kalbir

@ltm1997 1983 was still a bit of transition but 1984 is when Y&R became Y&R as we know it today.

@Soapsuds Thank you for the correction.

@dragonflies EB is keeping it real like always 🤣

A few times in my day-to-day life I've referred to people I don't like or trust by their full name, but it doesn't sound like one word though.

Someone might have posted here before that the early years of Dallas were influenced by films like Giant, Hud, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense that Dallas was the most male-focused of the primetime soaps and drew a larger male audience than the other primetime soaps because Dallas at its heart and roots was really a western.

Murder, She Wrote also dropped in 1987/88, from 4th to 9th, but went back up to 8th in 1988/89. Then again, 1987/88 was the season Nielsen changed the audience measuring method and CBS's entire primetime lineup tanked resulting in the first of four consecutive third place finishes.

One has to wonder that if it had not been for the breakout success of The Cosby Show, would Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court have found the audiences that they eventually did? Then there's the other question of would Family Ties and Night Court have fallen as much as they did once they were no longer the lead outs to The Cosby Show and Cheers respectively? 1984/85: NBC's new Thursday lineup is new comedy The Cosby Show 8 pm, Family Ties 8:30 pm, Cheers 9 pm, Night Court 9:30 pm (moved from Wednesday 9:30 pm). The Cosby Show finishes 3rd. Family Ties moves from below the Top 30 to 5th. Cheers moves from below the Top 30 to 12th (tied w/ Hotel). Night Court moves from below the Top 30 to 20th. 1985/86: The Cosby Show moves up to #1. Family Ties moves up to 2nd. Cheers moves up to 5th. Night Court moves up to 11th. 1986/87: The Cosby Show remains #1. Family Ties remains 2nd. Cheers moves up to 3rd. Night Court moves up to 7th. 1987/88: NBC places new comedy A Different World Thursday 8:30 pm. Family Ties moves to Sunday 8 pm, where it's head-to-head w/ Murder, She Wrote (which was a Top 5 show heading into Fall 1987). The Cosby Show remains #1. Family Ties drops to 17th. NBC had to have known that moving Family Ties head-to-head w/ Murder, She Wrote would result in a drop. Cheers remains 3rd. Night Court remains 7th. 1988/89: NBC places new comedy Dear John Thursday 9:30 pm. Night Court moves to Wednesday 9 pm. Cheers drops to 4th. Night Court drops to 21st. Family Ties remains Sunday 8 pm but falls below the Top 30 and is cancelled. The Cosby Show remains #1. 1989/90: Night Court remains Wednesday 9 pm and finishes 28th, tied w/ The Simpsons and Doogie Howser, M.D. The Cosby Show tied for #1 w/ Roseanne. Cheers moves up to 3rd. 1990/91: Night Court moves to Friday 9 pm then Wednesday 9 pm but falls below the Top 30. The Cosby Show drops to 5th. Cheers moves up to #1. 1991/92: Night Court remains Wednesday 9 pm, finishes below the Top 30, and is cancelled. The Cosby Show drops to 18th in its final season. Cheers drops to 4th (tied w/ Home Improvement first season). 1992/93: Cheers drops to 8th (tied w/ CBS Sunday Movie) in its final season.

I debated about including Frasier, since it was critically acclaimed and well-loved, but the above might apply. 1993/94: NBC new Thursday lineup Seinfeld 9 pm (moved up from 9:30 pm) and new comedy Frasier 9:30 pm. Seinfeld moves up from 25th to 3rd. Frasier finishes 7th. 1994/95: Frasier moves to Tuesday 9 pm, where it’s head-to-head w/ Home Improvement. Frasier drops to 15th. Home Improvement drops from 2nd to 3rd. NBC had to have known that moving Frasier head-to-head w/ Home Improvement would result in a drop. 1995/96 to 1997/98: Frasier and Home Improvement are head-to-head Tuesday 9 pm. Frasier finishes 11th (tied w/ 20/20), 16th, 14th. Home Improvement finishes 7th, 9th, 10th. 1998/99: Frasier moves to Thursday 9 pm and moves up to 3rd (it’s highest finish ever). 1999/2000: Frasier remains Thursday 9 pm but drops to 6th. 2000/01: Frasier returns to Tuesday 9 pm and drops to 17th, tied w/ Temptation Island. 2001/02 to 2003/04: Frasier remains Tuesday 9 pm for its final three seasons. It finishes 14th (tied w/ JAG), 26th, 30th (tied w/ King of Queens).

