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

[kalbir]

1986/1987 season Dallas fell out of the Top 10. After that, CBS was a mess in primetime for the most part until Survivor and CSI premiered in 2000.

From 1986/1987 to 1999/2000, the CBS shows that finished in the Top 10 were Murder She Wrote (1986/1987-1988/1989, 1991/1992, 1992/1993, 1994/1995), 60 Minutes (1986/1987-1995/1996, 1997/1998-1999/2000), Murphy Brown (1990/1991-1993/1994), Designing Women (1990/1991, 1991/1992), Major Dad (1991/1992), CBS Sunday Movie (1992/1993, 1993/1994, 1997/1998, 1998/1999), Touched by an Angel (1996/1997-1999/2000).

From that list, CBS's biggest hits of that era were 60 Minutes and Murder She Wrote. Of course we all know how Murder She Wrote was purposely tanked in it's final season 1995/1996 when it was head-to-head with Friends.

Edited January 11, 2022 by kalbir

[Paul Raven]

Dallas dropped out of the Top 10.

1. Cosby Show NBC 35.5/55

2. Family Ties NBC 33.4/51

3. Cheers NBC 29.7/45

4. Murder, She Wrote CBS 28.2/41

5. Golden Girls NBC 27.3/47

6. Night Court NBC 28.8/41

7. Moonlighting ABC 25.4/38

8. 60 Minutes CBS 24.8/39

9. CBS Sunday Movie CBS 23.8/36

10. Growing Pains ABC 22.7/34 .

11. Who's the Boss? ABC 22.5/36

12. NBC Sunday Night Movie NBC 22.5/34

13. Newhart CBS 21.9/32 :

14. Amen NBC 21.7/38

15. Dallas CBS 21.6/34

16. NFL Monday Night Football ABC 20.6/34

17. Kate & Allie CBS 19.3/30

18. 227 NBC 19.3/34

19. Designing Women CBS 18.8/28

20. Dynasty ABC 18.7/29

21. Head of the Class ABC 18.5/30

22. Hunter NBC 18.2/33

23. Together We Stand CBS 18.1/27

24. Miami Vice NBC 17.4/27

25. Cagney & Lacey CBS 17.3/28

26. Highway to Heaven NBC 17.3/29

27. Hotel ABC 17.1/29

28. Falcon Crest CBS 17.0/29

29. LA Law NBC 17.0/29

30. Hill Street Blues NBC 16.9/29

31. Gimme a Break NBC 16.7/28

32. Jack & Mike ABC 18.5/29

33. Perfect Strangers ABC 16.5/28

34. Matlock NBC 18.4/25

35. Valerie NBC 15.9/23

36. NBC Monday Night Movies NBC 15.9/25

37. You Again?

38. CBS Tuesday Movie CBS 15.4/25 53

39. Magnum, P.1. CBS 15.4/25

40. Amazing Stories NBC 15.4/23

41. Facts of Life NEC 15.2/28

42. 20/20 ABC 15.1/26

43. Webster ABC 14.7/26

44. Scarecrow & Mrs. King CBS 14.7/28

45. Knots Landing CBS 14.7/22

46. Our House NBC 14.8/24

47. Mr. Belvedere ABC 14.5/25

48. Easy Street NBC 14.5/22

49. MacGyver ABC 14.0/22

50. ALF NBC 13.8/21

51. ATeam NBC 13.7/24

52. St. Elsewhere NBC 13.3/23

53. Kay O'Brien. Surgeon CBS 13.1/23

54. Disney Sunday Movie ABC 12,6/20

55. ABC Sunday Night Movie 12.6/19

56. Sledge Hammer! ABC 12.2/19

57. 1986 NBC 12.0/21

58. Simon & Simon CBS 11.6/18

59. Sidekicks ABC 11.5 / 18

60. The Wizard CBS 11.2/17

61. Starman ABC 10.9/18

62. Downtown CBS 10.8/20

63. Spenser: For Hire ABC 10.6/19

64. Crime Story NBC 10.6/18

65. The Colbys ABC 10.5/16

66. Life with Lucy ABC 10.2/19

67. Mike Hammer CBS 10.0/18

68. Together We Stand CBS 10.0/17

69. Twilight Zone CBS 9.8/16

70. Better Days CBS 9.7/16

71. Ellen Burstyn Show ABC 7.0/14

72. Our World ABC 6.5/11

73. Heart of The City ABC 6.5/11

[Soapsuds]

Thanks! That's a big drop from the season premiere. From #4 to #15 ..and  a 28.4 to a 21.6.....there was a lot of angry viewers after the Bobby resolution.

[BetterForgotten]

Times were changing again as well - suddenly, sitcoms were back big time and NBC on Thursday nights was dominant.  

[Khan]

Well, that's the price Leonard Katzman had to pay for dismissing an entire season so cavalierly.

Yep.  The era of the big, glossy nighttime soaps was reaching its apex.

[BetterForgotten]

Something must be said for the longevity of Murder She Wrote though - always a consistent ratings draw until CBS intentionally sabotaged it in its last season.

