The 26th Century

Well, I had mentioned in the Star Port that I had just finished the first episode of Buck Rogers in the Twenty-Sixth Century, and was told that it was quite alright for review threads to be posted here, so I figured that I might as well say what I want to say here.

After reading episode 1, I really enjoyed the "impending war" scenario at the end, because it really gives any series a stable evil entity that can be developed and thwarted many times again. It was very exciting, and I really enjoyed the entire experience, especially because I could see the characters developing just in the episode. First episodes are always hard, because a person has to set the basis for the entire series, introduce the characters, and still maintain a conflict that won't get to in depth at this point. I think that you did a really good job in that respect.

My one question, never having saw the original Buck Rogers, is this: did Buck Rogers in the 26th century happen, according to the story, and are these the same characters from the original series, or have you created a brand new cast?

Anyways, I'm already about 1/3 done with the 2nd episode, so if I do happen to have something to say about it, then I'll probably just reply to this thread.

ohboy wrote:Well, I had mentioned in the Star Port that I had just finished the first episode of Buck Rogers in the Twenty-Sixth Century, and was told that it was quite alright for review threads to be posted here, so I figured that I might as well say what I want to say here.

After reading episode 1, I really enjoyed the "impending war" scenario at the end, because it really gives any series a stable evil entity that can be developed and thwarted many times again. It was very exciting, and I really enjoyed the entire experience, especially because I could see the characters developing just in the episode. First episodes are always hard, because a person has to set the basis for the entire series, introduce the characters, and still maintain a conflict that won't get to in depth at this point. I think that you did a really good job in that respect.

My one question, never having saw the original Buck Rogers, is this: did Buck Rogers in the 26th century happen, according to the story, and are these the same characters from the original series, or have you created a brand new cast?

Anyways, I'm already about 1/3 done with the 2nd episode, so if I do happen to have something to say about it, then I'll probably just reply to this thread.

The original copyrighted version is called 'Buck Rogers in the 25th Century' . For the virtual series I just changed it to '26th Century' because it's now the 21st century and the idea started last century, this was to keep up with the five hundred years idea.

When coming up with the plot and I spoke up some about this earlier but some time ago, well well before you came here. I had only watched the second TV series Buck Rogers and didn't know of the other ways it had been written before that Buck had come to live in the 25th century. I took the idea from the TV series plot and tried to update it into how such a fantastic idea happen might in writing now. Developing the idea took months starting, Sept. 22, '05 into mid-March '06. The simple simple idea for the re-imaging of the 25th Century plot was only a hair of what it developed into. I wanted to give people a good idea fast of what Buck's new life in the 26th Century would have in store for him. Use characters that I felt could have been used more in the TV series and change them so they'd fit into the new idea while still using some of their original idea as a basis to them in this series. To some difference between plots since you haven't seen what this was based on. Major Dantin and Hieronymous Fox weren't in the plot and were minor characters to the 25th Century series. I've written them popping up more than once in the series and both have been given more defined roles. Buck's girl friend Jennifer also wasn't in the plot. She's also come up more than once since along with Buck's brother that I swear I did not know at the time had ever been written for the 25th Century when I came up with him. In the TV series, Saurians and Therbidian Crystals didn't come in until the second season. That second episode your reading. Since this is all new to you I think I should mention the Candos and Humdos were never in any copyrighted version of Buck Rogers. They're an invention that was meant for an episode of a real TV series that never came to pass. The Draconian Empire was in the 25th Century series and did play a much bigger role in that series. In the 26th Century series they've become a well known villain but not a much used one. If you like the idea of a war scenario being cooked up, you'll like what comes into plane sight for every one when reading 'Red Skies & Metamorphosis'. The villains that at point become fully shown and are meant to be a big threat.

Thanks to all the work I've been putting into the 80th anniversary page. I know where you can watch the original plot. Would you like the links ?



Erin

systemcat wrote:Thanks to all the work I've been putting into the 80th anniversary page. I know where you can watch the original plot. Would you like the links ?
Erin

That would be wonderful. I can't wait to see the 80th anniversary page this Friday (if I'm not confusing it with something else). Of course, since you'll probably have it up by midnight, I won't be around to see it unveiled .

Unless, of course, I'm not talking about what I think it is, in which case you can yell at me for not paying attention

ohboy wrote:

systemcat wrote:Thanks to all the work I've been putting into the 80th anniversary page. I know where you can watch the original plot. Would you like the links ?
Erin

That would be wonderful. I can't wait to see the 80th anniversary page this Friday (if I'm not confusing it with something else). Of course, since you'll probably have it up by midnight, I won't be around to see it unveiled .

Unless, of course, I'm not talking about what I think it is, in which case you can yell at me for not paying attention

part 1
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v65004083NnNG9zC
part 2
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v6500412Gzhsd2rP


You've been paying attention . The only other thing I can think of that makes 80 years soon is once I think I remember reading the comic strip for Tarzan came out at about the same time but I don't run a site for that .


Erin

Thanks for the links systemcat.

graylady

Well, I just finished the second episode. It was a rather nice episode, and did deal with the issue of slavery very well. It was nice at the end how the alien was able to get freedom, and there were more rights to the Candos. Also, I could notice more character development on the parts of Buck, Fox, Wilma, and even Dr. Huer. What Twiki said at the end about the wedgie, and his new attitude, was humorous indeed.

