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

[dragonflies]

Shows nowadays can't even crack those types of #'s for their top rated shows LOL

[Soapsuds]

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[kalbir]

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 March 24, 2022 by kalbir

[Soapsuds]

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.

 

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[kalbir]

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.

[Paul Raven]

And I think that Roseanne was the first sitcom ever  to move to a lead slot-in this case 9 pm- in its first season.

Moonlighting was fading at 9pm and having all the bts drama, so ABC moved Roseanne from 8.30 to 9 and created a sitcom block.

[kalbir]

CBS was really trying to grab the female audience with this promo.

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[Khan]

Okay, who told Lorenzo Lamas to pretend he was a Chippendales dancer for that promo?

[kalbir]

OMG @Khan you are killing me 

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

Edited March 25, 2022 by kalbir

[Paul Raven]

Those weird looks from David Selby, Bob Newhart and Patrick Duffy...

 Tom Poston was one of the biggest hunks of the time.

[kalbir]

I'm so done right now 

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[Soaplovers]

You had the eye candy (Lorenzo and Patrick Duffy) and the funny and adorable (Bob Newhart).  I think it was an effective promo.

[Soapsuds]

Who didn't want to be in that shower scene with Patrick Duffy? I remember the black Speedos he would wear on the show too.

[FrenchBug82]

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

[Paul Raven]

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.