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The Worst Episodes of The Midnight Special

Every episode of The Midnight Special ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Midnight Special!

The Worst Episodes of The Midnight Special

The Midnight Special is an American late-night musical variety series that aired on NBC during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt...

Seasons8

  1. Background image for Host: Lou Rawls
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    #1 - Host: Lou Rawls

    S1:E9

    Lou Rawls (guest host) - ""A Natural Man"" & ""Dead End Street"" --Lou Rawls - medley: ""Memory Lane,"" ""It Was a Very Good Year"" & ""Old Folks"" --Brewer & Shipley - ""One Toke Over the Line"" --George Burns - ""Mr. Bojangles"" and ""You Made Me Love You"" (2nd song with the Honey Cone) --George Burns & Honey Cone - ""You Made Me Love You"" --The Committee (comedy segment) - routines about a surprise party; movies; an argument; a police station --The Grass Roots - ""Midnight Confession"" & ""Love Is What You Make It"" --Honey Cone - ""Want Ads"" --The O'Jays - ""Backstabbers"" & ""Love Train"" (2nd song with Lou Rawls) --Eric Weissberg and Deliverance - ""Dueling Banjos"" and ""I'm My Own Grandpa""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  2. Background image for Host: Doc Severinsen
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    #2 - Host: Doc Severinsen

    S1:E13

    Doc Severinsen (guest host) - ""I Just Want to Celebrate,"" ""Last Tango in Paris,"" ""Does Anybody Know What Time It Is,"" ""Introduction,"" ""Twenty-Five or Six to Four"" & ""Beginnings"" --Doc Severinsen - ""Celebrate"" (with the Now Generation and Today's Children) --Doc Severinsen (on fluegelhorn) and Henry Mancini - ""Brothers Go to Mothers"" duet. Mancini introduces his group including his son Chris. --Hoyt Axton - ""Jambalaya"" & ""Less Than the Song"" --Jerry Butler - ""Western Union Man"" ""Only the Strong Survive"" & ""Ain't Understanding Mellow"" --Dobie Gray - ""Drift Away"" & ""The 'In' Crowd"" --Carol Burnett - introduces Vicki Lawrence --Vicki Lawrence - ""The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia"" --Country Joe McDonald and his All-Star Band - ""Couleene Anne"" & ""Hold On It's Coming"" --Not Cut of Friends - ""Indian Warrior"" (another source listed the band as ""Hot Cup of Friends"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  3. Background image for Host: Jerry Lee Lewis
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    #3 - Host: Jerry Lee Lewis

    S1:E14

    Jerry Lee Lewis (guest host) - ""Great Balls of Fire,"" ""High School Confidential,"" ""Drinking Wine Spo Dee O'Dee"" & ""Cold Cold Heart"" --Jerry Lee Lewis and Linda Gail Lewis - ""Roll Over Beethoven"" --Freddie Cannon - ""Tallahassee Lassie"" & ""Way Down Yonder in New Orleans"" --Chubby Checker - ""The Twist"" & ""Huckle Buck"" --Bobby Day - ""Rockin' Robin"" --The Del Vikings - ""Come Go with Me"" --The Penguins - ""Earth Angel"" --Lloyd Price - ""Stagger Lee"" & ""Where Were You on My Wedding Day"" --Little Anthony - ""I'm Alright"" & ""Tears on My Pillow"" --The Ronettes - ""Be My Baby"" & ""Walkin' in the Rain"" --Del Shannon - ""Runaway"" & ""Keep Searchin'"" --The Shirelles - ""Soldier Boy"" & ""Tonight's the Night"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  4. Background image for Host: Johnny Nash
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    #4 - Host: Johnny Nash

    S1:E15

    Johnny Nash (guest host) - ""Stir It Up,"" ""Groovy Feeling,"" ""I Can See Clearly Now"" & ""Merry-Go-Round"" --Chi Coltrane - ""Thunder and Lightning"" & ""You Were My Friend"" --Freemen and Murray (comedy team) --Tom T. Hall - ""The Year That Clayton Delaney Died"" & ""Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon"" --Andrew Johnson (comedian) --Gladys Knight and the Pips - ""If I Were Your Woman"" & ""Neither One of Us"" --Kenny Rankin - ""You Are the Sunshine of My Life"" & ""In the Name of Love"" --The Raspberries - ""I Wanna Be with You"" & ""Let's Pretend"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  5. Background image for Hosts: Burns and Schreiber
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    #5 - Hosts: Burns and Schreiber

