Buck Rogers in the 25th Century backdrop
Action & Adventure•Sci-Fi & Fantasy

The Best Episodes of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Every episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century!

Binge this in 1d 12h•Peaking at 7.5/10

20th-century astronaut Buck Rogers awakens in the 25th century after a freak accident puts him in suspended animation for 500 years. Upon returning to Earth and discovering the planet is recovering from a nuclear war,

Airs on
NBC
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons2

All12

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 12 - Testimony of a Traitor
    7.5/10(2 votes)

    S2:E12

    An ancient videotape is discovered that proves that Buck was involved in the nuclear holocaust that nearly destroyed the Earth hundreds of years before. Commissioner Bergstrom convenes a war crimes trial aboard the Searcher and, if Buck is found guilty, faces a death sentence. In a desperate attempt to clear himself, Buck agrees to another mind probe, but his memories seem to confirm the charges.

    Director:Bernard McEveety
    Writer:Stephen McPherson

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 1 - Awakening (1)
    7.3/10(502 votes)

    S1:E1

    In the year 1987, NASA launched space probe Ranger III, with astronaut William "Buck" Rogers, on a 5-month trip around the solar system. However, the craft runs into a meteor storm, which disrupts its life support system and sends it into a long elliptical orbit of the Earth. In the year 2491, Ranger III again approaches the Earth, and is intercepted by the alien flagship Draconia, which is on a peace mission to Earth. Aboard the Draconia, Buck is revived by Princess Ardala and her second-in- command, Kane, whose true plan is to attack and conquer Earth. Buck is sent to Earth with a hidden homing device, which is soon discovered by Earth's Defense Directorate. After Buck convinces the humans of his true identity -- a man from the past -- he helps them to repel the Draconians' attack, with the aid of the mechanoids Dr. Theopolis and Twiki.

    Director:Daniel Haller
    Writers:Glen A. Larson, Leslie Stevens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 4 - Planet of the Slave Girls (2)
    7.3/10(344 votes)

    S1:E4

    Most of Earth's defense squadron becomes incapacitated after ingesting poisoned food discs. Buck travels to the planet of the food's origin, Vistula, with Wilma and flight instructor Duke Danton (Groh), an old boyfriend of Wilma's. On the planet, they trace the plot to a man named Kaleel (Palance) who has been selling slaves to the planet's governor (McDowall) and secretly building an attack fleet. With so few fighter pilots, Earth's defense force is now outnumbered 10-to-1. Buck must rescue Wilma from Kaleel's mountain fortress and destroy the fleet before they can reach Earth. This episode was initially aired as

    Director:Michael Caffey
    Writers:Steve Greenberg, Aubrey Solomon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 5 - Vegas in Space
    7.3/10(306 votes)

    S1:E5

    Buck is sent to the gambling city Sinaloa with Directorate special agent Marla Landers to rescue a young woman who has been kidnapped by the city's ruler, Velosi. Velosi plans to extract some information from the woman's mind in order to destroy one of his competitors. The information involves plans for the Draconian Hatchet fighters, which have been plaguing Earth's defense forces.

    Director:Sigmund Neufeld Jr.
    Writer:Anne Collins

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 23 - Flight of the War Witch (1)
    7.3/10(3 votes)

    S1:E23

    Buck journeys through a space warp into another universe, where he discovers that the peaceful planet Pendar is being threatened by the sinister war witch Zarina. The Pendarans enlist the aid of Buck and Princess Ardala, who had followed Buck through the space warp, and an unsteady alliance between the humans and Draconians is formed as Buck leads a combined fleet against Zarina's battlecruiser.

    Director:Larry Stewart
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 2 - Awakening (2)
    7.1/10(446 votes)

    S1:E2

    In the year 1987, NASA launched space probe Ranger III, with astronaut William ""Buck" Rogers, on a 5-month trip around the solar system. However, the craft runs into a meteor storm, which disrupts its life support system and sends it into a long elliptical orbit of the Earth. In the year 2491, Ranger III again approaches the Earth, and is intercepted by the alien flagship Draconia, which is on a peace mission to Earth. Aboard the Draconia, Buck is revived by Princess Ardala and her second-in- command, Kane, whose true plan is to attack and conquer Earth. Buck is sent to Earth with a hidden homing device, which is soon discovered by Earth's Defense Directorate. After Buck convinces the humans of his true identity -- a man from the past -- he helps them to repel the Draconians' attack, with the aid of the mechanoids Dr. Theopolis and Twiki.

    Director:Daniel Haller
    Writers:Glen A. Larson, Leslie Stevens

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

    READ
  7. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 6 - The Plot to Kill a City (1)
    7.1/10(313 votes)

    S1:E6

    After a Defense Directorate agent kills a member of a group of interstellar assassins, they plot to take their revenge on the city of New Chicago. Buck masquerades as an assassin and joins the group, but is soon uncovered. He must now, not only escape from the assassins, but also stop them from detonating New Chicago's matter/antimatter energy plant.

    Director:Dick Lowry
    Writer:Alan Brennert

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 12 - Escape From Wedded Bliss
    7.1/10(353 votes)

    S1:E12

    Princess Ardala returns to try to make Buck, who she considers the most genetically perfect male in the galaxy, her husband. With a powerful weapon poised in Earth orbit, she commands Earth's leaders to turn Buck Rogers over to her or else...

    Director:David Moessinger
    Writer:Anne Collins

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 7 - The Plot to Kill a City (2)
    7.0/10(332 votes)

    S1:E7

    After a Defense Directorate agent kills a member of a group of interstellar assassins, they plot to take their revenge on the city of New Chicago. Buck masquerades as an assassin and joins the group, but is soon uncovered. He must now, not only escape from the assassins, but also stop them from detonating New Chicago's matter/antimatter energy plant.

    Director:Dick Lowry
    Writer:Alan Brennert

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 21 - Space Rockers
    7.0/10(272 votes)

    S1:E21

    The evil Lars Mangros plans to broadcast a subliminal signal during the next performance of the rock group Andromeda that will cause the youth of the galaxy to riot. Buck infiltrates Musicworld, where the broadcast will originate, in an attempt to stop the madman from destroying the galaxy's cities.

    Director:Guy Magar
    Writers:Allan Cole, Chris Bunch

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 22 - Buck's Duel to the Death
    7.0/10(2 votes)

    S1:E22

    Buck attempts to free a peaceful planet from the powerful grip of an evil warlord known as the Traybor. He leads a band of men into Traybor's fortress in the hope of freeing the women the alien has kidnapped, but Traybor has a few special powers that may end Buck's career at any moment.

    Director:Bob Bender
    Writer:Rob Gilmer

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 10 - Shgoratchx!
    7.0/10(209 votes)

    S2:E10

    Buck is ordered to explore a derelict spaceship that the Searcher encounters, and finds it filled with solar bombs and crewed by seven little men. They are escorted back to the Searcher and Admiral Asimov takes their ship in tow to a place where the bombs can be safely detonated. Assuming the little men can cause no real harm, Buck places them in the care of Wilma; but the little men have never seen a woman before and are intent on finding out what all of the "funny little bumps" are.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:William Keys

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 11 - Cosmic Whiz Kid
    6.9/10(313 votes)

    S1:E11

    Hieronymous Fox, an 11-year-old child genius from the 20th Century is kidnapped for ransom by the sinister Roderick Zale. The boy is the President of the planet Genesia and his bodyguard fears that he will be killed because they cannot meet the ransom demand. Buck, Wilma, and the bodyguard then make separate attempts to rescue the boy.

    Director:Leslie H. Martinson
    Writer:Alan Brennert

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 11 - The Hand of the Goral
    6.9/10(198 votes)

    S2:E11

    Buck, Wilma, and Hawk explore a strange planet and come across the wreckage of a spacecraft and its lone survivor. He is taken back to the Searcher by Wilma, while Buck and Hawk continue to explore. After some unexplained happenings on the planet, they return to the Searcher, where they find that everyone has undergone personality changes -- becoming the opposite of their real selves. Buck soon learns that he can not even trust Wilma and Hawk to help him solve the mystery of what has happened.

    Director:David G. Phinney
    Writer:Francis Moss

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 15 - Happy Birthday, Buck
    6.8/10(251 votes)

    S1:E15

    It's Buck Roger's 534th birthday, and Wilma and Dr. Huer plan a surprise party to cheer up the homesick astronaut. Wilma arranges to get Buck "out of the way" by having him accompany Dr. Huer's assistant to New Detroit with the doctor's business schedule. Meanwhile, a man who is plotting revenge against Huer attempts to gain access to the schedule from the assistant so that he can ambush and kill Dr. Huer.

    Director:Sigmund Neufeld Jr.
    Writer:Martin Pasko

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 18 - Twiki is Missing
    6.8/10(258 votes)

    S1:E18

    Twiki is kidnapped by the evil ruler of a mining colony who, faced with an uprising of the mine workers, plans to make duplicates of the mechanoid to work the mines. While in the mines attempting to rescue Twiki, Buck discovers something that will help Earth destroy a 10-ton ice asteroid that is on a collision course with Earth.

    Director:Sigmund Neufeld Jr.
    Writer:Jaron Summers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 3 - Planet of the Slave Girls (1)
    6.7/10(370 votes)

    S1:E3

    Most of Earth's defense squadron becomes incapacitated after ingesting poisoned food discs. Buck travels to the planet of the food's origin, Vistula, with Wilma and flight instructor Duke Danton, an old boyfriend of Wilma's. On the planet, they trace the plot to a man named Kaleel who has been selling slaves to the planet's governor and secretly building an attack fleet. With so few fighter pilots, Earth's defense force is now outnumbered 10-to-1. Buck must rescue Wilma from Kaleel's mountain fortress and destroy the fleet before they can reach Earth. This episode was initially aired as a two hour special.

