I loved the Buck Rogers movie/pilot and season 1. Unfortunately, season 2 was abysmal. The naysayers can disagree all they want. Total crap!

@kennethwilliams9301

3 күн бұрын

I agree it wasn't as good as the first season but there were a handful of season two episodes that were tolerable

@musicman201047

3 күн бұрын

No, season 2 was horrible and boring.

@user-dk3up2nl1m

3 күн бұрын

Wasnt Gary Coleman (Arnold) in it?

@keithknechg3217

3 күн бұрын

Agreed, was never a fan.

@AdamSnyder1234

3 күн бұрын

I did Iike Hawk, though.

Don't forget about "DUCK DODGERS, IN THE 24TH AND A HALF CEN...TURY!!!"😄😄😄

@jameskwaka

Күн бұрын

One of the very best Warner cartoons. DUE UP!!!!!!

For the 70's I agree with you, it was Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and Buck Rogers. I would also add Space:1999 too

Pamela Hensley only in 4 episodes? Wow...she made a hell of an impression on me. Interesting.. And thank you.

@DavidLLambertmobile

2 күн бұрын

She was a smoke show. 🔥🔥🔥 The woman on ABCs Matt Houston looked a lot like her.

Erin Gray now runs a business booking stars for convention appearances...

Erin Grey is an absolute sweetheart. I first met her at Chicago Comic con and she sat down and just started talking to me like I was a long-lost friend. Adding to my story I was riding the shuttle that went from the hotels in Rosemont to Chicago Airport I was reading a comic book waiting for the bus to leave. Someone asked if the seat next to me was taken, I looked up and it was Erin Grey...again. We talked about random stuff, my Sister just gave birth to my niece, she scrolled through the pictures on my camera and told me my Mom has the same couch as she does. It was great! Eventually, the airport shuttle made it to the airport and she said, "bye" and left to catch her plane.

@lamarravery4094

2 күн бұрын

That story is unbelievable.

@favoritemustard3542

2 күн бұрын

That story is awesome!

@MoviesMusicMonsters

Күн бұрын

That is super freaking cool - so glad you had a chance to meet Erin. Thank you so much for sharing. Cheers, Dan

The absolute coolest scene in Buck Rogers was Col. Gordon, played by Buster Crabb, assuring a dubious Buck that he had been dogfighting spacecraft since before Buck was born.

@noneya3635

3 күн бұрын

And the fact that he’s was Bick and Flash makes it even better.

@charlesbard2331

2 күн бұрын

I just want to say don't forget a little Syfy outer space show called quark....

@Captain_Sarcastic

2 күн бұрын

@@JoseyWales44s While this was great, as a kid, I had no idea that he was anyone other than an old pilot in the episode.

@JoseyWales44s

2 күн бұрын

@@Captain_Sarcastic Although I was 12 at the time I was a sci-fi buff, like my father, and was well acquantited with Buster Crabb and his roles as Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and Tarzan.

@xaenon

Күн бұрын

@@charlesbard2331 I keep TRYING to forget QUARK. The fact that they made a STAR TREK character with that name has confounded me for three decades now.

I went to Universal for a casting call one time. I went thru a back gate and had to walk thru the back lot where I saw the life size starfighter sitting next to the Viper from Battlestar Galactica.

@MoviesMusicMonsters

3 күн бұрын

Wow that's amazing. Did you get any pictures?

The best episode was the one in which Buster Crabbe appeared as "Gordon". Great to see the original Tarzan, Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers appearing in the new version.

Not to mention Markie Post pre "Night Court" and Ana Alicia pre "Falcon Crest"

@xaenon

2 күн бұрын

Also... DOROTHY STRATTEN.

@loganfive-x2u

Күн бұрын

Jamie Lee Curtis pre everything.

@evancortez2

Күн бұрын

@@loganfive-x2u post “Halloween”

NGL as a teenager it was the women and a few characters that got my attention. Never realized how amazing Markie Post was until Buck Rogers.

Erin Gray and Lynda Carter. The 70's were amazing for young males.

@docsavage8640

3 күн бұрын

Don't forget Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcett, and Cheryl Ladd.

@PerspectiveEngineer

3 күн бұрын

Never was a jugs man myself. Brains and a pretty face still turns me on. That and a good foundation. Legs go a long way into Getting to the point. Thanks girls! You rock.

