The Satyr

A woman and her son are the only remaining colonists on a remote planet called Arcadus, where they are repeatedly terrorized by a half-goat, half-man creature called Pangor. Buck and Twiki visit the planet during an asteroid survey, and immediately after landing, Buck is attacked by a wolf-like creature native to the planet. Buck meets Syra and her son Delph, but at first they don’t tell him anything about Pangor. Buck finds out soon enough, however, when Pangor attacks the shuttle, damaging Twiki. Buck offers to take Syra and Delph away from Arcadus, but Syra refuses to leave, despite Pangor’s continued attacks. Buck disrupts Pangor’s next attack, but the satyr bites him during the ensuing fight; believing that he’s drowned Pangor, Buck returns to Syra’s house for medical treatment. Even now, Buck finds the Syra won’t leave – in fact, she’s mourning at the news that Pangor may be dead. Syra finally reveals the truth: Pangor was once known as Major Jason Samos, Earth colonist, and transformed into a satyr mere hours after becoming infected by something on Arcadus. But Buck is about to find out for himself that the infection came from a satyr bite…

written by Paul Schneider & Margaret Schneider
directed by Victor French
music by Bruce Broughton

Cast: Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers), Erin Gray (Colonel Wilma Deering), Thom Christopher (Hawk), Jay Garner (Admiral Asimov), Wilfred Hyde-White (Dr. Goodfellow), Felix Silla (Twiki), Jeff David (voice of Crichton), Anne E. Curry (Syra Samos), Dave Cass (Pangor), Bobby P. Lane (Delph Samos), Dennis Freeman (Midshipman)

Notes: Director Victor French starred alongside Michael Landon in both Little House On The Prairie and Highway To Heaven, and directed episodes of both; his directorial career also included episodes of Gunsmoke, Dallas, Fame, and the TV series adaptation of the movie Fantastic Journey.