Hill Street Blues (1981) – Your Kind, My Kind, Humankind, and Gatorbait

Anthony Yerkovich alongside series creators Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll pen the teleplay for Your Kind, My Kind, Humankind from a story by Bill Taub. It was first broadcast on 28 February, 1981. Renko (Charles Haid) and Hill (Michael Warren) deal with problems in different ways when the suspect in their shooting is released. Hill…

Hill Street Blues (1981) – Choice Cut, and Up in Arms

Seven episodes in writer Lee David Zlotoff brings us full circle with Choice Cut. First airing on 14 February, 1981, the episode sees Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) dealing with a hostage situation in a supermarket, not entirely dissimilar from what happened in the first episode. In fact, it’s the same hostage takers! They went…

Hill Street Blues (1981) – Double Jeopardy, and Film at Eleven

Double Jeopardy, known in some markets as Dressed to Kill first aired on 31 January, 1981. Written by series creators Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll, the episode puts Operation Duckling into action. It seems the serial rapist they’ve been trying to apprehend since the beginning of the series is still out there, and the precinct…

M*A*S*H (1981) – Oh, How We Danced, Bottoms Up, and The Red/White Blues

Oh, How We Danced written by John Rappaport, and with an original airdate of 23 February, 1981, has a fantastic A-story, that really touches the heart (even as it messes with series continuity), and a completely forgettable B-story. The B-story first then. Charles (David Ogden Stiers) delivers a substandard sanitation rating to a nearby American…

M*A*S*H (1981) – No Sweat, Depressing News, and No Laughing Matter

The heat is getting to everybody in No Sweat. Written by John Rappaport, we join the 4077th for a sweltering night. First airing on 2 February, 1981, we find various members of the camp unable to sleep because of the heat, and the things they are doing to occupy their time instead. B.J. (Mike Farrell)…

Doctor Who (Tom Baker) – Logopolis

  This week we have the second part of what is known as The Master Trilogy, and also the final episode of Tom Baker’s Doctor. The four-parter was written by Christopher H. Bidmead and ran from 28 February to 21 March, 1981. It also sees the introduction of another Companion to the TARDIS. Teagan (Janet…

Doctor Who (Tom Baker) – The Keeper of Traken

  Tom Baker’s penultimate tale as The Doctor was a four-parter written by Johnny Byrne that aired from 31 January to 21 February, 1981. It introduced a new companion, Nyssa (Sarah Sutton) and the return of The Master in the form of Geoffrey Beevers and the  Anthony Ainley. The Doctor and Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) arrive…

Magnum, P.I. (1981) – Missing In Action & Lest We Forget

  Thomas (Tom Selleck) takes on lost loves, broken hearts, and the military in this week’s two episodes. And while the theme isn’t in place yet (it doesn’t take over from the current them until Season 1 Episode 12 (next week)), it is woven throughout the episodes at this point. The first episode Missing In…