Angela Lansbury was always  adamant that Madison Avenue got it wrong regarding the demographics of people watching that show, and I’m inclined to believe she’s right. It wasn’t just “old” people watching MSW, but entire families. So many people I know grew up watching it with their parents or grandparents and enjoying it. 

[kalbir]

I'd say 1984/1985 was the peak of primetime soaps, as the big four all finished in the Top 10 that season. 1985/1986 was the start of the decline and they all should've been done by 1987/1988. 

[Paul Raven]

CBS trashed Murder She Wrote in it's last season.

It would have been better for it to go out on a high and concentrate on the many other problems with the schedule.

Fact is MSW was still winning it's Sunday @8 timeslot.

In Wk 34 in the dying days of the 94/95 CBS aired a 2hr MSW Thurs @8 in a test run. It ranked 55th.

The next ep aired in it's usual Sun @ 8 slot and won the time period ranking 12th.

In Wk 1  of 95/96 season MSW ranked 55th in its new timeslot and its Sunday replacements Cybil and Almost Perfect ranked 49th and 65th, so the move did nothing to help the ratings.

On Sunday, Sept. 24, the network finished third on the night, and its performance among 18 -49 year olds was worse than it was with the older skewing Murder, She Wrote in the time period last year.

[Khan]

ICAM.  CBS, IMO, owed it to Angela Lansbury, who had done so much for the network's Sunday night lineup, to let her end her series on her terms.  IIRC, though, they did move MSW back to Sundays at some point -- toward the end of the season, when the cancellation was already a done deal -- and the ratings rebounded.  But, like I said, it was already too little, too late.

[kalbir]

Murder She Wrote took a swipe at Friends in the 1996 episode "Murder Among Friends" and at CBS in it's final episode "Death by Demographics".

[Paul Raven]

Yes. I think it was the final 4 episodes in May sweeps. The show actually won its timeslot for one of those episodes and overall did well.

[Khan]

TBH, I don't like those episodes.  They felt awfully bitter to me.

[kalbir]

Top 10 shows for each season of the 1980s.

1980/81: 1. Dallas (1979/80 6^th), 2. The Dukes of Hazzard (1979/80 9^th), 3. 60 Minutes (1979/80 1^st), 4. M*A*S*H (1979/80 4^th, tied w/ Alice), 5. The Love Boat (1979/80 23^rd, tied w/ Benson), 6. The Jeffersons (1979/80 8^th), 7. Alice (1979/80 4^th, tied w/ M*A*S*H), 8. House Calls (1979/80 14^th, tied w/ Real People), 9. Three’s Company (1979/80 2^nd), 10. Little House on the Prairie (1979/80 16^th). That’s Incredible! falls from 3^rd in 1979/80 to 22^nd. Flo falls from 7^th in 1979/80 to below the Top 30 in its final season; time slot changed from Monday 9:30 pm to Monday 8 pm. One Day at a Time falls from 10^th in 1979/80 to 11^th.

1981/82: 1. Dallas (time slot changed from Friday 10 pm to Friday 9 pm), 2. 60 Minutes, 3. The Jeffersons, 4. Three’s Company, 5. Alice, 6. The Dukes of Hazzard (time slot changed from Friday 9 pm to Friday 8 pm), 6. Too Close for Comfort (1980/81 15^th, tied w/ Happy Days), 8. ABC Monday Night Movie (first season of the 1980s), 9. M*A*S*H, 10. One Day at a Time. The Love Boat falls to 14^th. House Calls falls to 23^rd in its final season. Little House on the Prairie falls to 24^th, tied w/ The Facts of Life.

1982/83: 1. 60 Minutes, 2. Dallas, 3. M*A*S*H (final season); 3. Magnum, P.I. (1981/82 17^th); 5. Dynasty (1981/82 19^th), 6. Three’s Company, 7. Simon & Simon (1981/82 below the Top 30; time slot changed from Tuesday 8 pm to Thursday 9 pm), 8. Falcon Crest (1981/82 13^th), 9. The Love Boat, 10. The A-Team (first season), 10. Monday Night Football (1981/82 11^th). The Jeffersons falls to 12^th (time slot changed from Sunday 9:30 pm to Sunday 9 pm), tied w/ Newhart (first season). Alice falls below the Top 30; time slot changed from Sunday 9 pm to Wednesday 9 pm. The Dukes of Hazzard falls to 30^th, tied w/ Real People. Too Close for Comfort falls below the Top 30 in its final season on ABC; time slot changed from Tuesday 9:30 pm to Thursday 9 pm. ABC Monday Night Movie falls to 24^th. One Day at a Time falls to 16^th; time slot changed from Sunday 8:30 pm to Sunday 9:30 pm.

1983/84: 1. Dallas, 2. 60 Minutes, 3. Dynasty (time slot changed from Wednesday 10 pm to Wednesday 9 pm), 4. The A-Team, 5. Simon & Simon; 6. Magnum, P.I.; 7. Falcon Crest, 8. Kate & Allie (first season), 9. Hotel (first season), 10. Cagney & Lacey (1982/83 below the Top 30). Three’s Company falls below the Top 30 in its final season. The Love Boat falls to 17^th. Monday Night Football falls to 21^st, tied w/ NBC Monday Night Movie.

