This was the television schedule for the three United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1980. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
The highest-rated show for the year is highlighted in lime. The top ten most watched programs are highlighted in yellow. The top 20 most watched programs are highlighted in cyan. The top 30 most watched programs are highlighted in magenta. Rankings determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1][2]
New fall series are highlighted in bold. Series ending their original runs are highlighted in italics.
Note: An actors' strike hindered the ability to start airing shows in a timely manner. The shows in the schedule were the first to air new episodes in their respective time periods as they bowed in between late August and December 31, 1980. Some of the new shows intended for a fall launch did not debut until 1981 or 1982, if at all.
PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation, but the schedule was set by each local station. On ABC, its news brief, airs all seven nights at 9:58, pm.
Fall Schedule[]
Sunday[]
| Network | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Those Amazing Animals | Specials and Political Programs
Charlie's Angels (Nov. 30) |
The ABC Sunday Night Movie #24 19.4 rating | ||||||
| CBS | 60 Minutes #3 27.0 rating | Archie Bunker's Place #13 21.4 rating | One Day at a Time #11 22.0 rating | Alice #7 22.9 rating | The Jeffersons #6 23.5 rating | Trapper John, M.D. #18 20.7 rating | |||
| NBC | Disney's Wonderful World | CHiPs #25 19.4 rating | The Big Event | ||||||
Monday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | That's Incredible! #22 20.5 rating | ABC NFL Monday Night Football #20 20.6 rating | |||||
| CBS | Flo | Ladies' Man (debut October 27) | M*A*S*H #4 25.7 rating | House Calls #8 22.4 rating | Lou Grant #27 19.1 rating | ||
| NBC | Little House on the Prairie #10 22.1 rating | NBC Monday Night at the Movies #29 18.8 rating | |||||
Tuesday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Happy Days #15 20.8 rating | Laverne & Shirley #21 20.6 rating | Three's Company #9 22.4 rating | Too Close for Comfort (debut November 11) #16 20.8 rating | Hart to Hart #23 19.9 rating | ||
| CBS | Political programming
The White Shadow (Nov.) |
The CBS Tuesday Night Movies | |||||
| NBC | Lobo | Local | The Steve Allen Comedy Hour (Oct.) | ||||
Note: On NBC, NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies aired from 8–10 p.m. from September to November.
Wednesday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Eight is Enough | Taxi | Soap | Vega$ | |||
| CBS | Enos (debut November 5) | The CBS Wednesday Night Movies | |||||
| NBC | Real People #12 21.5 rating | Diff'rent Strokes #19 20.7 rating | The Facts of Life #26 19.3 rating | Quincy, M.E. | |||
Note: NBC's Movie of the Week aired from 9–11 p.m. between September and November.
Thursday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Mork and Mindy | Bosom Buddies (debut November 27) | Barney Miller | It's a Living (debut October 30) | 20/20 | ||
| CBS | The Waltons #30 18.6 rating | Magnum, P.I. (debut December 11) #14 21.0 rating | Knots Landing #28 19.0 rating | ||||
| NBC | Games People Play | NBC Thursday Night at the Movies | |||||
Note: The CBS Thursday Movie Special aired from 9–11 p.m. from September till the end of November.
Friday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Benson | I'm a Big Girl Now (debut October 31) | The ABC Friday Night Movie | ||||
| CBS | The Incredible Hulk | The Dukes of Hazzard #2 27.3 rating | Dallas #1 34.5 rating | ||||
| NBC | Marie (debut December 12) | Number 96 (debut December 10) | NBC Magazine with David Brinkley | ||||
Note: NBC Friday Night at the Movies aired from 8–10 p.m. through October and November.
Saturday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Breaking Away (debut November 29) | The Love Boat #5 24.3 rating | Fantasy Island #17 20.7 rating | ||||
| CBS | WKRP in Cincinnati | The Tim Conway Show | Freebie and The Bean (debut December 6) | Secrets of Midland Heights (debut December 6) | |||
| NBC | Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (debut November 18) | NBC Saturday Night at the Movies | |||||
Notes: The CBS Saturday Night Movies aired from 9–11 p.m. through the end of November. Walking Tall and Hill Street Blues were intended to premiere in the fall of 1980 but were delayed because of the SAG strike.
