BBC1 premieres the Galactica 1980: Galactica Discovers Earth I
The first episode of a vastly retooled Battlestar Galactica (or, depending on how you look at it, the first episode of the show’s second season) premieres on ABC, with an almost completely new cast. Kent McCord, Robin Douglass and Barry Van Dyke take over as the series leads; the only holdovers from the original season are Lorne Greene as Adama and Herb Jefferson as Boomer.
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Buck Rogers: Ardala Returns
NBC airs the 15th episode of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Pamela Hensley and Michael Ansara guest star.
The Martian Chronicles: The Settlers
NBC airs the second installment of the lavish three-part miniseries based on Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. Adapted for TV by respected SF author Richard Matheson, the miniseries has already taken an embarrassing public beating by none other than Bradbury itself, inspiring NBC to yank the heavily-publicized off of the fall 1979 schedule and burn off the miniseries in January 1980 prior to the 1980 Winter Oympics. Rock Hudson, Darren McGavin, Fritz Weaver and Roddy McDowall star. The miniseries is a co-production between NBC and the BBC (who won’t air it until later in 1980).
Blake’s 7: Volcano
BBC1 premieres the 29th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This episode focuses heavily on new series regulars Josette Simon and Steven Pacey; Michael Gough (Batman) guest stars.
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Blake’s 7 now streaming on Britbox
Buck Rogers: A Blast For Buck
NBC airs the 14th episode of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Gary Coleman guest stars.
The Martian Chronicles: The Expeditions
NBC airs the first installment of the lavish three-part miniseries based on Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. Adapted for TV by respected SF author Richard Matheson, the miniseries has already taken an embarrassing public beating by none other than Bradbury itself, inspiring NBC to yank the heavily-publicized off of the fall 1979 schedule and burn off the miniseries in January 1980 prior to the 1980 Winter Oympics. Rock Hudson, Bernie Casey, and Robert Beatty star. The miniseries is a co-production between NBC and the BBC (who won’t air it until later in 1980).
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Blake’s 7: Power Play
BBC1 premieres the 28th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This episode continues the story arc of the Federation’s postwar rebuilding. Michael Sheard and John Hollis (both of whom will be seen later in 1980 in The Empire Strikes Back) guest star.
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Blake’s 7 now streaming on Britbox
Doctor Who: The Horns Of Nimon, Part 4
The 525th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Graham Crowden guest stars. Due to the cancellation of the six-part season finale Shada, this episode becomes the closing chapter of season 17. Both producer Graham Williams and script editor Douglas Adams leave the series, which will return in the fall with a radically new look and feel.
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NBC airs the Blake’s 7: Aftermath
BBC1 premieres the 27th episode of Terry Nation’s science fiction series Blake’s 7. This episode kicks off the third season and a running story arc through the third season regarding the Federation’s severe loss of manpower and territory during the intergalactic war that happens off-screen between seasons. Josette Simon and Steven Pacey are introduced as new guest stars, and Paul Darrow as Avon is established as the show’s new lead actor. Richard Franklin (Doctor Who) guest stars.
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Blake’s 7 now streaming on Britbox
Doctor Who: The Horns Of Nimon, Part 3
The 524th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Graham Crowden guest stars. This is the first Doctor Who episode of the 1980s.
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NBC airs the Doctor Who: The Horns Of Nimon, Part 2
The 523rd episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Graham Crowden guest stars. This is the final Doctor Who episode of the 1970s.
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NBC airs the Doctor Who: The Horns Of Nimon, Part 1
The 522nd episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Graham Crowden guest stars. Though aired just before Christmas, this is not considered a “Christmas episode.”
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Doctor Who: Nightmare Of Eden, Part 4
The 521st episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. David Daker and Peter Craze guest star in a strangely-timed (just before Christmas?) anti-drug story.
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Doctor Who: Nightmare Of Eden, Part 3
The 520th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. David Daker and Peter Craze guest star in a strangely-timed (just before Christmas?) anti-drug story.
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Monkey: Monkey Swallows The Universe
The fourth episode of the English-dubbed Japanese action series Monkey airs on BBC2. The series is a translation and dub of a fancifully satirical Japanese adaptation of the Chinese novel “Journey To The West”, starring Masaaki Sakai. 
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
After a tortured development history dating back to aborted early 1970s attempts to relaunch Star Trek on the big screen, Paramount premieres the much-anticipated (and much hyped) Star Trek: The Motion Picture in theaters. At over two hours, and boasting one of Jerry Goldsmith’s best movie scores, the movie bewilders viewers as much as it thrills them. Paramount claims not to make a profit on the movie at all – primarily by including all of the development costs of years of early movie attempts and the never-made Star Trek Phase II television series as part of the movie’s price tag – but, despite its assertion that the movie lost money, the studio begins making plans for a sequel.
Doctor Who: Nightmare Of Eden, Part 2
The 519th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. David Daker and Peter Craze guest star in a strangely-timed (just before Christmas?) anti-drug story.
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Monkey: The Great Journey Begins
The third episode of the English-dubbed Japanese action series Monkey airs on BBC2. The series is a translation and dub of a fancifully satirical Japanese adaptation of the Chinese novel “Journey To The West”, starring Masaaki Sakai.
Buck Rogers: Escape From Wedded Bliss
NBC airs the tenth episode of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Pamela Hensley and Michael Ansara guest star, reprising their roles from the pilot movie.
Doctor Who: Nightmare Of Eden, Part 1
The 518th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. David Daker and Peter Craze guest star in a strangely-timed (just before Christmas?) anti-drug story.
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Monkey: Monkey Turns Nursemaid
The second episode of the English-dubbed Japanese action series Monkey premieres on BBC2, starring Masaaki Sakai. The series is a translation and dub of a fancifully satirical Japanese adaptation of the Chinese novel “Journey To The West”, guest starring Eishin Tono (Ultraman Taro) and Akihiko Hirata (Godzilla, Fugitive Alien, Atragon).
Captain America II: Death Too Soon
The TV movie-of-the-week Captain America II: Death Too Soon airs on CBS, starring Reb Brown, Len Birman, and Connie Sellecca. Christopher Lee guest stars. The ratings for this second Captain America TV outing are not strong enough for CBS to greenlight a series.
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Buck Rogers: Cosmic Wiz Kid
NBC airs the ninth episode of Buck Rogers In The 25th Century. Gary Coleman (Diff’rent Strokes) and Ray Walston (My Favorite Martian) guest star.
Doctor Who: Creature From The Pit, Pt. 4
The 517th episode of Doctor Who airs on BBC1. Myra Frances and Geoffrey Bayldon guest star.
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Monkey: Monkey Goes Wild About Heaven
The first episode of the English-dubbed Japanese action series Monkey premieres on BBC2, starring Masaaki Sakai. The series is a translation and dub of a fancifully satirical Japanese adaptation of the Chinese novel “Journey To The West”, and quickly gains a cult following in the UK.
Quatermass: An Endangered Species
The fourth episode of Nigel Kneale’s revived science fiction series Quatermass airs on London Weekend Television, starring John Mills and Simon MacCorkindale (Manimal). Toyah Willcox guest stars in the series finale.
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