Awakening

Awakening
Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2
Air date	September 20, 1979
Written by	Glen A. Larson Leslie Stevens
Directed by	Daniel Haller
Episode guide
Previous —	Next Planet of the Slave Girls

For 500 years, Captain William 'Buck' Rogers has been miraculously preserved, frozen by temperatures beyond imagination. Now, in Earth year 2491, he is rudely awakened by the sinister forces of the Draconian realm.

 — Narrator

"Awakening" is the series premiere of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, aired as the first and second episodes of its first season. Following the success of the Buck Rogers in the 25th Century film, a television series was commissioned, and the theatrical release edited to act as the kick-off to the series.

Synopsis

In the year 1987, the United States launched the last of National Aeronautics and Space Administration's deep space probes prior to World War III later that year. On board Ranger 3 is a lone astronaut, Captain William "Buck" Rogers. However, the spaceship has moved from its planned orbit, and instead of being gone a few months, it returns to Earth 504 years later. Captain Rogers is placed in a deep hibernation by forces beyond his control, and remains frozen at the controls until the year 2491. The ancient lost ship is found perfectly preserved by fighter craft of the Draconian Empire, who fire on Ranger 3, then tow it to their alien flagship, Draconia.

After being revived, Rogers meets Princess Ardala and her ship's commander, Kane. Although Ardala is supposed to be on her way to Earth on a peace mission, in reality she is preparing to invade the planet, one that has long been the enemy of her race. They use Rogers, who still thinks that his entire alien encounter is nothing but a dream, by sending him ahead to Earth to discover the location of a safe corridor through Earth's defenses. The ploy works because of a transmitter aboard Rogers's ship that sends back messages with the corridor's location.

Rogers finally realizes that he actually has traveled into the future after meeting Col. Wilma Deering and Dr. Elias Huer, but the Earth Defense Directorate considers him to be a traitor when the transmitter is found on board Ranger 3. In an attempt to clear himself of a death sentence and execution, Rogers returns to the Draconia and pretends to join Ardala and her army, in the process learning of the plans to invade Earth. Rogers decides that he must stop the attack, no matter what the odds. As the man from the 20th century prepares to make his move, he is held at gunpoint by Twiki and Dr. Theopolis. Rogers must prove his innocence to the two mechanoids before the attack can be launched.

Plot

* A narrator recounts how William "Buck" Rogers survives into the 25th century, more specifically the Earth year 2491 CE.

• Rogers is "rudely awakened by forces of the Draconian realm," after a squadron of three Hatchet fighters intercepts his ancient shuttle craft, Ranger 3. The Draconian squadron envelop the antiquity in a force field and bring it into range of their mothership, Draconia.
• Rogers is in a medical compartment, revived by Draconian scientists.
• Kane, Draconia's commander, reports to Princess Ardala on Rogers' miraculous recovery. Ardala demands an audience with the young man, stating that she'll make allowances for Rogers' lack of coherency from the revival process.
• Ardala and Kane question Rogers, who is in a state of disbelief that he is aboard a spaceship, with creatures that are not from Earth. Ardala informs him that they're on a peace mission to Earth aboard one of the king's star fortresses.
• Rogers attempts to move off his bed, finding that he is dizzy and in pain, seeing Tigerman, Ardala and Kane through blurred. He asks for an aspirin; Kane surmises that it is an anti-pain medication, which is administered in due course.
• Ardala admonishes Kane when Rogers becomes loopy, although Rogers himself doesn't mind as he feels the euphoric effects of the drug.
• After leaving Rogers in the medical bay, Ardala and Kane discuss Rogers statements as they walk Draconia's corridors. Ardala informs Kane that the United States of America was an empire on Earth centuries ago, with Kane replying that her tutors received their money's worth. Ardala replies that, as Kane is from Earth, he should know better than her. After the brief sparring, Ardala relates that she believes Rogers' story as the spacecraft, clothing and his mannerisms make sense in that context.
• Kane presents his thought that Rogers is a spy placed in their path by the Federal Directorate, in order to gain their confidence in some manner and allow him the opportunity to search their ship for weapons. Ardala disputes this theory, but Kane quickly reminds her that they couldn't allow Rogers free reign, and she concedes that he should dispose with Rogers as he deems fit.
• Tigerman accompanies Ardala back to her chambers, while Kane plans his next move.
• In the hangar bay, a drugged and discombobulated Rogers is transported back to his craft by a gurney; Kane has him disconnected from the anti-pain medication, and he informs the captain that he'll be back on his way to Earth very soon. Kane notifies him that Ranger 3 has been serviced and re-programmed to take him home, and Rogers admits that it seems like he hasn't "been there in weeks."
• Rogers believes he's had a great time aboard, and he has a great idea that they'd come along with him to Earth; Kane lets him know that they'll be along in a few days. He voices his belief that this is a dream, and boards Ranger 3.
• As he performs his pre-flight checklist, Rogers tells himself that the "boys in Houston" wouldn't believe this story, and waves good-bye to a stoic Kane.
• Ranger 3 is launched via the launch channel, and Rogers is impressed with the rapid light show.
• On the bridge, Kane informs Ardala that Rogers has presented them the perfect opportunity to test Earth's defense shield; he re-iterates his belief that Rogers is a spy, and they'll let him through. Of course, a microtransmitter planted aboard Ranger 3 will allow the Draconians to know the precise path through the shield used by the Earth's military, which will serve as a guide map for her father's fleet.
• Kane challenges Ardala, noting that she seems displeased at the potential fate of Rogers. She deflects, noting that she has the "strangest feeling" that she'll see Rogers again.
• On full burn back to Earth, Rogers begins singing Frank Sinatra's "My Kind of Town" over an open communications frequency, intercepted by a Delta Section Operative monitoring Earth's defenses. As Rogers begins asking for landing instructions from Houston Control, she reports the "signing" to a befuddled Supervisor 14, who has the communications routed to his station.
• As Supervisor 14 hears Rogers' rendition of "(Won't You Come Home) Bill Bailey," Rogers segues into another request for a re-entry vector. Believing that he is talking to Mission Control, he tells them to "get off your duffs and give me some info," which leads the Super to reflect that "it practically sounds like a foreign language."
• An alert cuts off any further train of thought, with Rogers' Ranger 3 showing up on the Directorate scopes. With the craft headed directly into the planetary defense shield, Super scrambles the Intercept squadron.
• In the lead fighter of the intercept squadron, Col. Wilma Deering requests coordinates for the inbound unidentified craft. She then directs the shield to be reduced to 100 miles, so that they may investigate.