Mid-Season Schedule[]
Sunday[]
| Network | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | official | Those Amazing Animals | Charlie's Angels | The ABC Sunday Night Movie | |||||
| follow-up | The ABC Sunday Night Movie | ||||||||
| CBS | 60 Minutes | Archie Bunker's Place | One Day at a Time | Alice | The Jeffersons | Trapper John, M.D. | |||
| NBC | Disney's Wonderful World | CHiPs | The Big Event | ||||||
Monday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | official | That's Incredible! | Dynasty | Foul Play | |||
| follow-up (Mar. 16) | Soap | ||||||
| CBS | official | The White Shadow | M*A*S*H | House Calls | Lou Grant | ||
| follow-up (Apr. 6) | Private Benjamin | The Two of Us | |||||
| NBC | Little House on the Prairie | NBC Monday Night at the Movies | |||||
Tuesday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Happy Days | Laverne & Shirley | Three's Company | Too Close for Comfort | Hart to Hart | ||
| CBS | official | That's My Line | The CBS Tuesday Night Movies | ||||
| follow-up (Mar. 17) | Palmerstown, U.S.A. | ||||||
| NBC | official | Lobo | B.J. and the Bear | Flamingo Road | |||
| follow-up (Mar. 24) | Hill Street Blues | Walking Tall | |||||
| follow-up (May 5) | Nero Wolfe | ||||||
Wednesday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | official | Eight is Enough | Aloha Paradise | Vega$ | |||
| follow-up (Mar. 18) | The Greatest American Hero | ||||||
| follow-up (May 6) | American Dream | ||||||
| CBS | Enos | The CBS Wednesday Night Movies | |||||
| NBC | Real People | Diff'rent Strokes | The Facts of Life | Quincy, M.E. | |||
Thursday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Mork and Mindy | Bosom Buddies | Barney Miller | Taxi | 20/20 | ||
| CBS | official | The Waltons | Magnum, P.I. | Knots Landing | |||
| temporary (Apr. 9-Apr. 30) | Checking In | Park Place | |||||
| NBC | official | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century | NBC Thursday Night at the Movies | ||||
| follow-up (Apr. 23) | NBC Magazine with David Brinkley | ||||||
Friday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Benson | I'm a Big Girl Now | The ABC Friday Night Movie | ||||
| CBS | The Incredible Hulk | The Dukes of Hazzard | Dallas | ||||
| NBC | official | Harper Valley PTA | Sanford (Jan. 9-30, returns Apr. 24)
The Brady Brides (Feb. 6-Apr. 17) |
Nero Wolfe | NBC Magazine with David Brinkley | ||
| follow-up (Apr. 24) | Specials | The Gangster Chronicles | |||||
Saturday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | official | Charlie's Angels | The Love Boat | Fantasy Island | |||
| follow-up (Mar. 7) | 240-Robert (Mar. 7-21)
Eight is Enough (from Mar. 28) | ||||||
| CBS | official | WKRP in Cincinnati | The Tim Conway Show | Freebie and The Bean | Secrets of Midland Heights | ||
| follow-up (Feb. 7) | Flo | Ladies' Man | Concrete Cowboys | ||||
| follow-up (Mar. 14) | Flo | Concrete Cowboys (to Mar. 21)
That's My Line (from Mar. 28) |
Riker | ||||
| NBC | official | Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters | Walking Tall | Hill Street Blues | |||
| follow-up (Feb. 21) | The Gangster Chronicles | ||||||
| follow-up (April) | B.J. and the Bear | Walking Tall | |||||
Summer Schedule[]
Sunday[]
| Network | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | official | Roots: The Next Generations (Repeats) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie | ||||||
| follow-up | Those Amazing Animals | The ABC Sunday Night Movie | |||||||
| CBS | 60 Minutes | Archie Bunker's Place | One Day at a Time | Alice | The Jeffersons | Trapper John, M.D. | |||
| NBC | Disney's Wonderful World | CHiPs | The Big Event | ||||||
Monday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | That's Incredible! | Monday Night Baseball/ABC Monday Night Movie | |||||
