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[ 36 ] Testimony of a Traitor
| Season: | 2 |
| Date Aired U.S.: | Thursday, April 09, 1981 |
| Writer(s): | Stephen McPherson |
| Director: | Bernard McEveety |
 Episode Synopsis
 "It appears that Buck may have been at least partly responsible for the nuclear holocaust that nearly destroyed the Earth. A recently-found video tape from the 20th century provides enough evidence for Commissioner Bergstrom to start a war crime trial against Buck, who will be put to death if found guilty. In order to prove his innocence, Buck once again is placed under the mind probe, where his memories only seem to further indicate his guilt."
Guest Cast
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General Artheim
Presiding officer at the hearing to determine if the video evidence obtained is sufficient in convicting Buck Rogers of high treason, a crime punishable by death. Artheim allows Rogers significant use of the Optical Engram Imager (OEI) or memory probe in his attempt to prove his innocence. The OEI, however, seems to provide even more evidence to the contrary.
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Commissioner Bergstrom (Ramon Bieri)
War Crimes prosecutor for the Alliance Judiciary Council. Bergstrom leads the prosecution against Buck Rogers when evidence is dicovered that he played a major role in the Holocaust that nearly wiped out the planet Earth. The charge was given as high treason, which carried a mandatory death sentence.
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Crawford (Thomas Bellin)
Caretaker at Earth's Mt. Rushmore monument. Crawford grants access to the President's bunker to Buck Rogers and Colonel Wilma Deering, in their quest to find out why Buck has been having strong memory flashes of one of few surviving monuments of the Holocaust. Only the Aztec ruins in Mexico and the pyramids of Egypt survived as well.
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Preston C. Myers (William Sylvester)
General, United States Air Force, 20th century. Vice Commander of Tactical Air Command and head of a rouge group of air force personnel who desired to launch a pre-emptive strike against their enemies using the country's ICBMs. He recruited Buck Rogers to infiltrate the Strategic Air Command headquaters to obtain the codes necessary to launch the offensive. Unknown to Myers, Rogers had been hypnotized under order of the President of the United States to infiltrate this rogue group.
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General Orr
General, United States Air Force. 20th century military commander who explains the procedure of hypnosis that will be used on Captain Buck Rogers in order for him to infiltrate a group of rogue military personnel.
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Jim Peterson (John O'Connell)
Major, United States Air Force, 20th century. Peterson implicates Buck Rogers in the Holocaust that nearly destroyed the Earth. His testimony is found in an ancient videotape that is discovered in the 25th century. He was the best friend of Captian William 'Buck' Rogers.
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President of the U.S.
President in office at the time of the Holocaust on Earth. The President recruited Buck Rogers in his secret bunker at Mt. Rushmore to infiltrate a group of rogue military personnel bent on launching a pre-emptive strike against their enemies.
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Fan Reviews |
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Average Fan Review
 
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Reviewer: Mark Weller
Submitted: August 11, 2002
A very unusual episode, and a compelling one. For one thing, this second season episode takes place at Earth! Written by Stephen McPherson, the Executive Story Consultant, there is a consistency of characterization in the episode which is believable and interesting. A rather dark episode, dwelling as it does on the events leading up to the nuclear holocaust on Earth, it has some legitimately scary segments - such as videotaped testimony of a doomed official at NORAD minutes before the final nuclear attack. One slight criticism - in this important trial, where Buck needs charcter witnesses, which is politically very charged, why doesn't Buck's chum Dr. Theopolis, the ex-offico member of the ruling Computer Council, or Dr. Huer the head of the Earth Defense Directorate bother to show up? A throwaway line indicating they had faxed in their support would have been sufficient to tie this loose thread up. Solid episode.
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Reviewer: Rebecca
Submitted: August 20, 2002
Buck is put on trial for being part of the plot which caused the holocaust in 1987, after the discovery of 'ancient' video evidence.
This is my fave second season episode, the storyline has a nice 'link' back to the 20th Century, which sees Buck in clandestine meetings with the US President and high ranking Airforce officers.
Interesting to have a glimpse at what went on in Buck's Military life pre-25th Century. I like the elements of Buck facing his past and emotions.
Could he really be the bad guy? Only his 'hidden memories' hold the key.
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Reviewer: Susan Kite
Submitted: March 26, 2004
I finally sat down and watched this episode after numerous attempts, rewatched it, enjoying it thoroughly both times.
Testimony is a fairly simple plot, but still intriguing. It was very interesting to see the metamorphosis from angry disbelief to despairing resignation in Buck. His line when they all but set the date of his execution, "Well, that's it then," held volumes. And the "I guess I am a traitor" and his half hearted "I don't know" when Wilma and Hawk protest his claim of guilt is poignant. Buck feels deeply that he wouldn't do something like that, but he has seen what is deep in his mind just as the others have. It is Hawk's interpretation of the flashback that changes the tenor of the 'action' and sets the stage for Buck's exoneration.
Despite the pristine nature of Rushmore after 500 years, the lack of Huer and Theo's appearance-- these are minor things and this was a top notch story with little or no side trips into the sublimely ridiculous. Crichton was Crichton, but he was not overly obnoxious, doggone if he was almost solicitous. Mel Blanc was Twiki's voice, Hawk got to nail a starfighter (good ol' days, eh?) and all was right with the world.
And Buck and Wilma kissed!!! Missed that the first time. Ha!!
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Reviewer: David Naks
Submitted: January 26, 2006
Cool episode because we get into Earth history. The Jim Peterson tape shows a mesh between civilized old-Earth and post-apocalyptic Earth.
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