TERM 2: Week 6

Monday February 11th - Sunday February 17th, 1980

Hi-de-Hi! Jan 1, 1980

Steel Strike Jan 2, 1980

St Pauls Riots Apr 2, 1980

Judge Death Jan 19, 1980

My Girl Madness

Blake’s 7 Returns Jan 7, 1980

Barbara Woodhouse Jan 7, 1980

Grange Hill Roof Death Feb 25, 1980

Underpass John Foxx

Mugabe Elected Mar 4, 1980

Atomic Blondie

Games Without Frontiers Peter Gabriel

Robin Cousins Wins Gold Feb 21, 1980

Echo Beach Martha and the Muffins

TERM 2 IN LINK FORM

State of the Union Jan 23, 1980

< TERM 2 WEEK 5

TERM 2 (Half Term) >

Monday February 11th English: The Flame in the Desert and (probably) The Fugitive BBC 1, 7.15 pm: Blake’s 7 - The City at the Edge of the World: one of the very best episodes, this one follows Vila as he attempts to unlock a door, behind which there is said to be a vast sum of riches. Lots of great dialogue and characterisation, plus a memorable baddie role for future Doctor Who Colin Baker as Bayban the Butcher. BBC 2, 8.10 pm: The Goodies - Animals: lots of memorable stuff in this one, primarily inspired by Watership Down. Also features a section about the news which inspires something I write much later in the year. Tuesday February 12th BBC 1, 5.15 pm: Grange Hill - Series 3, Episode 11 BBC 2, 11.30 pm: PIL perform Poptones and Careering on The Old Grey Whistle Test (note there’s a video of both here that claims it was December 2nd - I think there may have been confusion between 02-12 and 12-02) Wednesday February 13th History: The Story of Nelson - Part Two

Thursday February 14th English: British Skiing Events - inspired directly by the Winter Olympics. In the midst of the national steelworkers’ strike, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announces that state benefits for striking workers are to be halved. I’ve lost my original link to the source confirming the date, but hopefully this will back it up. Top of the Pops is postponed till tomorrow because of the Olympics. ITV: TV Eye - British Leyland - outlining the precarious state of the British car manufacturing industry Star Wars Weekly No 104 Spectacular Spider-Man Weekly No 363 Incredible Hulk Weekly No 51 Doctor Who Weekly No 19 - featuring yet another awful attempt at a Crazy Caption, and a fine addition to my 1980 Incidental Sexism Collection. I subsequently cut out the main part of the photo for some reason, but you might recognise it as a still from the 1968 story The Invasion, in which a small platoon of Cybermen walk down the steps in front of St Paul’s Cathedral. Makes me seriously wonder where I got these ideas from. Feminists are Cybermen? Was it something I saw on TV? Thankfully I don’t bother doing one of these ever again.

The 13th Winter Olympics begin in Lake Placid, USA. Tension is riding high because of the heated Cold War stand-off between the US and USSR over the war in Afghanistan. There’s a home movie of the opening ceremony here and a speech by J Bernard Fell (audio, with pics) here. Best of all though is this item from Associated Press featuring the lighting of the flame at the Temple of Hera, and the alarming detail that they almost had to create an artificial winter in Lake Placid because it was too hot.

Friday February 15th Last day of the first half-term of 1980. English: Ward’s 7 - Rescue BBC 1, 5.10 pm: Grange Hill - Series 3, Episode 12 in which Tucker, Alan and Benny do a day’s ‘work’ for Alan’s Dad. BBC 2, 6.10 pm: Monkey - The Difference Between Night and Day BBC 1, 7.55 pm: Top of the Pops - postponed from yesterday. Presented by Simon Bates, with: • Too Hot Kool and the Gang (chart rundown) • Buzz Buzz A Diddle It Matchbox • Captain Beaky Keith Michell • Rock With You Michael Jackson (via Legs & Co) • Riders in the Sky The Shadows • At the Edge Stiff Little Fingers Saturday February 16th 2000 AD Prog 153: featuring Part 2 of The Blood of Satanus ITV: Series 2 of Dick Turpin begins with Part 1 of a story called The Fox.

MEANWHILE, IN AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE… Doctor Who: Shada - Part Five • In an alternate universe, this would probably have been up against the new Dick Turpin series premiere. I think it’s safe to say Who would have won the ratings battle. But in just six months’ time, that wouldn’t be guaranteed.

Sunday February 17th ITV: Worzel Gummidge - Fire Drill - featuring the birth of a new scarecrow character called Daft Head, who frankly scared the crap out of me. But watching it now, he’s quite sweet really - Worzel’s the scary one, who builds him specifically to put on a bonfire, but accidentally makes him sentient.

UK SINGLES CHART No 1: Coward of the County Kenny Rogers No 3: Atomic Blondie No 46: Running Free Iron Maiden No 48: Hands Off She’s Mine The Beat No 52: Cuba Gibson Brothers No 70: Working My Way Back To You Detroit Spinners No 72: Hello America Def Leppard No 73: Dance Yourself Dizzy Liquid Gold No 75: Rosie Joan Armatrading UK ALBUMS CHART No 1: The Last Dance Various Artists No 2: Get Happy!! Elvis Costello and the Attractions No 5: Too Much Pressure The Selecter