Members kalbir Posted October 5, 2022 Members Share Posted October 5, 2022 I'm a 1980s kid so The Cosby Show, Who's the Boss, Growing Pains were a big part of my childhood. Fall 1985 to Spring 1988 they were at their best. Something felt off with those shows starting Fall 1988, maybe it was after-effects of the writer's strike or that times were changing, and by Fall 1989 I started losing interest them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted October 5, 2022 Members Share Posted October 5, 2022 I always thought you were younger. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted October 5, 2022 Members Share Posted October 5, 2022 @Soapsuds Thanks. I'm a 1980s kid/1990s teen. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted October 13, 2022 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2022 Top Television Shows for the 1981-1982 Season 1 Dallas 2 60 Minutes 3 The Jeffersons 4 (Tie) Joanie Loves Chachi 4 (Tie) Three's Company 5 Alice 6 (Tie) The Dukes of Hazzard 6 (Tie) Too Close for Comfort 7 ABC Monday Night Movie 8 M*A*S*H 9 One Day at a Time 10 NFL Monday Night Football 11 Archie Bunker's Place 12 Falcon Crest 13 The Love Boat 14 (Tie) Hart to Hart 14 (Tie) Trapper John, M.D. 15 Magnum, P.I. 16 Happy Days 17 Dynasty CBS dominating Friday as Falcon Crest debuts and all of its Friday shows now in the top 20. Same for Sunday with all 6 shows in Top 20. Tuesday is an ABC sweep with all but Laverne & Shirley Top 20. Joanie Loves Chachi played Tues 8.30 for a 4 episode tryout. ABC moved it to Thurs @8 next season where it died. Probably would have been better to leave it Tues and let it grow and hopefully replace Happy @8. Mash, Magnum and Dynasty all holding their own with no great help from lead ins. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted October 14, 2022 Members Share Posted October 14, 2022 Looking back at the ratings success of Murder, She Wrote during its first 11 seasons. 1984/85: 8th. Highest rated new scripted series of the season not named The Cosby Show. The 5th highest rated drama series of the season, beaten by Dynasty (#1), Dallas (2nd), The A-Team (6th), Simon & Simon (7th). Other drama series that premiered in 1984/85: Crazy Like a Fox (10th, tied w/ Falcon Crest), Highway to Heaven (19th), Miami Vice (below the Top 30), Hunter (below the Top 30), Moonlighting (below the Top 30). 1985/86: 3rd. Highest finish ever. Highest rated drama series overall. CBS's highest rated scripted program. 1986/87: 4th. Highest rated drama series overall. CBS's highest rated scripted program. This season had an episode which finished #1 (Night of the Headless Horseman) and the highest rated episode of the series (Simon Says, Color Me Dead). A notable drama that premiered this season: L.A. Law (21st). 1987/88 to 1989/90: 9th, 8th, 13th (tied w/ Chicken Soup). Highest rated drama series overall. CBS's highest rated scripted program. 1990/91 to 1993/94: 12th, 8th, 5th, 11th. Highest rated drama series overall. A notable drama that premiered in 1993/94: NYPD Blue (18th). 1994/95: 8th (tied w/ Friends first season). CBS's highest rated scripted program. The 3rd highest rated drama series of the season, beaten by ER first season (2nd) and NYPD Blue (7th). Murder, She Wrote finished ahead of the entire runs of Highway to Heaven, Hunter, L.A. Law; and the first season of NYPD Blue. During its first 9 seasons, Murder, She Wrote finished ahead of these dramas that were in the Top 10 during the 1980s: Knots Landing (1984/85 to final season 1992/93), Falcon Crest (1984/85 to final season 1989/90), Crazy Like a Fox (entire run), Hotel (1984/85 to final season 1987/88), Magnum, P.I. (1984/85 to final season 1987/88); Cagney & Lacey (1984/85 to final season 1987/88), The Love Boat (1984/85 and final season 1985/86), The Dukes of Hazzard (final season 1984/85), Dallas (1985/86 to final season 1990/91), Dynasty (1985/86 to final season 1988/89), Miami Vice (entire run), Simon & Simon (1985/86 to final season 1988/89), The A-Team (1985/86 and final season 1986/87), Moonlighting (entire run). I don't mention anything about the 12th and final season because as we all know, CBS intentionally sabotaged it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted October 14, 2022 Members Share Posted October 14, 2022 MSW debut