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

[Soapsuds]

1980-1981 season

For the week of January 25, 1981

Dallas featured Lucy and Mitch first wedding. Sue Ellen discovers a cheating JR has returned.

Special Guest Stars are Ted Shakelford and Joan Van Ark

 

 

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[kalbir]

1980/81 Dallas was a killer show. 18 out 23 episodes finished #1 and the other 5 episodes finished 2nd. That season Dallas also had its highest-rated episode ever, "Who Done It?". 

[Soapsuds]

Another Super Bowl week 

1981-1982 season

Week of January 11-17 1982

 

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[kalbir]

1981/82 was Dallas second consecutive #1 season, but it wasn't as killer as 1980/81. 13 out of 26 episodes finished #1 and the other 13 episodes finished among the Top 5.

[Paul Raven]

Seeing Harper Valley at #28 is a surprise. I was trying to work out where it was airing. I think by Jan 82 it was placed 8.30 Saturday but seems unlikely it would be rating that well there and not sure what the lead in would have been that week. Can any of our sleuths help me out?

[kalbir]

 

Correction, the ratings you posted cover January 18-24, 1982. Super Bowl XVI was held January 24, 1982.

The NBC lineup on January 23, 1982 was One of the Boys (series premiere), Harper Valley, Barbara Mandrell, Steve Martin Special.

[Soapsuds]

Super Bowl theme continues

1982-1983 season

January 24-30, 1983

 

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I caught it earlier when Paul posted his comment.

Edited February 14, 2023 by Soapsuds

[Paul Raven]

Ok Thanks. So One of the Boys finished #18. A good start but viewers quickly switched off.  The opposition was Kings Crossing - that was already failing and Walt Disney that may have been a repeat that week, so NBC got a sampling.

In a few weeks ABC debuted TJ Hooker, which took over as timeslot winner. It debuted #11 21.9/39  up against One of the Boys 10.2/18  and first half hour of Chicago Story 9.0/16 while CBS went with Disney 'The Moonspinners' Pt 1 11.9/21

[kalbir]

1982/83 Dallas loses #1 to 60 Minutes and the Dallas/Dynasty battle begins as Dynasty scores their first weekly win over Dallas.

That season Dallas had 5 out of 28 episodes finish #1, 20 episodes finish among the Top 5, and 3 episodes finish below the Top 10. 

On a win-loss basis, Dallas record vs. 60 Minutes was 13-15 and vs. Dynasty was 18-3.

Edited February 14, 2023 by kalbir

[Soapsuds]

1983-1984 season

January 16-22, 1984

 

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[soapfan770]

The times I have listed are:

Oct 81-Nov 81 Thu 8:00-8:30

Dec 81-Jan 82 Sat 8:00-8:30

Jan 82-Feb 82 Sat 8:30-9:00

Apr 82-Jun 82 Sat 8:00-8:30

Jul 82-Aug 82 Sat 8:30-9:00

The show had initial success for NBC during its first season and came back for its second but as the show dropped the PTA name and changed the focus as the second season went on the show plummeted not long afterward. 

[kalbir]

1983/84 Dallas regains #1 but the battle with Dynasty explodes as Dynasty scores their first weekly #1 finish over Dallas.

That season Dallas had 9 out of 30 episodes finish #1, 19 episodes finish among the Top 5, 1 episode finish among the Top 10, and 1 episode finish below the Top 10. 

On a win-loss basis, Dallas record vs. Dynasty was 21-4.

[Soapsuds]

1984-1985 season

Dallas and Falcon Crest were preempted. Anyone know what aired instead?

 

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[soapfan770]

What was Riptide about anyways? I vaguely recall a robot being involved in the action but it’s been ages. I always see it doing well 1983-85 but then it appears NBC squandered the whole show it’s final season. At least Joe Penny later had success with Jake and the Fatman. 

All the five primetime soaps had good seasons IMO for 1983-84 season in both writing and in ratings of course. Hotel was better when Anne Baxter was alive although being the soap opera version of the Love Boat didn’t help the show’s cause overall.

Any thoughts as to why Saturday night soaps didn’t work? Dallas had a rather dismal 78-79 season before moving, both Secrets of Midland Heights and King’s Crossing flopped, and Berrenger’s floundered, and Hotel was killed off. I know in the 90’s though Sisters had success though. Just not enough available audience to stay home every Saturday night as opposed to Wed-Fri nights?

Edited February 15, 2023 by soapfan770

[kalbir]

CBS aired Any Which Way You Can on January 18, 1985.

Super Bowl week was the turning point of 1984/85.

The season began with all the hype being a Dallas/Dynasty battle for #1, but the momentum shifted after the Super Bowl when new episodes of The Cosby Show began regularly finishing #1.

Dallas had 9 out of 30 episodes finish #1, 16 episodes finish among the Top 5, and 5 episodes finish among the Top 10. Six of the #1 episodes were before Super Bowl week. On a win-loss basis, Dallas record vs. Dynasty was 12-14 and vs. new episodes of The Cosby Show was 14-8. Of the 14 episodes that finished ahead of new episodes of The Cosby Show, 13 of them were before Super Bowl week.

Dynasty had 5 out of 29 episodes finish #1 and the remaining 24 episodes finished among the Top 5. All five of the #1 episodes were before Super Bowl week. On a win-loss basis, Dynasty record vs. new episodes of The Cosby Show was 11-10. All 11 of the episodes that finished ahead of a new episode of The Cosby Show were before Super Bowl week.

The Cosby Show had 9 out of 24 episodes finish #1 in the week of their original broadcast, 6 episodes finish among the Top 5, 8 episodes finish among the Top 10, and 1 episode finish below the Top 10. Eight of the #1 episodes were after Super Bowl week.

The season ended with Dallas losing #1 to Dynasty and finishing 2nd. The Cosby Show finished 3rd.

Edited February 17, 2023 by kalbir