1996–97 United States network television schedule
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This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1996. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
New series highlighted in bold. Shows ending their runs are highlighted in italics.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1]
- Lime indicates the #1 most watched program of the season.
- 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.
- Orange indicates the programs in the top 40 for the season.
- Silver indicates the programs in the top 50 for the season.
PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation, but the schedule was set by each local station.
Sunday
Monday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Dangerous Minds (#100 - 6.4) | Monday Night Football (#7 - 16.2) | |||||
| Winter | The ABC Monday Night Movie (#53 - 8.6) | |||||||
| Spring | Spy Game (#110 - 6.0) | |||||||
| Follow-up | Relativity (#122 - 5.4) | |||||||
| CBS | Fall | Cosby (#22 - 11.2) | Pearl (#45 - 9.1) | Murphy Brown (#34 - 10.4) | Cybill (#31 - 10.5) | Chicago Hope (#31 - 10.5) | ||
| Follow-up | Ink (#37 - 9.6) | |||||||
| Spring | Everybody Loves Raymond (#84 - 7.3) | Cybill (#31 - 10.5) | Ink (#37 - 9.6) | |||||
| Fox | Fall | Melrose Place (#58 - 8.5) | Party Girl (#126 - 4.8) | Lush Life (#131 - 3.8) | Local | |||
| Winter | Ned and Stacey (#108 - 6.1) | Married... with Children (#97 - 6.7) | ||||||
| Follow-up | Various | |||||||
| Spring | Married... with Children (#97 - 6.7) | Pauly (#123 - 5.3) | ||||||
| NBC | The Jeff Foxworthy Show (#71 - 7.8) | Mr. Rhodes (#80 - 7.5) | NBC Monday Night Movie (#24 - 11.0) | |||||
| UPN | Fall | In the House (#139 - 3.3) | Malcolm & Eddie (#135 - 3.4) | Goode Behavior (#149 - 2.6) | Sparks (#149 - 2.6) | Local | ||
| Winter | Sparks (#149 - 2.6) | Goode Behavior (#149 - 2.6) | ||||||
| The WB | Fall | 7th Heaven (#154 - 2.3) | Savannah (#154 - 2.3) | Local | ||||
| Spring | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (#149 - 2.6) | |||||||
Note: On CBS, the debut of Ink was delayed by a month due to production problems, resulting in another new sitcom, Pearl, which aired temporarily in its slot before moving to its own originally designated Wednesday time period in late October.
Tuesday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Roseanne (#35 - 10.1) | Life's Work (#38 - 9.5) | Home Improvement (#9 - 14.0) | Spin City (#17 - 11.7) | NYPD Blue (#13 - 12.5) | |
| Winter | Various programming | ||||||
| Follow-up | Ellen (#30 - 10.6) | ||||||
| Spring | The Practice (#43 - 9.2) | ||||||
| Follow-up | Soul Man (#22 - 11.2) | NYPD Blue (#13 - 12.5) | |||||
| CBS | Promised Land (#58 - 8.5) | CBS Tuesday Movie (#36 - 10.0) | |||||
| Fox | Fox Tuesday Night Movie (#94 - 6.9) | Local | |||||
| NBC | Mad About You (#24 - 11.0) | Something So Right (#38 - 9.5) | Frasier (#16 - 11.8) | Caroline in the City (#24 - 11.0) | Dateline Tuesday (#20 - 11.4) | ||
| UPN | Fall | Moesha (#134 - 3.5) | Homeboys in Outer Space (#145 - 2.8) | The Burning Zone (#154 - 2.3) | Local | ||
| Spring | Social Studies (#145 - 2.8) | ||||||
| Follow-up | Homeboys in Outer Space (#145 - 2.8) | ||||||
UPN premiered the short-lived teenage sitcom Social Studies in March as a midseason replacement. The show lasted for six episodes.