Erin Grey may have been the prettiest woman to ever be on TV. It was a very fun show. Wish it had been able to keep up the quality.

Had an opportunity to meet miss Erin Grey at a convention around 10 years ago. She still looked as good as she did back during the series. She was very wonderful to meet. I hope to meet her again one day

We must be about the same age because I also remember Erin Gray being the Colonel we all wanted to… fly with. 😁 Ah, the joys of youth!

I'd have surrendered to Princess Ardala.

Unchained woman is a particular favourite episode of mine from season 1. Jamie Lee, Curtis and, in particular, that outfit she was wearing still linger in my memory even now 🙂

As a young teen boy when this came out, my eyes were on Erin Grey. 😍 Buck who?

Erin said those outfits were so tight they made her cry.

@michaelschramm1064

3 күн бұрын

Being a then age 19, certainly made me cry…

That first season was great! Actually my favorite thing about the show was the detail in the different costumes. They were so creative. I also loved Wilma before they made her a flight attendant in the second season.She was a woman with authority in the 70s. A warrior.

Dan, there is another guest star you could have mentioned. Her name was Dorothy Stratten. She was the Playboy model who was murdered in August 1980 by her husband, Paul Snider. She was in an episode called "Cruise Ship to the Stars."

@xaenon

2 күн бұрын

Not 'could have' mentioned - SHOULD HAVE mentioned. Stratten was the most beautiful woman to ever appear on the show.

@michaelwhalen2442

2 күн бұрын

@@xaenon Point well taken...

@loganfive-x2u

Күн бұрын

She also appeared in a Science Fiction film called Galaxina.

I remember the episode with Buster Crabbe. The line ...you look like you've done this before. The answer from Crabbe...before you were born.

I’m 55 and remember loving this show as a kid but this is the first time I ever heard about the movie that came out first. Now I must seek this out to watch!

@SharreIWright

3 күн бұрын

The opening titles to the movie are slightly different to the TV show as there's a James Bond moment with Buck dreaming about the females in the movie, I love it it's one of my guilty pleasures

Excellent video as always! Mark Leanerd was also a guest star on Buck Rogers. He played an alien that could remove his own head. Seems logical.

The women of the show did things to preteen me.

I thought Glen A. Larson was one of the schlockiest, most corner-cutting producers in the history of television- and yet I watched a lot of his stuff. As far as "Buck Rogers" goes: season 1 they had a format that generally worked, and then in season 2 they ruined it trying to do "Star Trek." Not since "Operation Petticoat" had a show been so gutted after it's initial season that it became nearly unrecognizable.

Thanks, Dan! My brother and father and I saw the movie in the theaters and loved it. We also really liked the first season, but even as a little kid we could see the huge drop off after the first season. Beyond that we kind of gave up on the show. I actually once randomly bumped into Felix, who played Twiki, at a hotel and I went over and said hello. He was very kind.

I think Erin Grey accelerated my puberty.

Now do "Duck Dodgers, in the 24th and a 1/2 Thentury".

Brunette Wilma for the win .

Bidi bidi bidi! I wanted my own little robot friends so bad. I ran around my house screaming Bidi bidi bidi! 😂

@AJeepADroneAndAnOldMan

3 күн бұрын

Lol, now that right there is hilarious

@noneya3635

3 күн бұрын

You are far from the only one chief.

@favoritemustard3542

2 күн бұрын

Twiki is one of my earliest 📺memories lol

@Lakusus

2 күн бұрын

I went out of my mind trying to figure out how to make a decent-looking Twiki out of the limited Legos I had. lol Never succeeded, though.😕

I wonder if Gil Gerard was reacting against the producers' efforts to make Buck like a sci-fi Burt Reynolds. You can tell Gerard's Buck really wasn't in that vein. He was closer to guys like Tom Selleck's Thomas Magnum, handsome, masculine, but a little more sensitive, not quite a swinger looking for an easy score.

My 6 and 7 year old self wasn't looking at Wilma quite that way. She was just another girl in the show at the time but watching the show today my appreciation for those space suits has definitely improved

@DavidLLambertmobile

2 күн бұрын

Spandex! She did look hot. Even as a 8yr old, 9 I did not get how Wilma was 28, 30 & a full Col! That takes 15-25yr in most service careers.

