Yep! Golden Girls ran away with it!

Edited September 14Sep 14 by JoeCool

20 minutes ago, kalbir said:

Not to take anything away from The Golden Girls series premiere being #1, but The Cosby Show was a repeat on September 12, and there was no Dynasty, Dallas; and Murder, She Wrote that week.

Dynasty, Dallas, The Cosby Show; and Murder, She Wrote season premieres were two weeks later.

 

5 minutes ago, Wendy said:

The article's byline date - 9/18/85 - was my 13th birthday. LOL. God, I'm old.  

And yeah, The Golden Girls hit the ground running. If I recall, Coco the male housekeeper/cook in the pilot was supposed to recur or something, but that obviously didn't happen!

Yep...young you are! Happy Birthday!

Thanks, @JoeCool.   

The Golden Girls was 2nd  for it's second episode , still out of season. In premiere week GG fell to 20th as new episodes of other hit shows debuted. But then it bounced back to 12th the following week. 

14 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

The Golden Girls was 2nd  for it's second episode , still out of season. In premiere week GG fell to 20th as new episodes of other hit shows debuted. But then it bounced back to 12th the following week. 

Thanks for the info!

40 years ago. 1985/86 officially starts.

September 23-29, 1985

On 4/17/2023 at 2:36 PM, Soapsuds said:

 

 

The Cosby Show season 2 premiere continued their new episode #1 streak. Dynasty season 6 premiere was the series high. Murder, She Wrote season 2 premiere shocked the world again when it finished ahead of Dallas season 9 premiere.

After the first two episodes finished #1 and 2nd respectively, The Golden Girls episode 3 dropped to 20th but it was still the highest-rated rookie sitcom that week. The rookies that finished ahead of The Golden Girls were anthology series Amazing Stories and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

New hotness Miami Vice season 2 premiere finished right behind Dallas even though it was head-to-head with part two of Dallas season 9 premiere.

Knots Landing season 6 finale finished #1 but the season 7 premiere dropped to 13th.

September 30-October 6, 1985.

On 4/17/2023 at 2:36 PM, Soapsuds said:

 

Even though Murder, She Wrote finished behind Dallas, it still shocked the world again when it finished ahead of Dynasty for the first time.  

The Golden Girls episode 4 moved up to 12th and it was the highest-rated rookie show that week.

New hotness Miami Vice was head-to-head with Falcon Crest season 5 premiere and won the time slot.

Edited September 22Sep 22 by kalbir

I can just imagine the looks on the rest of the industry's faces as MSW and GG started tearing up the charts, lol.

On 9/21/2025 at 10:08 AM, Khan said:

I can just imagine the looks on the rest of the industry's faces as MSW and GG started tearing up the charts, lol.

Two shows featuring 50+ females as the leads yet they appealed to viewers of all walks of life.

1985/86 Angela Lansbury let us all know that she was straight up savage. Shading the new hotness Miami Vice by calling it Miami Heat. Knocking big bad Larry Hagman off the throne at CBS. Beating the diva of all divas of 1980s primetime soaps Joan Collins to become the highest-rated drama across the broadcast networks.

The Golden Girls was the breakout hit of 1985/86 and its success lead to NBC having the sitcom game on lock for the remainder of the decade.

Edited September 22Sep 22 by kalbir

38 minutes ago, Khan said:

I can just imagine the looks on the rest of the industry's faces as MSW and GG started tearing up the charts, lol.

Thanks @kalbir! I knew we had this data already but sometimes it’s hard to find the exact page lol. 

For the most part definitely lighter fare ruled above the heavier dramas. Obviously NBC sitcoms and MSW, but also Highway to Heaven, the CBS Monday night lineup were favorites here. ABC Tuesdays were slowly taking shape. 

Knots Landing was the only stable primetime soap I see for these 1st weeks.

3 hours ago, Khan said:

I can just imagine the looks on the rest of the industry's faces as MSW and GG started tearing up the charts, lol.

LOL. I’d also throw in the fact that Falcon Crest wasn’t completely obliterated by the “new hotness” either i.e. Moonlighting killing off Riptide this season or Mangum’s complete collapse. 

 

The Retro TV Listings group also posted the start of the 84-85 season as well. It’s probably already posted too but I’ll share it again. I’m actually surprised Paper Dolls started off decently. 

6 hours ago, soapfan770 said:

Thanks @kalbir! I knew we had this data already but sometimes it’s hard to find the exact page lol. 

For the most part definitely lighter fare ruled above the heavier dramas. Obviously NBC sitcoms and MSW, but also Highway to Heaven, the CBS Monday night lineup were favorites here. ABC Tuesdays were slowly taking shape. 

Knots Landing was the only stable primetime soap I see for these 1st weeks.

LOL. I’d also throw in the fact that Falcon Crest wasn’t completely obliterated by the “new hotness” either i.e. Moonlighting killing off Riptide this season or Mangum’s complete collapse. 

You're welcome @soapfan770 re 1985/86.

NBC Thursday had The Cosby Show slaughtering Magnum, P.I. (then again The Cosby Show slaughtered everyone) and Cheers taking off clobbered Simon & Simon. CBS Thursday 8-10 pm would be a dead zone until Survivor/CSI.

ABC Tuesday made a comeback with Who's the Boss taking off, new comedy Growing Pains being a hit, and Moonlighting showing growth. Who's the Boss clobbered The A-Team and Moonlighting killed off Riptide.

CBS Friday suffered with 8 pm becoming a dead zone, Dallas tanking, and Falcon Crest losing the time slot to new hotness Miami Vice.

Edited September 22Sep 22 by kalbir

October 7-13, 1985.

Murder, She Wrote continued to shock the world by finishing ahead of both Dynasty and Dallas for the first time.

NBC broadcast a new episode of The Cosby Show but the rest of Thursday as well as all of Saturday was pre-empted for National League Championship Series. NBC Friday was pre-empted for American League Championship series. 
 

Edited September 22Sep 22 by kalbir

On 6/8/2023 at 2:56 PM, Soapsuds said:

For the week of October 21-27 1985

The World Series going to seven games lead to The Cosby Show new episode #1 streak ending. Murder, She Wrote new episode was head-to-head with game 7, thus this episode being the season low and second episode this season that finished behind Dallas.

8 hours ago, soapfan770 said:

Thanks @kalbir! I knew we had this data already but sometimes it’s hard to find the exact page lol. 

For the most part definitely lighter fare ruled above the heavier dramas. Obviously NBC sitcoms and MSW, but also Highway to Heaven, the CBS Monday night lineup were favorites here. ABC Tuesdays were slowly taking shape. 

Knots Landing was the only stable primetime soap I see for these 1st weeks.

LOL. I’d also throw in the fact that Falcon Crest wasn’t completely obliterated by the “new hotness” either i.e. Moonlighting killing off Riptide this season or Mangum’s complete collapse. 

 

The Retro TV Listings group also posted the start of the 84-85 season as well. It’s probably already posted too but I’ll share it again. I’m actually surprised Paper Dolls started off decently. 

That week was before the official start of the season so most premieres were up against reruns, hence the good ratings for Paper Dolls, Jesse and Hawaiian Heat an AfterMash . Viewers were willing to give them a look see.

Once the likes of A Team, Riptide and Dallas returned those shows took a dive.