Just wait until the guys at the Cape hear this: Buck Rogers sets down in the middle of Red Square.

 — William "Buck" Rogers believing that he has been captured by a Russian patrol, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century's "Awakening"

• Col. Wilma Deering and a squadron of Thunderfighters launch to intercept the unidentified craft.
• Supervisor 14 informs Deering that the target is moving far too slowly and erratically for a conventional spacecraft.
• Deering has the craft visually sighted, and flies by Ranger 3, much to William "Buck" Rogers's confusion. Deering hails the spacecraft, and she and Rogers exchange words, she notes that he is in grave danger as he is heading toward Earth's defense shield.
• Per Deering, Rogers takes manual control of Ranger 3 and follows her intercept squadron through the corridor. He believes he has been intercepted by the Russians of the United Soviet Socialist Republics. As Deering notes that he's doing "just fine," he replies in Russian: "Do svidaniya" ("until next meeting"). Deering does not understand it, and rebukes Rogers when he notes that he was "just trying to be friendly."
• Rogers follows the "Russians," wondering to himself how the "guys at the Cape" will react to his landing in "the middle of Red Square." He sees barren wastes as he heads towards one of the "Inner Cities" Deering earlier spoke of, and they traverse Corridor 10A for the incoming vessels.
• After landing, Rogers disembarks from Ranger 3, and is met by a contingent of Defense Directorate security and Col. Deering herself. Deering resists Rogers' attempts at ingratiation, and orders the "barbarian" to be taken for interrogation.
• In a sterile white room, a barefoot and robed Rogers makes his way around the walls of the room, attempting to look for a way out. This is interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Elias Huer, whom Rogers questions. Huer notes that Rogers is being studied via electronic means that are painless, and the results of said testing are producing phenomenal data.
• Rogers is informed that the planet is Earth, and that he was returned to nearly the precise landing area as originally programmed. Rogers notes that the city he has seen has no relation to Chicago, Illinois, and Huer notes that "there's nothing like Chicago left on Earth." To answer any further questions, Huer calls on Twiki (unseen in the corridor) to bring in Dr. Theopolis, Huer's administrator.
• Rogers is introduced to the two ambuquads, with Twiki being assigned to Rogers' as his drone, who shall act as Rogers aide during his debriefing and determination period. Huer also introduces Theopolis, a member of the Computer Council responsible for, among many things, the environmental control of the city. Theopolis notes that he did "his best," and that tonight's sunset has "a pale hint of mauve," that is "not so deep as an amethyst, but the more subtle burned texture of cinnamon." Following an incredulous comment that ruffles Theopolis, Huer takes Rogers aside and explains the brief history of ambuquads, how Humanity has turned over much of their administration to them, and that their emotional sensitivity makes them different from a mere machine.
• Huer notes that he will return in sixteen hours, after Rogers is done with his debriefing.