The only small gripe I had was at the end of Act 2. I thought that it would have worked better to have actually described the plane chase as Buck and company were chasing the stowaways, rather than just cut straight from finding out about it to the Candos being held captive. Just my opinion, though.

However, overall, the episode had many funny scenes, and, I did feel happy in the end for the oppressed slaves.

Welcome and there's a lot more where that came from on the same site .
( a post just happened as this one was made ) <edit>
It was a rather fast paced episode and one for the record books in that sense of writing it. Think I'll have to reread it cause it's been a while since looking at it but I remember only writing Fox going after the stowaway. True there were two of them, um this episode is one of those episodes that helped and still continues to get used in information with the series. Great that you liked it. Wish I could post more right now but I have an HTML file to upload and link to make .

Erin

I just finished episode 3, and it was very enjoyable. I thought that the beginning bit where the flashback to the 1980's took place was very creative and set the mood for the story well. Took me a minute to remember Theopolis, who I believe was in the first episode.

However, I had a question, more about the script language than the episode proper. What is a "Pov."? I read it, but it didn't seem to make sense, and I assume that it was scripting language that I wasn't aware of.

I didn't state it correctly in the episode, "Pov" should be "POV". It's a script term that means 'Point Of View'. Like that fact you liked the story , in email it got mixed reviews so even now I've never too sure how people will receive it.


Erin

Episode 4 certainly started out interesting with the ship in the bottle. Honestly, I sort of thought the culprit was a little fishy, so I guess "it" was working with the Draconian Empire (trying not to spoil the ending). Another thing that I really noticed throughout was that just about every major character at some point underwent a long external monologue, usually talking about Buck's character. Was that intentional?

Also, in the ending, what happened to Fox? All they said was that he was threatened. Or that be in episode 5, because I think that should tie in to episode 4. Just a guess, from reading the previews.

ohboy wrote:Episode 4 certainly started out interesting with the ship in the bottle. Honestly, I sort of thought the culprit was a little fishy, so I guess "it" was working with the Draconian Empire (trying not to spoil the ending). Another thing that I really noticed throughout was that just about every major character at some point underwent a long external monologue, usually talking about Buck's character. Was that intentional?

Also, in the ending, what happened to Fox? All they said was that he was threatened. Or that be in episode 5, because I think that should tie in to episode 4. Just a guess, from reading the previews.

It was intentional. The story was meant to be focused on character development more than any thing. Episode four was the first episode I wrote with a lead-in to the next even if it was faint in this case but concerning Fox. That doesn't get resolved until episode six around it's start.


Erin

You know, as I'm halfway through episode 5, I've noticed that Buck Rogers, at least in my opinion, is a lot like Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap. I just kind of seen that he was placed in a situation entirely new to him, and believes in justice and equality for all, despite the overwhelming prejudices of the general population around him. I sort of thought of that after mentioning the monologues of episode 4.

Of course, if you've never seen Quantum Leap, then chances are you don't know what I'm talking about. But I've seen enough people on this website to that I've seen on a QL fansite to think that most people know what I'm referencing.

I don't know why I brought that up , but I figured that I'd throw that out there anyways.

ohboy wrote:You know, as I'm halfway through episode 5, I've noticed that Buck Rogers, at least in my opinion, is a lot like Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap. I just kind of seen that he was placed in a situation entirely new to him, and believes in justice and equality for all, despite the overwhelming prejudices of the general population around him. I sort of thought of that after mentioning the monologues of episode 4.

Of course, if you've never seen Quantum Leap, then chances are you don't know what I'm talking about. But I've seen enough people on this website to that I've seen on a QL fansite to think that most people know what I'm referencing.

I don't know why I brought that up , but I figured that I'd throw that out there anyways.

Comparing Buck Rogers to Sam Beckett is some thing I never thought of. When I write Buck I think about what history is behind the character in this series and how he is for the basics of the character ,'a comic book hero'. They do have common personality traits now that you've pointed it out but unlike when writing episode 4 this wasn't intensional. In episode 5 there's one scene that could have been used in a Quantum Leap episode but the scene was written for a touch of humor with playing off "Mark of the Saurian". It was only after writing the scene I caught it could have swung the other way. Episode 7 has a scene that also looks like it could have easily fit into the other show. But the whole purpose of the scene was to write Buck being caught completely off guard by a new situation, no connection but it sure looks it .


Erin

Now this was quite an interesting episode, at least in my opinion. It took me a while to realize that they were in cloaking devices, and hence the introduction threw me off a little. I don't know for sure, but this was one episode that I really think I'd have to see televised to fully understand... In print, it jumped around a little to much for me, but in television, it would probably provide a fast-paced plot.

By the way, were these meant for hour or half-hour episodes?

ohboy wrote:Now this was quite an interesting episode, at least in my opinion. It took me a while to realize that they were in cloaking devices, and hence the introduction threw me off a little. I don't know for sure, but this was one episode that I really think I'd have to see televised to fully understand... In print, it jumped around a little to much for me, but in television, it would probably provide a fast-paced plot.

By the way, were these meant for hour or half-hour episodes?

Thanks again about the nice review .

They're meant to be hour long episodes but then again no one has ever put it to film. The offer was given once about it going to film but I couldn't get in contact with the right person right. ..Worried me a little the people offering thought I was talking about a movie and not a TV episode.

Guys I'm still on the look out if any one is interested. Camcorder or webcam, if you or you and some friends can act out a scene, act, or episode ( 26th Century ). I'll host the video on this site for people to watch & download .


Erin