Gil was great and I loved Erin's skin tight costume. 🥰🤓😎✌🏼🛸🤖

Mark Lenard was also a famous guest. I recall him from season 2 of Buck Rogers. He had the ability to physically remove his head. I know. Weird. As we know, Mark Lenard famously played Spock's Vulcan father, Ambassador Sarek. He also played a Romulan commander in the first season of Star Trek. -OG

This and Galactica were definitely two of my favorite childhood shows, even after it mutated into a Star Trek knockoff

@DocMicrowave

2 күн бұрын

S1 on BSG and BR were amazing. S2 of the same, not so much. Same thing with Space 1999. But it was a lot more tolerable than the other two. Imho

Pamela Hensley made a Sci Fi Con appearance back then in LA, I was there and she was VERY much IN character for her appearance. Now she sells cookbooks!

What I remember most was the parade of guest actresses the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis, Markie Post, Morgan Brittany and Judy Landers.

@lamarravery4094

2 күн бұрын

Where was Morgan Fairchild or Heather Thomas? We needed them in season two episodes.

Cool video . Yea princess Ardarla was awesome i didnt realize she was only in 4 eps

As a teen at the time, yup Wilma was a one of those women you never forget, especially after the "off think" scene. If you know, you know.

Please do a video on the old Project UFO series. I really liked it as a kid.

Princess Ardolla may have only been in 4 episodes but her gorgeous body was in 8 episodes. At least that's how my mind remembers her.

@user-fc3ki3gb7u

Күн бұрын

Princess Ardala

Erin Gray was one of my first "crushes" in that blue catsuit!

As a kid I was also wanting anything that was SCI-FI related following the hype of Star Wars. Battle Star and Buck Rogers was so fun. Oh…and Wilma….omg

I hated how season one ended on a cliffhanger. Anticipation for season 2 was high. Then season 2 had nothing to do with season one. Turned into the love boat in space 😢

11 year-old me absolutely loved this show - I loved the Sci-Fi aspect but yes, I admit I loved Wilma in her outfits and the other female costumes. Oddly enough, my dad, who wasn't into Sci-Fi, started watching the show, I soon figured out why...lol Always thought the Terran Starfighters were among the coolest looking ships ever made. Personally I liked Twiki, I think it helped he was voiced by the legendary Mel Blanc, I doubt he would have worked without Mel. I never understood the changes to season 2...totally different show. Gil Gerard supposedly had to fight for Erin Grey to still be in the show, but the Ice Cream Parlour outfit was...disappointing to say the least. Rumour has it a lot of the changes were at the demands of Gil Gerard, largely because of his issues with the show you mentioned, as well as a new showrunner. Admiral Asimov was supposed to be a distant relative of Isaac Asimov, Crichton was Uber annoying, but the only good thing about Season 2 was undoubtedly Hawk. I have the blu-rays - they look absolutely awesome!

Monogram models made a kit of the Buck Rogers Terran Starfighter and had trouble selling them. Now they are over $150 on Ebay. Oh well, missed my chance.

Glad to hear that the "Draconia" still exists. I went looking for pics of it online several years ago and couldn't find anything. Also Glad to hear Gil Gerard fought to save the show from bad writing. In some ways the show was almost "Starbuck but without Apollo" where the producers realized that Smart Alec Starbuck was the break out star of Galactica, and tried to duplicate that, but without the chemistry.

@Jason_Waguespack

2 күн бұрын

Gerard as Starbuck...yeah I defintely can't see that working. Gerard could be funny and irreverent, but he also projected seriousness and thoughtfulness. He was just too grounded to pull off full Starbuck. Plus you need that more serious character for Starbuck to bounce off of, like Apollo and Boomer.

When I was an 18 year old nerd I worked at a grocery store here in Southern California. Pamela Hensley used to come in to our store pretty often. I used to take her groceries out to the car for her. You can imagine what a fanboy I was even back then. She was a very kind, sweet, and beautiful woman.

I’m good friends with Gil. Whenever Felix and him get together it was like abbot and costello. They were great friends for many many years. Having dinner with Gil and has him talk about the show, and other stuff was a treat! Gil is no fan of Erin Grey tho now. Whenever they were at a con together they were totally separated. Gotta lot of stories, but not enough space to share here :)

@starmnsixty1209

3 күн бұрын

A shame.

@The_Fat_Controller.

2 күн бұрын

Gil Gerard shows a lot of signs of TDS on Twitter. Wonder if he and Erin became estranged over politics.

I'll always remember Pamela Hemsley from another SF classic... "Rollerball". She played her character so well. She was in love with Jonathan... the only person who truly loved him, and he, of course, pushed her away because he wanted Maude Adams. Every time I see the movie I yell at the screen, calling Jonathan an idiot for sending her away.

Throwing out the props to their popular films and TV shows, it just goes to show that the studios are full of suits who have absolutely no idea what they're doing. If they did know, then they'd preserve the props, because they'd end up bringing in a MASSIVE profit if they sold them later on. That's one thing I have to hand to George Lucas, he did keep all of his Star Wars OT props.

The South Park 2-parter where Cartman froze himself so he wouldn't be tormented by having to wait for the Nintendo Wii to come out and was eventually defrosted in the 25th century was the ultimate Buck Rogers tribute.😁🖖

Changing Twinkies voice was the final straw.

@DocMicrowave

2 күн бұрын

That and turning Wilma into a stewardess. Excuse me, Airline Attendant.

Surprisingly Harvey Levin from TMZ now owns Twiki. He was a huge fan of the show. Great episode Dan 🎉

I was working for a PBS station at the time of production. Some of the staff was involved in the series. I remember how impressed they were with all the matte paintings that were created. I think that at the time a record was set for creation and use if those paintings in a TV series. 🎨🖌️

Dan, you and me had the same childhood, I was obsessed with Battlestar, Star Wars, and Buck Rogers too, in addition to The Micronauts, Space 1999, Jason of Star Command, Space Academy, etc. The 70s was a goldmine of awesome sci-fi. Love the vids, keep 'em coming!

@MoviesMusicMonsters

Күн бұрын

Thank you so much for the kind words. I truly appreciate it :) Cheers, Dan

I need to tell you my encounter with Erin Gray. I forget which San Diego Comic Con I was at when I saw her. 2008, 2009, 2010... not sure, can't remember (I need to go find the photo that was taken of her and me together). I saw her at her autograph booth and there was no one was around so I approached and said "Hi" and just started some small talk about the show Buck Rogers. I had no extra money to buy an autographed photo or anything so I didn't want to waste her time and said I had to go and that I had fun talking with her. She kindly asked me if I wanted to get a picture taken with her since she noticed I had my digital camera in hand. I said that would be awesome and I handed my camera to her assistant to take our picture. Erin and I stood close, side to side and I placed my hand on her shoulder and she reached her arm around my back to place her arm around my back. One problem though... I had a backpack full of stuff on my back and that hindered her from just reaching around me. With the backpack in her way she just brushed her hand down the backpack to avoid it and ended up slapping her hand on my butt. SMACK! I laughed and looked at her and said one of these two things, I can't remember which I said: "Hey, buy me dinner first" or "Slow down, Nitro!" She laughed and apologized. I said it was ok and also kinda funny that she "got fresh". We got the picture taken had another laugh and then I went on my way. Memories.... Well, I told you on your BSG episode about my encounter with Richard Hatch and now you have my BR25thC encounter with Erin Grey. If you have an episode about the BSG 2004 reboot, I will tell you about my encounter with Grace park at San Diego Comic Con.

Watched this last night on the BIG screen. Brought back memories of my fondness for Erin Gray, LOL! There were of course characters I had totally forgotten about over the years! Great show, all in all. Thanks once again for your efforts, Dan!! Has anyone suggested to you yet, about the short-lived series, "QUARK?" Starred Richard Benjamin, but my strongest memory was of the Two Bettys, LOL! 😛

Pamela Hensley & Erin Grey

I had the opportunity several years ago to meet Erin Grey. I asked her what she thought specifically of season two, and it was clear she didn't like talking about it. To be fair, I like to pretend it never happened too.

Erin Gray made the show with those spandex outfits.

As an 8 year old kid, i remember seeing the theatrical movie in a double feature that had ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’ as the second film. The movie theater was literally right down the street from where I grew up. The first season was so cool, I’d eagerly watch each new episode, but when the second season came around all i could think of was where all the other characters were?

