Not sure if this or the Family thread would be a better place (given Gary Frank being on both shows), but I thought it might be better here as the show was seemingly very hard to find and now all the episodes are on Youtube, from the channel that has given us so much. 

There's a lot of good stuff in this article, including the info that it was based on a pilot called Senior Year, that it was one of the lowest-rated shows of the season when it was canceled, etc.

https://www.tvobscurities.com/2019/10/episode-guide-sons-daughters/

I guess S&D was CBS' response to the 50's nostalgia craze that spawned Happy Days.

Opposition was That's My Mama on ABC and Little House on the Prairie which was the timeslot winner finishing #13 for the season.

Cancelled and replaced by Tony Orlando & Dawn variety series which was waiting in the wings after a good Summer season. that did way better than S&D finishing #25.

34 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

I guess S&D was CBS' response to the 50's nostalgia craze that spawned Happy Days.

Opposition was That's My Mama on ABC and Little House on the Prairie which was the timeslot winner finishing #13 for the season.

Cancelled and replaced by Tony Orlando & Dawn variety series which was waiting in the wings after a good Summer season. that did way better than S&D finishing #25.

Tony Orlando and Dawn probably fit in better with what people expected - it doesn't seem like S&D was as much of the peppy false '50s as Happy Days. 

I have seen some of Tony Orlando and Dawn (I am still confused about why the show became known as Rainbow Hour in its last season). Tony is charming but a lot to take. I do enjoy Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson. I think even if his drug problems hadn't destroyed their partnership, it wouldn't have lasted much longer.

Pretty much ABC all the way.

Project UFO on NBC #15 I think that might have been the first episode. Anyway it played Sunday @8 and finished #19 for the season, a desperately needed hit for NBC.

So they move it to Thurs@8 up against Mork & Mindy where it is pulverized. Odd choice.

King was a disaster for NBC. In the wake of Roots  I guess there was a feeling of awakened interest in Black history. But it showed that hyped 'quality' programming wasn't a guarantee to success.

@Soapsuds Thanks for posting

Night by night

Mon

8pm The Rookies edged Gunsmoke but attracted younger(more desirable) viewers.NBC failed with Born Free/Smothers Brothers (how many different series did those 2 get??)

9-11pm  Maude/Rhoda/Medical Center dominated on CBS,but Football and Movies were competitive on an occasional basis. ABC tried  SWAT/Caribe later in the season and the former worked for them.

Tues

8-11 pm CBS all the way Good Times, MASH, Hawaii Five O,Barnaby Jones.

NBC had the fading Adam 12,Movie and Police Story mmm...don't see that listed?

ABC Happy Days, which ABC decided to keep despite lackluster ratings, the Movie of the Week and Marcus Welby-once pulling big numbers but no longer.

8pm NBC had a new hit with Little House, easily beating Sons and Daughters, which was axed and replaced with Tony Orlando, which did much better. ABC had That's My Mama and the Wed movie.

9pm Cannon was the lead here as Lucas Tanner failed to capitalize on the LHOTP leadin.

ABC continued the movie.

10pm Manhunter started strong for CBS but petered out and was cancelled. Petrocelli manged to beat Get Christie Love, which was replaced by Baretta-no ratings winner but ABC decided to renew.

Thurs

Another CBS night with The Waltons and a movie.

ABC counterprogrammed with Odd Couple/Paper Moon then Barney Miller/Karen

NBC did even worse with Sierra and replaced it with Mac Davis which improved ratings quite a bit. However, it was moved to 9pm for Sunshine/Bob Crane

9pm Some good numbers for ABC with Streets of San Francisco fending off Ironside,Archer and Mac Davis.

10pm Harry O had a slim victory over Movin On

Fri

8-11 NBCs best night Sanford/Chico/Rockford/Police Woman.

8pm CBS had high hopes for Planet of the Apes but it bombed. Replacement Khan did even worse. Paul Sand and We'll Get By were tossed in at the end of the season. With poor lead ins the Friday movie didn't deliver.

