1987–88 United States network television schedule

This was the television schedule on all four United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1987. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.

New series highlighted in bold. Series ending their original runs are highlighted in italics.

The highest-rated show for the year is highlighted in lime. The top ten rated programs are highlighted in yellow. The top 20 rated programs are highlighted in cyan. The top 30 rated programs are highlighted in magenta. The top 40 rated programs are highlighted in orange. The top 50 rated programs are highlighted in silver. Rankings determined by Nielsen Media Research.

Note: This is the first fall season for Fox. It would air only twice a week until 1989.

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation, but the schedule was set by each local station.

Ratings data courtesy of TVTango.com

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		The Disney Sunday Movie #82 10.37 rating		Spenser: For Hire #77 10.92 rating		Dolly #70 11.57 rating		Buck James #88 9.65 rating
CBS		60 Minutes #4 22.98 rating		Murder, She Wrote #8 21.26 rating		CBS Sunday Night Movie #14 18.35 rating
Fox		21 Jump Street #114 5.74 rating		Werewolf #118 4.44 rating	Married... with Children #116 4.70 rating	The Tracey Ullman Show #121 3.26 rating	Duet #122 3.01 rating	Local
NBC		Our House #64 11.80 rating		Family Ties #17 18.84 rating	My Two Dads #25 16.81 rating	NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #17 17.95 rating

Monday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		MacGyver #50 13.28 rating		Monday Night Football #21 17.82 rating
CBS	official	Frank's Place #56 12.49 rating	Kate & Allie #38 14.68 rating	Newhart #27 16.58 rating	Designing Women #33 15.66 rating	Cagney & Lacey #53 12.77 rating
	follow-up (Nov.)	Kate & Allie #38 14.68 rating	Frank's Place #56 12.49 rating
NBC		ALF #12 18.90 rating	Valerie's Family #24 16.90 rating	NBC Monday Night at the Movies #15 18.35 rating

Tuesday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Who's the Boss? #6 21.50 rating	Growing Pains #7 21.39 rating	Moonlighting #10 19.76 rating		thirtysomething #44 13.74 rating
CBS		Houston Knights #95 9.25 rating		Jake and the Fatman #59 12.37 rating		The Law & Harry McGraw #81 10.44 rating
NBC	official	Matlock #20 17.82 rating		J.J. Starbuck #46 13.73 rating		Crime Story #62 11.98 rating
	follow-up (Dec. 8)			Hunter #29 16.26 rating

Wednesday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Perfect Strangers #48 13.38 rating	Head of the Class #23 16.95 rating	Hooperman #30 16.12 rating	The Slap Maxwell Story #60 12.28 rating	Dynasty #41 14.33 rating
CBS		The Oldest Rookie #79 10.46 rating		Magnum, P.I. #31 16.01 rating		The Equalizer #52 12.95 rating
NBC		Highway to Heaven #40 14.65 rating		A Year in the Life #61 12.07 rating		St. Elsewhere #47 13.63 rating

Thursday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Sledge Hammer! #105 7.76 rating	The Charmings #106 7.68 rating	The ABC Thursday Night Movie #93 9.36 rating
CBS	official	Tour of Duty #78 10.76 rating		Wiseguy #65 11.79 rating		Knots Landing #32 15.88 rating
	follow-up (Dec. 3)			Simon & Simon #55 12.60 rating
NBC		The Cosby Show #1 28.35 rating	A Different World #2 25.75 rating	Cheers #3 24.70 rating	Night Court #9 21.13 rating	L.A. Law #11 19.33 rating

Friday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	Full House #69 11.63 rating	I Married Dora #74 11.08 rating	Max Headroom #110 6.26 rating		20/20 #54 12.63 rating
	follow-up (Oct. 30)			Mr. Belvedere #68 11.66 rating	Pursuit of Happiness #96 9.21 rating
CBS		Beauty and the Beast #49 13.31 rating		Dallas #26 16.76 rating		Falcon Crest #42 14.15 rating
NBC		Rags to Riches #85 9.83 rating		Miami Vice #43 14.15 rating		Private Eye #63 11.92 rating

