Sixteen years after appearing as a pop singer in her original incarnation as teenybopper Patsy Ann Noble in Lance Comfort's 'Live It Up!' (1963), and thirteen years after becoming a sweetly amoral femme fatale in 'Death is a Woman' (1966), Trisha Noble (as she now was) makes an electrifying transformation into malevolent alta ego Sabrina in big hair, big boots and a tiny dress as evil personified. Super awesome!!
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV Series)
Cruise Ship to the Stars (1979)
User Reviews
Review this title13 Reviews
Buck and Wilma board luxury starship to protect Miss Cosmos, genetically perfect woman
jefffisher65-708-54115812 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Cruise ship to the Stars is an okay episode of Buck Rogers in the Twnty-Fifth Century marked by the ill-fated Dorothy Stratten's appearance as the stunning beautiful Miss Cosmos, who is pursued by kidnappers planning to slice her luscious body up for sale on the black market due to her perfect genes. The writers maybe knew better, but it would have been far simpler to simply take some of her blood, and clone the genes from that rather than abduct, and murder Miss Cosmos, but then, there would have went the episode, of course.
Sabrina/Allison, a female Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde variation was an interesting touch, although they should indeed have used a single actress to do both arts - Ms. Noble is considerably better of the two actresses. It does show its 1970s cheesiness with the disco dancing, and clothing, but still makes for some mindless entertainment, and a bevy of gorgeous women around certainly dosen't hurt, at least for those of us who were teenage guys at the time, for sure.
Sabrina/Allison, a female Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde variation was an interesting touch, although they should indeed have used a single actress to do both arts - Ms. Noble is considerably better of the two actresses. It does show its 1970s cheesiness with the disco dancing, and clothing, but still makes for some mindless entertainment, and a bevy of gorgeous women around certainly dosen't hurt, at least for those of us who were teenage guys at the time, for sure.
The pitter-patter of little metal feet....
cpotato10102 December 2018
This episode opens with music that evokes The Love Boat theme music. Fitting, since most of the episode takes place on a space cruise ship.
Also, the music (but not the annoying sound effect) when Alison and Sabrina transform is also evocative of some of the Star Trek episodes such as Where No Man Has Gone Before.
At least when there are the transformations between Alison and Sabrina they keep the same clothes.
Trisha Nobel is the stand-out actress of this episode, she pretty much blows everyone else off the screen. Not that it was a very high bar to begin with.
However, all of her stunt scenes are horrible. There is no accredited stunt supervisor for this episode and it does not look like they were allowed any time to rehearse the stunts.
I do like one of the moments of humor, where Buck is describing the infatuation of Twiki with Tina to Dr. Huer. Tim O'Connor's reaction shot is priceless.
Also, the music (but not the annoying sound effect) when Alison and Sabrina transform is also evocative of some of the Star Trek episodes such as Where No Man Has Gone Before.
At least when there are the transformations between Alison and Sabrina they keep the same clothes.
Trisha Nobel is the stand-out actress of this episode, she pretty much blows everyone else off the screen. Not that it was a very high bar to begin with.
However, all of her stunt scenes are horrible. There is no accredited stunt supervisor for this episode and it does not look like they were allowed any time to rehearse the stunts.
I do like one of the moments of humor, where Buck is describing the infatuation of Twiki with Tina to Dr. Huer. Tim O'Connor's reaction shot is priceless.
An unmissable episode.
BA_Harrison24 November 2007
Another great episode from the first series, chock full of late 70s cheese, Cruise Ship To the Stars is particularly notable for the appearance of tragic Playboy playmate Dorothy Stratten, whose promising career was cut short two years later when she was killed by her estranged husband.
Stratten plays Miss Cosmos, an almost genetically perfect female who, whilst on a space cruise, becomes the target of two criminals (one of whom is super strong and can fire laser beams from her hand) who want to slice her body up with a laser, in order to sell it on the black market. Buck (Gil Gerard), Wilma (Erin Gray) and Twiki go undercover as passengers to try and stop the baddies from carrying out their ghastly plan.
