Earl Green is the creator, curator, and head writer of theLogBook.com.
Atari releases the home version of the arcade hit Defender as a cartridge for the Atari VCS home video game system. Though the game undergoes major alterations to fit within the VCS’ memory, Defender sells well. It includes the first issue of a tie-in comic book, Atari Force, created by DC Comics (a subsidiary of Warner Communications, just like Atari). 
NBC airs the 13th episode of the Marvel animated series Spider-Man And His Amazing Friends, starring the voices of Dan Gilvezan (Transformers), Kathy Garver (Family Affair), and Frank Welker (Scooby-Doo, Transformers, The Smurfs). This concludes the show’s first season.
This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
BBC1 premieres the 60th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. John Savident guest stars.
ITV premieres the seventh episode of the sitcom Astronauts, concerning a fictional British space station crew aboard Skylab. This episode closes the first season of the show, and the show has proven popular enough to film a second season in 1982, though those episodes won’t air until 1983.
ABC airs the 14th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
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The Greatest American Hero now streaming on Amazon Prime
Midway releases the arcade video game Kick, a whimsical game which is later updated to include a “guest starring” appearance by Pac-Man (to which Midway also holds the North American license).
NBC airs the third episode of Darkroom, a horror anthology hosted by James Coburn. The series features multiple stories per episode; this installment includes Needlepoint, guest starring Esther Rolle (Good Times), and Siege Of 31 August, guest starring Ronny Cox.
This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
BBC1 premieres the 60th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This is Jacqueline Pearce’s final appearance as Servalan in the series.
ABC airs the 15th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
More about The Greatest American Hero in theLogBook.com Store
The Greatest American Hero now streaming on Amazon Prime
NBC airs the fourth episode of Darkroom, a horror anthology hosted by James Coburn. The series features multiple stories per episode; this installment includes A Quiet Funeral, guest starring Carmen Argenziano (Stargate SG-1), and Make-Up, guest starring Billy Crystal and Brian Dennehy.
This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
BBC1 premieres the 52nd and final episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. By all accounts one of the most memorable and unsettling television finales ever, the final episode hints strongly that evil has triumphed, and some viewers already experiencing depression as the Christmas holiday closes in are extremely disturbed by the series’ conclusion. Gareth Thomas guest stars as Blake, bringing the series full circle.
Mattel Electronics releases the Star Strike cartridge for the Intellivision home video game system.
NBC airs the fifth episode of Darkroom, a horror anthology hosted by James Coburn. The series features multiple stories per episode; this installment includes The Partnership, guest starring David Carradine (Kung Fu), Daisies, guest starring Rue McClanahan (The Golden Girls), and Catnip, guest starring Karin Argoud (Mama’s Family).
This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
ITV airs the 51st episode of the anthology series Tales Of The Unexpected. Denis Quilley guest stars in the fourth season finale.
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The pilot episode of a potential Doctor Who spin-off series, K-9 & Company, airs on BBC1, starring Elisabeth Sladen reprising her role of former TARDIS traveler Sarah Jane Smith. John Leeson returns to voice K-9. Though the curious combination of a family-viewing-time schedule slot and a sinister black-magic plotline – not to mention a transmitter outage that keeps the show away from the eyes of a significant part of its potential audience – factor into the pilot not leading to a series, its plot developments (Sarah Jane receiving her own K-9 sent by the Doctor) are honored by later entries in the franchise, meaning this one-off adventure is canonical. Both Sarah Jane Smith and K-9 will get their own spinoffs – both aimed at younger audiences – in the 21st century.
The 554th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, ending a trilogy of stories themed around the Doctor’s regeneration and the reintroduction of the Master. Peter Davison makes his debut as the fifth Doctor, and Anthony Ainley guest stars as the Master. The 19th season sees Doctor Who’s first move away from Saturday nights on the BBC’s schedule, with the series now airing on Monday and Tuesday nights. 
The 555th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, ending a trilogy of stories themed around the Doctor’s regeneration and the reintroduction of the Master. Anthony Ainley guest stars as the Master.
This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
Order Earl Green’s book VWORP!1 from theLogBook.com Store
Atari releases the original title Yars’ Revenge for the Atari VCS home video game console. Despite not being a port of a popular arcade game (though it started out as an attempt to port Star Castle to the VCS), Yars’ Revenge sells well thanks for favorable reviews and good word-of-mouth. A pack-in comic from DC Comics, “Yars’ Revenge: The Qotile Ultimatum”, is included.
ABC airs the 16th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
More about The Greatest American Hero in theLogBook.com Store
The Greatest American Hero now streaming on Amazon Prime
NBC airs the sixth episode of Darkroom, a horror anthology hosted by James Coburn. The series features multiple stories per episode; this installment includes Lost In Translation, guest starring Whit Bissell, and Guillotine, guest starring Dick Balduzzi.
This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
Sierra On-Line releases the computer game Mouskattack. Designed by John Harris, this is one of several titles Sierra will publish to get a Pac-Man-style game on the home computer market before Atari can release an official port. It is available for the Atari home computers.
The 556th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, ending a trilogy of stories themed around the Doctor’s regeneration and the reintroduction of the Master. Anthony Ainley guest stars as the Master.
This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
Order Earl Green’s book VWORP!1 from theLogBook.com Store
The 557th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1, ending a trilogy of stories themed around the Doctor’s regeneration and the reintroduction of the Master. Anthony Ainley guest stars as the Master.
This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
Order Earl Green’s book VWORP!1 from theLogBook.com Store
Midway delivers the long-anticipated sequel to Pac-Man to eager arcade operators. Ms. Pac-Man – a game which originated not from Pac-Man’s creators in Japan, but from an American “enhancement kit” maker called General Computer Corporation – arrives in arcades and immediately starts to break earnings records, eventually becoming the top-earning coin-op video game in American history.
ABC airs the 17th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
More about The Greatest American Hero in theLogBook.com Store
The Greatest American Hero now streaming on Amazon Prime
NBC airs the seventh and final episode of Darkroom, a horror anthology hosted by James Coburn. This installment includes the stories Exit Line (written by the future creators of Murder, She Wrote), Who’s There?, guest starring Grant Goodeve (Eight Is Enough), and The Rarest Of Wines.
This series is not yet chronicled in the LogBook. You could join theLogBook team and write this guide or support the webmaster’s efforts to expand the site.
The 558th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Stratford Johns guest stars.
The 559th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Stratford Johns guest stars.
This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
Order Earl Green’s book VWORP!1 from theLogBook.com Store
ABC airs the 18th episode of Stephen J. Cannell’s superhero comedy series The Greatest American Hero, starring William Katt, Connie Sellecca, and Robert Culp.
More about The Greatest American Hero in theLogBook.com Store
The Greatest American Hero now streaming on Amazon Prime
The 560th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Stratford Johns guest stars.
This timeline entry leads to an entry covering this entire Doctor Who serial; there are plans to write new episodic entries in the future. You can support this effort!
Order Earl Green’s book VWORP!1 from theLogBook.com Store