1987–88 United States network television schedule

This was the television schedule on all four United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1987. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.

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

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]

Note: This is the first fall season for Fox. It would air only twice a week until 1989.

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation, but the schedule was set by each local station.

Ratings data courtesy of TVTango.com

Contents

Fall Schedule

Sunday

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 #82 10.37 rating Spenser: For Hire #77 10.92 rating Dolly #70 11.57 rating Buck James #88 9.65 rating
CBS 60 Minutes #4 22.98 rating Murder, She Wrote #8 21.26 rating CBS Sunday Night Movie #14 18.35 rating
Fox 21 Jump Street #114 5.74 rating Werewolf #118 4.44 rating Married... with Children #116 4.70 rating The Tracey Ullman Show #121 3.26 rating Duet #122 3.01 rating Local
NBC Our House #64 11.80 rating Family Ties #17 18.84 rating My Two Dads #25 16.81 rating NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #17 17.95 rating

Monday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC MacGyver #50 13.28 rating Monday Night Football #21 17.82 rating
CBS official Frank's Place #56 12.49 rating Kate & Allie #38 14.68 rating Newhart #27 16.58 rating Designing Women #33 15.66 rating Cagney & Lacey #53 12.77 rating
follow-up (Nov.) Kate & Allie #38 14.68 rating Frank's Place #56 12.49 rating
NBC ALF #12 18.90 rating Valerie's Family #24 16.90 rating NBC Monday Night at the Movies #15 18.35 rating

Tuesday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Who's the Boss? #6 21.50 rating Growing Pains #7 21.39 rating Moonlighting #10 19.76 rating thirtysomething #44 13.74 rating
CBS Houston Knights #95 9.25 rating Jake and the Fatman #59 12.37 rating The Law & Harry McGraw #81 10.44 rating
NBC official Matlock #20 17.82 rating J.J. Starbuck #46 13.73 rating Crime Story #62 11.98 rating
follow-up (Dec. 8) Hunter #29 16.26 rating

Wednesday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Perfect Strangers #48 13.38 rating Head of the Class #23 16.95 rating Hooperman #30 16.12 rating The Slap Maxwell Story #60 12.28 rating Dynasty #41 14.33 rating
CBS The Oldest Rookie #79 10.46 rating Magnum, P.I. #31 16.01 rating The Equalizer #52 12.95 rating
NBC Highway to Heaven #40 14.65 rating A Year in the Life #61 12.07 rating St. Elsewhere #47 13.63 rating

Thursday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Sledge Hammer! #105 7.76 rating The Charmings #106 7.68 rating The ABC Thursday Night Movie #93 9.36 rating
CBS official Tour of Duty #78 10.76 rating Wiseguy #65 11.79 rating Knots Landing #32 15.88 rating
follow-up (Dec. 3) Simon & Simon #55 12.60 rating
NBC The Cosby Show #1 28.35 rating A Different World #2 25.75 rating Cheers #3 24.70 rating Night Court #9 21.13 rating L.A. Law #11 19.33 rating

Friday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC official Full House #69 11.63 rating I Married Dora #74 11.08 rating Max Headroom #110 6.26 rating 20/20 #54 12.63 rating
follow-up (Oct. 30) Mr. Belvedere #68 11.66 rating Pursuit of Happiness #96 9.21 rating
CBS Beauty and the Beast #49 13.31 rating Dallas #26 16.76 rating Falcon Crest #42 14.15 rating
NBC Rags to Riches #85 9.83 rating Miami Vice #43 14.15 rating Private Eye #63 11.92 rating

Saturday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC official Once a Hero #117 4.47 rating Ohara #98 8.92 rating Hotel #97 8.95 rating
follow-up (Nov. 7) Sable #107 7.62 rating
follow-up (Dec.) Ohara #98 8.92 rating Sable #107 7.62 rating
CBS official My Sister Sam #109 7.11 rating Everything's Relative #110 6.45 rating Leg Work #112 6.18 rating West 57th #104 7.86 rating
follow-up (Nov. 14) The CBS Saturday Night Movie #91 9.43 rating
Fox Mr. President #128 2.35 rating The New Adventures of Beans Baxter #124 2.79 rating Second Chance #125 2.72 rating Women in Prison #126 2.60 rating Local
NBC official The Facts of Life #35 14.82 rating 227 #28 16.44 rating The Golden Girls #4 22.18 rating Amen #18 17.88 rating Hunter #29 16.26 rating
follow-up (Dec. 5) J.J. Starbuck #46 13.73 rating

Mid-Season Schedule

Sunday

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 The Disney Sunday Movie #82 The ABC Sunday Night Movie #39 14.65 rating
follow-up (Mar. 6) The Disney Sunday Movie #82 Supercarrier #80 10.44 rating
follow-up (May 8) Specials
CBS 60 Minutes #4 Murder, She Wrote #8 CBS Sunday Night Movie #14
Fox official 21 Jump Street #114 Werewolf #118 Married... with Children #116 The Tracey Ullman Show #121 Duet #122 Local
follow-up (Mar. 6) It's Garry Shandling's Show #119 4.37 rating The Tracey Ullman Show #121 Local
follow-up (Apr. 10) America's Most Wanted #111 6.21 rating
NBC official Our House #64 Family Ties #17 My Two Dads #25 NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #17
follow-up (Feb. 28) Day By Day #36 14.68 rating

Monday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC MacGyver #50 The ABC Monday Night Movie #34 15.43 rating
CBS official Kate & Allie #38 Frank's Place #56 Newhart #27 Designing Women #33 Wiseguy #65
follow-up (Feb.) Designing Women #33 Frank's Place #56
follow-up (Mar. 14) Eisenhower and Lutz #73 11.31 rating
follow-up (Apr. 4) Cagney & Lacey #53
NBC ALF #12 Valerie's Family #24 NBC Monday Night at the Movies #15

Tuesday

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? #6 Growing Pains #7 Moonlighting #10 thirtysomething #45
follow-up (Mar. 15) The Wonder Years #16 18.17 rating
follow-up (Apr. 26) Just the Ten of Us #19 17.88 rating
CBS official 48 Hours #92 9.42 rating Jake and the Fatman #59 Cagney & Lacey #53
follow-up (Mar. 15) Trial and Error #115 5.67 rating My Sister Sam #109 Coming of Age #90 9.57 rating Frank's Place #56
follow-up (Apr. 5) Houston Knights #95 The CBS Tuesday Night Movie #75 11.05 rating
NBC official Matlock #20 Hunter #29 Crime Story #62
follow-up (Mar. 8) In the Heat of the Night #22 17.01 rating
follow-up (May 10) NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies #36 14.71 rating

Wednesday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC official Perfect Strangers #48 Head of the Class #23 Hooperman #30 The Slap Maxwell Story #60 Dynasty #41
follow-up (Mar. 2) Growing Pains #7
follow-up (Mar. 23) Heartbeat #58 12.42 rating
follow-up (Apr. 6) Just In Time #76 10.95 rating
follow-up (Apr. 27) China Beach #44 13.89 rating
CBS official The Law & Harry McGraw #81 Magnum, P.I. #31 The Equalizer #52
follow-up (Mar. 30) The Smothers Brothers Show #83 10.24 rating Jake and the Fatman #59
NBC official Highway to Heaven #40 A Year in the Life #61 St. Elsewhere #47
follow-up (Mar. 9) Aaron's Way #51 13.23 rating Highway to Heaven #40 A Year in the Life #61
follow-up (Apr. 27) St. Elsewhere #47

Thursday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC official The Charmings #106 The ABC Thursday Night Movie #93
follow-up (Mar. 10) Probe #84 10.06 rating Hotel #97 Buck James #88
follow-up (Apr. 28) Max Headroom #110
CBS official Tour of Duty #78 Simon & Simon #55 Knots Landing #32
follow-up (Mar. 17) 48 Hours #92
NBC official The Cosby Show #1 A Different World #2 Cheers #3 Night Court #9 L.A. Law #11
follow-up (Mar. 3) The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd #67 11.71 rating
follow-up (May 5) Night Court #9

Friday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC official Full House #69 Mr. Belvedere #68 The Thorns #99 8.83 rating Sledge Hammer! #105 20/20 #54
follow-up (Feb. 19) Perfect Strangers #48 Full House #69 Mr. Belvedere #68 The Thorns #99 8.83 rating
follow-up (Mar. 18) Family Man #87 9.66 rating
CBS Beauty and the Beast #49 Dallas #26 Falcon Crest #42
NBC official Specials Miami Vice #43 Sonny Spoon #66 11.74 rating
follow-up (Mar. 4) The Highwayman #57 12.45 rating Night Court #9 Beverly Hills Buntz #71 11.40 rating
follow-up (May 13) TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes #101 8.45 rating Sonny Spoon #66 11.74 rating Miami Vice #43

Saturday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Dolly #70 Ohara #98 Spenser: For Hire #77
CBS official High Mountain Rangers #72 11.37 rating Houston Knights #95 West 57th #104
follow-up (Mar. 12) Tour of Duty #78
Fox official Boys Will Be Boys #125 Women in Prison #126 The New Adventures of Beans Baxter #124 Mr. President #128 Local
follow-up (Apr. 2) Family Double Dare #123 2.81 rating Boys Will Be Boys The Dirty Dozen #127 2.37 rating
NBC official The Facts of Life #35 227 #28 The Golden Girls #4 Amen #18 J.J. Starbuck #46
follow-up (Mar. 12) Hunter #29

Summer Schedule

Sunday

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 MacGyver #50 The ABC Sunday Night Movie #34
CBS 60 Minutes #4 Murder, She Wrote #8 CBS Sunday Night Movie #14
Fox official 21 Jump Street America's Most Wanted Married... with Children It's Garry Shandling's Show Duet The Tracey Ullman Show Local
follow-up (Jul.) The Tracey Ullman Show Duet
NBC official Our House #64 Family Ties #13 My Two Dads #25 NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #17
follow-up (Jul. 3) Rags to Riches

Monday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Monday Night Baseball #103 8.00 rating
CBS Blue Skies #94 9.30 rating Newhart #27 Designing Women #33 Wiseguy #65
NBC ALF #13 Valerie's Family #24 NBC Monday Night at the Movies #15

Tuesday

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? #6 Perfect Strangers #48 Moonlighting #10 thirtysomething #45
follow-up (Jul.) Full House #69
CBS Summer Playhouse The CBS Tuesday Night Movie
NBC official Matlock #20 J.J. Starbuck #46 Summer Showcase
follow-up (Jul.) In the Heat of the Night #22

Wednesday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Growing Pains #7 Head of the Class #23 Hooperman #30 The Slap Maxwell Story #60 Spenser: For Hire #77
CBS Jake and the Fatman #59 The Equalizer #52 Wiseguy #65
NBC official Highway to Heaven #40 The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd #67 Sara repeats #102 8.37 rating The Bronx Zoo #89 9.60 rating
follow-up (Jul. 6) George Schlatter's Funny People #100 8.55 rating St. Elsewhere #47

Thursday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC The ABC Thursday Night Movie Hothouse #113 5.84 rating
CBS 48 Hours Simon & Simon #55 Cagney & Lacey #53
NBC The Cosby Show #1 A Different World #2 Cheers #3 Night Court #9 L.A. Law #11

Friday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Perfect Strangers #48 Full House #69 Mr. Belvedere #68 I Married Dora 20/20 #54
CBS Beauty and the Beast #49 The CBS Friday Night Movie 9.74 rating
NBC TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes Sonny Spoon #66 Miami Vice #43

