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The Searcher has just left earth when she's ordered to halt and take on war crime investigator Commissioner Bergstrom (Ramon Bieri), who orders Buck Rogers (Gil Gerard) to be taken in custody, and an impromptu trial is launched where Buck is accused of having betrayed his own country and started the nuclear war some 500 years ago, back in 1987, when he conspired with a bunch of Air Force generals to steal the nuclear launch codes to launch a preemptive strike against Russia. And a video tape that shows Buck with a bunch of generals discussing the case seems to prove just that. The tape rather clearly shows Buck, only he can't at all recall any of it. Thing is, not remembering something isn't a very good defense (or any at all), so the ship's scientist Dr. Goodfellow (Wilfrid Hyde-White) suggests a sort-of mindprobe that visualizes memories. Thing is, the first few visualizations only incriminate Buck further, including a memory of how he actually stole the launch codes. Still, Buck insists he just can't remember any of this, which is even less of a defense now that the evidence comes directly from his own mind. However, Buck's best friend Wilma (Erin Gray) and Hawk (Thom Christopher) still believe in him, and since he has flashbacks to Mount Rushmore he can't explain as he's never even been there, they smuggle him off the plane to go to the monument, where he learns the president (Walter Brooke) had a secret bunker, and when he's shown around the place, he has some diffuse memories of actually having been there after all. Back on the Searcher, he's mindprobed some more and it's found out that the presiden himself has asked him to go undercover and uncover a plot of some generals to steal the launch codes and start a nuclear war. But to not give away that he's working for the other side he was put under deep hypnosis, which is why he couldn't remember anything afterwards. And of course, with that all revealed, Buck is cleared of all charges.

Ok, the resolution of this story announces itself pretty early on and is then especially disappointing for its lack of originality even within the story ramifications, but that said, this is still one of the more entertaining episodes of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century's 2nd (and frankly better) season, basically because it moves at least to some extent away from the series' formula, and telling the story in two separate timelines and somewhat out of chronological order at least grants for some change. Sure, there's still much not quite so good about the episode, from the war crime investigator being a one-dimensional bully to a total oversimplification of things (including Buck's launch code heist), but in all, this is pretty decent early 80s sci-fi TV entertainment - not great mind you, but fun at least from a nostalgic point of view.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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