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

[soapfan770]

Nielsen Ratings for this same week 39 years ago May 5-11 1986. North & South Book II mini-series pre-empted a number of ABC shows. What the heck was NBC’s Fast Copy about?
 

 

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Edited Saturday at 06:19 PM by soapfan770

[kalbir]

Here's what happened on the sophomore slaughterer, rookie breakout, new hotness, and three soaps that week.

The Cosby Show - Off to the Races (May 8): Cliff is determined to settle a score with a former track rival.

The Golden Girls - The Way We Met (season 1 finale, May 10): Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche reminisce about how they all came to live together.

Miami Vice - Sons and Lovers (season 2 finale, May 9): Angelyne warns former lover Tubbs of a bounty put on his head by the son of dead drug-kingpin Calderone.

Dallas - Hello...Goodbye...Hello (May 9): An enemy stalks J.R.. Aunt Lil testifies for Ray at the adoption hearing. Sue Ellen tells John Ross that she and J.R. are reconciling.

Falcon Crest - Consumed (May 9): Jeff imprisons Maggie. Angela pursues elopers Dwayne and Emma. Chase traps Terry into revealing Richard's link with Miss Jones.

Knots Landing - Thicker than Water (May 8): Karen and Abby feud over Lotus Point. Greg and Abby urge Peter to enter politics. Ben packs for Cathy's tour. Mack meets his daughter.

[Soapsuds]

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[kalbir]

1985/86 wrapped up during the weeks of May 12-18, 1986 and May 19-25, 1986.

Here's how the sophomore slaughterer, sophomore surprise, and the four soaps wrapped up the season.

The Cosby Show - Denise's Decision (season 2 finale, May 15, rating 31.8, #1): Denise's decision about what college she will attend becomes complicated when Cliff and his father give their advice.

Dallas - Blast from the Past (season 9 finale, May 16, rating 24.9, 3rd): The joy surrounding Pam and Mark's wedding day fades as J.R.'s attempt to outwit Angelica puts Jack and Sue Ellen in danger. Pam awakens to a surprise in her shower.

Murder, She Wrote - If the Frame Fits (season 2 finale, May 18, rating 21.7, 6th): Jessica is spending her holidays with an old friend, Lloyd Marcus. His daughter is found murdered in her house and her husband Donald becomes the prime suspect.

Dynasty - The Triple-Cross (May 14, rating 20.5, 9th): Ben gains control of the contracts in the South China Sea after tarnishing Blake's reputation. Steven is stopped in his attempt to reveal Adam's secret. Sammy Jo and Clay have a romantic evening.

Knots Landing - The Longest Night (season 7 finale, May 15, rating 20.0, 10th): Karen vanishes after closing Lotus Point. Val sees Cathy and Ben together. Tipsy Peter visits Abby. Gary finds Val on the beach.

Falcon Crest - Captive Hearts (May 16, rating 18.8, 12th): Chase is shot during Maggie's escape. Angela sends Lance to break up Melissa and Eric. Jordan is arrested. Emma advises Li-Ying.

Dynasty - The Vendetta (season 6 finale, May 21): Alexis plans the ultimate revenge on Blake. Claudia is trapped behind the flames when she sets her room on fire. Sammy Jo and Amanda fight for Clay's attention. Blake learns about Ben's acquisition.

Falcon Crest - The Cataclysm (season 5 finale, May 22): Chase fights for life. Jeff takes Greg and Jordan hostage. A huge earthquake strikes.

Edited Tuesday at 12:31 AM by kalbir

[Khan]

In a way, Denise's inability to decide on which college to attend (before deciding to attend her family's alma mater and the college everyone knew she'd be attending anyway) was a clear signal that the poor girl was a flake and not "college material."  Denise Huxtable was someone who peaked in high school, lol.

With guest stars Deborah Adair (ex-Jill, Y&R; ex-Tracy, DYNASTY; ex-Lucy, MP; ex-Kate, DAYS), Christopher Allport (ex-Tim McGowan, AW) and John de Lancie (ex-Eugene, DAYS)!

"Frame" is one of those MSW's that you THINK is gonna be paint-by-numbers (no pun intended), and then it surprises you with one of those twist endings that often made episodes so enjoyable.

I seriously wish they had gone for a Steven/Bart/Sammy Jo triangle instead, with Steven and Sammy Jo fighting over Bart, lol.

And I still think Claudia burning to death at La Mirage was DYNASTY's dumbest cliffhanger.

The perfect time to kill off Chase, IMO.  Alas.

[I Am A Swede]

Chase definitely lasted longer than he should have. He never really fit in after the first season and especially after Richard turned up. It didn't exactly help that the character was utterly devoid of charm and/or charisma. He was so self-righteous and boring.

[Khan]

I feel like Earl Hamner and his crew brought in Richard* BECAUSE they knew almost right away that Robert Foxworth was so dull as Chase.  At any event, Richard, IMO, proved to be much more interesting as Angela's chief adversary.

(*Or brought him back, depending on whether we're including the original "Vintage Years" pilot).

[soapfan770]

Made even dumber with that Blake/Alexis chokehold, followed by the following season when Matthew resurfaced. WTF?

There’s good reason I have skipped from Season 5 straight to Season 9 on a couple of my Dynasty rewatches lol.

And Chase was supposed to die, but somehow they talked Foxworth back into one more season. They probably shouldn’t have at all. 

[Soapsuds]

I always thought the cliffhanger was so anticlimactic, compared to the Dallas cliffhanger that year and three years earlier Kirby strangled Alexis, which Blake stopped.

The Matthew cliffhanger was dull as hell. 

Edited 16 hours ago by Soapsuds

[kalbir]

Reviewing the 1985/86 sophomore slaughtering and sophomore surprise.

The Cosby Show 23 of 25 episodes finished #1 in their original broadcast, one episode finished 2nd, and one episode finished 3rd.

Murder, She Wrote 18 of 22 episodes were the highest-rated drama in their original broadcast and 19 of 22 episodes were CBS's highest-rated scripted series in their original broadcast.

[soapfan770]

A year later we had these ratings for the week of May 11-17 1987. This was probably the last time the CBS soaps (at least til Dallas’ finale) ranked this high. Dynasty had already ended its season. 

CBS reran the Dallas Early Years movie on Saturday night against Golden Girls’ season finale, which was the failed Empty Nest back door pilot. 

Interestingly a repeat Family Ties was #1 this week. The week before the season finale of Family Ties beat out Cosby as well, but it was Cheers that beat them both out with Diane’s exit.  

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Edited 8 hours ago by soapfan770

[Khan]

To say that the backdoor pilot failed is almost putting it too kindly, lol.

Poor Paul Dooley and Rita Moreno.  They worked really well together, but that entire episode was just...ugh.

[I Am A Swede]

That backdoor pilot may have failed, yet one year later "Empty Nest" became a reality anyway, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. 

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The show was completely revamped of course, but still....