Wednesday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Ellen (#30 - 10.6) | Townies (#63 - 8.2) | Grace Under Fire (#45 - 9.1) | The Drew Carey Show (#18 - 11.5) | Primetime Live (#15 - 11.9) | |
| Winter | Grace Under Fire (#45 - 9.1) | Coach (#64 - 8.1) | The Drew Carey Show (#18 - 11.5) | Ellen (#30 - 10.6) | |||
| Spring | Arsenio (#53 - 8.6) | ||||||
| Follow-up | Ellen (#30 - 10.6) | ||||||
| CBS | Fall | The Nanny (#45 - 9.1) | Pearl (#45 - 9.1) | Almost Perfect (#76 - 7.6) | Various | EZ Streets (#118 - 5.5) | |
| Follow-up | CBS Wednesday Movie (#41 - 9.3) | ||||||
| Winter | Various programming | Orleans (#80 - 7.5) | |||||
| Spring | Temporarily Yours (#76 - 7.6) | Feds (#92 - 7.0) | EZ Streets (#118 - 5.5) | ||||
| Follow-up | Dave's World (#84 - 7.3) | CBS Wednesday Movie (#41 - 9.3) | |||||
| Fox | Fall | Beverly Hills, 90210 (#61 - 8.4) | Party of Five (#82 - 7.4) | Local | |||
| Spring | Pacific Palisades (#117 - 5.6) | ||||||
| NBC | Fall | Wings (#76 - 7.6) | The John Larroquette Show (#84 - 7.3) | NewsRadio (#92 - 7.0) | Men Behaving Badly (#73 - 7.7) | Law & Order (#28 - 10.8) | |
| Follow-up | Various programming | ||||||
| Winter | Chicago Sons (#76 - 7.6) | ||||||
| Spring | NewsRadio (#92 - 7.0) | Just Shoot Me! (#64 - 8.1) | Wings (#76 - 7.6) | ||||
| Follow-up | The Single Guy (#8 - 14.1) | Men Behaving Badly (#73 - 7.7) | |||||
| UPN | The Sentinel (#135 - 3.4) | Star Trek: Voyager (#128 - 4.3) | Local | ||||
| The WB | Fall | Sister, Sister (#142 - 3.0) | Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher (#142 - 3.0) | The Wayans Bros. (#139 - 3.3) | The Jamie Foxx Show (#135 - 3.4) | Local | |
| Spring | Smart Guy (#141 - 3.2) | The Jamie Foxx Show (#135 - 3.4) | The Wayans Bros. (#139 - 3.3) | ||||
Note: On CBS, due to the effect of the debut delay of Ink on Monday, the first month of the new season on this night aired Almost Perfect at 8:30 p.m., followed by CBS Wednesday Movies at 9 p.m. The originally planned fall Wednesday lineup took shape at the end of October with Pearl taking over at 8:30 p.m., Almost Perfect moving to 9 p.m., Public Morals debuting at 9:30 p.m., and EZ Streets debuting at 10 p.m.
Thursday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | High Incident (#102 - 6.3) | Murder One (#113 - 5.7) | Turning Point (#89 - 7.2) | |||
| Winter | The ABC Thursday Night Movie (#84 - 7.3) | ||||||
| Follow-up | Vital Signs (#104 - 6.2) | Turning Point (#89 - 7.2) | |||||
| Spring | The ABC Thursday Night Movie (#84 - 7.3) | ||||||
| CBS | Diagnosis: Murder (#45 - 9.1) | Moloney (#68 - 8.0) | 48 Hours (#73 - 7.7) | ||||
| Fox | Martin (#110 - 6.0) | Living Single (#104 - 6.2) | New York Undercover (#104 - 6.2) | Local | |||
| NBC | Fall | Friends (#4 - 16.8) | The Single Guy (#8 - 14.1) | Seinfeld (#2 - 20.5) | Suddenly Susan (#3 - 17.0) | ER (#1 - 21.2) | |
| Winter | The Naked Truth (#4 - 16.8) | ||||||
| Spring | Suddenly Susan (#3 - 17.0) | Fired Up (#6 - 16.5) | |||||
Friday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Family Matters (#50 - 8.8) | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (#41 - 9.3) | Clueless (#53 - 8.6) | Boy Meets World (#51 - 8.7) | 20/20 (#12 - 12.8) | |
| Follow-up | Boy Meets World (#51 - 8.7) | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (#41 - 9.3) | Clueless (#53 - 8.6) | ||||
| Spring | Step by Step (#61 - 8.4) | ||||||
| CBS | Fall | Dave's World (#94 - 6.9) | Everybody Loves Raymond (#84 - 7.3) | Mr. & Mrs. Smith (#84 - 7.3) | Nash Bridges (#64 - 8.1) | ||
| Winter | JAG (#68 - 8.0) | ||||||
| Spring | JAG (#68 - 8.0) | Orleans (#80 - 7.5) | |||||
| Summer | Dave's World | Life... and Stuff | JAG | ||||
| Fox | Fall | Sliders (#118 - 5.5) | The X-Files (#20 - 11.4) | Local | |||