    Director:Michael Caffey
    Writers:Steve Greenberg, Aubrey Solomon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 8 - Return of the Fighting 69th
    6.7/10(302 votes)

    S1:E8

    Some time before Buck Roger's arrival, Col. Wilma Deering had set out to capture two interstellar gun runners. A fire in their spacecraft left them disfigured and they now set out to take their revenge on Wilma and Earth. Capturing a freighter with 20th Century chemical weapons, they plan to poison the planet's atmosphere. With the aid of retired members of the Earth Defense Directorate's 69th Squadron, Buck and Wilma attack the gun runners' base to destroy them and the chemical weapons.

    Director:Philip Leacock
    Writer:David Bennett Carren

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 1 - Time of the Hawk (1)
    6.7/10(264 votes)

    S2:E1

    Buck, Wilma, and Twiki set off into deep space aboard the Searcher, a starship on a mission to find the lost tribes of Earth -- humans who fled to the stars after a nuclear holocaust that all but destroyed the planet. The Searcher encounters a severely-damaged spacecraft with one survivor, who tells them of a savage attack by a bird-man named Hawk. Searcher sets course for the planet where it is believed Hawk lives, and Buck soon becomes involved in a desperate battle of wits and piloting skills with Hawk. Hawk's mate, who was a passenger in Hawk's ship, is mortally wounded in the battle and Buck and Hawk form a shaky alliance to seek medical aid for her. Eventually, Hawk joins the crew of the Searcher, looking for others of his kind.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Norman Hudis

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 4 - Journey to Oasis (2)
    6.7/10(197 votes)

    S2:E4

    Hawk's first mission among the humans is to join Buck, Wilma, and Dr. Goodfellow in escorting Ambassador Duvoe to a peace conference that could avert a terrible galactic war. Crisis strikes as their shuttle passes through an electric storm and crashes in the desert. With contact with Searcher impossible, the party must travel by foot to Oasis, encountering savage mutants and a mischievous gnome named ODX.

    Director:Daniel Haller
    Writers:Bob Mitchell, Esther Mitchell

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 20 - A Dream of Jennifer
    6.6/10(236 votes)

    S1:E20

    Buck is haunted by the appearance of a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to Jennifer, a woman who Buck left behind when he was propelled into the 25th Century. He follows her, finds out her name is Leila Markeson, and soon discovers that she was made to look like Jennifer in order to lure Buck into a trap set by an alien who wants Buck to stop a space freighter from delivering weapons to a planet his people hope to conquer. Buck gets Wilma to detonate a warhead to deceive the aliens into thinking the shipment is destroyed. Buck defeats the enemy, but loses Leila, and his lost love again, as she tearfully dies in his arms.

    Director:David G. Phinney
    Writer:Alan Brennert

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 13 - Cruise Ship to the Stars
    6.5/10(265 votes)

    S1:E13

    Murder and romance await Buck, Wilma, Theo and Twiki aboard the cruise ship Lyran Queen. Buck befriends a shy young girl (Beck) while investigating the attempted kidnapping of beauty queen Miss Cosmos (Stratten) by a woman (Noble) with superpowers. To his surprise, Buck learns the true identity of the mystery woman as he seeks the location of Miss Cosmos before a deadly dissection laser kills her.

    Director:Sigmund Neufeld Jr.
    Writer:Alan Brennert

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 1 Episode 16 - A Blast for Buck
    6.5/10(240 votes)

    S1:E16

    To discover the secret behind a terrifying riddle presented to him, Buck subjects himself to a mind probe in an attempt to find out who is responsible for the mysterious objects being transported into the Defense Directorate's building.

    Director:David G. Phinney
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 3 - Journey to Oasis (1)
    6.5/10(216 votes)

    S2:E3

    Hawk's first mission among the humans is to join Buck, Wilma, and Dr. Goodfellow in escorting Ambassador Duvoe to a peace conference that could avert a terrible galactic war. Crisis strikes as their shuttle passes through an electric storm and crashes in the desert. With contact with Searcher impossible, the party must travel by foot to Oasis, encountering savage mutants and a mischievous gnome named ODX.

    Director:Daniel Haller
    Writers:Bob Mitchell, Esther Mitchell

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Season 2 Episode 9 - The Satyr
    6.5/10(188 votes)

    S2:E9

    Buck and Twiki come across the survivors of a failed colony, a young widow and her son. The woman tells Buck that the other colonists all fled the planet as the result of a plague. Buck is confused by the woman's refusal to leave the planet despite being repeatedly being menaced by a goat-man named Pangor; but he soon discovers the truth about the plague when he contracts it and begins to turn into a goat-man himself.

    Director:Victor French
    Writers:Paul Schneider, Margaret Schneider

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Testimony of a Traitor" is the best rated episode of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century". It scored 7.5/10 based on 2 votes. Directed by Bernard McEveety and written by Stephen McPherson, it aired on 4/9/1981. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Awakening (1)".