    S1:E16

    -Jack Burns and Avery Schreiber (comedy team, guest hosts) --Mark Almond - ""What Am I Loving For,"" ""Just Another Road Song"" & ""The City"" --Kenny Colman - ""Last Tango in Paris"" --The Crusaders - ""Put It Where You Want It"" & ""Don't Let It Get You Down"" --Ronnie Dyson - ""One Man Band"" --The Hollies - ""Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"" --The Incredible String Band - ""Black Jack Davy"" & ""Old Buccaneer"" --Steve Martin (comedian, stand-up comedy segment) --The O'Jays - ""Love Train"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  6. Background image for Host: Paul Williams
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    #6 - Host: Paul Williams

    S1:E23

    Paul Williams (guest host) - ""Someday Man,"" ""That's What Friends Are For"" & ""Look What I Found"" --Paul Williams, Kris Kristofferson and Rita Collidge - ""Me and Bobby McGee"" --Kris Kristofferson - ""Loving Her Was Easier"" & ""Out of Mind, Sout of Sight"" --Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge - ""I Never Had it So Good"" --Rita Coolidge - ""I'll Be Your Baby"" & ""My Crew"" --Brewer and Shipley - ""Black Sky"" & ""Yankee Lady"" --Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen - ""Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette)"" & ""Jailhouse Rock"" --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Roll Over Beethoven"" & ""Kuiama"" --King Harvest - ""Dancing in the Moonlight"" & ""A Little Bit Like Magic""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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    The 20 BEST Episodes of The Midnight Special

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  8. Background image for Host: Smokey Robinson
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    #7 - Host: Smokey Robinson

    S1:E25

    Smokey Robinson (guest host) - ""Want to Know My Mind,"" ""Sweet Harmony"" & ""You Are the Sunshine of My Life"" --The Miracles - ""What Is Heart Good For,"" ""Tears of a Clown"" & ""Don't Let It End (Till You Let It Begin)"" --Bonnie Bramlett - ""Good Vibrations"" & ""Celebrate Life"" --Martin and Finley - ""It's Another Sunder"" --Rare Earth - ""Hey Big Brother,"" ""Big John Is My Name"" & ""Hum Along and Dance"" --The Stylistics - ""You'll Never Get to Heaven"" & ""You Are Everything"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  9. Background image for Host: Joan Baez
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    #8 - Host: Joan Baez

    S1:E26

    -Joan Baez (host) - ""The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,"" ""Joe Hill,"" ""Love Song to a Stranger,"" ""Prison Trilogy"" & ""Rider Pass By"" --Joan Baez and Mimi Farina - ""Best of Friends"" --Black Oak Arkansas - ""Fever in My Mind,"" ""Dance to the Music Tonight"" & ""Hot and Nasty"" --Bloodstone - ""Natural High"" & ""Never Let You Go"" --Steve Goodman - ""Someone Else's Troubles"" & ""Would You Like to Learn to Dance?"" --Mimi Farina - ""In the Quiet Morning"" --Wilson Pickett - ""Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You"" & ""International Playboy"" --The Pointer Sisters - ""Cloudburst"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  10. Background image for Host: Dionne Warwick
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    #9 - Host: Dionne Warwick

    S1:E27

    Dionne Warwick (host) - ""I Say a Little Prayer"" and a medley of Burt Bachrach hits. --Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis - ""My Love"" --Johnny Mathis - ""Killing Me Softly with Her Song"" & ""To the Ends of the Earth"" --Bud Brisbois - ""Baby Hand Your Love on Me"" & ""Miss Ma-Tazz"" --Alan Bursky (comedian) - comedy segment --Leo Kottke - ""Vaseline Machine Gun #2"" --Malo - ""Momotombo"" & ""Hala"" --Kenny Rogers and the First Edition - ""Coming Through the Rye,"" ""Something's Burning"" & ""Lena Lookey"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  11. Background image for Hosts: The Bee Gees
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    #10 - Hosts: The Bee Gees

    S1:E29

    Guest Hosts: The Bee Gees; guests: The Hollies, Herman's Hermits, Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders, The Searchers, Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, Gerry & the Pacemakers --The Bee Gees (guest hosts) - ""New York Mining Disaster 1941,"" ""Turn of the Century"" & ""I Can't See Nobody"" --The Hollies - ""Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress"" & ""He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"" --Herman's Hermits - ""I'm Henry the VIII I Am,"" ""Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter"" & ""There's a Kind of Hush"" --Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders - ""Game of Love"" & ""A Groovy Kind of Love"" --The Searchers - ""Needles and Pins,"" ""Sweets for My Sweet"" & ""Love Potion #9"" --Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas - ""Little Children"" --Gerry and the Pacemakers - ""How Do You Do It,"" ""I Like It,"" ""Ferry Cross the Mersey"" & ""Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying.""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  12. Background image for Host: Richard Pryor
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    #11 - Host: Richard Pryor

