1980–81 United States network television schedule

This was the television schedule for the three United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1980. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.

The highest-rated show for the year is highlighted in lime. The top ten most watched programs are highlighted in yellow. The top 20 most watched programs are highlighted in cyan. The top 30 most watched programs are highlighted in magenta. Rankings determined by Nielsen Media Research.^[1][2]

New fall series are highlighted in bold. Series ending their original runs are highlighted in italics.

Note: An actors' strike hindered the ability to start airing shows in a timely manner. The shows in the schedule were the first to air new episodes in their respective time periods as they bowed in between late August and December 31, 1980. Some of the new shows intended for a fall launch did not debut until 1981 or 1982, if at all.

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation, but the schedule was set by each local station. On ABC, its news brief, airs all seven nights at 9:58, pm.

Fall Schedule

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Note: On NBC, NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies aired from 8–10 p.m. from September to November.

Wednesday

Note: NBC's Movie of the Week aired from 9–11 p.m. between September and November.

Thursday

Note: The CBS Thursday Movie Special aired from 9–11 p.m. from September till the end of November.

Friday

Note: NBC Friday Night at the Movies aired from 8–10 p.m. through October and November.

Saturday

Notes: The CBS Saturday Night Movies aired from 9–11 p.m. through the end of November. Walking Tall and Hill Street Blues were intended to premiere in the fall of 1980 but were delayed because of the SAG strike.

Mid-Season Schedule

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Summer Schedule

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Pickups and Cancellations

Full Season Pickups

ABC

• Barney Miller
• Benson
• Bosom Buddies
• Dynasty
• Fantasy Island
• The Greatest American Hero
• Happy Days
• It's A Living
• Laverne & Shirley
• The Love Boat
• Monday Night Football
• Mork and Mindy
• Taxi
• That's Incredible!
• Three's Company
• Too Close For Comfort
• Hart to Hart

CBS

• 60 Minutes
• Alice
• Archie Bunker's Place
• Dallas
• The Dukes of Hazzard
• House Calls
• The Incredible Hulk
• The Jeffersons
• Knots Landing
• Lou Grant
• M*A*S*H
• Magnum, P.I.
• Private Benjamin
• Trapper John, M.D.
• The Two of Us
• WKRP in Cincinnati
• Universe (returns in summer)

NBC

• Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
• CHiPs
• Diff'rent Strokes
• The Facts of Life
• Flamingo Road
• Harper Valley PTA
• Hill Street Blues
• Little House on the Prairie
• NBC Magazine With David Brinkley
• Quincy
• Real People

Cancellations and Endings

ABC

• 240-Robert
• Aloha Paradise
• American Dream
• Breaking Away
• Charlie's Angels
• Eight is Enough
• I'm A Big Girl Now
• The Krypton Factor
• Soap
• Those Amazing Animals
• Vega$

CBS

• Checking In
• Concrete Cowboys
• Enos
• Flo
• Freebie and the Bean
• Ladies Man
• Palmerstown, U.S.A.
• Park Place
• Secrets of Midland Heights
• That's My Line
• The Tim Conway Show
• The Waltons
• The White Shadow

NBC

• B.J. and the Bear
• The Big Event
• The Brady Brides
• Games People Play
• The Gangster Chronicles
• Lobo
• Marie
• Nero Wolfe
• Number 96
• Sanford
• The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
• Walking Tall

Changes of Network Affiliation

• Disney's Wonderful World: from NBC to CBS under the new name Walt Disney

References