ABC's odd line up saw Kodiak flop, Six Million dollar Man struggle and Texas Wheelers  quickly cancelled. Kung Fu was brought in @8 and Six Million moved to 9.

Then Kolchak took over at 8 and Hot*l Baltimore/Odd Couple 9-10. Despite controversy Hot*l flopped.

10pm ABC tried Kolchak then Baretta and finally Get Christie Love

Sat

CBS lead  with #1 AITF then Paul Sand/MTM/Bob Newhart/Carol Burnett. Paul Sand lost too much of the lead in so CBS spun off The Jeffersons and it was a smash.

NBC did OK with Emergency (which beat Paul Sand on occasion, thus hastening that show's demise) and a movie.

ABC was a disaster with New Land/Kung Fu and Nakia all failing. They introduced a movie @9 and moved Kung Fu to 8.

Sun 

NBC  with Disney and Mystery Movie (Columbo McCloud, MacMillan and Wife/Amy Prentiss)did well.

ABC flopped with Sonny Bono and recovered by moving Six Million Dollar Man from Fri as a lead in to the movie.

CBS hoped Apples Way would be another Waltons but no, so Cher did what Sonny couldn't. Kojak and Mannix successfully finished out the night.

Two other shows on the ratings list were Adams of Eagle Lake starring Andy Griffith. Only 2 episodes aired and did well, so I'm not sure what happened there.

As for The Law it was a series follow up to a 2 and a half hour NBC special movie . 

 

12 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Khan did even worse.

What can I say?  I did my best.

NBC must have been grateful to have LHOTP, it's only hit and still strong after several seasons.

Their next established show was Rockford Files at 45th.

They didn't develop any comedies and relied on movies and mini series  which didnt establish viewer loyalty and habits.

Their only new hit was mid season's Project UFO which debuted Feb up against Rhoda/On Our Own on CBS and How the West Was Won on ABC. It opened with a strong 36 share beating CBS and close to ABC as HTWWW had a 36 share over 3 hours.

The next week UFO saw a respectable 32 share, then a 31 so it was slipping. A 28 share followed but a few weeks later it jumped back up to a 34.

So no blockbuster but compared to what else they had, there was potential, So next season NBC sent it to Thursday up against Mork and The Waltons and it bombed. 

They were smart to see potential in Chips, which took off on Saturdaysnext season.

ABC was on a roll with Love Boat, 3's Company, Taxi, Eight is Enough adding to their hits. Their only real flops were Redd Foxx and San Pedro Beach Bums, an Aaron Spelling misfire.

Like Redd Foxx, Harvey Korman was lured to ABC but his series was a filler that did well but was considered a time slot hit. Nancy Walker and Rob Reiner were also given series on the philosophy that not only were they popular names, their absence from popular shows like Sanford, Rhoda and All in the Family might weaken those shows.

CBS were relying on old favorites. Betty White was strong the first few weeks then faded.

Incredible Hulk was their strongest newbie.

It was lucky for CBS that NBC was doing so badly or else some of their weaker shows would have really suffered.

Ratings for new programs that debuted Sept 1970 as of Dec 70. Programs in bold cancelled at midseason.

Program/Network/Rating/Share/ Competition

Flip Wilson NBC 26.1/43 Thurs @8 Matt Lincoln ABC Family Affair/Jim Nabors CBS

Mary Tyler Moore CBS 20.1/34 Sat @9.30 Most Deadly Game ABC Movie NBC

Red Skelton NBC 18.5/31 Mon @8 Gunsmoke CBS Young Lawyers ABC After decades at CBS he moved to NBC for a final season.

NFL Football ABC 18.3/31 Mayberry/Doris Day CBS Movie NBC. After a shaky start MNF became a stalwart for ABC for decades.

Arnie CBS 17.9/30 Sat @9 Movie NBC Lawrence Welk ABC. Arnie was outrated by lead in My Three Sons and lead out MTM but struggled along for two seasons.