    S1:E30

    Richard Pryor (guest host) --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Roll Over Beethoven"" --Joe Hicks - ""Train of Thought"" --Doug Kershaw - ""Fisherman's Luck,"" ""Diggy Diggy Lo"" & ""Louisiana Man"" --Albert King - ""Don't Burn Down the Bridge"" & ""I'll Play the Blues for You"" --Melissa Manchester - ""If It Feels Good"" & ""Easy"" --Joe Walsh - ""Tend My Garden"" & ""Rocky Mountain Way""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  13. Background image for Co-hosts: Loretta Lynn & Marty Robbins
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    #12 - Co-hosts: Loretta Lynn & Marty Robbins

    S1:E31

    Loretta Lynn and Marty Robbins (Co-hosts) - ""The Midnight Special"" & ""Singin' the Blues"" --Loretta Lynn (Co-host) - ""One's on the Way"" & ""Love is the Foundation"" --Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty - ""Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man"" --Marty Robbins (Co-host) - ""Don't Worry 'Bout Me,"" ""A White Sport Coat,"" ""Devil Woman,"" ""El Paso"""" --Don Gibson - ""Oh Lonesome Me"" --Tom T Hall - ""Spokane Motel Blues"" --George Jones - ""The Race Is On"" --George Jones and Tammy Wynette - ""We're Gonna Hold On"" --Johnny Paycheck - ""She's All I Got"" --Charlie Rich - ""Behind Closed Doors"" --Johnny Rodriguez - ""Bosier City Backyard Blues"" --The Earl Scruggs Revue - ""Caroline Boogie"" --Tanya Tucker - ""Blood Red and Goin' Down"" & ""Delta Dawn"" --Conway Twitty - ""You've Never Been So Far"" --Tammy Wynette - ""Stand by Your Man"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  14. Background image for Host: Mac Davis
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    #13 - Host: Mac Davis

    S1:E33

    Mac Davis (guest host) - ""Something's Burning,"" ""I'll Paint You a Song,"" ""Naughty Girl,"" ""Lonesomest Lonesome"" & ""I Believe in Music"" --Mark Almond - ""Neighborhood Man"" & ""Get Yourself Together"" --Chuck Berry - ""Roll Over Beethoven,"" ""Bio"" & ""Carol"" --Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes - ""The Love I Lost"" --Ravi Shankar - ""Sindhi Bhairavi"" --Edgar Winter Group - ""Keep Playing That Rock and Roll,"" ""Frankenstein"" ""Rock 'n' Roll Boogie Woogie Blues"" & ""Hanging Around""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  15. Background image for Host: Curtis Mayfield
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    #14 - Host: Curtis Mayfield

    S1:E34

    Curtis Mayfield (guest host) - "Future Shock," "Back to the World," Right On for the Darkness." Sly & The Family Stone - "Everybody is a Star." Helen Reddy - "Delta Dawn." Jim Croce - "I've Got A Name," "Bad Bad Leroy Brown." War - "Gypsy Man." Gladys Night & the Pips - When Peaceful Water Flows." Wilson Pickett - "Get Me Back on Time Engine 9," "Don't Knock My Love." The Bee Gees - "Lonely Days," "Run to Me." Natural Four - "Can This Be Real."

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  16. Background image for Host: Wilson Pickett
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    #15 - Host: Wilson Pickett

    S1:E35

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  17. Background image for Host: Seals & Crofts
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    #16 - Host: Seals & Crofts

    S1:E36

    Seals & Crofts (guest hosts) - "Diamond Girl," "Dust On My Saddle," " We Never Pass This Way Again," "Ruby Jean and Billie Lee" & "Pop Goes the Weasel." T. Rex - "Hot Love" & "Bang a Gong (Get It On)." Arlo Guthrie - "Gypsy Davy" & "Bling Blang." Uriah Heep - "Stealin'" & "Sweet Freedom." Paul Butterfield's Better Days - "New Walkin' Blues" & "Broke My Baby's Heart." Leo Kottke - "Bean Time."

