Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18929 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-11-22
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 6
• Formats: Box set, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 999 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
With its campy combination of lightweight adventure and Spandex disco chic, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is a nostalgic throwback to post-Star Wars opportunism. Series co-creator Glen A. Larson was incapable of originality, and former soap star Gil Gerard (in the title role) was a bland incarnation of the comic-strip hero, so the much-anticipated series premiered on September 20, 1979, with serious disadvantages. Although the two-hour pilot "Awakening" had tested successfully as a theatrical release, Gerard and the show's producers could never agree on a stable tone for the series, which presents Capt. William "Buck" Rogers as a jovial space cowboy who is accidentally time-warped from 1987 to 2491. Earth is engaged in interplanetary war following a global holocaust, and Buck's piloting skills make him an ideal starfighter recruit for the Earth Defense Directorate, where his closest colleagues are Dr. Huer (Tim O'Connor), squadron leader Col. Wilma Deering (former model Erin Gray, looking oh-so-foxy), the wisecracking robot Twiki (voiced by cartoon legend Mel Blanc), and a portable computer-brain named Dr. Theopolis, who's carried by Twiki like oversized bling-bling.

The series struggled through an awkward first season, with routine plots elevated by decent special effects and noteworthy guest stars including Jamie Lee Curtis, ill-fated Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten (appearing, with her voice dubbed over, less than a year before her tragic murder), Batman alumnus Julie Newmar, Buster Crabbe (veteran of vintage Buck Rogers movie serials), and several others in a show that favored vamps and vixens over credible science fiction. A full-scale overhaul resulted in a disastrous second season, but devoted fans still gravitate to Hawk (Thom Christopher), the charismatic alien "birdman" who was introduced with new characters and a new, space-faring search for lost tribes from Earth (with echoes of Larson's own Battlestar Galactica). Behind-the-scenes squabbles continued, and by mid-season of 1981, NBC pulled the plug on a breezy, still-engaging series that suffered from uneasy chemistry and never realized its full potential. Existing somewhere between Galactica and Lost in Space in the TV sci-fi food chain, this Buck--with a dearth of DVD extras--now functions as a cheesy stroll down memory lane. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Classic late 70's TV Science Fiction - Season 1 ONLY
This review is for the contents only, not the slipshod packaging.
Yes it does feature a picture of Hawk who is NOT in this series. It DOES say Buck was frozen in ice after crashing in the ARTIC (sic) and thawed in the year 2419. He was frozen in his space ship whilst in space and it was 2491. Does anyone at Universal give a toss, does no-one proof read their packaging?
The show itself is the star. It brings back great memories of Saturday evenings, sure it has dated somewhat with a heavy disco emphasis but if you judge it as a product of its era it is one of the best.
Gil Gerard is the laconic hero. Erin Gray is still the best looking woman ever to don a space suit. Tim O'Connor is a good foil as the Earth commander. Pamela Hensley is a suitably sexy villainess.
Set in a post apolocalyptic Earth that appears to have lost most of its history and the land outside the cities is a wasteland, it is a pretty grim future and that is played on a lot as the theme of the futility of war is ever present.
The stories contain a fair mixture of action and comedy and some great co-stars including the original Buck Rogers "Buster Crabbe" as Brigadier (Flash) Gordon. The make up effects on the Vorvon in Space Vampire are so effective it could join Oasis as the missing Gallagher brother.
The language is heavily 70's influenced and if Andromeda in Space Rockers are anywhere near the future for music we need some help.
I would hope Universal would repackage this show. as it is now they do it an injustice and it smacks of a rushed out effort.
I cannot fault this season of the show it is one of my favourite shows ever. But Universal execs have, between this packaging and the whole of the concept of season 2 which was an act of TV suicide, managed to ruin what was a perfectly good idea. Shame on you.

A childhood favourite returns
I used to love this when i saw this in the 80s so was excited when i got this at Xmas on DVD. However i'd say it is slightly disappointing to see it again now after all these years. Half the episodes in this first season are excellent whilst the others are mediocre at best. There are some excellent guest stars (Julie Newmar, Frank Gorshin etc) and the special effects were great for a 70s tv show but it suffers like Battlestar Galactica from budgetary constraints. Unlike on Battlestar where the whole series was set in the consistent world of the Galactica itself, this one takes you to a new planet nearly every episode and so suffers as a result. In some episodes you'll see spaceships in combat with each other - or characters flying ships - that will change from shot to shot. Also some of the imagery and costumes have dated very badly including some very cheesy 70s interpretations of 25th Century music ... Saturday Night Fever meets Star Wars. However thats not saying i wasnt entertained or dont hold this show in great affection, and Gil Gerard is a great hero and leading man despite Amazon's review of him being bland! This dvd also contains the cinematically released version of the pilot episode (including the infamous "dream" title sequence where Buck Rogers drifts through 25 years of hibernation and being awoken by scantily clad lycra-wearing beauties. This film (1 hr 30 mins) alone is worth the price and contains classic sequences like Buck exploring whats left of Old Chicago and being chased by mutants. I'd be missing the point if i didnt mention the campness and overt use of humour in this series and Rogers comes across as kind of like a U.S. James Bond in space with a girl on one arm and a slew of quips in the other. And of course theres Twiki the robot who will either drive you nuts or be one of the main reasons you bought this in the first place. You may end up viewing this dvd with nostalgic delight but serious sci-fi fans may turn their noses up at this. I probably fall into the first category but others may hold a diffrent opinion.

good fun show from the 1970's!
Buck rogers in the 25th century was a re-make of the brilliant and very funny buster crabe shows of the 1940's.This is a very camp series starring the BOND like Buck who has an eye for every girl.It is fun and the cast have fun on the series which makes a change for a non-serious sci-fi.Wilmer is fantastic and and for me makes the show but seems to follow in what ever hair brained scheme Buck has dreamed up.The DVD's here are only series one with no extras at all thus my 3 star rating.This is an expensive set for what you get and universal could have done much better.
I have plumped to sell this set and import the much better full series 1&2 set from America.Again this has no extras which is a great pity but you do get a nice booklet and great on-screen menus.