Nancy NBC 17.9/28 Odd Couple ABC Movie CBS. Nancy was poorly scheduled after Ironside which was Top 10 and it squandered that lead in. Was replaced by far more successful Adam 12

Make Room  for Granddaddy ABC 17.7/28 Wed @8 Storefront Lawyers CBS Men From Shiloh NBC Got moved at midseason to replace Barefoot in the Park.

Partridge Family ABC 17.4/31 Fri @8.30 Headmaster CBS Name of The Game NBC. Top rated show of Fri night.

Headmaster CBS 17.3/31 Fri @8.30  Partridge Family ABC Name of The Game NBC. Andy Griffith's return to TV. Went with a more serious 'relevant' bent that viewers rejected. Revamped as New Andy Griffith Show with a format similar to the original.

Four In One NBC 16.7/30 Wed @10 Dan August ABC Hawaii Five O CBS. Rotating elements hence the title, McCloud and Night Gallery became stand alone shows the next season But San Francisco international Airport and The Psychiatrist were cancelled.

Storefront Lawyers CBS 16.0/27 Wed @7.30 Courtship of Eddie's Father/Make Room for Grandaddy ABC Men From Shiloh NBC . Another one of CBS 'new image' shows dealing with urban,contemporary themes. Revamped at midseason as Men at Law, a more traditional approach.

Don Knotts NBC 15.4/27 Mod Squad ABC Beverly Hillbillies/Green Acres CBS. Mod Squad was an instant hit and Don Knotts was moved a half hour later at midseason with Julia now the lead in.

Interns CBS 15.2/29 Fri @8 Brady Bunch/Nanny and the Professor ABC High Chaparral NBC

Another 'relevant' show it lasted the season against weak competition.

Silent Force ABC 13.3/21 Mon @8.30 Lucy CBS Laugh In NBC Didn't stand a chance against that competition.

Barefoot In The Park ABC 13.2/20 Thurs @9 Movie CBS Ironside NBC strong competition and some backstage issues. Black cast in TV version of play and movie.

Young Rebels ABC 13.0/23 Lassie/Hogans Heroes CBS Wild Kingdom/Disney NBC

Odd Couple ABC 13.0/20 Thurs @9.30 Movie CBS Nancy NBC. A critical hit so ABC persevered and moved it to Friday at midseason.

Tim Conway CBS 12.7/23  Sun @10 Movie ABC Bold Ones NBC CBS tried to create a comedy/variety block with Ed Sullivan/Glen Campbell

Young  Lawyers ABC 12.1/21 Gunsmoke CBS Red Skelton/Laugh In NBC. ABC couldn't make any impression in this timeslot and later threw in Let's Make A Deal/Newlywed Game as cheap fillers.

Matt Lincoln ABC 12.0/19 Family Affair CBS Flip Wilson NBC. Vince Edward's return to TV after Ben Casey. No hope in that timeslot with the competition.

The Immortal ABC 11.5/21 Thurs @10  Movie CBS Dean Martin NBC. Final program in a line up of flop ABC shows.

Dan August ABC 11.1/19 Wed @10 Hawaii Five O CBS Four in One NBC. Burt Reynolds starred moved at midseason to Thurs.

Most Deadly Game ABC 10.4/18 Mary Tyler Moore/Mannix CBS Movie NBC, Followed Lawrence Welk so not a good flow. ABC gave up the timeslot at midseason and allowed affiliates to program the slot themselves.

1 hour ago, Soapsuds said:

The year that ABC moved Mork & Mindy and Laverne & Shirley and both those shows suffered and never recovered.

Tenspeed & Brownshoe  (Ben Vereen/Jeff Goldblum) was much hyped but after a strong start fizzled out.

Same with Skag(Karl Malden) strong early ratings bumping up the average.

Once Facts of Life was paired with Diff'rent Strokes it took off.