This was the United States television schedule on all three commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1985. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
New fall series are highlighted in bold.
The highest-rated show for the year is highlighted in lime. The top ten rated programs are highlighted in yellow. The top 20 rated programs are highlighted in cyan. The top 30 rated programs are highlighted in magenta. The top 40 rated programs are highlighted in orange. The top 50 rated programs are highlighted in silver. Rankings determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1] [2]
PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation, but its schedule was set by each local station.
Ratings data for some programs obtained from TVTango.com's ratings database
Contents |
Network | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Ripley's Believe It or Not! #97 9.0 rating | MacGyver #50 14.6 rating | The ABC Sunday Night Movie #38 16.0 rating | ||||||
CBS | 60 Minutes #4 23.9 rating | Murder, She Wrote #3 25.3 rating | Crazy Like a Fox #47 15.0 rating | Trapper John, M.D. #62 13.2 rating | |||||
NBC | Punky Brewster #91 9.7 rating | Silver Spoons #78 11.2 rating | Amazing Stories #43 15.3 rating | Alfred Hitchcock Presents #52 14.4 rating | NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #22 18.5 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Hardcastle and McCormick #55 13.9 rating | Monday Night Football #16 19.8 rating | |||||
CBS | Scarecrow and Mrs. King #30 17.4 rating | Kate & Allie #15 20.0 rating | Newhart #17 19.6 rating | Cagney & Lacey #33 16.7 rating | |||
NBC | TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes #42 15.4 rating | NBC Monday Night at the Movies #24 18.3 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Who's the Boss? #10 21.1 rating | Growing Pains #19 19.5 rating | Moonlighting #25 18.1 rating | Our Family Honor #102 7.8 rating | ||
follow-up (Nov. 5) | Spenser: For Hire #69 12.6 rating | ||||||
CBS | official | Hometown #86 10.1 rating | CBS Tuesday Night Movies #34 16.3 rating | ||||
follow-up (Oct. 29) | Specials | ||||||
follow-up (Dec. 24) | Stir Crazy #87 10.0 rating | ||||||
NBC | The A-Team #32 16.9 rating | Riptide #59 13.6 rating | Remington Steele #51 14.4 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | The Insiders #65 12.8 rating | Dynasty #7 21.8 rating | Hotel #23 18.3 rating | ||||
CBS | official | Stir Crazy #87 10.0 rating | Charlie & Co. #75 11.6 rating | George Burns Comedy Week #79 10.9 rating | The Equalizer #68 12.6 rating | ||
follow-up (Oct. 30) | Specials | ||||||
follow-up (Dec. 11) | Mary #60 13.5 rating | Foley Square #74 11.9 rating | |||||
NBC | Highway to Heaven #14 20.1 rating | Hell Town #54 14.1 rating | St. Elsewhere #56 13.8 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | The Fall Guy #39 15.8 rating | Lady Blue #80 10.7 rating | 20/20 #40 15.5 rating | |||
follow-up (Nov. 21) | Shadow Chasers #106 5.8 rating | Dynasty II: The Colbys #37 16.0 rating | |||||
CBS | Magnum, P.I. #49 14.6 rating | Simon and Simon #31 17.2 rating | Knots Landing #18 19.5 rating | ||||
NBC | The Cosby Show #1 33.7 rating | Family Ties #2 30.0 rating | Cheers #5 23.7 rating | Night Court #11 20.9 rating | Hill Street Blues #35 16.1 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Webster #44 15.3 rating | Mr. Belvedere #48 14.8 rating | Diff'rent Strokes #76 11.5 rating | Benson #88 10.0 rating | Spenser: For Hire #69 12.6 rating | |
follow-up (Nov. 8) | Our Family Honor #102 7.8 rating | ||||||
CBS | The Twilight Zone #58 13.6 rating | Dallas #6 21.9 rating | Falcon Crest #26 18.1 rating | ||||
NBC | Knight Rider #57 13.8 rating | Misfits of Science #66 12.8 rating | Miami Vice #9 21.3 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Hollywood Beat #93 9.4 rating | Lime Street #63 13.0 rating | The Love Boat #67 12.7 rating | |||
follow-up (Nov. 2) | The Fall Guy #101 7.8 rating | Lady Blue #80 10.7 rating | |||||
CBS | Airwolf #70 12.5 rating | The CBS Saturday Night Movies #71 12.4 rating | |||||
NBC | Gimme a Break! #36 16.0 rating | The Facts of Life #29 17.7 rating | The Golden Girls #7 21.8 rating | 227 #21 18.8 rating | Hunter #45 15.3 rating |
Note: 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.