Flourished while following a stronger show - Growing Pains, Moonlighting, The Wonder Years 1985/86: ABC's new Tuesday lineup is Who's the Boss 8 pm (in its second season and moved up from 8:30 pm), new comedy Growing Pains 8:30 pm, Moonlighting 9 pm (in its second season and moved up from 10 pm). Who's the Boss moves up from below the Top 30 to 10th. Growing Pains finishes 17th (tied w/ Knots Landing). Moonlighting moves up from below the Top 30 to 24th (tied w/ Falcon Crest and Valerie). 1986/87: No change to the Tuesday lineup. Who's the Boss remains 10th. Growing Pains moves up to 8th. Moonlighting moves up to 9th (it's highest finish ever). 1987/88: ABC changes the Tuesday lineup March 1988, new comedy The Wonder Years replaces Growing Pains at 8:30 pm and Growing Pains moves to Wednesday 8 pm for the final 7 episodes of the season. Who's the Boss moves up to 6th (it's highest finish ever). Growing Pains moves up to 5th (it's highest finish ever). The Wonder Years finishes 10th (tied w/ ALF). Moonlighting drops to 12th (tied w/ L.A. Law). 1988/89: ABC's new Tuesday lineup is Who's the Boss 8 pm, new comedy Roseanne 8:30 pm, Moonlighting 9 pm. ABC's new Wednesday lineup is Growing Pains 8 pm, Head of the Class 8:30 pm, The Wonder Years 9 pm. Midseason ABC redoes the Tuesday lineup to The Wonder Years 8:30 pm, Roseanne 9 pm, new comedy Anything but Love 9:30 pm. Moonlighting moves to Sunday 8 pm. Who's the Boss drops to 7th. The Wonder Years drops to 22nd (8 episodes aired Wednesday 9 pm and 9 episodes aired Tuesday 8:30 pm). Growing Pains drops to 13th (tied w/ L.A. Law). Moonlighting falls below the Top 30 and is cancelled (7 episodes aired Tuesday 9 pm and 6 episodes aired Sunday 8 pm). ABC had to have known that moving Moonlighting to Sunday 8 pm head-to-head with Murder, She Wrote (which was still a Top 10 show at that point) would be a death knell. 1989/90: ABC Tuesday lineup remains Who's the Boss 8 pm, The Wonder Years 8:30 pm. Who's the Boss drops to 12th. The Wonder Years moves up to 8th (it's highest finish ever). Growing Pains remains Wednesday 8 pm and drops to 21st. 1990/91: ABC's new Wednesday lineup is The Wonder Years 8 pm, Growing Pains 8:30 pm. The Wonder Years drops to 30th. Growing Pains drops to 27th. 1991/92: The Wonder Years moves to Wednesday 8:30 pm then back to 8 pm. Growing Pains moves to Saturday 8:30 pm then 9:30 pm. The Wonder Years falls out of the Top 30. Growing Pains falls out of the Top 30 and is cancelled. 1992/93: The Wonder Years remains Wednesday 8 pm. It finishes below the Top 30 and is cancelled.

The highest rated episodes of the big four primetime soaps Dallas: November 21, 1980, "Who Done It". Rating 53.3. Who shot JR revealed. Knots Landing: March 29, 1984, "Negotiations". Rating 23.3. 5th season finale. Dynasty: September 25, 1985, "The Aftermath". Rating 28.1. 6th season premiere. Falcon Crest: February 19, 1982, "Family Reunion". Rating 25.2. Lana Turner first appearance.

