1985–86 United States network television schedule
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The 1985–86 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers primetime hours from September 1985 through August 1986. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1984–85 season.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows released in May 1986 is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1] Most of the ratings come from AmericanRadioHistory.com's PDF archive.[2] This was the first television season wherein the Nielsen people meter technology was used for the nationwide audience measurement system, largely replacing the diaries system in place from the 1950-1951 television season.[3]
Legend
- Light blue indicates local programming.
- Gray indicates encore programming.
- Blue-gray indicates news programming.
- Light green indicates sporting events.
- Red indicates series being burned off and other irregularly scheduled programs, including specials and movies.
- Light gold indicates programming produced outside of the United States.
- highlight Lime highlights indicates the number-one most watched program of the season.
- highlight Yellow highlights indicates the top-10 most watched programs of the season.
- highlight Cyan highlights indicates numbers 11-20 most watched programs of the season.
- highlight Magenta highlights indicates numbers 21-30 most watched programs of the season.
- highlight Highlights indicates that it falls in multiple of the above categories.
Schedule
- New series are highlighted in bold.
- Repeat airings or same-day rebroadcasts are indicated by (R).
- All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian times.
Sunday
| Network | 7:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Ripley's Believe It or Not! | MacGyver | The ABC Sunday Night Movie | |||||
| Winter | The Disney Sunday Movie | ||||||||
| Spring | |||||||||
| Summer | |||||||||
| CBS | Fall | 60 Minutes (4/23.9) | Murder, She Wrote (3/25.3) | Crazy Like a Fox | Trapper John, M.D. | ||||
| Winter | CBS Sunday Movie (12/20.5) | ||||||||
| Spring | |||||||||
| Summer | |||||||||
| NBC | Fall | Punky Brewster | Silver Spoons | Amazing Stories | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | NBC Sunday Night at the Movies (21/18.5) | |||
| Winter | |||||||||
| Spring | Silver Spoons | Fathers and Sons | |||||||
| Late spring | Punky Brewster | Various programming[a] | |||||||
| August | Dalton's Code of Vengeance | NBC Sunday Night at the Movies (21/18.5) | |||||||
Monday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Hardcastle and McCormick | Monday Night Football (15/19.8) | ||||
| Winter | ABC Monday Night Movie | ||||||
| Spring | |||||||
| June | The Insiders | ||||||
| Mid-summer | Monday Night Baseball | ||||||
| CBS | Scarecrow and Mrs. King (28/17.4) | Kate & Allie (14/20.0) | Newhart (16/19.6) | Cagney & Lacey | |||
| NBC | Fall | TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes | NBC Monday Night at the Movies (22/18.3) (Tied with Hotel) | ||||
| Winter | You Again? (19/19.2) | Valerie (24/18.1) (Tied with Moonlighting and Falcon Crest) | |||||
| Spring | Valerie (24/18.1) (Tied with Moonlighting and Falcon Crest) |
You Again? (19/19.2) | |||||
| Late spring | Amazing Stories | ||||||
Tuesday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Who's the Boss? (10/21.1) | Growing Pains (17/19.5) (Tied with Knots Landing) |
Moonlighting (24/18.1) (Tied with Falcon Crest and Valerie) |
Our Family Honor | ||
| Mid-fall | Spenser: For Hire | ||||||
| Winter | |||||||
| Spring | Perfect Strangers | ||||||
| Mid-spring | Growing Pains (17/19.5) (Tied with Knots Landing) | ||||||
| Summer | Perfect Strangers | ||||||
| Mid-summer | Growing Pains (17/19.5) (Tied with Knots Landing) | ||||||
| CBS | Fall | Hometown | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | ||||
| Mid-fall | Various programming[b] | ||||||
| Late fall | Stir Crazy | ||||||
| Winter | Various programming[c] | Charlie & Co. | Trapper John, M.D. | Various programming[b] | |||
| Mid-winter | Trapper John, M.D. | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | |||||
| Spring | Morningstar/Eveningstar | Mary | Foley Square | The Equalizer | |||
| Mid-spring | Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (R) | ||||||
| Summer | Simon & Simon (R) | Magnum, P.I. (R) | |||||
| NBC | Fall | The A-Team (30/16.9) | Riptide | Remington Steele | |||
| Winter | |||||||
| Spring | Hunter | Stingray | |||||
| Summer | 1986 | ||||||
Notes:
- Melba was supposed to air on the 8:00 p.m. slot in January 1986, but was cancelled after its first episode aired. Episodes already produced aired during the summer.
- Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer consisted on repeats of the 1983–84 series.
- 1986 aired as a "preview" series in advance of the 1986–87 season.
