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[ 22 ] Buck's Duel to the Death
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| Season: | 1 |
| Date Aired U.S.: | Thursday, March 20, 1980 |
| Writer(s): | Robert W. Gilmer |
| Director: | Bob Bender |
 Episode Synopsis
 "Buck attempts to free a peaceful planet from the powerful grip of an evil warlord known as the Traybor. The terran leads a band of men into Traybor's fortress in hopes of freeing the women the alien has kidnapped, but the Traybor has a few special powers which may end Buck's career at any moment."
 "Buck is sent on what may be a one-way mission: he must overthrow the warlord ruler of a peaceful planet, not knowing that the Traybor possesses special powers that may bring his career to an abrupt end. Buck learns of the Traybor's abilities the hard way after leading a Defense Directorate attack force into Traybor's fortress in an attempt to free a prisoner."
Guest Cast
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Dr. Albert (Robert Lussier)
Colleague of Dr. Junius at the Earth Archives. Gives Wilma Deering the information she seeks on the Traybor.
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Darius (Keith Andes)
Prime Minister of Katar, father to Vionne and Maya. With the assistance of Buck Rogers, he led an attack on the fortress of the Traybor, who kidnapped and planned to add Maya to his many wives.
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Greta (Stephanie Blackmore)
Supposed favorite wife of the Traybor, who terrorized the planet of Katar. Greta suggested that the Traybor kill Buck Rogers to put down the assumption that Rogers was the Roshan, a man of myth who would defeat the Traybor.
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Karem (Francisco Lagueruela)
High ranking henchman of the Traybor of Katar. Karem followed the Traybor to the city of Ghan to meet Buck Rogers, the supposed Roshan, in a battle to the death.
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Kelan (Fred Sadoff)
Deputy Minister of Katar. Kelan was in league with the Traybor, and warned him of a pending attack on his fortress by Buck Rogers and a group of Katarian warriors.
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Maya (Heidi Bohay)
Young daughter of Prime Minister Darius of Katar, sister of Vionne. Maya was kidnapped and scheduled to become one of the many wives of the Traybor.
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Neil (Edward Power)
Deputy Minister of Katar. Believed that Buck Rogers was the Roshan, a mythical man that was 500 years old who would defeat the Traybor. He traveled to Earth and set up an elaborate scheme to bring Rogers to his home planet. The Traybor terrorized the Katarians by killing their best warriors and kindnapping the women.
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Traybor (William Smith)
Ruthless dictator type on the planet of Katar. The Traybor spent years on the planet Volton with beings that existed solely as electrical energy. Implants under his skin allow him to hurl surges of electricity at his victims. He terrorizes the Katarians by killing their best warriors and stealing their women. It is said that a mythical being that is over 500 years old, The Roshan, is the only thing that can defeat the Traybor. Buck Rogers is mistakenly (or not) believed to be The Roshan.
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Vionne (Elizabeth Stack)
Daughter of Prime Minister Darius of Katar, sister of Maya. Vionne was very thankful to Buck Rogers for his assistance in fighting the Traybor and rescuing her sister from his fortress.
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Fan Reviews |
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Average Fan Review
 
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Reviewer: Susan Kite
Submitted: April 14, 2004
I really liked this episode. It was formula, but it was still plausible. It moved right along, the action was fast and furious.
All anyone needs to do in the 25th century to get Buck to help is to send in a pretty, innocent-looking girl with a sad story and he is like putty.
The basic plot is this: It seems that the only way to rally the people of Katar to despose the tyrannical dictator, the Traybor is to enlist the help of someone that fits the description of their legendary Roshan, a 500 year old man. Guess who that is? While Buck is tricked into visiting the planet, he is soon brought into the plot by the above mentioned method.
Buck and other Katarian leaders decide that the best offense is just that, hit the Traybor's stronghold (that mountain palace was one cool special effect, btw) to rescue the women that the Traybor has kidnapped for his harem. In the end Buck uses his 20th century knowledge to defeat the Traybor. Vionne was very grateful indeed, for Buck's help, getting two kisses from our hero. And those were two of the best lip-locks of the entire season, I believe. Twiki got some excellent lines and action in this one, too.
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Reviewer: Mark Weller
Submitted: August 26, 2002
A standard fare Buck episode, with lots of action, this one is enjoyable to watch. Keith Andres (who once played Akuta in an episode of Star Trek) is interesting as the Prime Minister, and William Smith (who once played a Gladiator in the Planet of the Apes TV series) is great as the Traybor. (Note: the Traybor is not to be confused with the Taybor of Space:1999). Buck initially resists getting involved but once again is convinced by the pleas of the sad heroine. Buck not only gets the girl in this one - but kisses her twice. (Yes, a rare two kiss episode!) Dr. Theopolis did not appear in this one, a sign of things to come as this character was completely absent from the second season. Twiki, of course, fills the gap. Four stars.
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Reviewer: Kent Lyle
Submitted: June 20, 2005
I have to disagree with the other reviewers on this episode. It was amazingly dull, and seemed to be pulling from the same hat of tricks we had seen in previous episodes.
Buck Rogers was never known for great dialogue, but this show was so bad that some of it was unintentionally funny (think Ed Wood). I winced when the victorious Buck proclaimed "I am not the Roshan - you are." And just who was he talking to? All I could see on the video screen was a matte painting of what resembled a chemical refinery. Not a single spectator, or even canned applause.
To make matters worse, the acting is unusually bad. Not only does Gerard seem half-hearted, but the guest stars seem to deliver cue card lines. The two "pretty girl" guests are poorly overdubbed, with Maya being the worse offender. I couldn't make myself care about these people or their plight.
The bright spot is the exchange between Wilma and Dr. Albert, the one guy who actually seems to be having fun. Still, I have trouble seeing a scientist confuse a hairdryer for an early laser gun - how hard could it be to reverse engineer the thing?
Also - no one has used electricity for 400 years? One of the most fundamental forms of energy in nature? Very weak plot point, especially since we see various people/drones soldering circuits together in other episodes. In fact, they could have gotten one of the seven dwarves from "Shgoratchx!" to fight the Traybor. After all, they are naturally grounded.
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