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.

New series are highlighted in bold.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1]

     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.

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

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 1982 or 1983, if at all.

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 Fall Those Amazing Animals (Sep.) Local and paid political programming The ABC Sunday Night Movie (24/19.4)
Follow-up Charlie's Angels
CBS 60 Minutes (3/27.0) Archie Bunker's Place (13/21.4) One Day at a Time (11/22.0) Alice (7/22.9) The Jeffersons (6/23.5) Trapper John, M.D. (17/20.7)
NBC Disney's Wonderful World CHiPs (24/19.4) The Big Event

Note: On ABC, local and paid political programming aired in the 8-9 p.m. hour from September till November.

Monday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall That's Incredible! (28/19.0) ABC NFL Monday Night Football (20/20.6)
Winter Dynasty Foul Play
Summer ? Monday Night Baseball
CBS Fall Flo Ladies' Man (Oct.) M*A*S*H (4/25.7) House Calls (8/22.4) Lou Grant (27/19.1)
Spring Private Benjamin
Summer The Tim Conway Show
NBC Fall Little House on the Prairie (10/22.1) NBC Monday Night at the Movies (29/18.8)
Summer Flamingo Road The Last Convertible

Note: Private Benjamin premiered April 6, 1981 at 8:00-8:30 pm on CBS.

Tuesday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall Happy Days (15/20.8) Laverne & Shirley (20/20.6) Three's Company (8/22.4) Too Close for Comfort (Nov.) (15/20.8) Hart to Hart (23/19.9)
Summer It's a Living
CBS Fall Local and paid political programming The CBS Tuesday Night Movies
Follow-up The White Shadow
Winter That's My Line
Spring Palmerstown, U.S.A.

Flo,

Summer Walter Cronkite's Universe Flo
NBC Fall NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies The Steve Allen Comedy Hour (Oct.)
Follow-up Lobo B. J. and the Bear
Winter Flamingo Road
Spring Nero Wolfe

Note: On CBS, local and paid political programming aired in the 8-9 p.m. hour between September and November. On NBC, NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies aired 8-10 p.m. from September till November.

Wednesday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Eight is Enough Taxi Soap Vega$
CBS Enos (Nov.) The CBS Wednesday Night Movies
NBC Fall Real People (12/21.5) Movie of the Week
Follow-up Diff'rent Strokes (17/20.7) The Facts of Life (26/19.3) Quincy, M.E.

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

Thursday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall Mork & Mindy Bosom Buddies (Nov.) Barney Miller It's a Living (Oct.) 20/20
Winter Taxi
CBS Fall The Waltons (30/18.6) CBS Thursday Movie Special
Follow-up Magnum, P.I. (Dec.) (14/21.0) Knots Landing (22/20.5)
Spring Checking In Park Place
Follow-up The Waltons
NBC Games People Play NBC Thursday Night at the Movies

Note: CBS Thursday Movie Special aired 9-11 p.m. from September till the end of November. Magnum, P.I. had a 2-hour premiere on December 11, 1980.

Friday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Benson I'm a Big Girl Now (Oct.) The ABC Friday Night Movie
CBS The Incredible Hulk The Dukes of Hazzard (2/27.3) Dallas (1/34.5)
NBC Fall NBC Friday Night at the Movies NBC Magazine with David Brinkley (Sep.)
Follow-up Marie (Dec.) Number 96 (Dec.)
Winter Nero Wolfe

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

Saturday

Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC When The Whistle Blows (Apr.) / Breaking Away (Nov.) The Love Boat (5/24.3) Fantasy Island (17/20.7)
CBS Fall WKRP in Cincinnati The Tim Conway Show The CBS Saturday Night Movies
Follow-up Freebie and the Bean (Dec.) Secrets of Midland Heights (Dec.)
Summer Enos
NBC Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (Nov.) NBC Saturday Night at the Movies

Note: The CBS Saturday Night Movies aired 9-11 p.m. through the end of November.

References

  1. 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. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
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