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  18. Background image for Host: Gladys Knight & The Pips
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    #17 - Host: Gladys Knight & The Pips

    S1:E37

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  19. Background image for Host: The Bee Gees
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    #18 - Host: The Bee Gees

    S1:E38

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  20. Background image for Host: War
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    #19 - Host: War

    S1:E39

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  21. Background image for Host: Chuck Berry
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    #20 - Host: Chuck Berry

    S1:E40

    Chuck Berry (host) - ""Tulane,"" ""School Days,"" ""Johnny B. Good,"" ""Got It and Gone"" & ""Rock and Roll Music"" --Rick Derringer and the Edgar Winter Group - ""Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo"" --Fleetwood Mac - ""Miles Away"" & ""Believe Me"" --Shawn Phillips - ""Technotronic Lad"" & ""Spaceman"" --Johnny Taylor - ""Who's Making Love"" & ""I Believe in You"" --Muddy Waters - ""Can't Get No Grindin'"" & ""Got My Mojo Working"" --The Edgar Winter Group - ""Free Ride"" & ""Dying to Live""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  22. Background image for Host: Wilson Pickett
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    #21 - Host: Wilson Pickett

    S2:E2

    Wilson Pickett (host) - ""Land of 1000 Dances,"" ""Funky Broadway,"" ""Never My Love"" & ""In the Midnight Hour"" --Brian Auger's Oblivion Express - ""Whenever You're Ready"" & ""Listen Here"" --Canned Heat - ""Dust My Broom"" & ""Lookin' for My Rainbow"" --The Chi-Lites - ""Stoned Out of My Mind"" & Oh Girl"" --Curtis Mayfield - ""Freddie's Dead"" --Brenda Patterson - ""Dance with Me Henry"" --Spooky Tooth - ""Cotton Growing Man"" --B.W. Stevenson - ""My Maria"" & ""Don't Go to Mexico"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  23. Background image for Hosts: Seals & Crofts
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    #22 - Hosts: Seals & Crofts

    S2:E3

    -Seals & Crofts (hosts) - ""Diamond Girl,"" ""Dust On My Saddle,"" ""We May Never Pass This Way Again,"" ""Ruby Jean and Billie Lee"" & ""Pop Goes the Weasel"" --Paul Butterfield's Better Days - ""New Walkin' Blues"" & ""Broke My Baby's Heart"" --Ramblin' Jack Elliot - ""Talkin' Fishing Blues"" --Arlo Guthrie - ""Gypsy Davy"" ""Bling Blang"" --Leo Kottke - ""Bean Time"" --T. Rex - ""Hot Love"" & ""Bang a Gong (Get It On)"" --Uriah Heep - ""Stealin'"" & ""Sweet Freedom""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  24. Background image for Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips
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    #23 - Hosts: Gladys Knight & the Pips

    S2:E4

    Gladys Knight & the Pips (hosts) - ""Daddy Could Swear I Declare,"" ""Heavy Makes You Happy"" & ""Midnight Train to Georgia"" --Gladys Knight and B.B. King - ""The Thrill Is Gone"" --Earth, Wind & Fire - ""Evil"" & ""Power"" --Focus - ""Hocus Pocus,"" ""Sylvia,"" ""House of the King"" & ""Focus III"" --B.B. King - ""To Know You Is to Love You"" & ""How Blue Can You Get?"" --Chris Smither - ""Mail Order Mystics"" --Stories - ""Mammy Blue"" & ""Broken Love"" --Wolfman Jack and Monda - ""Ling Ting Tong""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  25. Background image for Host:The Bee Gees
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    #24 - Host:The Bee Gees

    S2:E5

    --The Bee Gees (hosts) - ""Massachusetts,"" ""Lay It on Me,"" ""Alive,"" ""Bye Bye Blackbird"" & ""Alone Again"" --The Bee Gees and Chuck Berry - ""Reelin' and Rockin'"" & ""Johnny B. Goode"" --Chuck Berry - ""Maybellene"" ""Sweet Little Sixteen"" --Apple and Appleberry - ""Landlord"" --King Crimson - ""Lark's Tongues in Aspic Part 2"" & ""Easy Money"" --Barbara Mason - ""Yes I'm Ready"" --Lee Michaels - ""Do You Know What I Mean,"" ""Barefootin'"" & ""Same Old Song""

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  26. Background image for Hosts: War
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    #25 - Hosts: War

    S2:E6

    War (hosts) - ""Cisco Kid,"" ""Me and Baby Brother,"" ""The World Is a Ghetto"" & ""City Country City"" --Bachman-Turner Overdrive - ""Hold Back the Water"" & ""Gimme Your Money Please"" --Climax Blues Band - ""Shake Your Love"" & ""Constant"" --Mott the Hoople - ""All the Way from Memphis"" & ""Rose"" --New York Dolls - ""Trash"" & ""Personality Crisis"" --Danny O'Keefe - ""Good Time's Charlie's Got the Blues"" & ""Angel Spread Your Wings"" --Piper - ""Bungle Rye"

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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Worst Episodes Summary

"Host: Lou Rawls" is the worst rated episode of "The Midnight Special". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 3/23/1973. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Host: Doc Severinsen".