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


Paul Raven

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Wk 30 84-85. will post 2nd request later 

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  1. The Cosby Show NBC 28.0/42

  2. Murder, She Wrote CBS 24.5/39

  3. Family Ties NBC 24.2/37

  4. 60 Minutes CBS 21.5/48

  5. Dallas CBS 21.1/33

  6. Cheers NBC 20.1/31

  7. Lady Blue ABC 19.8/31

  8. Facts of Life NBC 19.8/30

  9. Trapper John, M.D. CBS 19.3/35

  10. A Team NBC 19.2/31

  11. Knots Landing CBS 18.9/30

  12. Bob Hope Special NBC 18.4/29

  13. Highway to Heaven NBC 18.3/30

  14. Ringling Bros. Circus CBS 18.0/28

  15. Night Court NBC 17.5/28

  16. Space, part 4 CBS 17.125

  17. Falcon Crest CBS 16.929

  18. Space, part 2 CBS 16.4/26

  19. Space, part 5 CBS 16.3/26

  20. Riptide NBC 16.2/25

  21. Hotel ABC 16.0/28

  22. Who's The Boss? ABC 15.925

  23. Sara NBC 15.8/25

  24. Miami Vice NBC 15.5/25

  25. Knight Rider NBC 15.5/24

  26. Hail to the Chief ABC 15.0/24

  27. Space, part 3 CBS 14.7/24

  28. Gimme a Break NBC 14.5/25

  29. T.J. Hooker ABC 14.328

  30. 20/20 ABC 14.3/24

  31. Remington Steele NBC 14.1/24

  32. Hardcastle & McCormick ABC 14.0/22

  33. Mr. Belvedere ABC 13.9/24

  34. Double Trouble NBC 13.8/24

  35. Hunter NBC 13.6/20

  36. Webster ABC 13.5/25

  37. Finder of Lost Loves ABC 13.5/25

  38. MacGruder & Loud ABC 13.5/23

  39. Love Boat ABC 13.323

  40. Hill Street Blues NBC 13.222

  41. Scene of the Crime NBC 13.124

  42. Three's a Crowd ABC 13.021

  43. Under One Roof NBC 12.922

  44. Airplane NBC 12.921

  45. Diffrent Strokes NBC 12.5123

  46. Fall Guy ABC 12.5/21

  47. Double Dare CBS 12.5/21

  48. Embassy ABC 12.5/21

  49. Benson ABC 12.4/21

  50. Foulups, Bleeps & Blunders ABC 11.9/19

  51. Detective in the House CBS 11.4/21

  52. Airwolf CBS 11.4/20

  53. Eye to Eye ABC 11.3/18

  54. Off the Rack ABC 11.2/18

  55. The Best of Times' NBC 11.0/20

  56. Half- Nelson NBC 10.7/18

  57. St. Elsewhere NBC 10.6/19

  58. Wildside ABC 10.4/16

  59. Punky Brewster NBC 9.9/18

  60. Cover -Up CBS 9.3/17

  61. Me and Mom ABC 9.2/16

  62. Ripley's Believe It or Not ABC

  63. E/R CBS 8.8/15

  64. Charles in Charge CBS 8.7/16

  65. That was the Week That Was ABC 8.3/13

  66. Silver Spoons NBC 7.2/15

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So you are looking for season finale ratings?.... Week 30 was the official end of the TV season but the networks held back new eps of their top series for May sweeps. Here is the top 10 from week ending May 19  with all soaps final eps.

1. Dallas CBS 27.5/48

2. Dynasty ABC 25.9/39

3. The Cosby Show NBC 23.8/42

4. Falcon Crest CBS 22.0/37

5. Hotel ABC 20.8/34

6. Knot's Landing CBS 20.2/32

7. Family' Ties NBC 20.1/34

8. Death in California, pt. 2 ABC 19.2/30

9. Miss USA Beauty Pageant CBS 18.8/29

10. A Team NBC 18.8/32

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That must have been during the "THEY WANNA TAKE THE BABIES!" storyline with KL's Val.  From what I understand, that story was HUGE for KNOTS, with practically everyone waiting for Val to be reunited with her twins.

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1986 Season finales in bold

Week ending May 18

1. The Cosby Show NBC 31.8/54

2.  Family Ties NBC 29.1/47

3.  Dallas CBS 24.9/42

4. Cheers NBC 24.4/37

 5. Stagecoach CBS 22.5/38

6. Murder, She Wrote CBS 21.7/36

7. Night Court NBC 21.6 /33

 8. 60 Minutes CBS 20.8/41

 9. Dynasty ABC 20.5/32

10. Knots Landing CBS 20.0/33

11. Moonlighting ABC 19.3/30

12. Hotel ABC 18.8/33

13. Who's the Boss ABC 18.8/33 34.

14. Falcon Crest CBS 18.8/32

15. Growing Pains ABC 18.8/31

16. NBC's 60th Anniversary NBC 18.2/29

17. Miami Vice NBC 17.7/30

18. Convicted ABC 17.4/27

19. Golden Girls NBC 17.3/33

 20. On Wings of Eagles p/ 1 NBC 17.0/28 

 

 

Week ending May 25

i. The Cosby Show NBC 28.4/51

2. Family Ties NBC 26.4/45

3. Perry Mason: Notorious Nun NBC 23.3/42  

4. Dynasty ABC 21.9/34

5. On Wings of Eagles, pt. 2 NBC 21.2/34

6. Cheers NBC 20.9/34

7. Night Court NBC 19.8/32

8. Hotel ABC 19.7/32

9. Golden Girls NBC 18.8/37 30

10. Falcon Crest CBS 17.9/31

11. Miss USA Pageant CBS 17.8/30

12. Who's the Boss ABC 17.6/31

13. Valerie NBC 17.4/28

14. MacGyver ABC 17.2/30

15. Miami Vice NBC 17.0/33

16. 227 NBC 16.5/33

17. Growing Pains ABC 18.3/27

18. Dynasty II: The Colbys ABC 15.9/26

19. Sam's Son NBC 15.625

20. 20/20 ABC 14.7/26

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I have some 80's ratings starting with 1981 from the Los Angeles Times. Unfortunately sometimes the scans are so poor they are not legible, but I will post what I can. 

 

ETA: There was a 13 week writers strike that delayed the 81-82 season, the NY Times stated the strike ended Jul 12, 1981 at 2am. So many of these shows were still in reruns. 

 

These also include a shorter list for the Los Angeles area

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Edited by will81
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Oct 5 - 11, 1981 was listed as Week 1 or premiere week for the 81-82 television season. Despite this many new shows and returning shows were still not back at this point. The schedule for the three networks would be a bit of a mess this season

 

I also have a round up of the week from Broadcasting magazine that gives some good detail and HH shares for some shows.

 

Let me know if I am adding too much stuff to each post and I will try to split it up more

 

 

 

 

 

 

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To think what might have been with Dallas after the 86-87 season. Season premiere episode pulled in the same ratings as episode 2 of the 81-82 season. The dream season explanation and 4 major cast members gone cost the ratings to erode. Of course how many more times could Sue Ellen hit the bottle or JR cheat on her. 

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