| CBS | WKRP in Cincinnati | The Tim Conway Show | M*A*S*H | House Calls | Lou Grant | ||
| NBC | Little House on the Prairie | NBC Monday Night at the Movies | |||||
Tuesday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Happy Days | Laverne & Shirley | Three's Company | Too Close for Comfort | Hart to Hart | ||
| CBS | Universe | Flo | The CBS Tuesday Night Movies | ||||
| NBC | Lobo | Hill Street Blues | Nero Wolfe | ||||
Wednesday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Charlie's Angels | Vega$ | Dynasty | ||||
| CBS | The White Shadow | The CBS Wednesday Night Movies | |||||
| NBC | Real People | Diff'rent Strokes | The Facts of Life | Quincy, M.E. | |||
Thursday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Mork and Mindy | Bosom Buddies | Barney Miller | Taxi | 20/20 | ||
| CBS | The Waltons | Magnum, P.I. | Knots Landing | ||||
| NBC | NBC Magazine with David Brinkley
Games People Play |
NBC Thursday Night at the Movies | |||||
Friday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | official | Benson | I'm a Big Girl Now | The ABC Friday Night Movie | |||
| follow-up (8/7) | The Krypton Factor (to 9/4)
It's a Living (9/11-10/2) | ||||||
| CBS | The Incredible Hulk | The Dukes of Hazzard | Dallas | ||||
| NBC | Harper Valley PTA | Comedy Theatre | NBC Friday Night at the Movies | ||||
Saturday[]
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Eight is Enough (to 8/29)
240-Robert (9/5-19) |
The Love Boat | Fantasy Island | ||||
| CBS | Enos | The CBS Saturday Night Movies | |||||
| NBC | Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters | B.J. and the Bear | Games People Play | ||||
Pickups and Cancellations[]
Full Season Pickups[]
ABC
- Barney Miller
- Benson
- Bosom Buddies
- Dynasty
- Fantasy Island
- The Greatest American Hero
- Happy Days
- It's A Living
- Laverne & Shirley
- The Love Boat
- Monday Night Football
- Mork and Mindy
- Taxi
- That's Incredible!
- Three's Company
- Too Close For Comfort
- Hart to Hart
CBS
- 60 Minutes
- Alice
- Archie Bunker's Place
- Dallas
- The Dukes of Hazzard
- House Calls
- The Incredible Hulk
- The Jeffersons
- Knots Landing
- Lou Grant
- M*A*S*H
- Magnum, P.I.
- Private Benjamin
- Trapper John, M.D.
- The Two of Us
- WKRP in Cincinnati
- Universe (returns in summer)
NBC
- Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
- CHiPs
- Diff'rent Strokes
- The Facts of Life
- Flamingo Road
- Harper Valley PTA
- Hill Street Blues
- Little House on the Prairie
- NBC Magazine With David Brinkley
- Quincy
- Real People
Cancellations and Endings[]
ABC
- 240-Robert
- Aloha Paradise
- American Dream
- Breaking Away
- Charlie's Angels
- Eight is Enough
- I'm A Big Girl Now
- The Krypton Factor
- Soap
- Those Amazing Animals
- Vega$
CBS
- Checking In
- Concrete Cowboys
- Enos
- Flo
- Freebie and the Bean
- Ladies Man
- Palmerstown, U.S.A.
- Park Place
- Secrets of Midland Heights
- That's My Line
- The Tim Conway Show
- The Waltons
- The White Shadow
NBC
- B.J. and the Bear
- The Big Event
- The Brady Brides
- Games People Play
- The Gangster Chronicles
- Lobo
- Marie
- Nero Wolfe
- Number 96
- Sanford
- The Steve Allen Comedy Hour
- Walking Tall
Changes of Network Affiliation[]
- Disney's Wonderful World: from NBC to CBS under the new name Walt Disney
References[]
- ↑ "1980-1981 Television Season Top Rated Shows". Archived from the original on 2006-10-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20061031060419/http://theenvelope.latimes.com/extras/lostmind/ratings/1980_1981.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-06.
- ↑ http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/1980.htm
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