Network | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Ripley's Believe It or Not! #97 9.0 rating | MacGyver #50 14.6 rating | The ABC Sunday Night Movie #38 16.0 rating | |||||
follow-up (Feb. 2) | The Disney Sunday Movie #53 14.1 rating | ||||||||
CBS | 60 Minutes #4 23.9 rating | Murder, She Wrote #3 25.3 rating | The CBS Sunday Night Movie #12 20.5 rating | ||||||
NBC | official | Punky Brewster #91 9.7 rating | Silver Spoons #78 11.2 rating | Amazing Stories #43 15.3 rating | Alfred Hitchcock Presents #52 14.1 rating | NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #22 18.5 rating | |||
follow-up (Apr. 6) | Silver Spoons #78 11.2 rating | Fathers and Sons #103 7.5 rating | |||||||
follow-up (May 11) | Punky Brewster #91 9.7 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Hardcastle and McCormick #55 13.9 rating | The ABC Monday Night Movie #46 15.2 rating | |||||
CBS | Scarecrow and Mrs. King #30 17.4 rating | Kate & Allie #15 20.0 rating | Newhart #17 19.6 rating | Cagney & Lacey #33 16.7 rating | |||
NBC | official | TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes #42 15.4 rating | NBC Monday Night at the Movies #24 18.3 rating | ||||
follow-up (Mar. 3) | You Again? #20 19.2 rating | Valerie #27 18.1 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Who's the Boss? #10 21.1 rating | Growing Pains #19 19.5 rating | Moonlighting #25 18.1 rating | Spenser: For Hire #69 12.6 rating | ||
follow-up (Mar. 25) | Perfect Strangers #13 20.4 rating | ||||||
CBS | official | Melba #105 6.5 rating | Charlie & Co. #75 11.6 rating | CBS Tuesday Night Movies #34 16.3 rating | |||
follow-up (Feb. 4) | Trapper John, M.D. #62 13.2 rating | ||||||
follow-up (Mar. 25) | Morningstar/Eveningstar #95 9.2 rating | Mary #60 13.5 rating | Foley Square #74 11.9 rating | The Equalizer #68 12.6 rating | |||
follow-up (Apr. 15) | The New Mike Hammer (repeats) #83 10.6 rating | ||||||
NBC | official | The A-Team #32 16.9 rating | Riptide #59 13.6 rating | Remington Steele #51 14.4 rating | |||
follow-up (Mar. 4) | Hunter #45 15.3 rating | Stingray #64 12.9 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | MacGyver #50 14.6 rating | Dynasty #7 21.8 rating | Hotel #23 18.3 rating | ||||
CBS | official | Mary #60 13.5 rating | Foley Square #74 11.9 rating | Crazy Like a Fox #47 15.0 rating | The Equalizer #68 12.6 rating | ||
follow-up (Mar. 5) | Fast Times #72 12.0 rating | Tough Cookies #81 10.7 rating | |||||
follow-up (Apr. 30) | West 57th #99 8.7 rating | The CBS Wednesday Night Movie #61 13.4 rating | |||||
NBC | Highway to Heaven #14 20.1 rating | Blacke's Magic #41 15.5 rating | St. Elsewhere #56 13.8 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Ripley's Believe It or Not! #97 9.0 rating | The Colbys #37 16.0 rating | 20/20 #40 15.5 rating | ||||
CBS | official | Magnum, P.I. #49 14.6 rating | Simon and Simon #31 17.2 rating | Knots Landing #18 19.5 rating | |||
follow-up (Apr. 17) | Simon and Simon #31 17.2 rating | Bridges to Cross #77 11.2 rating | |||||
NBC | The Cosby Show #1 33.7 rating | Family Ties #2 33.0 rating | Cheers #5 23.7 rating | Night Court #11 20.9 rating | Hill Street Blues #35 16.1 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Webster #44 15.3 rating | Mr. Belvedere #48 14.8 rating | Diff'rent Strokes #76 11.5 rating | He's The Mayor #89 9.7 rating | The Fall Guy #101 7.8 rating | |
follow-up (March 28) | Mr. Sunshine #90 9.7 rating | Joe Bash #104 7.4 rating | |||||
follow-up (May 9) | The ABC Friday Night Movie #96 9.0 rating | ||||||
CBS | The Twilight Zone #58 13.6 rating | Dallas #6 21.9 rating | Falcon Crest #26 18.1 rating | ||||
NBC | official | Misfits of Science #66 12.8 rating | Knight Rider #57 13.8 rating | Miami Vice #9 21.3 rating | |||
follow-up (Feb. 28) | Riptide #59 13.6 rating | ||||||
follow-up (Apr. 11) | The Last Precinct #73 12.0 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | The Redd Foxx Show #84 10.3 rating | Benson #88 10.0 rating | Fortune Dane #92 9.6 rating | The Love Boat #67 12.7 rating | ||
follow-up (Apr. 5) | The Love Boat #67 12.7 rating | ||||||
