- Directed by Michael Caffey
- Teleplay by Anne Collins
- Script and Teleplay by Steve Greenberg and Aubrey Solomon
- September 27, 1979
- NBC
- Developed for television by Glen A. Larson and Leslie Stevens and based on characters created by Philip Francis Nowlan in 1928
Episode Cast
- Narrator-William Conrad
- Capt. William ‘Buck’ Rogers-Gil Gerard
- Colonel Wilma Deering-Erin Gray
- Dr. Elias Huer-Tim O’Connor
- Twiki (performance)-Felix Silla
- Twiki (voice)-Mel Blanc
- Dr. Theopolis-Eric Server
- Major Duke Danton-David Groh
- Governor Saroyan-Roddy McDowall
- Ryma-Brianne Leary
- Dr. Mallory-Macdonald Carey
- Stella Warden-Karen Carlson
- Regis Saroyan-Michael Mullins
- Brigadier Gordon-Buster Crabbe
- Kaleel-Jack Palance
- Galen-Robert Dowdell
- Major Fields-Sheila Wills as Sheila DeWindt
- Julio-Don Marshall
- Female Pilot-Diane Markoff
- Woman-June Whitley Taylor
- Husband-Borah Silver
- Worker-Michael Masters
- Guard-Don Maxwell
The Earth Defense Directorate faces a crisis when nearly every pilot becomes ill after eating tainted food disks revealing a plot by a cult leader to conquer Earth.
Inaccuracy of the title aside since there are male slaves, Planet of the Slave Girls is the first proper episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. It sports quite a cast for a show that had no following behind it at the time. Jack Palance plays cult leader Kaleel with designs on conquering Earth, Roddy McDowall is the casually detached Governor Toban Saroyan of the planet Vistula, Macdonald ‘Dr. Tom Horton’ Carey as Dr. Mallory, David Groh of Rhoda fame is Major Duke Danton, and there is a special appearance by Buster Crabbe who previously played Buck Rogers this time as a character named Brigadier Gordon referencing his other famous role of Flash Gordon. That’s in addition to series regulars Gil Gerard as Capt. William ‘Buck’ Rogers, Erin Gray as Colonel Wilma Deering, and Tim O’Connor as Dr. Elias Huer.
Either the government of Earth tacitly endorses slavery by looking the other way over events on Vistula (which looks like it) or are clueless about the activities of and how food is produced on their main supplier (which also appears to be the case). As an implied major power in this reality either strikes me as a narrative issue.
In hindsight stories in Buck Rogers often contained a former love interest of Wilma. In an age before streaming and binge watching that could be missed or ignored but today when you can own or stream a show such things are apparent. Major Duke Danton was first in a line that never worked out for Wilma. What were her issues?!
Buck and Duke during the course of this two-part episode puff their chests and try to out manly each other. Sometimes in front of cadets Buck is trying to teach strategy to or when both are stranded in the arid Stone Desert of Vistula trying to get to Kaleel. A trope of the era but here it adds a little fun since they end the episode on good terms.
During the series Wilma’s portrayal could swing between capable officer to damsel in distress needing saving. In Planet of the Slave Girls she is certainly a capable officer and not waiting for the manly Buck or dashing Danton. Ultimately though both do need to save her because she gets imprisoned when she and another woman get captured by Kaleel.
Palance as Kaleel chews the scenery. Kaleel is a cult leader with delusions of grandeur living in the desert looking very clean in a largely white outfit. Laundry service must be amazing in his desert mountain that doubles as his fortress. Palance had a cadence and voice that stood out making something very mundane sound evil.
In Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Earth is still recovering from a nuclear war so most of their food comes from elsewhere. Kaleel’s plan has some brains to it. He has infiltrated the processing centers along with one conveniently key position on Earth and is tainting the food supply in general to not alert anyone too soon to his focus of the pilots. His goal is then to use his minimal forces to swoop in and take over.
I was a young when this came on but one bit of costuming has been lodged in my brain since. Kaleel has hired the greatest strategist Earth has ever known named Galen (Robert Dowdell) who dresses like a kid’s idea of a military officer or a cousin of Captain Crunch. Admiral A$$hole maybe. Dowdell is just lazy ham in comparison to Palance.
There’s a poorly handled subplot involving a rift between Governor Saroyan and his son Regis (Michael Mullins) who is a pilot in the EDD. He loves clueless dad even though dad cannot understand selling people is wrong. Sonny just so happens to be in love with a slave girl named Ryma (Brianne Leary) that he left behind even though he probably could have easily released her from bondage given his connections. McDowall compliments those he is paired with making the rapid introduction and resolution to his storyline go smoothly.
There are some entertaining guy moments in this such as when Buck is helping to teach 20th century battle strategy to the pilots and he and Danton tackle each other as well as the general barbs between Buck and Wilma. The Wilma/Buck dynamic moved between clear friendship and mild flirtation during the series. Her Buck is chafing at the moves/interest Danton is displaying so he must demonstrate his manhood. Wilma is often left to diffuse the situation.
The inclusion of Buster Crabbe was a fun treat that got very meta as he alluded to his previous portrayal as the two characters talked. I wish we had received more stuff like that in the series. Crabbe was a welcome addition to the episode not only in performance but in that sense of fun that made Season One enjoyable. The tongue in cheek way it was handled was spot on.
Though not humorous at the time there’s a moment in that scene where they reference O.J. Simpson while trying to convince Danton of who they are. Buck is flying in a stolen enemy ship and he makes mention of ‘the Juice’ which goes back to an earlier discussion.
There was something that is completely illogical. For a show that was not deadly serious this strained credibility. When Buck is captured he escapes using a small explosive he has on him. Why didn’t the guards search him? But that is perhaps not the most questionable part. The ‘25th century cherry bomb’ as he calls it has adjustable explosive settings so after he dials it to a good level he takes a helmet from a random body, places the bomb under the helmet, stands on the helmet, and rides the explosion to some waterpipes so he can pull the others up to escape. Yeah…
This was the early 80s and just before the martial arts craze kicked in but and also just before the brief Australia craze which made Mad Max so popular came around. There is a scene where Dr. Huer (Tim O’Connor) is targeted for assassination. The would-be killer dresses like a ninja and uses a boomerang. It’s a little weird and kind of funny when you think about it and certainly appeals to the kid in me.
Despite some silliness it’s exciting. It’s fun and the space battles are high-quality for television at the time. The bad guys get soundly beaten and Buck and Danton come to an understanding and they all hang out together. The humor of the episode is built like a round Buck’s then relevant pop-culture references. If anything with this episode I have a little issue, trying to figure out how the future characters have never heard the word ‘slavery’.
Planet of the Slave Girls is fun, escapist space opera adventure. A little silly and a little goofy but just purely entertaining and for that I recommend it.
Warren Watched A Movie 