Jump to content

Looking back...Primetime Ratings from the 80's


Paul Raven

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 946
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

  • Members

CBS’s identity crisis in the second half of the 1990s was bad, but the decline of its primetime lineup in the second half of the 1980s was worse.

1985/86 CBS’s Top 10 shows were Murder She Wrote (#3, its highest finish ever), 60 Minutes (#4), Dallas (#6), and its Top 30 shows were CBS Sunday Movie (#12), Kate & Allie (#14), Newhart (#16), Knots Landing (#17), Falcon Crest (#24), Scarecrow and Mrs. King (#28), Simon & Simon (#29). CBS's new fall shows that returned in 1986/87 were The Equalizer and The Twilight Zone and their only midseason show to return in 1986/87 was West 57th. 1985/86 was also the final seasons for Airwolf, Crazy Like a Fox; Trapper John, M.D.

1986/87 CBS’s Top 10 shows were Murder She Wrote (#4) and 60 Minutes (#6), and its Top 30 shows were Dallas (#11), Newhart (#12), CBS Sunday Movie (#15), Kate & Allie (#19), My Sister Sam (#21, first season), Falcon Crest (#23), Knots Landing (#26). CBS's new fall shows that returned in 1987/88 were Designing Women and My Sister Sam and their midseason/summer shows to return in 1987/88 were The Cavanaughs, CBS Summer Playhouse, Houston Knights. 1986/87 was also the final seasons for Scarecrow and Mrs. King and The Twilight Zone.

1987/88 CBS's Top 10 shows were 60 Minutes (#8) and Murder She Wrote (#9), and its Top 30 shows were CBS Sunday Night Movie (#18), Dallas (#22), Newhart (#25). CBS’s new fall shows that returned in 1988/89 were Beauty and the Beast, Jake and the Fatman, Tour of Duty, Wiseguy, and their midseason/summer shows to return in 1988/89 were 48 Hours, Coming of Age, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. 1987/88 was also the final seasons for Cagney & Lacey, Houston Knights, Magnum, P.I.; My Sister Sam. CBS's primetime lineup really tanked this season, and they fell to 3rd place.

1988/89 was the writer’s strike delayed season and CBS’s Top 10 shows were 60 Minutes (#5) and Murder She Wrote (#8), and its Top 30 shows were Knots Landing (#27), CBS Sunday Night Movie (#27), Dallas (#29). CBS’s new fall shows that returned in 1989/90 were Murphy Brown and Paradise, and their only midseason/summer show to return in 1989/90 was Doctor Doctor. 1988/89 was also the final seasons for The Cavanaughs, CBS Summer Playhouse, Coming of Age, The Equalizer, Kate & Allie, Simon & Simon, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, West 57th.

1989/90 CBS’s only Top 10 show was 60 Minutes (#7), and its Top 30 shows were Murder She Wrote (#13), Designing Women (#22), CBS Sunday Movie (#24), Murphy Brown (#27). CBS’s new fall shows that returned in 1990/91 were Major Dad and Rescue 911 and their midseason/summer shows to return in 1990/91 were Bagdad Cafe, Northern Exposure, Top Cops. 1989/90 was also the final seasons for Beauty and the Beast, Falcon Crest, Newhart, Tour of Duty.

1989/90 was the low point I'd say and things were really looking bad heading into 1990/91 season. To think that just a decade earlier CBS was riding high w/ Who Shot JR mania.

Edited by kalbir
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

1986-1987 season

The week before the official start of the season. Some shows had season premieres a week early like Knots Landing to name one.

 

Please register in order to view this content

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Going back to the writer's strike delayed 1988/89 season, the breakout hit of that season was Roseanne, and it was the first show to threaten The Cosby Show's dominance. 1989/90 would see Roseanne tie The Cosby Show for #1. The first two seasons of Roseanne also overlapped with the Top 10 fallouts of family sitcoms Growing Pains, ALF, Who's the Boss.  It was a sign that sitcom tastes were changing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

OMG @Khan you are killing me 

Please register in order to view this content

Just think, if that promo was made a decade later it would have Urkel and two decades later it would have Shemar Moore 

Edited by kalbir
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I generally try not to discuss the looks of actors because I wouldn't want the reverse  but fourty years later I feel I can bring it up.

