1981–82 United States network television schedule

none March 2025 1981 The following is the 1981–82 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1981 through August 1982. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1980–81 season. 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.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. 978-0-345-49773-4. yellow darkgray Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season. cyan darkgray Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season. FF22FF darkgray Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season. Note: A Writers Guild of America 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 premiered between September and early December. The debut month for each new series that had been intended for a fall premiere is noted as to when it actually appeared. PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation but the schedule was set by each local station. 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 Code Red (Nov.) Today's FBI (Nov.) The ABC Sunday Night Movie (22/19.5) #FF00FF CBS 60 Minutes (2/27.7) #FFFF00 Archie Bunker's Place (12/21.6) One Day at a Time (10/22.0) Alice (5/22.7) The Jeffersons (3/23.4) Trapper John, M.D. (15/21.1)(Tied with Hart to Hart) NBC Fall Local CHiPs NBC Sunday Night Movie (Oct.)WinterSpringFather MurphySummer Note : On NBC, The Powers of Matthew Star was supposed to have aired 7-8 p.m., starting December 6, but production difficulties forced its delay into the next season. 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! (28/18.4)(Tied with T.J. Hooker) Monday Night Football (11/21.8) 00FFFF Winter ABC Monday Night Movie (8/22.5) #FFFF00 Spring Summer Best of the West Monday Night Baseball CBS Fall Private Benjamin The Two of Us M*A*S*H (9/22.3) House Calls (23/19.2) Lou Grant Winter Mr. Merlin Private Benjamin Spring Private Benjamin Report to Murphy Making the Grade Summer WKRP in Cincinnati House Calls Follow-up Filthy Rich NBC Little House on the Prairie (24/19.1)(Tied with The Facts of Life) NBC Monday Night at the Movies Tuesday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Happy Days (18/20.6) Laverne & Shirley (20/19.9) Three's Company (4/23.3) Too Close for Comfort (6/22.6) Hart to Hart (15/21.1)(Tied with Trapper John, M.D.) Winter SpringJoanie Loves Chachi Summer CBS Preliminary Local The CBS Tuesday Night Movies Fall Simon & Simon (Nov.) Winter Spring Q.E.D. Summer NBC Preliminary NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies Local Fall Father Murphy (Nov.) Bret Maverick (Dec.) Flamingo Road Winter Spring Bret Maverick Flamingo Road Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters March The Shape of Things Follow-up Various Summer Cassie & Co. Flamingo Road Follow-up Father Murphy Bret Maverick McClain's Law Note: On ABC, Joanie Loves Chachi premiered March 23, 1982, at 8:30 pm, in place of Laverne & Shirley. On CBS, Q.E.D. ran for 6 weeks at 8pm, from March 23 to April 27.http://www.tvtango.com/listings?filters%5Bdate%5D%5Bmonth%5D=3&filters%5Bdate%5D%5Bday%5D=23&filters%5Bdate%5D%5Byear%5D=1982&commit.x=25&commit.y=16 TV Listings for - March 23, 1982 - TV Tango Wednesday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Preliminary The Greatest American Hero Specials Dynasty (19/20.2) Fall The Fall Guy (Nov.) (26/19.0) Winter Spring Summer CBS Preliminary Mr. Merlin (Oct.) WKRP in Cincinnati The CBS Wednesday Night Movies Fall Nurse Shannon (Nov.)Winter WKRP in Cincinnati The Two of UsThe CBS Wednesday Night Movies Spring Herbie, the Love BugWKRP in CincinnatiBaker's DozenShannon NBC FallReal People (21/19.7)The Facts of Life (24/19.1)(Tied with Little House on the Prairie) Love, Sidney (Oct.) Quincy, M.E. Winter SpringTeachers Only Summer NOTE: The only episode of the sitcom Cass Malloy aired on CBS from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 21, 1982. Although not picked up as a regular series, it served as the pilot for the 1987–1989 syndicated sitcom She's the Sheriff. Thursday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Mork & Mindy Best of the West Bosom Buddies Taxi 20/20 November Barney Miller Winter SpringPolice Squad! Bosom Buddies9 to 5 Follow-upNo Soap, RadioMork & MindyBarney Miller Summer Darkroom CBS Fall Magnum, P.I. (17/20.9) Nurse Knots Landing November Knots Landing Jessica Novak Winter SpringCagney & LaceyKnots Landing Summer NBC FallHarper ValleyLewis & Clark (Oct.) Diff'rent Strokes Gimme a Break! (Oct.) Hill Street Blues (27/18.6) Winter Fame Spring Summer Note: On CBS, Nurse aired at 9-10 p.m. and Knots Landing at 10-11 p.m., both in September and October. On