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The Midnight Special

Season 5

38 listed hours · 1972–1981 · NBC

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From the desk

How this season is filed

Filed by Rex Fontaine · Golden Age Dispatch

Wolfman Jack howls after Carson, and NBC hands the late slot to actual rock and pop acts before MTV ate the model. Guest-host roulette, live-ish performances, post-prime anything-goes. The network stage where 1970s music television still had sweat, speakers, and no countdown clock.

TV Flash files Season 5 of The Midnight Special (1972–1981) on NBC as a mid listed season (5; 5 of 9) — 38 listed hours, 1976-09-17–1977-08-12 from “Hosts: The Spinners” (S05E01) to “Hosts: The Bay City Rollers” (S05E38). Titles, dates, and synopses on file — no invented recaps.

  1. S05E01

    Hosts: The Spinners

    Hosts: The Spinners — Season 5, Episode 1 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-09-17. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  2. S05E02

    Host: Lesley Gore

    Host: Lesley Gore — Season 5, Episode 2 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-09-24. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  3. S05E03

    Host: George Carlin

    Host: George Carlin — Season 5, Episode 3 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-10-01. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  4. S05E04

    Host: James Brown

    Host: James Brown — Season 5, Episode 4 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-10-08. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  5. S05E05

    Co-hosts: Jackie DeShannon & Johnny Rivers

    Co-hosts: Jackie DeShannon & Johnny Rivers — Season 5, Episode 5 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-10-15. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  6. S05E06

    Host: Helen Reddy

    Host: Helen Reddy — Season 5, Episode 6 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-10-22. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  7. S05E07

    Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band

    Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band — Season 5, Episode 7 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-10-29. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  8. S05E08

    Host: Frankie Valli

    Host: Frankie Valli — Season 5, Episode 8 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-11-05. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  9. S05E09

    Host: Lou Rawls

    Host: Lou Rawls — Season 5, Episode 9 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-11-12. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  10. S05E10

    Host: Helen Reddy

    Host: Helen Reddy — Season 5, Episode 10 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-11-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  11. S05E11

    Host: Diana Ross

    Host: Diana Ross — Season 5, Episode 11 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-11-26. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  12. S05E12

    Million Sellers of 1976, Part 1

    Million Sellers of 1976, Part 1 — Season 5, Episode 12 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-12-03. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  13. S05E13

    Host: Helen Reddy

    Host: Helen Reddy — Season 5, Episode 13 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-12-10. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  14. S05E14

    Host: Tom Jones

    Host: Tom Jones — Season 5, Episode 14 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1976-12-17. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  15. S05E15

    Million Sellers of 1976, Part 2

    Million Sellers of 1976, Part 2 — Season 5, Episode 15 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-01-07. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  16. S05E16

    Host: Judy Collins

    Host: Judy Collins — Season 5, Episode 16 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-01-21. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  17. S05E17

    Host: Helen Reddy (4th Anniversary Show)

    Host: Helen Reddy (4th Anniversary Show) — Season 5, Episode 17 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-01-28. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  18. S05E18

    Host: Glen Campbell

    Host: Glen Campbell — Season 5, Episode 18 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-02-04. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  19. S05E19

    Hosts: The Electric Light Orchestra

    Hosts: The Electric Light Orchestra — Season 5, Episode 19 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-02-18. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  20. S05E20

    Host: Loretta Lynn

    Host: Loretta Lynn — Season 5, Episode 20 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-02-25. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  21. S05E21

    Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band

    Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band — Season 5, Episode 21 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-03-04. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  22. S05E22

    Hosts: Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr.

    Hosts: Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. — Season 5, Episode 22 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-03-18. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  23. S05E23

    Host: Aretha Franklin

    Host: Aretha Franklin — Season 5, Episode 23 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-03-25. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  24. S05E24

    Host: George Carlin

    Host: George Carlin — Season 5, Episode 24 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-04-01. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  25. S05E25

    Host: Gabe Kaplan

    Host: Gabe Kaplan — Season 5, Episode 25 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-04-08. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  26. S05E26

    Host: George Benson

    Host: George Benson — Season 5, Episode 26 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-04-22. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  27. S05E27

    British Rock hosted by Wolfman Jack

    British Rock hosted by Wolfman Jack — Season 5, Episode 27 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-04-29. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  28. S05E28

    Host: Helen Reddy

    Host: Helen Reddy — Season 5, Episode 28 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-05-06. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  29. S05E29

    Host: Wolfman Jack

    Host: Wolfman Jack — Season 5, Episode 29 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-05-13. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  30. S05E30

    Host: Lou Rawls

    Host: Lou Rawls — Season 5, Episode 30 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-05-20. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  31. S05E31

    Host: Neil Sedaka

    Host: Neil Sedaka — Season 5, Episode 31 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-05-27. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  32. S05E32

    Hosts: Bread

    Hosts: Bread — Season 5, Episode 32 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-06-03. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  33. S05E33

    Co-hosts: Emmylou Harris & Little Feat

    Co-hosts: Emmylou Harris & Little Feat — Season 5, Episode 33 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-06-10. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  34. S05E34

    Host: Neil Sedaka

    Host: Neil Sedaka — Season 5, Episode 34 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-06-17. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  35. S05E35

    Host: Gregg Allman

    Host: Gregg Allman — Season 5, Episode 35 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-06-24. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  36. S05E36

    Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band

    Hosts: KC & the Sunshine Band — Season 5, Episode 36 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-07-29. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  37. S05E37

    Hosts: The Spinners

    Hosts: The Spinners — Season 5, Episode 37 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-08-05. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

  38. S05E38

    Hosts: The Bay City Rollers

    Hosts: The Bay City Rollers — Season 5, Episode 38 of The Midnight Special. Aired 1977-08-12. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.

More from the 1970s.