The following is the 1997–98 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial
broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers
primetime hours from September 1997 through August 1998. The schedule is followed by a
list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the
1996–97 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as ''
Monday Night Football''.
New series highlighted in bold.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
.
[Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by ]Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows'' (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. . and
: Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season.
: Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season.
: Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season.
Other Legend
* Light blue indicates local programming.
* Gray indicates encore programming.
* Blue-gray indicates news programming.
* Light green indicates sporting events.
* Light Purple indicates movies.
* Red indicates series being
burned off and other regularly scheduled programs, including specials.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
From February 7 to 22, 1998, all of CBS' primetime programming was preempted in favor of coverage of the
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with some events ...
in
Nagano.
For new series debuting during the season, it would ultimately prove to be one of the weakest seasons in American television history, as only ten shows would be picked up for a second season. Of those ten shows, only five (''
Dharma & Greg'', ''
Two Guys and a Girl'', ''
Ally McBeal'', ''
For Your Love'' and ''
Dawson's Creek
''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 19 ...
'') would last beyond three seasons, and would all end their runs within six seasons.
For its tenth and final season, onetime CBS powerhouse ''
Murphy Brown'' was moved from its lifelong home of Monday nights to Wednesday, where it lost a significant number of viewers. For its last block of episodes in the spring, the show was put back into the familiar timeslot that it had once used to anchor the CBS Monday night lineup.
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
NOTE: On Fox, ''Rewind'' was supposed to air 8-8:30, but it was cancelled due to production troubles.
Friday
Saturday
By network
ABC
;Returning series
*''
20/20''
*''ABC Saturday Night Movie''
*''
The ABC Sunday Night Movie''
*''The ABC Thursday Night Movie''
*''
America's Funniest Home Videos''
*''
Boy Meets World''
*''
The Drew Carey Show''
*''
Ellen''
*''
Grace Under Fire''
*''
Home Improvement''
*''
Monday Night Football''
*''
NYPD Blue
''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble ca ...
''
*''
The Practice
''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy i ...
''
*''
Primetime Live''
*''
Sabrina the Teenage Witch
''Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' is a comic book series published by Archie Comics about the adventures of a fictional American teenager named Sabrina Spellman. Sabrina was created by writer George Gladir and artist Dan DeCarlo, and first appeared ...
''
*''
Something So Right'' (moved from
NBC)
*''
Soul Man''
*''
Spin City''
;New series
*''ABC News Saturday Night''
*''
C-16: FBI''
*''
Cracker''
*''
Dharma & Greg''
*''
Hiller and Diller''
*''
Maximum Bob'' *
*''
Nothing Sacred''
*''
Over the Top''
*''
Prey'' *
*''
Push'' *
*''
Teen Angel''
*''
That's Life'' *
*''
Timecop''
*''
Total Security''
*''
Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place'' *
*''
The Wonderful World of Disney''
*''
You Wish''
Not returning from
1996–97:
*''The ABC Monday Night Movie''
*''
Arsenio''
*''
Clueless'' (moved to
UPN)
*''
Coach''
*''
Common Law
Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...
''
*''
Dangerous Minds''
*''
Family Matters'' (moved to
CBS)
*''
Gun''
*''
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper''
*''
High Incident''
*''
Leaving L.A.''
*''
Life's Work''
*''
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''
*''
Murder One''
*''
Relativity''
*''
Roseanne'' (revived and returned for
2017–18 for one season)
*''
Second Noah''
*''
Spy Game''
*''
Step by Step'' (moved to
CBS)
*''
Townies''
*''
Turning Point''
*''Vital Signs''
CBS
;Returning series
*''
48 Hours''
*''
60 Minutes
''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who distinguished it from other news programs by using a unique style o ...
''
*''
Candid Camera''
*''
CBS Sunday Movie''
*''
Chicago Hope''
*''
Cosby''
*''
Cybill''
*''
Diagnosis Murder''
*''
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman''
*''
Early Edition''
*''
Everybody Loves Raymond''
*''
Family Matters'' (moved from
ABC)
*''
JAG''
*''
Murphy Brown''
*''
The Nanny''
*''
Nash Bridges''
*''
Promised Land
In the Abrahamic religions, the "Promised Land" ( ) refers to a swath of territory in the Levant that was bestowed upon Abraham and his descendants by God in Abrahamic religions, God. In the context of the Bible, these descendants are originally ...
''
*''
Step by Step'' (moved from
ABC)
*''
Touched by an Angel''
*''
Unsolved Mysteries'' (moved from
NBC)
*''
Walker, Texas Ranger
''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action fiction, action Crime drama, crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film ''Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both the film and the series starring Chuck Norr ...
''
;New series
*''
Brooklyn South''
*''
The Closer'' *
*''
Dellaventura''
*''
Four Corners'' *
*''
George and Leo
''George and Leo'' is an American sitcom television series starring Bob Newhart and Judd Hirsch that aired on CBS from September 15, 1997 to March 16, 1998.
Synopsis
Newhart and Hirsch starred as the respective title characters, widely dive ...
