1987–88 United States Network Television Schedule

The 1987–88 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers primetime hours from September 1987 through August 1988. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1986–87 season.

This is the first fall season in which Fox aired prime-time programming (while it debuted in October 1986, it would only cover late nights until April 1987), making this the first full season since 1958-59 in which a fourth commercial television network ( NTA) was broadcasting. Fox would air only two days a week (Saturdays and Sundays) until the spring of 1989.

PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.

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

All times are U.S. Eastern Time and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian times.

From February 13 to 28, 1988, all of ABC's primetime programming was preempted in favor of coverage of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.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. .

Legend

Sunday

* Note: '' The Wonder Years'' premiered January 31, 1988 after Super Bowl XXII. ''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' consisted on edited reruns of the Showtime series.

Monday

Tuesday

* Note: ''The Dictator'' was supposed to premiere March 15, 1988 at 8:30-9:00 on CBS, but '' My Sister Sam'' replaced it at the last minute due to the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike.

Wednesday

* Note: ''Sara'' consisted entirely of reruns of the 1985 series.

Thursday

Friday

* Note: ''Full House'' premiered Tuesday September 22, 1987 at 8:30 pm on ABC. ''TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes'' consisted on reruns of the 1984–86 series. ''Blacke's Magic'' consisted on reruns of the 1986 series.

Saturday

* Note: ''Second Chance'' was retooled into ''Boys Will Be Boys.''

By network

ABC

Returning Series
*'' 20/20''
*''The ABC Monday Night Movie''
*'' The ABC Sunday Night Movie''
*''The ABC Thursday Night Movie''
*'' The Charmings''
*'' The Disney Sunday Movie''
*''Dynasty''
*'' Growing Pains''
*'' Head of the Class''
*''Hotel''
*'' MacGyver''
*'' Max Headroom''
*'' Mr. Belvedere'' +
*'' Monday Night Baseball''
*'' Monday Night Football''
*'' Moonlighting''
*'' Ohara''
*'' Perfect Strangers''
*'' Sledge Hammer!''
*'' Spenser: For Hire''
*'' Who's the Boss?''

New Series
*'' Buck James''
*'' China Beach'' *
*'' Dolly''
*'' Family Man'' *
*''Full House''
*'' HeartBeat'' *
*'' Hooperman''
*'' Hothouse'' *
*'' I Married Dora''
*'' Just in Time'' *
*'' Just the Ten of Us'' *
*'' Once a Hero''
*'' Probe'' *
*'' Pursuit of Happiness''
*'' Sable''
*'' The "Slap" Maxwell Story''
*'' Supercarrier'' *
*'' The Thorns'' *
*'' The Wonder Years'' *
*'' thirtysomething ''

Not returning from 1986–87:
*''The ABC Friday Night Movie''
*''The ABC Saturday Night Movie''
*'' The Colbys''
*'' Dads''
*''The Ellen Burstyn Show''
*'' Gung Ho''
*'' Harry''
*'' Heart of the City''
*'' Jack & Mike''
*'' Life with Lucy''
*''Mariah''
*'' Our World''
*'' Sidekicks''
*'' Starman''
*'' Webster'' ^

An ^ indicates a show that came back in first-run syndication after a network cancellation.

CBS

Returning Series
*''60 Minutes''
*'' Cagney & Lacey''
*'' Candid Camera''
*'' The Cavanaughs'' +
*'' CBS Summer Playhouse''
*'' CBS Sunday Movie''
*''Dallas''
*'' Designing Women''
*'' The Equalizer''
*'' Falcon Crest''
*'' Houston Knights''
*'' Kate & Allie''
*'' Knots Landing''
*'' Magnum, P.I.''
*''Murder, She Wrote''
*'' My Sister Sam''
*'' Newhart''
*''Simon & Simon'' +
*'' West 57th''

New Series
*'' 48 Hours'' *
*'' Beauty and the Beast''
*'' Blue Skies''
*''Coming of Age'' *
*'' Eisenhower and Lutz'' *
*'' Everything's Relative''
*'' Frank's Place''
*'' High Mountain Rangers'' *
*'' Jake and the Fatman''
*'' The Law & Harry McGraw''
*'' The Oldest Rookie''
*'' The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour'' *
*'' Tour of Duty''
*'' Trial and Error'' *
*'' Wiseguy''

Not returning from 1986–87:
*'' Better Days''
*''Downtown''
*''Hard Copy''
*'' Kay O'Brien''
*'' The New Mike Hammer''
*'' Outlaws''
*'' The Popcorn Kid''
*'' Roxie''
*'' Scarecrow and Mrs. King''
*'' Shell Game''
*'' Spies''
*'' Take Five''
*'' Together We Stand''/'' Nothing Is Easy''
*'' The Twilight Zone''
*'' The Wizard''

Fox

Returning Series
*'' 21 Jump Street''
*''Duet''
*'' Married... with Children''
*'' Mr. President''
*'' The New Adventures of Beans Baxter''
*'' The Tracey Ullman Show''
*''Werewolf''

New Series
*'' America's Most Wanted'' *
*''Dirty Dozen: The Series'' *
*'' Family Double Dare'' *
*'' It's Garry Shandling's Show'' *
*'' Second Chance/ Boys Will Be Boys''
*'' The Reporters''
*'' Women in Prison''

Not returning from 1986–87:
*'' Down and Out in Beverly Hills''
*'' Karen's Song''

NBC

Returning Series
*'' 227''
*'' ALF''
*'' Amen''
*'' The Bronx Zoo'' +
*''Cheers''
*'' The Cosby Show''
*'' Crime Story''
*'' The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd'' +
*'' The Facts of Life''
*'' Family Ties''
*''The Golden Girls''
*'' Highway to Heaven''
*'' Hunter''
*''L.A. Law''
*'' Matlock''
*'' Miami Vice''
*'' NBC Sunday Night Movie''
*'' NBC Monday Night at the Movies''
*'' Night Court''
*'' Our House''
*'' Rags to Riches''
*'' St. Elsewhere''
*'' Valerie's Family'' @

New Series
*'' Aaron's Way'' *
*'' Beverly Hills Buntz''
*'' Day by Day'' *
*'' A Different World''
*'' George Schlatter's Funny People'' *
*'' The Highwayman'' *
*'' In the Heat of the Night'' *
*'' J.J. Starbuck''
*'' Mama's Boy''
*'' My Two Dads''
*'' Private Eye''
*'' Sonny Spoon'' *
*'' A Year in the Life''

Not returning from 1986–87:
*'' 1986''
*'' The A-Team''
*''Amazing Stories''
*'' Easy Street''
*'' Gimme a Break!''
*'' Hill Street Blues''
*''Me & Mrs. C''
*'' Nothing in Common''
*'' Remington Steele''
*'' Roomies''
*'' Stingray''
*'' Sweet Surrender''
*'' The Tortellis''
*'' You Again?''

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.

+ These shows returned as "backup" programming in midseason

@ Formerly ''Valerie''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1987-88 United States network television schedule
United States primetime network television schedules
1987 in American television
1988 in American television