Wednesday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | The Insiders | Dynasty (7/21.8) (Tied with The Golden Girls) |
Hotel (22/18.3) (Tied with The NBC Monday Movie) | |||
| Winter | MacGyver | ||||||
| Spring | |||||||
| Summer | Hardcastle and McCormick (R) | ||||||
| Mid-summer | Perfect Strangers (R) | Mr. Sunshine (R) | MacGyver | ||||
| CBS | Fall | Stir Crazy | Charlie & Co. | George Burns Comedy Week | The Equalizer | ||
| Mid-fall | Special programming | ||||||
| Late fall | Mary | Foley Square | |||||
| Winter | Crazy Like a Fox | ||||||
| Spring | Fast Times | Tough Cookies | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | ||||
| Mid-spring | West 57th | ||||||
| Summer | Foley Square | Charlie & Co. | Airwolf (R) | West 57th | |||
| NBC | Fall | Highway to Heaven (13/20.1) | Hell Town | St. Elsewhere | |||
| Winter | Blacke's Magic | ||||||
| Spring | |||||||
| Summer | Gimme a Break! (R) | You Again? (R) | |||||
Thursday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | The Fall Guy | Lady Blue | 20/20 | |||
| Mid-fall | ABC Thursday Night Movie | ||||||
| Late fall | Shadow Chasers | The Colbys | |||||
| Winter | Ripley's Believe It or Not! | ||||||
| Spring | |||||||
| Summer | |||||||
| CBS | Fall | Magnum, P.I. | Simon & Simon (29/17.2) | Knots Landing (17/19.5) (Tied with Growing Pains) | |||
| Winter | |||||||
| Spring | Simon & Simon (29/17.2) | Bridges to Cross | |||||
| Summer | Crazy Like a Fox (R) | Trapper John, M.D. (R) | |||||
| Mid-summer | CBS Thursday Night Movie | ||||||
| Late summer | Price is Right Special | Crazy Like a Fox (R) | Trapper John, M.D. | ||||
| NBC | Fall | The Cosby Show (1/33.7) | Family Ties (2/30.0) | Cheers (5/23.7) | Night Court (11/20.9) | Hill Street Blues | |
| Winter | |||||||
| Late winter | All Is Forgiven | ||||||
| Spring | Night Court (11/20.9) | ||||||
| Summer | All Is Forgiven | ||||||
| Mid-summer | Night Court (11/20.9) | ||||||
Friday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Webster | Mr. Belvedere | Diff'rent Strokes | Benson | Spenser: For Hire | |
| Mid-fall | Our Family Honor | ||||||
| Winter | He's the Mayor | The Fall Guy | |||||
| Spring | Mr. Sunshine | Joe Bash | |||||
| Mid-spring | The ABC Friday Night Movie | ||||||
| Summer | Mr. Sunshine | Various programming[c] | The Love Boat (R) | ||||
| Late summer | Various programming[c] | ||||||
| CBS | Fall | The Twilight Zone | Dallas (6/21.9) | Falcon Crest (24/18.1) (Tied with Moonlighting and Valerie) | |||
| Winter | |||||||
| Spring | Charlie & Co. | Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills | |||||
| Summer | The Twilight Zone | CBS Friday Movie | |||||
| NBC | Fall | Knight Rider | Misfits of Science | Miami Vice (9/21.3) | |||
| Winter | Misfits of Science | Knight Rider | |||||
| Late winter | Riptide | ||||||
| Spring | The Last Precinct | ||||||
| Mid-spring | Knight Rider | ||||||
| Summer | Miami Vice (9/21.3) | Stingray (R) | |||||
| Late summer | The A-Team (R) | Riptide (R) | |||||
Note:
- Diff'rent Strokes aired an one-hour season premiere on September 27 at 9:00pm.
Saturday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Hollywood Beat | Lime Street | The Love Boat | |||
| Mid-fall | The Fall Guy | Lady Blue | |||||
| Winter | The Redd Foxx Show | Benson | Fortune Dane | ||||
| Spring | The Love Boat (R) | ||||||
| Mid-spring | Mr. Sunshine | ||||||
| Summer | Diff'rent Strokes (R) | ABC Saturday Night Movie | |||||
| CBS | Fall | Airwolf | CBS Saturday Night Movie | ||||
| Winter | |||||||
| Spring | Crazy Like a Fox | ||||||
| Mid-spring | Airwolf | Magnum, P.I. | |||||
| Summer | Various programming[d] | ||||||
| August | Melba | CBS Saturday Night Movie | |||||
| NBC | Fall | Gimme a Break! | The Facts of Life (27/17.7) | The Golden Girls (7/21.8) (Tied with Dynasty) |
227 (20/18.8) | Hunter | |
| Winter | |||||||
| Spring | All Is Forgiven | Remington Steele | |||||
| Mid-spring | 227 (20/18.8) | ||||||
| Summer | The Facts of Life (27/17.7) | 227 (20/18.8) | Me & Mrs. C | ||||
| Late summer | Various programming[e] | Hunter | |||||
Notes:
- Due to the death of Samantha Smith and her father in a plane crash, ABC ceased production on Lime Street and was forced to move Lady Blue into its slot.
- The Love Boat had a number of 2-hour episodes throughout the season, airing from 9 to 11 p.m. Assorted repeats from previous seasons aired on the 9 p.m. slot during the spring.
By network
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Returning series
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New series
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Not returning from 1984–85:
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Returning series
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New series
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Not returning from 1984–85:
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Returning series
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New series
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Not returning from 1984–85:
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Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.
^ Diff'rent Strokes switched networks for the 1985–1986 season.
+ Mike Hammer abruptly ended production after series star Stacy Keach was sentenced to six months in prison for cocaine possession. Production resumed during the 1986–1987 season.
@ T. J. Hooker continued production for CBS' late night schedule for the 1985–1986 season.
See also
- 1985–86 United States network television schedule (daytime)
- 1985–86 United States network television schedule (late night)
Notes
- ^ Between May and July 1986, NBC's Sunday night lineup between 8 and 11 p.m. consisted on NBC Sunday Night at the Movies with various repeats following at 10 or 10:30 p.m., or special programming during the entire three-hour block.
- ^ a b Various repeats and specials
- ^ a b c Sitcom repeats and specials
- ^ CBS' Saturday night line-up between May and July 1986 consisted mostly on three-hour broadcasts of the CBS Saturday Night Movie, although some weeks featured various repeats and specials on the 8–8:30 or 8–9 p.m. period.
- ^ Sitcom repeats, specials and airings of unsold pilots
References
- ^ Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by Nielsen Media Research and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- ^ "Broadcasting Magazine" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 110, no. 17. April 28, 1986.
- ^ de Moraes, Lisa. "David Cook Wasn't the Only Winner on Wednesday, as 'Idol' Ratings Spike". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 2, 2010.