The series critique portion of this review was written by my colleague Martin Sexton as a part of his ongoing “Opinions of a Traditionalist” series.
It was 1979. Star Wars had been released two years previous and studios were trying to somehow duplicate its vast success. Universal was no different. They recruited Glen A. Larson to create a property to try to catch that same lightning in a bottle. Larson had already had some success with his Battlestar Galactica series, which like Buck Rogers, also had its premiere episode presented theatrically.
For Larson’s next attempt, he decided to adapt the classic serial Buck Rogers. In his adaptation, Captain William “Buck” Rogers played by Gil Gerard was commander of Ranger 3. Due to a malfunction, he wound up being frozen and revived in the year 2491. Once awoken, he is informed that civilization on Earth was rebuilt following a devastating nuclear war. Earth is now under the protection of the Earth Defense Directorate. The series basically revolves around Buck trying to adapt to the 25th Century while assisting the EDD in an advisory capacity.
While the series only lasted two seasons (37 episodes), it gained popularity due to its action, mixed with humor. But the main attractions, if you were to ask young male fans, were the women. Erin Gray played Colonel Wilma Deering who was Buck’s on again, off again romantic interest and was the lead Pilot of the EDD. Pamela Hensley was Princess Ardala. A spoiled princess who had dreams of ruling the world while “rocking” Buck’s. I would be lying if I didn’t say that Grey and Hensley were not the main enticements for ME to watch, especially in the beginning. It was kind of like Betty and Veronica, or Mary Ann and Ginger. Decisions, Decisions…
However, the episodes were fun and pure escapism if you did not take things too seriously. Twiki, Buck’s Robot friend (Bidi Bidi Bidi) who was voiced by Mel Blanc helped to keep things light. While at the same time, there was enough going on to carry each hour episode. Like most older shows, the special effects seem hokey now. But back then, they were pretty good. The production borrowed liberally from the set pieces of Battlestar, since Larson ran them both.
Looking back, Buck Rogers is still a guilty pleasure and holds a nostalgic place in my memory where TV shows are concerned. It had an impressive list of guest stars. Names like Peter Graves, Lance LeGault, Jamie Lee Curtis, Markie Post, Dorothy Stratten, Richard Moll, Jerry Orbach, Gary Coleman, Jack Palance, Sam Jaffe, Sid Haig, Vera Miles, and with a nod to the past, Buster Crabbe.
Trivia fans might remember that Crabbe played Buck Rogers in the original 1930s Buck Rogers film serial. For his Buck Rogers guest role, he played Brigadier Gordon. Which, of course, was a wink and a nod to his other famous role, Flash Gordon. Cool stuff.
So granted, Buck Rogers was not Star Wars or Star Trek but it has its own niche, and as a traditionalist, I appreciate that.
Video Quality
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century comes to Blu-Ray from Kino Classics with a strong 1080p transfer sourced from remasters supplied by Universal Studios. As someone who has suffered through the old Universal DVD collection, this new Blu-Ray is quite the upgrade from start to finish. The level of clarity and detail on this release gives the series a whole new life. The black levels are fairly deep and allow for quite a bit more detail to come through. Skin tones are natural and lend themselves to showcasing an amazing amount of minute facial features, unlike the undefined DVD release. There are very subtle details in the production design that are visible here for the first time from tiny features on the spaceship to subtle makeup effects. Even the dated special effects look a little smoother in this presentation. Colors are nice and vibrant as certain moments really pop off the screen. For the most part, the presentation preserves its filmic look, but there is some noticeable DNR in many parts of the series that keeps this from being a grand slam. Kino Classics has done an excellent job with this release, as all print damage has been cleaned up with very few nicks and scratches along the way. Those who have been waiting for this one to be faithfully preserved on Blu-Ray should be thrilled by this standout set.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix which sounds pretty incredible. The activity in the series is not as bombastic as most modern sci-fi tales, but the activity that is present is quite engaging. The series music helps ground the tone of the story, but it never overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Conversations come through clearly and never fall victim to any digital anomalies. Environmental sounds likewise are delineated nicely in a way that is appreciated. Ther track packs a decent punch when it comes to the more action-packed moments, such as certain shootouts. There are no noticeable instances of age related wear-and-tear. Optional English subtitles are included on the disc. You really cannot complain about this nicely rendered track that does everything it needs to do well.
Special Features
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Theatrical Version
- Audio Commentary: Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson give an informative commentary track that discusses the theatrical movie including how it came to be and how it differs from the television version of the pilot.
- Radio Spots: A minute-long collection of vintage radio spots for the space adventure are provided here.
- Theatrical Preview: A nine-minute extended look at the film that basically condenses the entire film into one easily-digestible package. It’s baffling to wonder why studios would think the audience still needed to see the film after getting this.
- Trailer: A three-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here that does not spoil quite as much as the previous preview, but still gives a lot away. This is in worse shape than the preview.
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Season One
- Audio Commentary: Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, provides very insightful commentary tracks for selected episodes from throughout the series.
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- Awakening
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- Slave Girls
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- Vegas In Space
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- Unchained Woman
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- Space Vampire
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- Twiki Is Missing
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- A Dream of Jennifer
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- Space Rockers
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- Flight of the War Witch: Part One
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- Flight of the War Witch: Part Two
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Season Two
- Audio Commentary: Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, provides very insightful commentary tracks for selected episodes.
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- Time of the Hawk
- Interview with Actor Erin Gray: A nearly 19-minute newly-filmed interview with star Erin Gray in which she discusses her early career, how she came to be involved with the show, why she was annoyed at her audition, the difficulty of working in sci-fi, her memories of working with her castmates, the titillating theatrical credits and more. This is very informative and a real treat for fans.
- Interview with Actor Thom Christopher: A nine-minute newly-filmed interview with Hawk actor Thom Christopher in which he discusses how he came to be involved with the series, his experiences filming, his fondness for his castmates and much more. As with Gray, this is a lot of fun to experience.
Final Thoughts
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century does not have the cultural cache of a Star Wars or Star Trek, or even a Battlestar Galactica, but it rightfully holds a very special place in the hearts of many. The series has a real escapist charm that just pulls you in episode after episode. Kino Classics has done a real service to sci-fi fans with this new Blu-Ray collection which brings together every episode of the series plus the theatrical version of the pilot in glorious high definition. To make the package even sweeter, there is a really pleasing assortment of special features that are a lot of fun to sort through. This set proves to be an easy upgrade from the old DVD collection that should more than please fans. Recommended
Buck Rogers In The 25th Century: The Complete Collection is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