To be honest, i wish Sci Fi shows would still look like Buck Rogers, i really like that style. It looks familiar but yet unlike things look today. The show had a certain levity not found in todays shows anymore, i really miss that tbh.

Oh. I had such a crush on Princess Ardala. Still do! Pamela, you were the best.

I had the Terran Starfighter model as a kid. I strung it up in my room on fishing line at an angle so I could pull it to the higher side and let it slide down to the lower side like it was flying.

@MoviesMusicMonsters

3 күн бұрын

Nice :-) do you still have it?

Man... William Conrad's voice was just awesome. As soon as his picture appeared I heard his deep resonate voice in my head. Memories!

The theme music for the theatrical release had lyrics that were sung by a local southern California artist named Kipp Lennon

Loved this show. Erin Gray was absolutely gorgeous!

The starfighter you show is the two seater. It’s two seater side-by-side. The normal starfighter actually has a seat in the back as well. It’s not the only prop that was full-size.

I always drew comparisons between Lost in Space and Buck Rogers, in that, the first and second seasons had wild departures from "the norm" that they had set. In some ways it ruined them and doomed the shows to cancelation. Also Space 1999 suffered the same fate.

@markpurington8659

2 күн бұрын

They did the same thing with the Filmation animated “Flash Gordon.” Season One was pretty advanced for a Saturday morning cartoon. Season Two stinks on ice.

@loganfive-x2u

Күн бұрын

Why does this happen to so many Science Fiction Shows?

VERY cool indeed. This was one of my favorite shows in the day. Especially Hawk, LOVED that character.

They jumped the shark when they dressed Erin in the candy striper uniform.

I love your enthusiasm! Great vid! .

Erin Gray was smokin' hot.

I have an original bit of 35mm film that's a complete bluescreen take of Bucks ship peeling off and down out of frame. It still has the head and tail slates on it and some grease pencil marks showing where to superimpose clouds. It was done for the 2nd season premier but the footage also became a library shot. I've had that since I guess the mid-'80's.

Such a cool show! I loved the models - I have most of them in 3D printer format now!

@MoviesMusicMonsters

3 күн бұрын

Nice!

Erin Gray was stunning

I was actually one of the people that saw the Buck Rogers movie in the theater. Great stuff as always Mr. Monroe!

Buck Roger’s suffered from the same problems Battlestar Galactica did. Repeated special effects and some poor writing. Also add 70s influences, even worse writing, and budget cuts making season two even more awful. Gil Gerard was great. He was the Richard Hatch of the show. They both had integrity for their show’s concept.

@DMSProduktions

2 күн бұрын

Buck Roger's what?

I think Twiki's Egyptian look was heavily inspired by the Japanese sci-fi kid's show Johnny Socko and his Giant Robot"

@stephenchappell7512

Күн бұрын

Nah Checkout Dr Who and the 'Robots of Death' from 1977

The Buster Crabbe guest shot really treated him well. Think he played Brigadier Gordon and could still fly like an ace.

@JoseyWales44s

3 күн бұрын

I was going to link a video in the comments but the only two clips I could find on KZread were of abysmal quality. He assured a skeptical Buck, that he had been doing that sort of think since before Buck was born. Best moment in the entire series.

We called it T&A in the 25th century. That's why you watched it. T&A

Pamela Hensley could've conquered my Galaxy anytime!

Odd to me why a reasonably popular show gets an extreme make-over in its second year, ruining it.

@lamarravery4094

2 күн бұрын

Economics.

@Lakusus

2 күн бұрын

@@lamarravery4094 Yes. Read that as greedy network executives wanting more money in their own pockets and bank accounts so they try to find ways to make show productions cost less...thus ruining the show, altogether. They don't care. They'll just come up with a bunch of stupid "reality" shows as fillers until another awesome show comes along. Of course, after a season, or two, they'll try to ruin that one, too. Goddddd! Network executives!

Thank you for your channel Dan. I was in high school when Buck Rogers came out. There was no internet and no local fandom going on. All these shows like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Buck Rogers, Greatest American Hero, The Fantastic Journey and Voyagers. I thought I was the only one who liked these shows, none of my friends ever talked about them. It’s nice to watch your channel and be reminded of the good old days and to know I wasn’t alone in enjoying these type of shows.

