Buck Rogers (an unusually phlegmatic Gil Gerard) subjects himself to a mind probe in order to find out who is responsible for the mysterious objects being sent to the Defense Directorate's building. Director David G. Phinney, working from a talky and uninspired script by Dick Nelson, crucially fails to generate any tension or momentum, thereby ensuring that this show is a real tedious slog from limp start to lame finish. Worse yet, the blah story ain't much of a grabber and the whole thing just reeks of cheapness. The use of clips from previous better episodes makes this insipid affair come across like a cut-rate "greatest hits" compilation done by K-Tel. The silly big surprise ending doesn't help matters any. On the plus side, the always gorgeous Erin Gray looks quite yummy in a tight'n'clingy red spandex jumpsuit and Gary Coleman briefly enlivens the dull proceedings with a last reel appearance as precocious child genius Heironymous Fox, but overall this one rates as a definite low point of the first season.
Review of A Blast for Buck