1984/85: 1. Dynasty, 2. Dallas, 3. The Cosby Show (first season), 4. 60 Minutes, 5. Family Ties (1983/84 below the Top 30), 6. The A-Team, 7. Simon & Simon; 8. Murder, She Wrote (first season); 9. Knots Landing (1983/84 11^th), 10. Falcon Crest, 10. Crazy Like a Fox (first season). Magnum, P.I. falls to 15^th. Kate & Allie falls to 17^th. Hotel falls to 12^th, tied w/ Cheers. Cagney & Lacey falls to 28^th.

1985/86: 1. The Cosby Show, 2. Family Ties; 3. Murder, She Wrote; 4. 60 Minutes, 5. Cheers, 6. Dallas, 7. Dynasty, 7. The Golden Girls (first season), 9. Miami Vice (1984/85 below the Top 30), 10. Who’s the Boss (1984/85 below the Top 30; time slot changed from Tuesday 8:30 pm to Tuesday 8 pm). The A-Team falls to 30^th. Simon & Simon falls to 29^th. Knots Landing falls to 17^th, tied w/ Growing Pains (first season). Falcon Crest falls to 24^th, tied w/ Moonlighting and Valerie. Crazy Like a Fox falls below the Top 30 in its final season; time slot changed midseason from Sunday 9 pm to Wednesday 9 pm then Saturday 8 pm.

1986/87: 1. The Cosby Show, 2. Family Ties, 3. Cheers; 4. Murder, She Wrote; 5. The Golden Girls, 6. 60 Minutes, 7. Night Court (1985/86 11^th), 8. Growing Pains, 9. Moonlighting, 10. Who’s the Boss. Dallas falls to 11^th. Dynasty falls to 24^th, tied w/ Highway to Heaven. Miami Vice falls to 26^th (time slot changed from Friday 10 pm to Friday 9 pm), tied w/ Knots Landing.

1987/88: 1. The Cosby Show, 2. A Different World (first season), 3. Cheers, 4. The Golden Girls, 5. Growing Pains (time slot changed from Tuesday 8:30 pm to Wednesday 8 pm), 6. Who’s the Boss, 7. Night Court, 8. 60 Minutes; 9. Murder, She Wrote; 10. ALF (1986/87 28^th, tied w/ Hunter), 10. The Wonder Years (first season). Family Ties falls to 17^th; time slot changed from Thursday 8:30 pm to Sunday 8 pm. Moonlighting falls to 12^th, tied w/ L.A. Law.

1988/89: 1. The Cosby Show, 2. Roseanne (first season), 3. A Different World, 4. Cheers, 5. 60 Minutes, 6. The Golden Girls, 7. Who’s the Boss; 8. Murder, She Wrote; 9. Empty Nest (first season), 10. Anything but Love (first season). Growing Pains falls to 13^th, tied w/ L.A. Law. Night Court falls to 21^st; time slot changed from Thursday 9:30 pm to Wednesday 9 pm. ALF falls to 15^th, tied w/ Monday Night Football. The Wonder Years falls to 22^nd, tied w/ The Hogan Family and NBC Sunday Night Movie.

1989/90: 1. The Cosby Show, 1. Roseanne, 3. Cheers, 4. A Different World, 5. America’s Funniest Home Videos (first season), 6. The Golden Girls, 7. 60 Minutes, 8. The Wonder Years, 9. Empty Nest, 10. Monday Night Football. Who’s the Boss falls to 12^th. Murder, She Wrote falls to 13^th, tied w/ Chicken Soup. Anything but Love falls below the Top 30; time slot changed from Tuesday 9:30 pm to Wednesday 9:30 pm.

By network

CBS: Dallas, The Dukes of Hazzard, 60 Minutes, M*A*S*H, The Jeffersons, Alice, House Calls, One Day at a Time; Magnum, P.I.; Simon & Simon, Falcon Crest, Kate & Allie, Cagney & Lacey; Murder, She Wrote; Knots Landing, Crazy Like a Fox

ABC: The Love Boat, Three’s Company, Too Close for Comfort, ABC Monday Night Movie, Dynasty, Monday Night Football, Hotel, Who’s the Boss, Growing Pains, Moonlighting, The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Anything but Love, America’s Funniest Home Videos

NBC: Little House on the Prairie, The A-Team, The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, The Golden Girls, Miami Vice, Night Court, A Different World, ALF, Empty Nest

Edited July 4, 2022 by kalbir

[Soapsuds]

Was this premiere week for Dallas, Dynasty and Knots Landing or was it the week before?

Do you have the season finale numbers for the 1983-1984 season of the soaps? Their cliffhanger numbers??

[Paul Raven]

Yes these were the season debuts.

The previous week, while some shows were debuting (Cosby/Golden Girls and others) to get sampled, CBS aired reruns of Dallas/Falcon Crest -probably the previous season cliffhangers- which ranked 43rd and 46th.

 

Will post them if I find them.