Thursday, January 16, 2014

Buck Rogers 1.12: “Escape from Wedded Bliss”


Airdate: 11/29/79

Princess Ardala is back – and she wants Buck in the worst way – and I do mean the worst way. How about threatening to destroy all of New Chicago, or earth for that matter, unless she can have the studly spaceman, with perfect genes and all, completely to herself. Buck tries to find the ex-Draconian who knows the layout of the weapons system so the Directorate can thwart the evil plans, but he needs to play along until Huer and Deering can send him the plans. In the end, he relies on a quid-pro-quo with one of Ardala’s fighting thugs (whose life Buck spared) to get out alive – so he can return to kick some more Draconian butt!

Sexplot Pamela Hensley (whose contract must require that she wear a glittering bikini top in every scene) returns as Ardala. Not necessarily that they needed her, given the show has no problem filling its weekly quota of cleavage, abs and skin-tight uniforms, but few beauties can chew the scenery like she can. Best metaphor involves Ardala’s future marital plans with Buck, which includes a collar he must wear that she has the prerogative of shrinking down to half its normal size if he were to displease her. The target demographic of 13-year old boys probably didn’t get this, but the second largest demographic – married men aged 35-50 – know it all too well.

DO NOT miss the roller disco scene during the Directorate’s first meeting with Ardala. Funny how every other kind of music, except disco, survived the great holocaust. Of course, for some that’s not only similarity it has to cockroaches.

PS: Tell me that new guy who plays Kane is not a dead ringer for Tony Orlando!



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