guest starring Nicholas Hormann as the Vorvon.
  13. "Happy Birthday, Buck" (January 10, 1980) – guest starring Morgan Brittany as Raylyn Derren and Tamara Dobson, best known from the blaxploitation films, Cleopatra Jones and Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold as Dr. Delora Bayliss
  14. "A Blast for Buck" (January 17, 1980) – this episode takes place prior to "Happy Birthday, Buck" but was aired out of sequence. Gary Coleman reprises his Hieronymus Fox role. Lines of dialogue in this episode make reference to the villains from Plot to Kill a City and Return of the Fighting 69th as though they were still alive although they were seen killed onscreen in space battles.
  15. "Ardala Returns" (January 27, 1980) – Guest starring Pamela Hensley and Michael Ansara.
  16. "Twiki is Missing" (January 31, 1980) – Guest starring John P. Ryan as the villain, Kerk Belzak, Eddie Benton as Stella Breed, a paranormal with psychokinetic powers and one-third of Belzak's female enforcers, The Omniguard, Janet Bebe Louie as Clare, and Eugenia Wright as Dawn, the other two members of the Omniguard.
  17. "Olympiad" (February 7, 1980) – Guest starring Judith Chapman as Astrosled champion Lara Teasian, and Barney MacFadden as Jorax Leet, a high-jump champion and Lara's lover.
  18. "A Dream of Jennifer" (February 14, 1980) – Guest-starring former Battlestar Galactica co-star Anne Lockhart. Watch for a young Dennis Haysbert, making only his 3rd television appearance. He appeared in a total of five Buck Rogers episodes, playing a different character each time.
  19. "Space Rockers" (February 21, 1980) – Guest star Jerry Orbach as Lars Mangros, Richard Moll as Yarot, Nancy Frangione as Karana, Leonard Lightfoot as Cirus, Jesse D. Goins as Rambeau, and Judy Landers as Joanna. Opening music entitled "Odyssey" by Johnny Harris, as the fictional band "Andromeda".
  20. "Buck's Duel to the Death" (March 20, 1980)
  21. "Flight of the War Witch" (March 27, 1980) – two-hour episode, later syndicated as a two-part episode. Guest stars included Sam Jaffe as the Keeper, Kelley Miles as Chandar, Donald Petrie as Kodus, Sid Haig as Spirot and another Batman vet, Julie Newmar as the War Witch, Zarina. Pamela Hensley makes her final appearance as Ardala. (The opening credits sequence of this episode differs from other first season episodes in that it incorporates footage from the TV version of the pilot film, as well as special effects footage that would not be used until the second season premiere, "Time of the Hawk".)

[edit] Season 2 (1981)

  1. "Time of the Hawk" (January 15, 1981) – two-hour episode, later syndicated as a two-part episode. Introducing Thom Christopher as Hawk and guest-starring Barbara Luna as Koori.
  2. "Journey to Oasis" (January 22, 1981) – two-hour episode, later syndicated as a two-part episode. Mark Lenard (best known as Sarek from Star Trek) guest stars.
  3. "The Guardians" (January 29, 1981)
  4. "Mark of the Saurian" (February 5, 1981)
  5. "The Golden Man" (February 19, 1981)
  6. "The Crystals" (March 5, 1981)
  7. "The Satyr" (March 12, 1981)
  8. "Shgoratchx!" (March 19, 1981)
  9. "The Hand of Goral" (March 26, 1981)
  10. "Testimony of a Traitor" (April 9, 1981)
  11. "The Dorian Secret" (April 16, 1981)

[edit] Books and comics

Two novels were published by Dell Publishing based on this series, both by Addison E. Steele.

The first was a novelization of the pilot film. ISBN 0-440-10843-8

The second, That Man on Beta, was adapted from an unproduced episode script. ISBN 0-440-10948-5

A fumetti book entitled Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was published by Fotonovel Publications in 1979.

Gold Key Comics published more than a dozen issues of a Buck Rogers in the 25th Century comic book based upon the show (the first couple of issues adapted the movie, but picked up the numbering from a Buck Rogers revival in the 1960s). Starting with issue five, new adventures were created in the series continuity. The first three issues ( two - four ) were reprinted in an "Giant Movie Edition" and was distributed by Marvel Comics. Artists on the series included Al McWilliams, Frank Bolle and Jose Delbo. The comic outlived the series by several months.

A strip based on the television series also ran in two publications in the UK: 'Look-In' - 64 weekly installments covering 10 separate adventures between autumn 1980 and early 1982, and 'TV Tops', which picked up the rights from 1982 for two shorter runs. Both were based on the format of the first year of the series.

[edit] Revived comic strip

The populatrity of the TV series led to the revival of the Buck Rogers newspaper strip, daily and Sunday, drawn by Gray Morrow and written by Jim Lawrence. The strip ran from 9 September 1979 to 26 October 1980, and was reprinted in its entirety, with the Sundays in color, in a large trade paperback.

[edit] External links

fr:Buck Rogers au XXVe siècle pt:Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ru:Бак Роджерс в 25-м веке (фильм) sv:Buck Rogers

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