Am I the only one who... didn't really find Bobby that attractive? I mean I can see why a lot of people did and all - not my thing but sure - but his hair always looked like a wig to me and I used to find it so distracting. It was such a heavy unflattering hairstyle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Bobby didn't do it for me so you are not alone. But I can't think of one Dallas actor who was attractive to me. As far as the hair goes, it was more the style of the time.

Even today, I see guys with thick wavy hear that I'd love to take some shears to and style into something more flattering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • Tate seems to love throwing punches now

      Please register in order to view this content

      I enjoyed his scenes with Johnny. Both of their perspectives make perfect sense to me and are completely relatable. There’s no right or wrong person in this situation and I like that. LH  does pretty well when Tate is angry too, but I also liked the way that he comforted Johnny in the end. Days is finally remembering that they’re cousins. And, Johnny looked hot in the beginning   Btw, Johnny going to work for Xander? That could be interesting. And, also can cause some more animosity between him and EJ.  And again, Marlena/Belle were great. Scenes like theirs really seem to be commonplace under Paula/Jeanne and I couldn’t be happier that they are. It’s helps us get a much better understanding of these characters and why they do the things that they do and feel the way that they feel. Marlena supporting Belle was a bit of surprise, considering her insane reaction when she walked in on EJ and Belle, but I also feel that it’s totally in character for her, both as a psychiatrist and as Belle’s mother.  As for Sophia and Amy… I miss the first Sophia lol but I can’t help but think that Amy suddenly being so nice is foreshadowing of something. Either that, or Paula/Jeanne aren’t biased against her
    • @alwaysAMC Great mini-review as always.  That Gilly story is...certainly one I could not forget... I imagine a number of viewers were shocked with the temporary recast. It was revealed in the soap magazines, as was the news about Frank Beaty's breakdown, I think. I think Wolf had some statements or an interview at the time but very little. I wish someone could interview him. He did a good job under extremely tough circumstances.  For some reason I have a vague memory of him in the Marian getup but that's probably not right.  I'm glad you have appreciated the material with Susan after a shaky start. I always enjoyed her, and she was the only love interest I liked Nick with. 
    • How did this come to be?

      Please register in order to view this content

      Btw, if he’s on again, you should apply to be a contestant
    • https://www.instagram.com/p/DJJTEW8J5EA/ 1989 Daytime Emmys Victoria Wyndham gives moving tribute to Douglas Watson, AW's Mac Cory Harding "Pete" Lemay created the character Mac Cory & then Doug Watson played him for 15 years. When Doug died on May 1st, 1989, it was a huge loss to the show, the other actors & also to the fans.  

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Jonathan Kellerman is definitely the most EON/Slesar-like writer in the business right now.  Unfortunately, he's almost 80 years old.  Interestingly, he has a son (Jesse Kellerman) who's about 45, who's been studying under him.  I believe what makes the Kellermans such effective mystery & crime writers is their background in psychology.  
    • I never understood the point of Marchetti. Summer left the show for a job there in Italy. OK. When she returned they had Jack buy the company. Why couldn't Summer have returned and simply stated it was not a good fit, she missed her home , family/friends etc It was absurd that this internationally successful fashion empire could just be bought by a US cosmetics firm at the drop of a hat. What was the point when they never did anything with it at all? Summer simply could have gone to work at Jabot. And wasn't there some nonsense about an offshhoot called Marchetti Home? Was Phyllis attached to that at some point? This show...
    • Leslie:

      Please register in order to view this content

      Ted:  
    • And based on the previews for today, maybe we’ll, uh, finally see something

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Haven't seen today's ep yet but so will be interested to see the clothes. So far I think they have been very character specific (even if I don't like some of them eg Kat's cutsie style) Anita is very showy/glittery, Nicole classic elegance, Dani sexy/bold colors etc. Unlike Y&R which seems much more generic. Also BTG pays attention to the men's wardrobe and has developed a style for the boyz-which is harder to do with male fashion. The absence of any of Derek/Ashley at any of these big events again demonstrates how they are in a different universe to the rest of the show. Not that a nurse and a fireman would be there but still they seem destined at this point to stay in their own lane and have little interaction with the core of the show.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy