1987–88 United States network television schedule


This was the television schedule on all four United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1987. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
Note: This is the first fall season for Fox, and the first year since 1958-59 that a fourth commercial television network was broadcasting. Fox would air only two days a week until 1989.
PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation but the schedule was set by each local station.
New series are highlighted in bold.
All times given are in U.S. Eastern Time and Pacific Time. Subtract one hour for Central and Mountain 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.

Sunday

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.

Saturday

By network

ABC">American Broadcasting Company">ABC

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

[CBS]

Returning Series
New Series
Not Returning From 1986-87
Returning Series
New Series
Not Returning From 1986-87
Returning Series
New Series
Not Returning From 1986-87
Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.
+ These shows returned as "backup" programming in midseason
@ Formerly Valerie.