at #9 for its first week on air. Please register in order to view this content #9 for week two in 1984-1985 It went up in HH from 18.9 from week 1 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted October 14, 2022 Members Share Posted October 14, 2022 (edited) January 22, 1987 was a historic night for NBC's top three comedies. The Cosby Show: "Say Hello to a Good Buy". Rating 41.3. Highest rated episode ever. Finished 2nd for the week, behind CBS's broadcast of the Super Bowl (rating 45.8). Family Ties: "Higher Love". Rating 39.2. Highest rated episode ever. Finished 3rd for the week. Cheers: "Spellbound". Rating 30.7. Highest rated episode until the series finale May 20, 1993. Finished 5th for the week. CBS's Super Bowl post-game coverage finished 4th for the week (rating 34). Edited October 20, 2022 by kalbir 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted October 27, 2022 Members Share Posted October 27, 2022 Week ending March 25 1984 Please register in order to view this content 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted October 28, 2022 Members Share Posted October 28, 2022 (edited) 1983/84 was the low point of sitcoms it seems. All the Top 10 sitcoms from 1979/80 to 1982/83 had either ended (Flo, House Calls, Too Close for Comfort, M*A*S*H), were declining (The Jeffersons, Alice), or were about to end (Three's Company, One Day at a Time). The only bright spot for sitcoms that season was Kate & Allie, which premiered midseason and finished 8th for the season, the only sitcom to finish in the 1983/84 Top 10 and the highest rated new scripted series of the season. Kate & Allie couldn't maintain its momentum though, hovering in the teens for its second through fourth seasons, falling out of the Top 30 in its fifth season, and finishing below the Top 30 in its sixth and final season. Perhaps Kate & Allie got lost in the shuffle when sitcoms made a comeback in Fall 1985, as it was overshadowed by the big mid-1980s family sitcoms (The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Who's the Boss, Growing Pains) and workplace/friendship sitcoms (Cheers, The Golden Girls, Night Court). Edited October 29, 2022 by kalbir 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted October 30, 2022 Author Members Share Posted October 30, 2022 Looking at the March 84 ratings list above you can see that Murder She Wrote provided the shot in the arm CBS Sunday needed. CBS knew their Sunday lineup was aging but still delivering the numbers. But finally Archie Bunker @8 began slipping, winning it's slot but losing too much of the 60 Minutes lead in. They tried Goodnight Beantown but again the numbers weren't strong enough. So Alice was placed at 8 but the same problem occurred-60 Minutes would be Top 10 and Alice might make the Top 20 or 30. Two new sitcoms were tried The Four Seasons and Maggie Briggs. Above Maggie Briggs was #52, 60 Minutes was #10. Hardcastle and McCormack was winning the timeslot for ABC. So CBS finally gave up on sitcoms on Sunday at 8 and had success there with MSW. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted November 13, 2022 Members Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) Murder, She Wrote was finishing ahead of the primetime soaps as early as its second episode. 1984/85 was the peak season of primetime soaps but 16 of Murder, She Wrote's first 22 episodes finished ahead of at least one of the primetime soaps. These episodes were October 7, 1984: Deadly Lady (episode 2), rating 20.3. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (October 5: Father's Day, rating 20.0). No Dynasty on October 3. October 14, 1984: Birds of a Feather (episode 3), rating 19.4. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (October 12: Strangers, rating 18.5). No Knots Landing on October 11. November 25, 1984: Hit, Run and Homicide (episode 7), rating 19.7. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (November 23: The Trump Card, rating 18.8) and Knots Landing (November 22: Love to Take You Home, rating 16.3). This episode of Murder, She Wrote also finished ahead of The Cosby Show (November 22: Bonjour Sondra, rating 16.7). December 9, 1984: We're Off to Kill the Wizard (episode 8 ), rating 22.3. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (December 7: Going Once, Going Twice; rating 20.7) and Knots Landing (December 6: We Come Together, rating 20.2). December 30, 1984: Death Casts a Spell (episode 10), rating 22.3. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (December 28: Suitable for Framing, rating 21.2) and Knots Landing (December 27: Uncharted Territory, rating 20.3). No Dynasty on December 26. January 6, 1985: Capitol Offense (episode 11), rating 22.4. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (January 4: Vicious Circle, rating 21.5) and Knots Landing (January 3: Weighing of Evils, rating 21.4). January 13, 1985: Broadway Malady (episode 12), rating 21.8. Tied Falcon Crest (January 11: Insult and Injury, rating 21.8) and finished ahead of Knots Landing (January 10: #14 With a Bullet, rating 18.6). February 3, 1985: Murder to a Jazz Beat (episode 13), rating 22.0. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (February 1: The Showdown, rating 20.1). February 17, 1985: Paint Me a Murder (episode 15), rating 20.5. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (February 15: Forsaking All Others, rating 19.4). February 24, 1985: Tough Guys Don't Die (episode 16), rating 21.7. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (February 22: Recriminations, rating 20.2) and Knots Landing (February 21: The Emperor's Clothes, rating 18.8). March 3, 1985: Sudden Death (episode 17), rating 21.6. Finished ahead of Knots Landing (February 28: The Deluge, rating 20.3). No Falcon Crest on March 1. March 10, 1985: Footnote to Murder (episode 18), rating 19.7. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (March 8: House Divided, rating 17.5). March 17, 1985: Murder Takes the Bus (episode 19), rating 22.4. Finished ahead of Falcon Crest (March 15: The Trial, rating 17.6). No Knots Landing on March 14. March 31, 1985: Armed Response (episode 20), rating 21.2. Finished ahead of Knots Landing (March 28: A Man of Good Will, rating 19.4) and Falcon Crest (March 29: Justice for All, rating 19.2). April 7, 1985: Murder at the Oasis (episode 21), rating 20.4. Finished ahead of Knots Landing (April 4: For Better, for Worse; rating 18.2). No Dallas and Falcon Crest on April 5. April 21, 1985: Funeral at Fifty-Mile (season finale), rating 24.5. Finished ahead of Dallas (April 19: The Ewing Connection, rating 21.1) and Falcon Crest (April 19: The Decline, rating 16.9). No Knots Landing on April 18. This episode of Murder, She Wrote finished 2nd for the week, behind a repeat of The Cosby Show. No Dynasty on April 17. On a win-loss basis, Murder, She Wrote's 1984/85 record vs. the soaps was Falcon Crest 13-6, plus 1 tie Knots Landing 9-9 Dallas 1-20 Dynasty 0-19 The tide shifted 1985/86 until the end of the primetime soap era 1992/93, as Murder, She Wrote began finishing ahead of all four soaps. The first Murder, She Wrote episode to finish ahead of all four soaps was Murder in the Afternoon (October 13, 1985, rating 24.9). This episode finished 2nd for the week, behind The Cosby Show. From 1985/86 to 1992/93, there were 12 episodes of Murder, She Wrote that finished behind one of the soaps. These episodes were September 29, 1985: Widow Weep for Me (season 2 premiere), rating 24.4. Finished behind Dynasty (September 25: The Aftermath (season 6 premiere), rating 28.1). No Falcon Crest on September 27. October 6, 1985: Joshua Peabody Died Here... Possibly, rating 23.5. Finished behind Dallas (October 4: Those Eyes, rating 23.8). October 27, 1985: Sing a Song of Murder, rating 21.1. Finished behind Dallas (October 25: Mothers, rating 22.7). No Dynasty on October 23. May 18, 1986: If the Frame Fits (season 2 finale), rating 21.7. Finished behind Dallas (May 16: Blast from the Past (season 9 finale), rating 24.9). September 28, 1986: Death Stalks the Big Top (Part 1; season 3 premiere), rating 24.6. Finished behind Dallas (September 26: Return to Camelot (season 10 premiere), rating 26.5). No Falcon Crest on September 26. October 25, 1987: The Way to Dusty Death, rating 17.7. Finished behind Dallas (October 23: Tough Love, rating 18.2). No Dynasty on October 21. May 14, 1989: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (Part 1), rating 15.4. Finished behind Knots Landing (May 11: The Heat of Passion, rating 16.3). Dynasty series finale May 11. May 21, 1989: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (Part 