Saturday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Supercarrier Ohara Hotel
CBS official High Mountain Rangers Tour of Duty West 57th
follow-up (Jul. 16) Kate & Allie #38 Frank's Place #56
Fox official Family Double Dare Boys Will Be Boys The Dirty Dozen Werewolf Local
follow-up (Jul. 9) Family Double Dare
follow-up (Jul. 30) The Reporters #120 3.45 rating
NBC The Facts of Life #35 227 #28 The Golden Girls #5 Amen #18 Hunter #29

By Network

ABC

Returning Series:

  1. 20/20
  2. The Charmings
  3. The Disney Sunday Movie
  4. Dynasty
  5. Growing Pains
  6. Head of the Class
  7. Hotel
  8. MacGyver
  9. Max Headroom
  10. Mr. Belvedere
  11. Moonlighting
  12. Ohara
  13. Perfect Strangers
  14. Sledge Hammer!
  15. Spenser: For Hire
  16. Who's The Boss?

New Series:

  1. Buck James
  2. Dolly
  3. Family Man
  4. Full House
  5. Heartbeat
  6. Hooperman
  7. Hothouse
  8. I Married Dora
  9. Just In Time
  10. Once A Hero
  11. Probe
  12. Pursuit of Happiness
  13. Sable
  14. The Slap Maxwell Story
  15. Supercarrier
  16. thirtysomething
  17. The Thorns
  18. The Wonder Years

Not Returning From Last Season

  1. Animal Crack-Ups
  2. The Colbys
  3. Dads
  4. The Ellen Burstyn Show
  5. Gung Ho
  6. Jack and Mike
  7. Life With Lucy
  8. Our World
  9. Sidekicks
  10. Starman
  11. Webster

CBS

Returning Series:

  1. 60 Minutes
  2. Cagney & Lacey
  3. The Cavanaughs
  4. Dallas
  5. Designing Women
  6. The Equalizer
  7. Falcon Crest
  8. Houston Knights
  9. Kate and Allie
  10. Knots Landing
  11. Magnum, P.I.
  12. Murder, She Wrote
  13. My Sister Sam
  14. Newhart
  15. Simon & Simon
  16. West 57th

New Series:

  1. 48 Hours
  2. Beauty and the Beast
  3. Blue Skies
  4. Coming of Age
  5. Eisenhower and Lutz
  6. Everything's Relative
  7. Frank's Place
  8. High Mountain Rangers
  9. Jake and the Fatman
  10. The Law and Harry McGraw
  11. The Oldest Rookie
  12. The Smothers Brothers Show
  13. Tour of Duty
  14. Trial and Error
  15. Wiseguy

Not Returning From Last Season

  1. Better Days
  2. Downtown
  3. Hard Copy
  4. Kay O'Brien
  5. The New Mike Hammer
  6. Outlaws
  7. Roxie
  8. Scarecrow and Mrs. King
  9. Shell Game
  10. Take Five
  11. Together We Stand (Nothing Is Easy)
  12. The Twilight Zone
  13. The Wizard

Fox

Returning Series:

  1. 21 Jump Street
  2. Duet
  3. Married…With Children
  4. Mr. President
  5. The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
  6. The Tracey Ullman Show
  7. Werewolf

New Series:

  1. America's Most Wanted
  2. The Dirty Dozen
  3. Family Double Dare
  4. It's Garry Shandling's Show
  5. The Reporters
  6. Second Chance
  7. Women in Prison

Not Returning From Last Season

  1. Down and Out in Beverly Hills
  2. Karen's Song

NBC

Returning Series:

  1. 227
  2. ALF
  3. Amen
  4. The Bronx Zoo
  5. Cheers
  6. Crime Story
  7. The Cosby Show
  8. The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
  9. The Facts of Life
  10. Family Ties
  11. Highway to Heaven
  12. Hunter
  13. L.A. Law
  14. Matlock
  15. Miami Vice
  16. Night Court
  17. Our House
  18. St. Elsewhere
  19. Valerie

New Series:

  1. Aaron's Way
  2. Beverly Hills Buntz
  3. Day By Day
  4. A Different World
  5. George Schlatter's Funny People
  6. The Highwayman
  7. In The Heat Of The Night
  8. JJ Starbuck
  9. My Two Dads
  10. Private Eye
  11. Sonny Spoon
  12. A Year In The Life

Revival of a Former Network Series:

  1. TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes

Not Returning From Last Season

  1. 1986
  2. The A-Team
  3. Amazing Stories
  4. Easy Street
  5. Gimme A Break!
  6. Hill Street Blues
  7. Me & Mrs. C
  8. Nothing in Common
  9. Rags to Riches
  10. Sweet Surrender
  11. The Tortellis
  12. You Again?

Pickups and Cancellations

Full Season Pickups

ABC

  1. 20/20
  2. Dynasty
  3. Full House
  4. Growing Pains
  5. Head of the Class
  6. Heartbeat
  7. Hooperman
  8. Just the Ten of Us
  9. Mr. Belvedere
  10. Moonlighting
  11. Perfect Strangers
  12. Probe
  13. thirtysomething
  14. Who's The Boss?
  15. The Wonder Years

CBS

  1. 48 Hours
  2. 60 Minutes
  3. Beauty and the Beast
  4. Coming of Age
  5. Dallas
  6. Designing Women
  7. The Equalizer
  8. Falcon Crest
  9. Kate and Allie (mid-season)
  10. Knots Landing
  11. Murder, She Wrote
  12. Newhart
  13. Simon & Simon
  14. The Smothers Brothers Show (mid-season)
  15. Tour Of Duty (mid-season)
  16. West 57th
  17. Wiseguy

Fox

  1. 21 Jump Street
  2. America's Most Wanted
  3. Duet
  4. It's Garry Shandling's Show
  5. Married…With Children
  6. The Reporters
  7. The Tracey Ullman Show

NBC

  1. 227
  2. ALF
  3. Amen
  4. Cheers
  5. The Cosby Show
  6. Day By Day
  7. A Different World
  8. Family Ties
  9. The Golden Girls
  10. Hunter
  11. In The Heat Of The Night
  12. L.A. Law
  13. Matlock
  14. Miami Vice
  15. My Two Dads (mid-season)
  16. Night Court
  17. Sonny Spoon
  18. Valerie's Family

Cancellations and Endings

ABC

  1. Buck James
  2. The Charmings
  3. Dolly
  4. Family Man
  5. Hotel
  6. Hothouse
  7. I Married Dora
  8. Just In Time
  9. Max Headroom
  10. Once A Hero
  11. Ohara
  12. Probe
  13. Pursuit of Happiness
  14. Sable
  15. The Slap Maxwell Story
  16. Sledge Hammer!
  17. Spenser: For Hire
  18. Supercarrier
  19. The Thorns

Change of Network Affiliation:

  1. The Disney Sunday Movie (to NBC under the title The Magical World of Disney)

CBS

  1. Blue Skies
  2. Cagney & Lacey
  3. Eisenhower and Lutz
  4. Everything's Relative
  5. Frank's Place
  6. High Mountain Rangers
  7. Houston Knights
  8. The Law and Harry McGraw
  9. Leg Work
  10. Magnum, P.I.
  11. My Sister Sam
  12. The Oldest Rookie
  13. Trial and Error

Fox

  1. The Dirty Dozen
  2. Family Double Dare
  3. Mr. President
  4. The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
  5. Second Chance (Boys Will Be Boys)
  6. Werewolf
  7. Women In Prison

NBC

  1. Aaron's Way
  2. Beverly Hills Buntz
  3. The Bronx Zoo
  4. Crime Story
  5. The Facts of Life
  6. George Schlatter's Funny People
  7. The Highwayman
  8. J.J. Starbuck
  9. Our House
  10. Private Eye
  11. Rags To Riches
  12. St. Elsewhere
  13. TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (to continue as specials)
  14. A Year In The Life

Change of Network Affiliation

  1. The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (to Lifetime)

References

  1. ^ "1987-1988 Television Season Top Rated Shows". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2006-10-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20061031060341/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/extras/lostmind/ratings/1987_1988.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-15. 
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