TW Watches Buck Rogers: The Plot To Kill A City S01E06

By Owen Quinn author photos copyright Universal

In this episode, we really get to see what it means to be a part of the Earth Defence Directorate. When a huge threat emerges and Buck sees for himself a terrorist attack which nearly destroys Twikki, he signs up to help. Buck must assume the identity of Raphael Argus, a reknowned assassin in order to infiltrate the Legion of Death, a group that intends to wipe out an entire city with a matter/antimatter explosion as a final retribution. Argus was on his way to be initiated into the Legion but none of them know what he looks like, he is that devious. The stakes are high. Buck and Wilma are assigned to go undercover and Doctor Huer admits one of them is unlikely to survive this mission.

An agent of the Directorate killed a member of the Legion in self-defence and so they are willing to murder millions to make a point. Their target is the capital city, New Chicago. This episode is a high quality one and one that could have shaped the entire future of the show as Buck becomes a 24th century secret agent.

Indeed, we will later discover in the second season episode Testimony of a Traitor that Buck was actually an undercover agent at one point. He was sent by the President to infiltrate a terrorist group intent on triggering World War 3. His memories were messed with so he couldn’t remember and narrowly avoids the death penalty. So his disguise in this episode is old hat to him, even if he doesn’t realise it.

This episode feels very comic book too given the assorted array of super villains that make up the Legion. The cast is impressive amd none take a camp tone. It is all played straight down the line. If you want to make the audience believe who these are villains then they have to be scary on screen. The only lightness and humour is from Twikki, Buck and Wilma. It can also be found in Wilma’s battle for Buck between her and his ship’s overzealous female computer. A battle of bitches like you’ve never seen before.

Their leader was played by the Riddler, himself, Frank Gorshin. As Seton Kellogg, he brings a weight to the role. He is callous, calculating and with just one look, there is no doubt he would cut your throat and blame a butterfly’s wings.

Also in the cast is John Quade. Playing Jolen Quince, Quade was a highly respected actor famed for playing loveable thugs and villains. He appeared in the Bionic Woman episode the Night Demon but gained international fame as Cholla, the leader of a bike gang and nemesis to Clint Eastwood’s bare knuckled fighter in Every Which Way You can and its sequel. The gang still stand today as one of the funniest on the big screen with their hapless escapades only to be thwarted by Eastwood and Clyde the orangutan. But here, there is no humour. As the villainous Quince, he is as cold as Kellogg. He comes from a high gravity planet here humans have developed telekinetic powers but falls for the charms of Wilma Deering (Erin Grey).

Aside from the deadly empath Cherice who doesn’t trust Argus, Marcus, Robert Tessier, the man who feels no pain, the other most significant member is the tragic Varek (Anthony James). He comes from a planet that was hit by a nuclear war but wears a mask to hide his deformed face, his species forever changed by the radiation. Varek also has the power to walk through solid matter by altering his molecular density.

Buck and Wilma are up against powerful beings. Buck encounters a rogue called Barney played by James Sloyan. Sloyan is well known to Star Trek fans with the Defector and Odo’s adoptive ‘father’ in Deep Space 9.

When Buck does finally meet the Legion, it’s just as well he is good looking and charming. Cherice has found an old girlfriend of Argus, Joella, whom she invites to meet her old boyfriend. Liking what she sees, Joella pretends that Buck is Argus. She is impressed with his thumbs up. A problem we all share guys.

But after a successful initiation by the Legion, Buck”s cover is blown as Barney appears and rats him out. So ends part one as Buck looks helpless as Wilma is forced to leave him behind.

This episode is Buck’s version of Spiderman’s Sinister Six and X-Men’s Hellfire Club. The episode is taut, moving all the players into position, revealing the story in layers. Frank Gorshin is outstanding as Kellogg. His view of the New Chicago massacre is that it’s a massive experiment as Varek reminds them they have no way of knowing the effects of such a large detonation. His existence is a daily reminder of such devastation which may make him the weak link in the chain. The characters are well rounded bar Cherice who just comes across as slightly insane instead of cool and calculating for an empath.

If ever there as a comic book crossover, this was it. It would have been great to explore the Legion in further seasons but since the producers decided to do a Star Trek make over for season two, this never came to pass as the show was swiftly cancelled. But if you want a good example of enjoyable sci-fi action with a sprinkle of super villains, then the Plot to Kill a City is most definitely it.