Whilst on board, Buck meets Allison, a pretty passenger who suffers from blackouts and waking nightmares, who is on board with her boyfriend Jaior. But Allison is actually a transmutea mutant with two personalitiesand it is her alter-ego, Sabrina, who, along with Jaior, is planning on carving up the beauty queen for maximum profit.
With Stratton on board, the series' regular stunner Erin Gray has her work cut out for her getting noticed, but manages to do so (despite her awful wig) by first displaying her wonderful pins in a revealing dress, and then by indulging in a spot of crazy disco dancing whilst wearing what looks like a spotty shower curtain.
Also cutting the rug on the illuminated dance floor is Twiki, who gets his nuts in a twist over a gold ambuquad named Tina (whose catchphrase is 'Booty, booty, booty').
Meanwhile, Buck gets on with catching the villains by placing an order for some sonic pistols and ear-plugs (all will become clear by the end).
Stratten plays Miss Cosmos, an almost genetically perfect female who, whilst on a space cruise, becomes the target of two criminals (one of whom is super strong and can fire laser beams from her hand) who want to slice her body up with a laser, in order to sell it on the black market. Buck (Gil Gerard), Wilma (Erin Gray) and Twiki go undercover as passengers to try and stop the baddies from carrying out their ghastly plan.
Whilst on board, Buck meets Allison, a pretty passenger who suffers from blackouts and waking nightmares, who is on board with her boyfriend Jaior. But Allison is actually a transmutea mutant with two personalitiesand it is her alter-ego, Sabrina, who, along with Jaior, is planning on carving up the beauty queen for maximum profit.
With Stratton on board, the series' regular stunner Erin Gray has her work cut out for her getting noticed, but manages to do so (despite her awful wig) by first displaying her wonderful pins in a revealing dress, and then by indulging in a spot of crazy disco dancing whilst wearing what looks like a spotty shower curtain.
Also cutting the rug on the illuminated dance floor is Twiki, who gets his nuts in a twist over a gold ambuquad named Tina (whose catchphrase is 'Booty, booty, booty').
Meanwhile, Buck gets on with catching the villains by placing an order for some sonic pistols and ear-plugs (all will become clear by the end).
Buck Rogers: "Cruise Ship to the Stars"
Wuchakk14 August 2017
PLOT: Buck & Wilma are commissioned to protect a beauty queen (Dorothy Stratten) while traveling aboard a luxury space liner. Two passengers scheme to kidnap Miss Cosmos so they can cut her up (!) and hawk her perfect genetics on the galaxy black market. One of them is a wild-haired hottie with stunning super powers (Trisha Noble). Meanwhile, a troubled petite girl struggles with extreme bi-polar issues (Kimberly Beck) while her beau acts suspiciously (Leigh McCloskey). Brett Halsey is on hand as the cruise vessel captain.
COMMENTARY: Although blond Dorothy Stratten might be "genetically perfect" she's curiously not as beautiful IMHO as Wilma or the formidable Sabrina, the wild-haired villainess, or even the anxiety-ridden Alison (Kimberly Beck). Beck went on to star in 1984's "Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter," perhaps her most famous role in a respectable TV/B-movie career.
This is one of the more Star Trek-ian episodes with the split-personality angle being particularly interesting and effectively depicted. Twiki amusingly apprehends a girlfriend on the ship who has the peculiar catchphrase "Booty, booty, booty."
COMMENTARY: Although blond Dorothy Stratten might be "genetically perfect" she's curiously not as beautiful IMHO as Wilma or the formidable Sabrina, the wild-haired villainess, or even the anxiety-ridden Alison (Kimberly Beck). Beck went on to star in 1984's "Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter," perhaps her most famous role in a respectable TV/B-movie career.
This is one of the more Star Trek-ian episodes with the split-personality angle being particularly interesting and effectively depicted. Twiki amusingly apprehends a girlfriend on the ship who has the peculiar catchphrase "Booty, booty, booty."