follow-up (Apr. 26) | Mr. Sunshine #90 9.7 rating | ||||||
CBS | official | Airwolf #70 12.5 rating | The CBS Saturday Night Movies #71 12.4 rating | ||||
follow-up (Mar. 8) | Crazy Like a Fox #47 15.0 rating | ||||||
follow-up (Mar. 15) | Airwolf #70 12.5 rating | Magnum, P.I. #49 14.6 rating | |||||
NBC | official | Gimme a Break! #36 16.0 rating | The Facts of Life #29 17.7 rating | The Golden Girls #8 21.8 rating | 227 #21 18.8 rating | Hunter #45 15.3 rating | |
follow-up (Mar. 8) | Remington Steele #51 14.4 rating | ||||||
follow-up (Mar. 29) | All Is Forgiven #28 17.8 rating |
Network | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | The Disney Sunday Movie #53 14.1 rating | The ABC Sunday Night Movie #38 16.0 rating | |||||||
CBS | 60 Minutes #4 23.9 rating | Murder, She Wrote #3 25.3 rating | The CBS Sunday Night Movie #12 20.5 rating | ||||||
NBC | official | Silver Spoons #78 11.2 rating | Punky Brewster #91 9.7 rating | Amazing Stories #43 15.3 rating | Alfred Hitchcock Presents #52 14.4 rating | NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #22 18.5 rating | |||
follow-up (Jul. 27) | Dalton's Code of Vengeance #82 10.6 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Monday Night Baseball #94 9.4 rating | ||||||
CBS | Scarecrow and Mrs. King #30 17.4 rating | Kate & Allie #15 20.0 rating | Newhart #17 19.6 rating | Cagney & Lacey #33 16.7 rating | |||
NBC | Valerie #27 18.1 rating | Amazing Stories #43 15.3 rating | NBC Monday Night at the Movies #24 18.3 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Who's the Boss? #10 21.1 rating | Growing Pains #19 19.5 rating | Moonlighting #25 18.1 rating | Spenser: For Hire #69 12.6 rating | |||
CBS | Simon and Simon #31 17.2 rating | Magnum, P.I. #49 14.6 rating | The Equalizer #68 12.6 rating | ||||
NBC | The A-Team #32 16.9 rating | Hunter #45 15.3 rating | 1986 #85 10.1 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | MacGyver #50 14.6 rating | Dynasty #7 21.8 rating | Hotel #23 18.5 rating | |||
follow-up (Aug.) | Perfect Strangers #13 20.4 rating | Mr. Sunshine #90 9.7 rating | |||||
CBS | official | Foley Square #74 11.9 rating | Charlie & Co. #75 11.6 rating | Airwolf #70 12.5 rating | West 57th #99 8.7 rating | ||
follow-up (Jul.) | The CBS Wednesday Night Movie #61 13.4 rating | ||||||
NBC | Highway to Heaven #14 20.1 rating | Gimme a Break! #36 16.0 rating | You Again? #20 19.2 rating | St. Elsewhere #56 13.8 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Ripley's Believe It or Not! #97 9.0 rating | The Colbys #37 16.0 rating | 20/20 #40 15.5 rating | ||||
CBS | official | Crazy Like a Fox #47 15.0 rating | Trapper John, M.D. #62 13.2 rating | Knots Landing #18 19.5 rating | |||
follow-up (Aug. 14) | The Price Is Right #98 8.8 rating | Crazy Like a Fox #47 15.0 rating | Trapper John, M.D. #62 13.2 rating | ||||
NBC | The Cosby Show #1 33.7 rating | Family Ties #2 33.0 rating | Cheers #5 23.7 rating | Night Court #11 20.9 rating | Hill Street Blues #35 16.1 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | official | Webster #44 15.3 rating | Mr. Belvedere #48 14.8 rating | Mr. Sunshine #90 9.7 rating | Specials | The Love Boat #67 12.7 rating | |
follow-up (Aug.) | Specials | ||||||
CBS | The Twilight Zone #58 13.6 rating | Dallas #6 21.9 rating | Falcon Crest #26 18.1 rating | ||||
NBC | official | Knight Rider #57 13.8 rating | Miami Vice #9 21.3 rating | Stingray #64 12.9 rating | |||
follow-up (Aug. 15) | The A-Team #32 16.9 rating | Riptide #59 13.6 rating |
Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABC | Diff'rent Strokes #76 11.5 rating | Benson #88 10.0 rating | The ABC Saturday Night Movie #100 8.5 rating | ||||
CBS | official | Specials | The CBS Saturday Night Movie #71 12.4 rating | ||||
follow-up (Aug. 2) | Melba #105 6.5 rating | Specials | |||||
NBC | official | The Facts of Life #29 17.7 rating | 227 #21 18.8 rating | The Golden Girls #8 21.8 rating | Me & Mrs. C #39 15.9 rating | Remington Steele #51 14.4 rating | |
follow-up (Aug. 2) | All Is Forgiven #28 17.8 rating | Hunter #45 15.3 rating |
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