Topic: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

[Jimmy]

This is the second time that I tried to watch the complete series and I'm almost at the point where I've quit the first time (the end of the first season). I'm so not motivated to continue, since I know what is waiting for me 

I don't pretend that this serie is a great one (same footage use often, map painting too obvious and not really well acted), but this serie have a lot of great things :

- The show oppening
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qok-MJ8r38U
- Erin Gray and Pamela Hensley (I can't really decide wich one is the most sexy  )
- A lot of great guest star (Frank Gorshin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Peter Graves, Ray Walston, Jack Palance, Kimberly Beck, ...)
- The dancing in the 25^th century (the rope dance seems hard to do)
- Many story are unusual and fun (Unchained Woman, Cruise Ship to the Stars and Space Vampire)

and some not so great things :

- Gil Gerard (not a really good actor and not really in it's league)
- Gary Coleman (sorry I didn't like him in Diff'rent Strokes and certainly not in this)
- Too much Twikki (in the pilot when he was not able to talk it was ok, but after it was very ridicule)

It's too bad that the second season is so awfull (at least the 2 episodes that I've watched last year)

I know that I'm not the only one who have this serie (at least Achim and Karsten have it), but am I the only one that think that here?

[lyonsden5]

Season 1 

Season 2

Next time I watch I will stop after season 1. In season 2 they changed everything about the show that I liked (except Erin Gray  ). It is like watching a completely different show.

So you're not alone in you thinking.

[Jimmy]

It is like watching a completely different show.

The first time that I've tried to watch it last year, I was completly lost at the season 2 beginning. For a little time I was thinking that the disc were not in the good order (I've not seen the serie before) 

Seriously after the end of the first year that was really great and bring the possibility of intergalactic travel it was weird to start the new season

(click to show/hide)

on a spaceship since the earth had dissapear without Tim O'Connor, Pamela Hensley, Dr. Theopolis and continue with a boring birdman, Wilfrid Hyde-White (his voice is so stressing), Crichton (the other anoying robot I think) and the always ridicule Twikki.

A perfect exemple of what to do to destroy a television serie.

[lyonsden5]

A perfect exemple of what to do to destroy a television serie.

[Jimmy]

Just start the second season and I've to stop to post the new intro. The narrator for this one sound really like a sport commentator 

What was the problem with the other? Why not keeping the same and changing the image? Why the producer had decided to cheapen everything in this???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2dXiqIRcs0

[Achim]

Yes, I own this series as well. recently I  watch the first disc and then somehow stopped... All within Season 1 area. Now I am concerned to continue, knowing what is headed my way Seeing that opening of Season 2 sure doesn't help.

Maybe I should continue before the October marathon. It' good thing to have short stuff for watching during the weekdays...

[Jimmy]

Except for one episode the first season is good, so don't be affraid to watch. In fact, if you have appreciate the first disc you will appreciate the rest too.

And for the second season, maybe you will like it  and if this is not the case at least it's short (14 episodes I think). But the first episode sure had looks like a 4 hours movie for me tonight 

Sorry for the season 2 opening credit, I've not think of it as a spoiler

[DJ Doena]

As I said before, I just bought the first season for the movie/pilot. I always liked that one, but never really got into the series itself.

My favourite part of the pilot is the dancing scene.

[Achim]

Except for one episode the first season is good, so don't be affraid to watch. In fact, if you have appreciate the first disc you will appreciate the rest too.

Yeah, so far the first season was fun. Yes, Twiki is more annoying than he should be, but I do like the "bidi-bidi-bidi" sound.

And for the second season, maybe you will like it  and if this is not the case at least it's short (14 episodes I think). But the first episode sure had looks like a 4 hours movie for me tonight 

I'll try to remember to post back here after I watched it.

Sorry for the season 2 opening credit, I've not think of it as a spoiler

No, no, don't worry! I didn't feel spoiled, just that the trailer just supported what you and Rick are saying...

[DJ Doena]

The show oppening

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qok-MJ8r38U

I like the movie opening better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77H5nHdcyQM

Huh, the video cannot be embedded. Just take it from my favourites page: http://www.youtube.com/profile_favorites?user=DJDoena (last row, second from left)

[Jimmy]

This is the one that it used with the first episode of the first season, so I suppose that what is include in the set is the movie pilot and not the tv pilot (unless they were the same??). The visual is better  , but the guy that sing had a really bad voice (just imagine hearing that with each episode  ).

[DJ Doena]

This is the one that it used with the first episode of the first season, so I suppose that what is include in the set is the movie pilot and not the tv pilot (unless they were the same??)

Basically they are the same but some things are different. For example, Buck kills Tigerman(?) in the movie but he does not so in the pilot and Tigerman reappers in the show.

The british set contains the movie version of the pilot, I don't know about the RC1 set though.

[Achim]

I don't recall how it was presented on the disc (two episodes or double-length pilot), but Awakenings (Part 1 & 2) is what usually is shown as the pilot in Germany.

Or are you saying that the movie version and the two episodes have different content?

[Jimmy]

I don't recall how it was presented on the disc (two episodes or double-length pilot)

On my disc (region 1) the pilot is presented in a double-length format - Awakenings (Part 1 & 2) - that run 1h30 or a little more (not sure of the exact length).

By the way, I found it funny that Pete haven't shown up yet on a TV series discussion. Is it possible that he have never seen this 

[DJ Doena]

From Wikipedia:

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), it is not complete. The original movie version of the first episode is included in the set instead of the extended television version which was broadcast when the show became a series. Missing elements include scenes of Buck checking out his new apartment and Buck being approached by Dr. Huer and Wilma to be secret agent for the Earth Directorate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_Rogers_in_the_25th_Century#DVD_release