Saturday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	Once a Hero #117 4.47 rating		Ohara #98 8.92 rating		Hotel #97 8.95 rating
	follow-up (Nov. 7)	Sable #107 7.62 rating
	follow-up (Dec.)	Ohara #98 8.92 rating		Sable #107 7.62 rating
CBS	official	My Sister Sam #109 7.11 rating	Everything's Relative #110 6.45 rating	Leg Work #112 6.18 rating		West 57th #104 7.86 rating
	follow-up (Nov. 14)	The CBS Saturday Night Movie #91 9.43 rating
Fox		Mr. President #128 2.35 rating	The New Adventures of Beans Baxter #124 2.79 rating	Second Chance #125 2.72 rating	Women in Prison #126 2.60 rating	Local
NBC	official	The Facts of Life #35 14.82 rating	227 #28 16.44 rating	The Golden Girls #4 22.18 rating	Amen #18 17.88 rating	Hunter #29 16.26 rating
	follow-up (Dec. 5)					J.J. Starbuck #46 13.73 rating

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	The Disney Sunday Movie #82				The ABC Sunday Night Movie #39 14.65 rating
	follow-up (Mar. 6)	The Disney Sunday Movie #82		Supercarrier #80 10.44 rating
	follow-up (May 8)			Specials
CBS		60 Minutes #4		Murder, She Wrote #8		CBS Sunday Night Movie #14
Fox	official	21 Jump Street #114		Werewolf #118	Married... with Children #116	The Tracey Ullman Show #121	Duet #122	Local
	follow-up (Mar. 6)					It's Garry Shandling's Show #119 4.37 rating		The Tracey Ullman Show #121	Local
	follow-up (Apr. 10)			America's Most Wanted #111 6.21 rating
NBC	official	Our House #64		Family Ties #17	My Two Dads #25	NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #17
	follow-up (Feb. 28)				Day By Day #36 14.68 rating

Monday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		MacGyver #50		The ABC Monday Night Movie #34 15.43 rating
CBS	official	Kate & Allie #38	Frank's Place #56	Newhart #27	Designing Women #33	Wiseguy #65
	follow-up (Feb.)		Designing Women #33		Frank's Place #56
	follow-up (Mar. 14)				Eisenhower and Lutz #73 11.31 rating
	follow-up (Apr. 4)					Cagney & Lacey #53
NBC		ALF #12	Valerie's Family #24	NBC Monday Night at the Movies #15

Tuesday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	Who's the Boss? #6	Growing Pains #7	Moonlighting #10		thirtysomething #45
	follow-up (Mar. 15)		The Wonder Years #16 18.17 rating
	follow-up (Apr. 26)		Just the Ten of Us #19 17.88 rating
CBS	official	48 Hours #92 9.42 rating		Jake and the Fatman #59		Cagney & Lacey #53
	follow-up (Mar. 15)	Trial and Error #115 5.67 rating	My Sister Sam #109	Coming of Age #90 9.57 rating	Frank's Place #56
	follow-up (Apr. 5)	Houston Knights #95		The CBS Tuesday Night Movie #75 11.05 rating
NBC	official	Matlock #20		Hunter #29		Crime Story #62
	follow-up (Mar. 8)			In the Heat of the Night #22 17.01 rating
	follow-up (May 10)			NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies #36 14.71 rating

Wednesday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	Perfect Strangers #48	Head of the Class #23	Hooperman #30	The Slap Maxwell Story #60	Dynasty #41
	follow-up (Mar. 2)	Growing Pains #7
	follow-up (Mar. 23)					Heartbeat #58 12.42 rating
	follow-up (Apr. 6)				Just In Time #76 10.95 rating
	follow-up (Apr. 27)					China Beach #44 13.89 rating
CBS	official	The Law & Harry McGraw #81		Magnum, P.I. #31		The Equalizer #52
	follow-up (Mar. 30)	The Smothers Brothers Show #83 10.24 rating		Jake and the Fatman #59
NBC	official	Highway to Heaven #40		A Year in the Life #61		St. Elsewhere #47
	follow-up (Mar. 9)	Aaron's Way #51 13.23 rating		Highway to Heaven #40		A Year in the Life #61
	follow-up (Apr. 27)					St. Elsewhere #47

Thursday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	The Charmings #106	The ABC Thursday Night Movie #93
	follow-up (Mar. 10)	Probe #84 10.06 rating		Hotel #97		Buck James #88
	follow-up (Apr. 28)	Max Headroom #110
CBS	official	Tour of Duty #78		Simon & Simon #55		Knots Landing #32
	follow-up (Mar. 17)	48 Hours #92
NBC	official	The Cosby Show #1	A Different World #2	Cheers #3	Night Court #9	L.A. Law #11
	follow-up (Mar. 3)				The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd #67 11.71 rating
	follow-up (May 5)				Night Court #9