ABC, Bosom Buddies aired at 9-9:30 p.m. in October. Friday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Benson Bosom Buddies Darkroom (Nov.) Strike Force (Nov.) Winter Barney MillerBest of the West Making a Living SpringThe Phoenix Follow-upMaggieThe ABC Friday Night Movie CBS Fall The Incredible Hulk The Dukes of Hazzard (6/22.6)(Tied with Too Close for Comfort) Dallas (1/28.4) Winter The Dukes of Hazzard (6/22.6)(Tied with Too Close for Comfort) Dallas (1/28.4) Falcon Crest (13/21.4) Spring SummerNurse NBC Fall NBC Magazine McClain's Law (Nov.) Local Winter Cassie & Co. Follow-up NBC Friday Night at the Movies SpringJokebook Chicago Story McClain's Law SummerLewis & Clark Cassie & Co. Saturday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Maggie (Oct.) Making a Living* The Love Boat (14/21.2) Fantasy Island (30/18.3) November Open All Night January King's Crossing Spring T.J. Hooker (28/18.4)(Tied with That's Incredible!) CBS Walt Disney The CBS Saturday Night Movies NBC Fall Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters Nashville Palace Fitz and Bones Follow-up Harper Valley Lewis & Clark Billy Crystal Comedy Hour Winter One of the Boys Harper Valley Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters Television: Inside and Out Follow-up Chicago Story McClain's Law Spring Harper Valley One of the Boys Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters NBC Magazine Summer Here's Boomer Harper Valley NBC Saturday Night at the Movies (*) Also known as It's a Living. Note: On ABC, Maggie was replaced by Open All Night, effective November 28; King's Crossing, which was supposed to have aired 8-9 p.m., was delayed until January, 1982, as an indirect result of the Writers Guild of America strike. On NBC, The Devlin Connection was supposed to have aired at 10:00 p.m., but Rock Hudson's heart surgery forced the delay into next season.February 8, 1982 Monitor 101 Broadcasting https://www.worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/82-OCR/1982-02-08-BC-OCR-Page-0101.pdf November 8, 2023 By network ABC Returning Series 20/20 The ABC Friday Night Movie ABC Monday Night Movie The ABC Sunday Night Movie Barney Miller Benson Bosom Buddies Dynasty Fantasy Island The Greatest American Hero Happy Days Hart to Hart Making a Living Laverne & Shirley The Love Boat Monday Night Baseball Monday Night Football Mork & Mindy Taxi That's Incredible! Three's Company Too Close for Comfort New Series 9 to 5 * Best of the West Code Red * Darkroom The Fall Guy Joanie Loves Chachi * King's Crossing * Maggie No Soap, Radio * Open All Night * The Phoenix * Police Squad! * Strike Force T.J. Hooker * Today's FBI Not returning from 1980–81: 240-Robert ABC Summer Movie Aloha Paradise Breaking Away Charlie's Angels Eight is Enough Foul Play I'm a Big Girl Now The Krypton Factor Soap Those Amazing Animals Vega$ CBS Returning Series 60 Minutes Alice Archie Bunker's Place Dallas The Dukes of Hazzard House Calls The Incredible Hulk The Jeffersons Knots Landing Lou Grant M*A*S*H Magnum, P.I. Nurse One Day at a Time Private Benjamin Trapper John, M.D. The Two of Us Walt Disney (moved from NBC) WKRP in Cincinnati New Series Baker's Dozen * Cagney & Lacey * Falcon Crest Filthy Rich * Herbie, the Love Bug * Jessica Novak Making the Grade * Mr. Merlin Q.E.D. * Report to Murphy * Shannon Simon & Simon Not returning from 1980–81: Checking In Enos Flo Freebie and the Bean Ladies' Man Palmerstown, U.S.A. Park Place Riker Secrets of Midland Heights That's My Line The Tim Conway Show Walter Cronkite's Universe The Waltons The White Shadow NBC Returning Series Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters CHiPs Diff'rent Strokes The Facts of Life Flamingo Road Harper Valley Hill Street Blues Little House on the Prairie NBC Magazine NBC Sunday Night Movie NBC Monday Night at the Movies Quincy, M.E. Real People New Series The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour * Bret Maverick * Cassie & Co. * Chicago Story * Fame * Father Murphy Fitz and Bones Gimme a Break! Jokebook * Lewis & Clark * Love, Sidney McClain's Law Nashville Palace One of the Boys * The Shape of Things * Teachers Only * Television: Inside and Out * Not returning from 1980–81: B.J. and the Bear The Big Event The Brady Brides Buck Rogers in the 25th Century Comedy Theater Disney's Wonderful World (moved to CBS) Games People Play Lobo Marie Nero Wolfe Number 96 The Steve Allen Comedy Hour Walking Tall Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason. References Category:United States primetime network television schedules Category:1981 in American television Category:1982 in American television