''
*''
The Gregory Hines Show''
*''
Kids Say the Darndest Things'' *
*''
The Magnificent Seven'' *
*''
Meego''
*''
Michael Hayes''
*''
Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel''
*''
The Simple Life'' *
*''
Style & Substance'' *
Not returning from
1996–97:
*''
Almost Perfect''
*''
Dave's World''
*''
EZ Streets''
*''
Ink''
*''
Life... and Stuff''
*''
Mr. & Mrs. Smith''
*''
Moloney''
*''
Orleans''
*''
Pearl''
*''
Public Morals''
*''
Temporarily Yours''
*''
Feds''
Fox
;Returning series
* ''
America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back''
* ''
Beverly Hills, 90210''
* ''
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction''
* ''
Cops''
* ''Fox Tuesday Night Movie''
* ''
King of the Hill
''King of the Hill'' is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels that initially aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from January 12, 1997, to September 13, 2009, with four more episodes airing in First-run syndicati ...
''
* ''
Living Single
''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Denise Lee that aired for five seasons on the Fox network, from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centers on the lives of six New York City friends who share perso ...
''
* ''
Melrose Place''
* ''
Millennium
A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting ...
''
* ''
New York Undercover''
* ''
Party of Five''
* ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
''
* ''
The X-Files''
;New series
* ''
413 Hope St.''
* ''
Ally McBeal''
* ''
Ask Harriet'' *
* ''
Between Brothers''
* ''
Damon'' *
* ''Fox Files'' *
* ''Fox Wednesday Night Movie''
* ''
Getting Personal'' *
* ''Rewind''
* ''
Significant Others'' *
* ''
The Visitor''
* ''
The World's Funniest!''
* ''
World's Wildest Police Videos'' *
Not returning from
1996–97:
* ''
Big Deal''
* ''
Lawless''
* ''
Love and Marriage''
* ''
Lush Life''
* ''
Married... with Children''
* ''
Martin''
* ''
Ned and Stacey''
* ''
Pacific Palisades''
* ''
Party Girl''
* ''
Pauly''
* ''
Roar''
* ''
Sliders''
NBC
;Returning series
*''
3rd Rock from the Sun''
*''
Caroline in the City''
*''
Dateline NBC''
*''
ER''
*''
Fired Up''
*''
Frasier''
*''
Friends
''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane (producer), David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting List of Friends episodes, ten seasons. With an ensemble cast ...
''
*''
Homicide: Life on the Street''
*''
Just Shoot Me!''
*''
Law & Order''
*''
Mad About You''
*''
Men Behaving Badly''
*''
The Naked Truth''
*''
NBC Sunday Night Movie''
*''
NewsRadio
''NewsRadio'' is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC from March 21, 1995, to May 4, 1999, focusing on the work lives of the staff of a New York City AM news radio station. It had an ensemble cast featuring Dave Foley, Stephen R ...
''
*''
The Pretender''
*''
Profiler''
*''
Seinfeld
''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, with a total of nine seasons consisting of List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It ...
''
*''
Suddenly Susan''
;New series
*''
Built to Last''
*''
For Your Love'' *
*''
House Rules'' *
*''
Jenny''
*''
LateLine'' *
*''
Players''
*''
Sleepwalkers''
*''
Stressed Eric'' *
*''
The Tony Danza Show''
*''
Union Square''
*''
Veronica's Closet''
*''
Working''
Not returning from
1996–97:
*''
Boston Common''
*''
Chicago Sons''
*''
Crisis Center''
*''
Dark Skies''
*''
The Jeff Foxworthy Show
''The Jeff Foxworthy Show'' is an American sitcom television series created by Tom Anderson, starring comedian Jeff Foxworthy and based on Foxworthy's stand-up comedy routine. The series originally aired on ABC from September 12, 1995, to May ...
''
*''
The John Larroquette Show''
*''
Mr. Rhodes''
*''
Prince Street''
*''
The Single Guy''
*''
Something So Right'' (moved to
ABC)
*''
Unsolved Mysteries'' (moved to
CBS)
*''
Wings''
UPN
;Returning series
*''
Clueless'' (moved from
ABC)
*''
In the House''
*''
Malcolm & Eddie''
*''
Moesha''
*''
The Sentinel''
*''
Sparks''
*''
Star Trek: Voyager''
;New series
*''
Good News''
*''
Head Over Heels''
*''
Hitz''
*''
Love Boat: The Next Wave'' *
Not returning from
1996–97:
*''
The Burning Zone''
*''
Goode Behavior''
*''
Homeboys in Outer Space''
*''
Social Studies''
The WB
;Returning series
*''
7th Heaven''
*''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer''
*''
The Jamie Foxx Show''
*''
Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher''
*''
The Parent 'Hood''
*''
Sister, Sister''
*''
Smart Guy''
*''
The Steve Harvey Show''
*''
Unhappily Ever After''
*''
The Wayans Bros.
''The Wayans Bros.'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on The WB from January 11, 1995, to May 20, 1999. The series starred real life brothers Shawn Wayans, Shawn and Marlon Wayans, comedian John Witherspoon (actor), John Withe ...
''
;New series
*''
Alright Already''
*''
Dawson's Creek
''Dawson's Creek'' is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It aired from January 20, 19 ...
'' *
*''
Invasion America'' *
*''
Kelly Kelly
Barbara Jean Blank Coba (née Blank; January 15, 1987), known professionally as Barbie Blank and by her ring name Kelly Kelly, is an American model and former professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE under a legends contract.
Blank has a ...
'' *
*''
Three'' *
*''
The Tom Show''
*''
You're the One'' *
Not returning from
1996–97:
*''
Brotherly Love''
*''
Kirk''
*''
Life with Roger''
*''
Savannah''
Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1997 98 United States Network Television Schedule
United States primetime network television schedules
United States Network Television Schedule, 1997 98
United States Network Television Schedule, 1997 98