The space boat soon will be making another run, The space boat promises something for everyone
coltras3530 March 2022
Buck Rogers and hottie Erin Gray are assigned to guard Miss Cosmos, who has been attacked a few times. There's an interesting idea of stealing one's genetics and an intriguing idea of a Dr Jekyll and Hyde character. The special effects is a bit shaky but that adds to the charm. Good episode.
Hugely entertaining episode
Woodyanders18 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Buck Rogers (Gil Gerard in fine likable form) and Wilma Deering (Erin Gray, lovely as ever) board an interstellar cruise ship so they can protect genetically perfect beauty queen Miss Cosmos (a sweet and charming performance by ravishing and legendary ill-fated "Playboy" Playmate Dorothy Stratten) from the nasty clutches of Sabrina (deliciously essayed with lip-smacking wicked aplomb by the foxy Trish Noble), a mysterious woman with awesome superpowers. Director Sigmund Neufeld Jr., working from a smart and witty script by Alan Brennert and Cory Applebaum, relates the enjoyable story at a constant brisk pace, stages a few rousing fight scenes with a reasonable amount of skill and flair, and tops things off with a very amusing line in brash tongue-in-cheek humor. Moreover, the excellent guest cast have a ball with their colorful roles: Kimberly Beck as the delicate and sensitive Allison, Leigh McCloskey as Sabrina's equally evil partner Jalor Davin, and Brett Halsey as the ship's stalwart captain. Of course, we also get several insanely hot ladies in skimpy outfits, with delectable blonde bombshell Stratton in particular looking positively smashing in her revealing costumes that show off her exceptionally tasty figure. A groovy disco dance sequence and a hilarious subplot with Twiki romancing gold-plated female robot Tina further enhance the infectiously campy appeal. One of the most enjoyable shows of the first season.
Disco Buck
Fluke_Skywalker25 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Plot; Buck, Wilma and Twiki board a cosmic cruise ship to protect a galactic beauty queen whose "genetic perfection" has made her the target of genetic pirates.
There are any number of scantily clad women in this episode, but none show as much cleavage as the hirsute Gil Gerard as Buck Rogers, whose hairy man-pecs are fully on display here. Along with his lacquered hair and beefy body poured into a series of tight-fitting Lycra suits, he often looks more like a late 70s gigolo than a 25th century space ace. Still, Gerard manages to offset this with his easy going manner and good 'ol boy charm.
The galactic beauty queen and epitome of genetic perfection here is played by Dorothy Stratten, who would sadly be murdered less than a year after this episode aired. Ms. Stratten isn't asked to do much acting here (and I've read that she was actually dubbed), but what she does is certainly acceptable, and she wears the crown of "genetic perfection" quite well.
This is a fairly ridiculous episode in any number of ways, but it still manages to (somewhat) work thanks to a random concoction of odd and guileless charms.
There are any number of scantily clad women in this episode, but none show as much cleavage as the hirsute Gil Gerard as Buck Rogers, whose hairy man-pecs are fully on display here. Along with his lacquered hair and beefy body poured into a series of tight-fitting Lycra suits, he often looks more like a late 70s gigolo than a 25th century space ace. Still, Gerard manages to offset this with his easy going manner and good 'ol boy charm.
The galactic beauty queen and epitome of genetic perfection here is played by Dorothy Stratten, who would sadly be murdered less than a year after this episode aired. Ms. Stratten isn't asked to do much acting here (and I've read that she was actually dubbed), but what she does is certainly acceptable, and she wears the crown of "genetic perfection" quite well.
This is a fairly ridiculous episode in any number of ways, but it still manages to (somewhat) work thanks to a random concoction of odd and guileless charms.
- It's nice to know that there will be a disco renaissance in the 25th century, as the music and fashions of the genre have showed up time and time again in S1. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that Disco was all the rage in the late 70s when Buck Rogers was made.
- Buck's droid, Twiki, famously chirps "Biddy, biddy, biddy" for no reason whatsoever. Here he meets and falls in...lust (not joking)...with a female counterpart whose own catchphrase is "Booty, booty, booty." (still not joking).