Friday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	Full House #69	Mr. Belvedere #68	The Thorns #99 8.83 rating	Sledge Hammer! #105	20/20 #54
	follow-up (Feb. 19)	Perfect Strangers #48	Full House #69	Mr. Belvedere #68	The Thorns #99 8.83 rating
	follow-up (Mar. 18)				Family Man #87 9.66 rating
CBS		Beauty and the Beast #49		Dallas #26		Falcon Crest #42
NBC	official	Specials		Miami Vice #43		Sonny Spoon #66 11.74 rating
	follow-up (Mar. 4)	The Highwayman #57 12.45 rating		Night Court #9	Beverly Hills Buntz #71 11.40 rating
	follow-up (May 13)	TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes #101 8.45 rating		Sonny Spoon #66 11.74 rating		Miami Vice #43

Saturday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Dolly #70		Ohara #98		Spenser: For Hire #77
CBS	official	High Mountain Rangers #72 11.37 rating		Houston Knights #95		West 57th #104
	follow-up (Mar. 12)			Tour of Duty #78
Fox	official	Boys Will Be Boys #125	Women in Prison #126	The New Adventures of Beans Baxter #124	Mr. President #128	Local
	follow-up (Apr. 2)	Family Double Dare #123 2.81 rating	Boys Will Be Boys	The Dirty Dozen #127 2.37 rating
NBC	official	The Facts of Life #35	227 #28	The Golden Girls #4	Amen #18	J.J. Starbuck #46
	follow-up (Mar. 12)					Hunter #29

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		The Disney Sunday Movie		MacGyver #50		The ABC Sunday Night Movie #34
CBS		60 Minutes #4		Murder, She Wrote #8		CBS Sunday Night Movie #14
Fox	official	21 Jump Street		America's Most Wanted	Married... with Children	It's Garry Shandling's Show	Duet	The Tracey Ullman Show	Local
	follow-up (Jul.)						The Tracey Ullman Show	Duet
NBC	official	Our House #64		Family Ties #13	My Two Dads #25	NBC Sunday Night at the Movies #17
	follow-up (Jul. 3)	Rags to Riches

Monday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Monday Night Baseball #103 8.00 rating
CBS		Blue Skies #94 9.30 rating		Newhart #27	Designing Women #33	Wiseguy #65
NBC		ALF #13	Valerie's Family #24	NBC Monday Night at the Movies #15

Tuesday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	official	Who's the Boss? #6	Perfect Strangers #48	Moonlighting #10		thirtysomething #45
	follow-up (Jul.)		Full House #69
CBS		Summer Playhouse		The CBS Tuesday Night Movie
NBC	official	Matlock #20		J.J. Starbuck #46		Summer Showcase
	follow-up (Jul.)			In the Heat of the Night #22

Wednesday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Growing Pains #7	Head of the Class #23	Hooperman #30	The Slap Maxwell Story #60	Spenser: For Hire #77
CBS		Jake and the Fatman #59		The Equalizer #52		Wiseguy #65
NBC	official	Highway to Heaven #40		The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd #67	Sara repeats #102 8.37 rating	The Bronx Zoo #89 9.60 rating
	follow-up (Jul. 6)			George Schlatter's Funny People #100 8.55 rating		St. Elsewhere #47

Thursday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		The ABC Thursday Night Movie				Hothouse #113 5.84 rating
CBS		48 Hours		Simon & Simon #55		Cagney & Lacey #53
NBC		The Cosby Show #1	A Different World #2	Cheers #3	Night Court #9	L.A. Law #11

Friday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Perfect Strangers #48	Full House #69	Mr. Belvedere #68	I Married Dora	20/20 #54
CBS		Beauty and the Beast #49		The CBS Friday Night Movie 9.74 rating
NBC		TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes		Sonny Spoon #66		Miami Vice #43

Saturday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		Supercarrier		Ohara		Hotel
CBS	official	High Mountain Rangers		Tour of Duty		West 57th
	follow-up (Jul. 16)	Kate & Allie #38	Frank's Place #56
Fox	official	Family Double Dare	Boys Will Be Boys	The Dirty Dozen		Werewolf	Local
	follow-up (Jul. 9)	Family Double Dare
	follow-up (Jul. 30)	The Reporters #120 3.45 rating
NBC		The Facts of Life #35	227 #28	The Golden Girls #5	Amen #18	Hunter #29

By Network

ABC

Returning Series: 20/20 The Charmings The Disney Sunday Movie Dynasty Growing Pains Head of the Class Hotel MacGyver Max Headroom Mr. Belvedere Moonlighting Ohara Perfect Strangers Sledge Hammer! Spenser: For Hire Who's The Boss?