2; season 5 finale), rating 17.6. Finished behind Knots Landing (May 18: Down Came the Rain and Washed the Spider Out (season 10 finale), rating 18.0). April 8, 1990: Always a Thief, rating 14.4. Finished behind Knots Landing (April 5: The One to Blame, rating 14.5). No Falcon Crest on April 6. May 20, 1990: The Sicilian Encounter (season 6 finale), rating 14.1. Finished behind Knots Landing (May 17: Lets Get Married (season 11 finale), rating 14.7). Dallas season 13 finale May 11. Falcon Crest series finale May 17. May 5, 1991: Tainted Lady, rating 16.0. Finished behind Dallas (May 3: Conundrum (series finale), rating 22.0). May 12, 1991: The Skinny According to Nick Culhane (season 7 finale), rating 13.2. Finished behind Knots Landing (May 9: Play, Pause, Search (season 12 finale), rating 14.2). On a win-loss basis, Murder, She Wrote's overall records vs. the soaps were Falcon Crest 100-6, plus 1 tie Knots Landing 148-14 Dallas 105-26 Dynasty 63-20 Edited December 28, 2022 by kalbir 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Paul Raven Posted November 13, 2022 Author Members Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) Top Television Shows for the 1982-1983 Season Despite 60 minutes hitting #1, all of CBS Sunday night shows following were down, with Archie Bunker out of the Top 20. Goodnight Beantown was brought in as an 8pm replacement but despite good early ratings was not considered strong enough to continue in that slot. Monday MASH finishes strongly boosting Newhart. ABC Tuesday sees Happy Days fall from Top 20 as midseason A Team on NBC takes the 8pm slot. ABC stays strong 9-11 as 9to 5 is a late season hit. ABC makes some noise on Wed with Dynasty and The Fall Guy dominating 9-11 Thursday Magnum zooms to #3 and Simon & Simon proves compatible. CBS Friday weakened as Dukes of Hazzard falls from the Top 20. Mississippi replaces Falcon Crest @10 and looks like a hit. Saturday Love Boat gives ABC a boost. So no network has a night of shows in the Top 20. 1 60 Minutes 2 Dallas 3 (Tie) M*A*S*H 3 (Tie) Magnum, P.I. 4 Dynasty 5 Three's Company 6 Simon & Simon 7 Falcon Crest 8 The Love Boat 9 (Tie) A-Team, The 9 (Tie) NFL Monday Night Football 9 (Tie) The Jeffersons 9 (Tie) Newhart 9 (Tie) The Fall Guy 9 (Tie) The Mississippi 10 9 to 5 11 One Day at a Time 12 Hart to Hart 13 (Tie) Gloria 13 (Tie) Trapper John, M.D. 13 (Tie) Goodnight, Beantown Edited November 13, 2022 by Paul Raven 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted November 18, 2022 Members Share Posted November 18, 2022 1982/83 was the start of CBS's struggle with sitcoms. M*A*S*H ended and The Jeffersons, Alice, One Day at a Time fell out of the Top 10. Newhart first season had a good start, finishing 12th tied w/ The Jeffersons and the second highest rated new scripted series of 1982/83 after The A-Team, but it was very up and down during its run. Newhart dropped to 23rd in 1983/84, went up to 16th in 1984/85, remained at 16th in 1985/86, back up to 12th in 1986/87, dropped to 25th in 1987/88, and was below the Top 30 in its final two seasons 1988/89 and 1989/90. Newhart was another show that got lost in the shuffle when sitcoms made a comeback in Fall 1985, overshadowed by the big mid-1980s workplace/friendship sitcoms Cheers, Golden Girls, Night Court. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soapfan770 Posted November 30, 2022 Members Share Posted November 30, 2022 A bit late thanks @kalbir on that Murder She Wrote summary!!! I appreciated your insight and references. Only thing that does surprise about the show is that it was still hovering around the top 10 1993-95 at a time when the show had become excessively cheesy/corny/really bad and over the top. I guess all those folks still watching let bad habits die hard until CBS changed it for them. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kalbir Posted December 1, 2022 Members Share Posted December 1, 2022 You're welcome @soapfan770 Murder, She Wrote was one of those shows I took for granted as a kid/teen, but it's a show I appreciate so much more as an adult. There's something comforting about it and maybe that's why it appeals to viewers of all walks of life. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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