| Follow-up | Millennium (#94 - 6.9) | ||||||
| NBC | Fall | Unsolved Mysteries (#53 - 8.6) | Dateline Friday (#31 - 10.5) | Homicide: Life on the Street (#68 - 8.0) | |||
| Follow-up | Crisis Center (#98 - 6.6) | ||||||
| Spring | Homicide: Life on the Street (#68 - 8.0) | ||||||
Saturday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | Second Noah (#113 - 5.7) | Coach (#64 - 8.1) | Common Law (#125 - 5.0) | Relativity (#122 - 5.4) | ||
| Winter | The ABC Saturday Night Movie (#91 - 7.1) | ||||||
| Spring | Dangerous Minds (#100 - 6.4) | The ABC Saturday Night Movie (#91 - 7.1) | |||||
| Midseason | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (#104 - 6.2) | Leaving L.A. (#130 - 3.9) | Gun (#127 - 4.7) | ||||
| Summer | Family Matters repeats | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Dangerous Minds repeats | Spy Game | |||
| CBS | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (#58 - 8.5) | Early Edition (#49 - 9.0) | Walker, Texas Ranger (#24 - 11.0) | ||||
| Fox | Fall | COPS (#113 - 5.7; #102 - 6.3 (repeats)) | Married... with Children (#97 - 6.7) | Love and Marriage (#133 - 3.6) | Local | ||
| Follow-up | America's Most Wanted (#118 - 5.5) | ||||||
| NBC | Dark Skies (#113 - 5.7) | The Pretender (#89 - 7.2) | Profiler (#82 - 7.4) | ||||
Note: America's Most Wanted would debut in November at 9:00 on Fox. Married... with Children moved to Sundays at 7-8pm in November, Mondays at 9:30 in January, and Mondays at 9pm in February.
Pickups and Shows
ABC
- 20/20
- The ABC Monday Night Movie
- The ABC Sunday Night Movie
- America's Funniest Home Videos
- Boy Meets World
- Coach
- Dangerous Minds
- The Drew Carey Show
- Ellen
- Family Matters
- Grace Under Fire
- Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
- High Incident
- Home Improvement
- Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
- Monday Night Football
- Murder One
- NYPD Blue
- Roseanne
- Soul Man
- Spin City
- Townies
- 'Step by Step
- Turning Point
- Primetime
- Second Noah
CBS
- 48 Hours
- 60 Minutes
- Chicago Hope
- Cybill
- Dave's World
- Diagnosis Murder
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
- Everybody Loves Raymond
- JAG (Moved From NBC)
- Murphy Brown
- The Nanny
- Nash Bridges
- Touched by an Angel
- Walker, Texas Ranger
FOX
- America's Most Wanted
- Beverly Hills, 90210
- Beyond Belief: Fact Or Fiction
- Big Deal
- COPS
- King of the Hill
- Lawless
- Living Single
- Love and Marriage
- Lush Life
- Married... with Children
- Martin
- Melrose Place
- Millennium
- Ned & Stacey
- New York Undercover
- Party Girl
- Party of Five
- Pauly
- Roar
- Sightings
- The Simpsons
- Sliders
- The X-Files
NBC
- 3rd Rock from The Sun
- Boston Common
- Caroline In The City
- Dateline NBC
- Dark Skies
- ER
- Fired Up
- Frasier
- Friends
- Homicide: Life on the Street
- The Jeff Foxworthy Show
- The John Larroquette Show
- Just Shoot Me!
- Law and Order
- Mad About You
- Men Behaving Badly
- Mother, May I Sleep With Danger?
- Mr. Rhodes
- The Naked Truth
- NewsRadio
- Out All Night
- The Pretender
- Profiler
- Seinfeld
- The Single Guy
- Something So Right
- Suddenly Susan
- Unsolved Mysteries
- Wings
UPN
- The Burning Zone
- Goode Behavior
- Homeboys in Outer Space
- In The House
- Malcolm and Eddie
- Moesha
- The Sentinel
- Social Studies
- Sparks
- Star Trek: Voyager
- Sweet Valley High
The WB
- 7th Heaven
- Brotherly Love
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Full House
- The Jamie Foxx Show
- Kirk
- Life with Roger
- Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher
- The Parent 'Hood
- Savannah
- Sister, Sister
- The Steve Harvey Show
- Unhappily Ever After
- The Wayans Bros.
References
- ^ 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.