If we go by only works with a strong lead in, Coach might be considered a time slot hit. Premieres February 1989 and ABC schedules it Wednesday 9 pm, replacing The Wonder Years which moved to Tuesday 8:30 pm. Coach finishes below the Top 30. Returns November 1989 and ABC gives it the Roseanne lead out Tuesday 9:30 pm after Chicken Soup is suddenly cancelled. Roseanne tied The Cosby Show for #1. Chicken Soup finished 13th, tied w/ Murder, She Wrote. Coach finished 18th. 1990/91 and 1991/92: Roseanne Tuesday 9 pm, Coach Tuesday 9:30 pm. Roseanne finished 3rd and 2nd. Coach finished 18th and 10th (tied w/ Room for Two). 1992/93: Roseanne Tuesday 9 pm, Coach Tuesday 9:30 pm. November 1992 Coach moves to Wednesday 9:30 pm where it is now the Home Improvement lead out. Roseanne finished 2nd. Home Improvement finished 3rd. Coach finished 6th. 1993/94: Coach returns to Tuesday 9:30 pm and is again the Roseanne lead out. Roseanne finished 4th. Coach finished 6th. 1994/95: Roseanne moves to Wednesday 9 pm and Coach moves to Monday 8 pm. Roseanne finished 10th. Coach falls below the Top 30. 1995/96: Coach returns to Tuesday 9:30 pm and is again the Home Improvement lead out. February 1996 Coach moves to Tuesday 8:30 pm and is again the Roseanne lead out (Fall 1995 Roseanne moved to Tuesday 8 pm). Home Improvement finished 7th. Coach moves up to 14th, tied w/ NBC Monday Movie. Roseanne finished 16th, tied w/ The Nanny. 1996/97: Coach moves to Saturday 9 pm then Wednesday 8:30 pm. Coach falls below the Top 30 and is cancelled.

@Broderick Yes, that was Frank Benard. Another miniseries he was in was Bare Essence.

Broderick you are killing me 🤣 I always point out that Marc Mergeron was way too Dynasty, but I had totally forgotten that Frank Benard guest starred on Dynasty during its 3rd season. He also guest starred on Falcon Crest during its 5th season.

Same here, esp. since current Y&R feels so hollow and empty. Thanks @BoldRestless for finding this ep. Didn't Bill Bell attempt a triangle w/ Ashley/Eric/Marc but it tanked? Not long after that Ashley entered Victor's orbit and the rest is history. ED's acting style overpowered all the love interests Bill Bell attempted for Ashley in her first three years. Once Ashley entered Victor's orbit and Bill Bell saw that EB was a match for ED's acting style, he created the eternal triangle. In a way Ashley/Victor was another accident pairing.

I agree. With that in mind, I think we've pinpointed a good amount of 1980s and 1990s time slot hits.

Another Aaron Spelling ABC show that might be considered a time slot hit, Hotel. Fall 1983 Dynasty moved up an hour to Wednesday 9 pm and Hotel premiered as the lead out. 1983/84 Dynasty finishes 3rd and Hotel finishes 9th. 1984/85 Dynasty finishes #1 but Hotel drops to 12th, tied w/ Cheers. 1985/86 Dynasty drops to 7th, tied w/ The Golden Girls, and Hotel drops to 22nd, tied w/ NBC Monday Night Movie. 1986/87 Dynasty drops to 24th, tied w/ Highway to Heaven, and Hotel falls out of the Top 30. 1987/88 Dynasty moved to Wednesday 10 pm and Hotel moved to Saturday 10 pm then Thursday 9 pm; both finish below the Top 30 and Hotel is cancelled.