Dorothy Stratten
RavenGlamDVDCollector10 July 2017
I decided something this morning. So help me, I'm gonna feel a fool when that little silver boy bidi-bidi-bidis across my big screen, but...
I am a Dorothy Stratten fan. As a South African, no, of course, back then I knew very little of her, Playboy was off limits. But I have STAR 80 in my DVD collection, and want to see the real Dorothy. Now, years and years ago, I saw this episode, but have up till now refrained from adding the series to my collection because of a single episode.
But, so help me, having downloaded the trailer of horrendously expensive GALAXINA this morning and feeling that I am about to commit a stupid mistake, I turned to my distant memory and Googled "Buck Rogers Dorothy Stratten" and there it was, "Cruise Ship to the Stars" and I have now decided, yeah, dammit! Little tin boy and all!
I'm now going to the seller site. Will report back some day. With actual review. I just vaguely remember the scantily-clad bodies on display. And, of course, with Erin Gray around, can't be too much of a fool. Okay, off on shopping spree now. For can of insecticide as well, for that bidi-bidi-bidi boy thing.
Update, 2017/07/11, it's on my Wish List where it will spend the next couple of weeks till I place the order. In memory of Dorothy Stratten who was one helluva beautiful girl who died tragically and so unnecessary.
2022/02/21. Finally got around to watching. Dorothy has the most spectacular waist I've ever seen on film. Erin Gray appears in an awful, awful, awful Jane Wyman hairstyle, it is horrendous. Kimberley Beck steals the entire show. Actually, I'd forgotten my entry of years ago and was gonna call this one "Buck Rogers in 36C heaven" because that's the underlying theme. But Kimberley's face, wow!
Still crazy after all these years, The Raven...
I am a Dorothy Stratten fan. As a South African, no, of course, back then I knew very little of her, Playboy was off limits. But I have STAR 80 in my DVD collection, and want to see the real Dorothy. Now, years and years ago, I saw this episode, but have up till now refrained from adding the series to my collection because of a single episode.
But, so help me, having downloaded the trailer of horrendously expensive GALAXINA this morning and feeling that I am about to commit a stupid mistake, I turned to my distant memory and Googled "Buck Rogers Dorothy Stratten" and there it was, "Cruise Ship to the Stars" and I have now decided, yeah, dammit! Little tin boy and all!
I'm now going to the seller site. Will report back some day. With actual review. I just vaguely remember the scantily-clad bodies on display. And, of course, with Erin Gray around, can't be too much of a fool. Okay, off on shopping spree now. For can of insecticide as well, for that bidi-bidi-bidi boy thing.
Update, 2017/07/11, it's on my Wish List where it will spend the next couple of weeks till I place the order. In memory of Dorothy Stratten who was one helluva beautiful girl who died tragically and so unnecessary.
2022/02/21. Finally got around to watching. Dorothy has the most spectacular waist I've ever seen on film. Erin Gray appears in an awful, awful, awful Jane Wyman hairstyle, it is horrendous. Kimberley Beck steals the entire show. Actually, I'd forgotten my entry of years ago and was gonna call this one "Buck Rogers in 36C heaven" because that's the underlying theme. But Kimberley's face, wow!
Still crazy after all these years, The Raven...
A Chance to See Dorothy Stratten
claudio_carvalho23 November 2023
When the genetically perfect woman and galactic beauty queen Miss Cosmos is attacked on board of the cruise ship Lyran Queen by a powerful woman, Dr. Huer assigns Buck Rogers and Wilma Derring to work undercover to protect her. He explains that her DNA worth a fortune in the galaxy. Soon Buck Rogers helps the passenger Alison Michaels that had a blackout and befriends her. She is traveling with her boyfriend Jalor Davin that tells Buck that the blackouts are caused by stress and she needs to rest. When the powerful woman Sabrina attacks Wilma and Buck, he suspects that there is a connection between Alison and Sabrina.