Notes

"Awakening, Part II" title card on the syndicated version of the episode.

• The opening two-hour episode is basically the feature film Buck Rogers in the 25th Century re-edited, with new footage to lead into the TV series. (Joseph Wiseman's brief appearance as King Draco was completely edited out of the broadcast.)
• The broadcast version of "Awakening" was released on DVD in 2013 as an extra on the Season 2 re-release. However, it is not quite complete. The scene is missing in which Dr. Theopolis shows Rogers footage of World War III in which civilization was destroyed, explains the causes of its destruction, and refers to "Anarchia" (the 25th-century name for the ruins of Chicago). This scene takes place during the 16 hours Rogers spends in the room with Dr. Theopolis.
• Originally aired as a 120-minute episode, but has been formatted as two 60-minute episodes in most subsequent re-airings for scheduling reasons. While many guides list it as a two-parter, its initial airing and release on DVD as one double-length episode is an official recognition of this episode being a singular offering.
• Not to be confused with the Star Trek: Enterprise episode of the same title.
• The titles and episodic credits differ from future installments, particularly with the use of white instead of a yellow color for the typeface.

Language

• Twiki's first Human word isn't English at all, but Hebrew: l'chaim. L'chaim is a toast "to life", and is said by Twiki after he gives Rogers refreshment during the interview with Dr. Theopolis.
• Human pilots do not understand clock faces, as exemplified by Lt. Rather's lack of understanding of a "bandit" (fighter) coming in from "12 o'clock high" (direction in relation to the ship) during the Pirate Attack on Draconia. This is a continuing theme throughout the series, particularly in the episodes "Planet of the Slave Girls" and "Return of the Fighting 69th."

Quotes

I would suggest thoroughly searching her ship before you allow it inside your defense shield.
Rather an insulting way to begin an alliance based on good faith.
Good faith is for bureaucrats and what gets you a city with a lid on it. I'd go up there armed to the teeth, full squadrons. Otherwise, you'll be sitting ducks.
[bristling] For a man whose expertise is allegedly five centuries old, you seem quite opinionated.
You're right. It's none of my business how you blow up your world. My generation didn't know what they were doing either.

 — William "Buck" Rogers and Col. Wilma Deering on the impending arrival of Draconia, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century's "Awakening"

Cast

*Gil Gerard as Capt. William "Buck" Rogers

• Erin Gray as Col. Wilma Deering
• Tim O'Connor as Dr. Elias Huer
• Pamela Hensley as Princess Ardala
• Henry Silva as Kane
• Duke Butler as Tigerman
• Felix Silla as Twiki
• Caroline Smith as Young Woman
• John Dewey Carter as Supervisor
• Uncredited as Lt. Rather
• Mel Blanc as Voice of Twiki
• William Conrad as Voice of Narrator (uncredited)
• Tony Epper as Drunk (uncredited)
• Vic Perrin as Voice of Draconia P.A. Announcer (uncredited)

*Directed by Daniel Haller

Written by Glen A. Larson and Leslie Stevens

Produced by Richard Caffey, Glen A. Larson, Andrew Mirisch, David G. Phinney and Leslie Stevens

Music by Stu Phillips

Cinematography by Frank Beascoechea

Film Editor - John J. Dumas, David Howe and William Martin

Casting - Robert D. Edmiston

Art Director - Paul Peters

Set Decorator - Richard Reams

Costume Designer - Jean-Pierre Dorléac

*Jack Cunningham - Unit Production Manager

Edward D. Markley - Unit Production Manager

*Phil Bowles - First Assistant Director

Jerry Sobul - First Assistant Director

Robert Villar - Second Assistant Director

Judith Vogelsang - Second Assistant Director

*Jerry Allen - Model Builder

Ted Wilson - Carpenter (uncredited)

*Peter Berkos - Sound Effects Editor

John R. Carter - Sound

Andrew Gilmore - Sound

William H. Kauch - Dialogue Editor

Clyde Sorenson - Sound

*Chuck Arrigo - Special Effects Coordinator (uncredited)

*Peter Anderson - Visual Effects Supervisor: Universal Hartland

David M. Garber - Miniatures

Wayne Smith - Miniatures

Harry Walton - Miniature Department Head (uncredited)

*Gary Armstrong - Assistant Camera

Kenneth Hale - First Assistant Camera

*David Kahn - Music Editor

Stu Phillips - Conductor

Johnny Harris - Composer: Theme Music (uncredited)

Glen A. Larson - Composer: Theme Music (uncredited)

Stu Phillips - Composer: Theme Music (uncredited)

External links

• Awakening at IMDb
• Awakening, Part I at NBC.com
• Awakening, Part II at NBC.com