New Series: Buck James Dolly Family Man Full House Heartbeat Hooperman Hothouse I Married Dora Just In Time Once A Hero Probe Pursuit of Happiness Sable The Slap Maxwell Story Supercarrier thirtysomething The Thorns The Wonder Years

Not Returning From Last Season Animal Crack-Ups The Colbys Dads The Ellen Burstyn Show Gung Ho Jack and Mike Life With Lucy Our World Sidekicks Starman Webster

CBS

Returning Series: 60 Minutes Cagney & Lacey The Cavanaughs Dallas Designing Women The Equalizer Falcon Crest Houston Knights Kate and Allie Knots Landing Magnum, P.I. Murder, She Wrote My Sister Sam Newhart Simon & Simon West 57th

New Series: 48 Hours Beauty and the Beast Blue Skies Coming of Age Eisenhower and Lutz Everything's Relative Frank's Place High Mountain Rangers Jake and the Fatman The Law and Harry McGraw The Oldest Rookie The Smothers Brothers Show Tour of Duty Trial and Error Wiseguy

Not Returning From Last Season Better Days Downtown Hard Copy Kay O'Brien The New Mike Hammer Outlaws Roxie Scarecrow and Mrs. King Shell Game Take Five Together We Stand (Nothing Is Easy) The Twilight Zone The Wizard

Fox

Returning Series: 21 Jump Street Duet Married…With Children Mr. President The New Adventures of Beans Baxter The Tracey Ullman Show Werewolf

New Series: America's Most Wanted The Dirty Dozen Family Double Dare It's Garry Shandling's Show The Reporters Second Chance Women in Prison

Not Returning From Last Season Down and Out in Beverly Hills Karen's Song

NBC

Returning Series: 227 ALF Amen The Bronx Zoo Cheers Crime Story The Cosby Show The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd The Facts of Life Family Ties Highway to Heaven Hunter L.A. Law Matlock Miami Vice Night Court Our House St. Elsewhere Valerie

New Series: Aaron's Way Beverly Hills Buntz Day By Day A Different World George Schlatter's Funny People The Highwayman In The Heat Of The Night JJ Starbuck My Two Dads Private Eye Sonny Spoon A Year In The Life Revival of a Former Network Series: TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes

Not Returning From Last Season 1986 The A-Team Amazing Stories Easy Street Gimme A Break! Hill Street Blues Me & Mrs. C Nothing in Common Rags to Riches Sweet Surrender The Tortellis You Again?

Pickups and Cancellations

Full Season Pickups

ABC 20/20 Dynasty Full House Growing Pains Head of the Class Heartbeat Hooperman Just the Ten of Us Mr. Belvedere Moonlighting Perfect Strangers Probe thirtysomething Who's The Boss? The Wonder Years

CBS 48 Hours 60 Minutes Beauty and the Beast Coming of Age Dallas Designing Women The Equalizer Falcon Crest Kate and Allie (mid-season) Knots Landing Murder, She Wrote Newhart Simon & Simon The Smothers Brothers Show (mid-season) Tour Of Duty (mid-season) West 57th Wiseguy

Fox 21 Jump Street America's Most Wanted Duet It's Garry Shandling's Show Married…With Children The Reporters The Tracey Ullman Show

NBC 227 ALF Amen Cheers The Cosby Show Day By Day A Different World Family Ties The Golden Girls Hunter In The Heat Of The Night L.A. Law Matlock Miami Vice My Two Dads (mid-season) Night Court Sonny Spoon Valerie's Family

Cancellations and Endings

ABC Buck James The Charmings Dolly Family Man Hotel Hothouse I Married Dora Just In Time Max Headroom Once A Hero Ohara Probe Pursuit of Happiness Sable The Slap Maxwell Story Sledge Hammer! Spenser: For Hire Supercarrier The Thorns Change of Network Affiliation: The Disney Sunday Movie (to NBC under the title The Magical World of Disney)

CBS Blue Skies Cagney & Lacey Eisenhower and Lutz Everything's Relative Frank's Place High Mountain Rangers Houston Knights The Law and Harry McGraw Leg Work Magnum, P.I. My Sister Sam The Oldest Rookie Trial and Error

Fox The Dirty Dozen Family Double Dare Mr. President The New Adventures of Beans Baxter Second Chance (Boys Will Be Boys) Werewolf Women In Prison

NBC Aaron's Way Beverly Hills Buntz The Bronx Zoo Crime Story The Facts of Life George Schlatter's Funny People The Highwayman J.J. Starbuck Our House Private Eye Rags To Riches St. Elsewhere TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (to continue as specials) A Year In The Life Change of Network Affiliation The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (to Lifetime)