"Cruise Ship to the Stars" is a great episode of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century". First, this episode is a change to see the gorgeous and sexy Canadian playmate Dorothy Stratten, who was tragically murdered by her husband. The episode is also funny with the sex drive of Twiki and Tina. The beautiful actresses are another attraction of this entertaining show. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Cruise Ship to the Stars"
"Cruise Ship to the Stars" is a great episode of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century". First, this episode is a change to see the gorgeous and sexy Canadian playmate Dorothy Stratten, who was tragically murdered by her husband. The episode is also funny with the sex drive of Twiki and Tina. The beautiful actresses are another attraction of this entertaining show. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Cruise Ship to the Stars"
An interesting watch
tforbes-216 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
"Cruise Ship To The Stars" is a very interesting watch. I didn't see it when it first aired at the end of 1979, but recently saw it on MeTV. It's a time capsule from that period of time, with its use of disco music (which was already on its way out then-I know, I was around at that time).
It also has the late Dorothy Stratten, the doomed Playmate of the Year, in a featured role that, in 2020, seems a little like a precursor of Jeri Ryan's character of Seven of Nine. Both women look very much alike, and Ms. Ryan is the same age has Ms. Stratten's younger sister, Louise.
And we have a Jekyll/Hyde character intent on getting Ms. Stratten, playing a genetically perfect female, sliced up so that the parts can be sold on the black market. Interesting plot. And it all gets resolved in the end.
I don't know how Dorothy Stratten would have fared as an actress, had she lived, but we know about Jeri Ryan. But this episode remains a most interesting watch because we get a chance to see the late actress. And we get a chance to see something from a very different time period in more ways than one!
It also has the late Dorothy Stratten, the doomed Playmate of the Year, in a featured role that, in 2020, seems a little like a precursor of Jeri Ryan's character of Seven of Nine. Both women look very much alike, and Ms. Ryan is the same age has Ms. Stratten's younger sister, Louise.
And we have a Jekyll/Hyde character intent on getting Ms. Stratten, playing a genetically perfect female, sliced up so that the parts can be sold on the black market. Interesting plot. And it all gets resolved in the end.
I don't know how Dorothy Stratten would have fared as an actress, had she lived, but we know about Jeri Ryan. But this episode remains a most interesting watch because we get a chance to see the late actress. And we get a chance to see something from a very different time period in more ways than one!
A Weaker Season One Episode
aimless-4621 February 2008
"Cruise Ship to the Stars" is better known as the "Dorothy Stratten" episode and/or the "Love Boat" episode. Stratten because she guest stars as beauty queen Miss Cosmos, whose perfect DNA makes her the target of a trio of slice and dice criminals who want to dissect her for cloning purposes. "The Love Boat" because Universal tried to clone a futuristic episode of that show, with Miss Cosmos a passenger on a luxury liner in space, and the male villain played by mega-lame "Love Boat"/"Dallas" regular Leigh McCloskey.
The original air day of "Cruise Ship to the Stars" was December 27, 1979; which was about the midpoint of Season One and the only weaker episodes up to that point were the Pamela Hensley disasters. This relative quality issue became irrelevant once the Season Two episodes began being broadcast, as at that point viewers began to look back fondly at even the dregs of the first season.
Buck, Wilma, and Twiki board the ship at the request of the Captain, who has tangled with a powerful woman during an unsuccessful attack on Miss Cosmos. The woman, Sabrina, is extremely strong and can fire bolts of energy from her arms. The twist is that she is the alter ego of McCloskey's mild mannered girlfriend Allison. What passes for this episode's "big thrill" are the transformations back and forth between nasty Sabrina and super-sweet Allison. Unfortunately, rather than hire a good actress who could manage the multiple dimensions of this role, they choose to use separate actresses and the affect is unnecessarily lame. The older Trisha Noble (best remembered as Rockford's con-woman friend Odette) plays Sabrina and the younger Kimberly Beck (Barron Hilton's real life young wife and Linda Blair's teenage friend in "Roller Boogie") plays Allison. Television shows like Buck Rogers were hotbeds of Hollywood insider casting and the temptation to turn the Sabrina/Allison duel personality into an opportunity to reward "two" separate trophy wives/girlfriends was apparently too much for the producers to resist.