When looking at the 1990s ABC comedies, Home Improvement lead out resulted in what might be considered a time slot hit, Grace Under Fire. Grace Under Fire premiered Fall 1993 and was given the Home Improvement lead out Wednesday 9:30 pm. 1993/94 Home Improvement finished 2nd, its highest finish ever, and Grace Under Fire finished 5th. 1994/95 Home Improvement and Grace Under Fire move to Tuesday 9 pm/9:30 pm. Grace Under Fire moves to Wednesday 9 pm for the last six episodes of the season. Home Improvement finishes 3rd and Grace Under Fire finishes 4th. 1995/96 Grace Under Fire remains Wednesday 9 pm and finishes 13th. 1996/97 remains Wednesday 9 pm then moved up to 8 pm but falls out of the Top 30. 1997/98 moves to Tuesday 8 pm but still below the Top 30 and is cancelled. In the 1990s, Roseanne lead out resulted in one time slot hit, Room for Two, which was discussed before.

They could have used clips from the 1980s/1990s classics that we saw in 2020. We're 6 months away from the anniversary week (March 27-31, 2023).

To this day, The Day After is still the highest rated made for TV movie on the broadcast networks ever.

@slick jones You reminded me of this track

The 8th season finale was interrupted in the Eastern and Central time zones by news coverage of Tiananmen Square. I wonder how many complaints CBS affiliates got.

The 12th season finale was interrupted in the Eastern and Central time zones by news coverage of Tiananmen Square. I wonder how many complaints CBS affiliates got.

You're referring to the Bill Bell years, correct? I wasn't alive then so for me Days is best known for the supercouple era and Reilly's sci-fi era.

Let's discuss scripted shows on CBS/ABC/NBC that got the label of time slot hit and whether they deserved that label or not. A show I initially labeled as a time slot hit was Crazy Like a Fox. It premiered mid-season 1984/85 and replaced The Jeffersons and Alice on CBS's Sunday lineup, becoming the new lead out to Murder, She Wrote. Crazy Like a Fox benefitted from being the lead out to Murder, She Wrote and finished 10th, tied with Falcon Crest. Murder, She Wrote finished 8th. Murder, She Wrote and Crazy Like a Fox were the second and third highest rated new scripted shows of 1984/85. Unfortunately, Crazy Like a Fox could not hold on to the Murder, She Wrote audience in Fall 1985 as ABC and NBC counter-programmed with big budget miniseries, notable examples being The Long Hot Summer on NBC and North & South on ABC, plus ABC also had the World Series. January 1986, CBS premieres their Sunday Night Movie and Crazy Like a Fox is moved to Wednesday 9 pm, head-to-head with Dynasty, where it's clobbered. CBS had to have known that being head-to-head with Dynasty (which was still a Top 10 show at that point) was a death knell. April 1986, Crazy Like a Fox is moved to Saturday 8 pm for its final four episodes. Strategic counter-programming lead to the Top 10 fallout and time slot changes lead to cancellation. A clear time slot hit was Anything but Love. It premiered mid-season 1988/89 when ABC redid their Tuesday lineup, moving The Wonder Years to 8:30 pm from Wednesday 9 pm, Roseanne down from 8:30 pm to 9 pm, and Anything but Love at 9:30 pm. As we all know Roseanne was the breakout hit of 1988/89, finishing 2nd. Anything but Love benefitted from being the lead out to Roseanne and finished 10th. Fall 1989, Anything but Love is moved to Wednesday 9:30 pm and finishes below the Top 30. Anything but Love would remain on Wednesday in 1990/91 and its final season 1991/92 and it also finished below the Top 30 in both those seasons. NBC probably had the most time slot hits of any network as discussed before: A Different World, Empty Nest, all those Thursday 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm shows at the height of Friends/Seinfeld/ER.

September 24, 1987 The Cosby Show rating 31.5 and A Different World rating 31.3. They were the top 2 shows that week. This was also A Different World highest rated episode overall.