Pamela Hensley, aw cha cha cha cha

Your show is like comfort food,I look forward to each new episode.Well done thanks Dan!

The cartoon version by Chuck Jones made me laugh out loud. “Duck Dogers in the 24 1/2 century “ including Marvin the martian and his elludium exploding space modulatorr. What! No kaboom?

@just_passing_through

3 күн бұрын

Where’s the kaboom? There’s supposed to be an earth shattering kaboom!

I watch it religiously as a kid...I even watched the Buck Rogers and Battlestar Gakactica reruns as a kid..along with reruns of M.A.S.H.

@DocMicrowave

2 күн бұрын

Same here. Was always a thrill to see Buck Roger's reruns in the early 80s. But usually tuned out when they went into Season 2. The same went for Galactica 1980.

Great job, Dan. I learned a lot of new stuff on this one. On the one hand you have the Leonard Nimoy example where new directors coming in telling him to have Spock do this or that and the actor explaining that he's not going to do that because he character wouldn't. However, looking into Gil Gerard's career he apparently engaged in a combination of cocaine and then after the show he started binge eating junk food eventually ballooning to 350 pounds. It also seems that Gil Gerard resented the First Season theme that Colonel Deering was in command of him. He nixed an episode ending for _Escape From Wedded Bliss_ where she would have rescued Buck at the end. That's why in the Second Season she was just plain Wilma Deering now dressed in what I would have called a car hop waitress uniform, as well as staying on the ship while Buck and Hawk played Kirk and Spock on that week's planet.

Believe it or not… How about doing Greatest American Hero?!

I'm a little surprised you didn't mention that it inspired the character of Bird Person on Rick & Morty.

@KasumiKenshirou

2 күн бұрын

Rick & Morty sucks.

I was 9 when in 1979 I first saw the theatrical release and back in the day when movie posters were what made you dream before watching a movie , the one from buck rogers blew me away and I even did a bunch of drawings based on it after seeing ‘the movie’ . I loved it. It scared me to death in that scene when buck visits the ruins , but my 9 year old loved everything about it. Even my parents who hated sci-fi stuff enjoyed it. A few years later in 1984 I was really surprised to learn that “a new” buck Roger’s tv series existed and I was glued to the tv every week to watch it when I was 14. The series run in Portugal in 1984 right after battle star galactica who only run in 1983. I’ve also seen the galactica”movie” in theaters back in the 70s and it was also a surprise to learn it was a series when it first run in Portugal on tv in 1983. Regarding buck Rogers strangely enough my 14 year old self actually enjoyed season 2 back then because of that exploration theme and I even built my own model of the ship. But yes that smug robot was terrible. Now I can’t stand season 2 for all the reasons possible when compared to season one, but it’s still a classic overall. I own it on Blu-ray too. And I still love the theatrical version because of that James Bond style intro.

Wilma and Princess Ardala were certainly good arguments for a young teenager to watch the series. 😁 I watched again the whole series quite recently and I enjoyed the first season particularly (don't forget John Quade !)

NBC Destroyed this Show in It's Second Season.

@user-fc3ki3gb7u

Күн бұрын

Absolutely 💯

Right there with you. Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers were my all-time favorites. I could hardly wait until the next episode of Buck Rogers would air. Yes, I, too, was completely enamored with Princess Ardala!😍🥰

@DocMicrowave

2 күн бұрын

Same, couldn't wait for the next episode of Buck. However that changed after the show was canceled and went into reruns. I pretty much tuned out when ever they went into Season 2.

That is quite a flashback from my childhood. I remember watching that series when I was about 11-12 years old. Some of those futuristic buildings were shot at the site of Expo 67 in Montreal, where I live. Another show I enjoyed a lot in those years was "Space: 1999", I wonder where all those amazing props and models ended up.

Loved this show as a kid. I bought the Blu-Ray set and lot of it holds up better than I expected, especially Gil Gerard's performance. I've met both Gil Gerard and Eric Gray and am pleased to be able to say that they are both incredibly nice people.

All hail Princess Ardala... she can conquer...you know what, maybe I should just keep that to myself...