On the other hand Stratten, who obviously was cast for her physical perfection, demonstrates a surprising amount of acting talent and validates those who believe she had a promising career ahead of her.
Also of note is a sequence where Stella beats the crap out of Wilma and steals her jewels.
Although the series was set in the 25th century, the production designers stayed with what was regarded as "trendy" in 1979. This tendency is particularly apparent in this episode which features frequent scenes of disco dancing along with cast members in leisure suits and 1979 jogging attire.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
The original air day of "Cruise Ship to the Stars" was December 27, 1979; which was about the midpoint of Season One and the only weaker episodes up to that point were the Pamela Hensley disasters. This relative quality issue became irrelevant once the Season Two episodes began being broadcast, as at that point viewers began to look back fondly at even the dregs of the first season.
Buck, Wilma, and Twiki board the ship at the request of the Captain, who has tangled with a powerful woman during an unsuccessful attack on Miss Cosmos. The woman, Sabrina, is extremely strong and can fire bolts of energy from her arms. The twist is that she is the alter ego of McCloskey's mild mannered girlfriend Allison. What passes for this episode's "big thrill" are the transformations back and forth between nasty Sabrina and super-sweet Allison. Unfortunately, rather than hire a good actress who could manage the multiple dimensions of this role, they choose to use separate actresses and the affect is unnecessarily lame. The older Trisha Noble (best remembered as Rockford's con-woman friend Odette) plays Sabrina and the younger Kimberly Beck (Barron Hilton's real life young wife and Linda Blair's teenage friend in "Roller Boogie") plays Allison. Television shows like Buck Rogers were hotbeds of Hollywood insider casting and the temptation to turn the Sabrina/Allison duel personality into an opportunity to reward "two" separate trophy wives/girlfriends was apparently too much for the producers to resist.
On the other hand Stratten, who obviously was cast for her physical perfection, demonstrates a surprising amount of acting talent and validates those who believe she had a promising career ahead of her.
Also of note is a sequence where Stella beats the crap out of Wilma and steals her jewels.
Although the series was set in the 25th century, the production designers stayed with what was regarded as "trendy" in 1979. This tendency is particularly apparent in this episode which features frequent scenes of disco dancing along with cast members in leisure suits and 1979 jogging attire.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
The problem with genetics studies
aramis-112-8048808 March 2023
Dorothy Stratten, Plymate of the year for 1980, plays Miss Cosmos, a perfect genetic specimen. And well cast, she is. For some reason, she wears hardly any clothes in public as she takes a cruise.
But she's a damsel on distress. Baddies want to nab her, steal her perfect genes, and sell them on the black market. I'd like to buy a few, myself. Well, it's a fear from those who want to make better people through genetics.
Buck Rogers is assigned to protect her perfect genes. Colonel Deering is also along for the cruise.
But this time they're up against a shape-shifter in with the thieves. She only shifts two ways but it's enough.
One problem: apparently, according to Trivia, Dorothy Stratten's voice was dubbed. It was a shoddy job matching her lips and it should have been more alto. It's too "little girl."
Lovely Tricia Noble, a real and better actress than Dorothy, is also on board, but her wig is ridiculous.
But she's a damsel on distress. Baddies want to nab her, steal her perfect genes, and sell them on the black market. I'd like to buy a few, myself. Well, it's a fear from those who want to make better people through genetics.
Buck Rogers is assigned to protect her perfect genes. Colonel Deering is also along for the cruise.
But this time they're up against a shape-shifter in with the thieves. She only shifts two ways but it's enough.
One problem: apparently, according to Trivia, Dorothy Stratten's voice was dubbed. It was a shoddy job matching her lips and it should have been more alto. It's too "little girl."
Lovely Tricia Noble, a real and better actress than Dorothy, is also on board, but her wig is ridiculous.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
