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1996–97 United States network television schedule

Television schedule for the fall of 1996


Television schedule for the fall of 1996

The 1996–97 United States network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the primetime hours from September 1996 to August 1997. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 1995–96 season.

PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows released in May 1997 is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.

New series highlighted in bold.

Repeat airings or same-day rebroadcasts are indicated by (R).

All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian times.

All sporting events air live in all time zones in U.S. Eastern time, with local and/or late-night programming (including Fox affiliates during the 10 p.m. ET/PT hour) by affiliates after game completion.

Legend

  • Light blue indicates local programming.
  • Gray indicates encore programming.
  • Blue-gray indicates news programming.
  • Light green indicates sporting events.
  • Red indicates series being burned off and other irregularly scheduled programs, including specials and movies.
  • Light gold indicates programming produced outside of the United States.
  • Yellow highlights indicates the top-10 most watched programs of the season.
  • Cyan highlights indicates numbers 11-20 most watched programs of the season.
  • Magenta highlights indicates numbers 21-30 most watched programs of the season.
  • Highlights indicates that it falls in multiple of the above categories.

Sunday

Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABCFallWinterSpringLate springCBSFoxFallMid-fallWinterSpringNBCFallSpringSummerThe WBFallMid-fallWinterLate SpringSummerLate summer
America's Funniest Home VideosLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanThe ABC Sunday Night Movie
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanAmerica's Funniest Home Videos
America's Funniest Home VideosABC News programming
Second NoahAmerica's Funniest Home Videos
60 Minutes (11/13.3)Touched by an Angel (10/13.6)CBS Sunday Movie (14/12.1)
*Big Deal*Fox Movie SpecialLocal programming
Married... with Children (R)Married... with ChildrenThe SimpsonsNed & StaceyThe X-Files (21/11.4)
(Tied with Cosby)
Special programming*King of the Hill*
*Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction*
Dateline NBC3rd Rock from the Sun (27/10.8)
(Tied with Law & Order)Boston CommonNBC Sunday Night Movie (18/11.5)
(Tied with The Drew Carey Show)
3rd Rock from the Sun (R)
NewsRadio (R)
KirkBrotherly LoveThe Parent 'Hood*The Steve Harvey Show*Unhappily Ever After*Life with Roger*Local programming
Brotherly Love (R)
Brotherly Love*Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher*
*Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher* (R)The Parent 'Hood (R)*The Steve Harvey Show* (R)The Wayans Bros. (R)
*Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (R)
*The Jamie Foxx Show* (R)

Monday

Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABCFallWinterLate winterSpringMid-springSummerMid-summerCBSFallMid-fallWinterSpringLate springFoxFallMid-FallWinterLate winterLate SpringSummerNBCFallSpringLate springSummerUPNFallWinterThe WBFallWinter
*Dangerous Minds*Monday Night Football (7/16.0)
The ABC Monday Night Movie
*Spy Game*
*Relativity*
Special programming
*World of Discovery* (R)
Monday Night Football Preseason
*Cosby* (21/11.2)
(Tied with The X-Files)*Pearl*Murphy BrownCybill (30/10.5)
(Tied with Chicago Hope and Dateline NBC)Chicago Hope (30/10.5)
(Tied with Dateline NBC and Cybill)
*Ink*
*Everybody Loves Raymond*Cybill (30/10.5)
(Tied with Chicago Hope and Dateline NBC)*Ink*
Murphy Brown
*Everybody Loves Raymond* (R)Murphy Brown (R)
Melrose Place*Party Girl**Lush Life*Local programming
Special programming
Ned and StaceyMarried... with Children
Married... with Children*Pauly*
MADtv Primetime*The Ruby Wax Show*Married... with Children (R)
Various programming*Roar*
The Jeff Foxworthy Show*Mr. Rhodes*The NBC Monday Movie (23/11.0)
(Tied with Walker, Texas Ranger, Mad About You and Caroline in the City)
Boston Common
The NBC Monday Movie (23/11.0)
(Tied with Walker, Texas Ranger, Mad About You and Caroline in the City)Dateline NBC
*Suddenly Susan* (R)*Fired Up* (R)Caroline in the City (R)Wings (R)
In the House*Malcolm & Eddie**Goode Behavior**Sparks*Local programming
*Sparks**Goode Behavior*
*7th Heaven*Savannah
*Buffy the Vampire Slayer*

Note: On CBS, the debut of Ink was delayed by a month due to production problems, resulting in another new sitcom, Pearl, which aired temporarily in its slot before moving to its own originally designated Wednesday time period in late October.

Tuesday

Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABCFallWinterLate winterSpringLate springSummerCBSFoxNBCFallSummerMid-summerUPNFallWinterSpringSummer
Roseanne*Life's Work*Home Improvement (9/14.0)*Spin City* (17/11.7)NYPD Blue (13/12.5)
Ellen (R)
*The Practice*
Home Improvement (R)*Soul Man*NYPD Blue (13/12.5)
Roseanne*Life's Work*
Grace Under Fire (R)
*Promised Land*CBS Tuesday Movie
Fox Tuesday Night MovieLocal programming
Mad About You (23/11.0)
(Tied with Walker, Texas Ranger, Caroline in the City and The NBC Monday Movie)*Something So Right*Frasier (16/11.8)Caroline in the City (23/11.0)
(Tied with Walker, Texas Ranger Mad About You and The NBC Monday Movie)Dateline Tuesday (20/11.4)
The Naked Truth (R)
NewsRadio (R)*Just Shoot Me!* (R)
Moesha*Homeboys in Outer Space**The Burning Zone*Local programming
*Social Studies*
*Homeboys in Outer Space*
*Social Studies* (R)*Malcolm & Eddie* (R)In the House (R)

Wednesday

Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABCFallWinterLate winterSpringCBSFallMid-fallWinterLate winterSpringLate springSummerFoxFallWinterSpringSummerNBCFallMid-fallWinterLate winterSpringMid-springSummerMid-summerLate summerUPNThe WBFallWinterSpringSummerMid-summerLate summer
Ellen (29/10.6)*Townies*Grace Under FireThe Drew Carey Show (18/11.5)
(Tied with The NBC Sunday Night Movie)Primetime Live (15/11.9)
Grace Under FireCoachThe Drew Carey Show (18/11.5)
(Tied with The NBC Sunday Night Movie)Ellen (29/10.6)
*Arsenio*
Ellen (29/10.6)
The NannyAlmost PerfectCBS Wednesday Movie
*Pearl*
*Coast to Coast**Orleans*
*Temporarily Yours**Feds**EZ Streets*
Various programmingCBS Wednesday Movie
*Pearl*
Murphy Brown (R)*Coast to Coast*48 Hours
Beverly Hills, 90210Party of FiveLocal programming
*Pacific Palisades*
Special programming
WingsThe John Larroquette ShowNewsRadio*Men Behaving Badly*Law & Order (27/10.8)
(Tied with 3rd Rock from the Sun)
Various programming
*Chicago Sons*
NewsRadioWings*Just Shoot Me!**Prince Street*
The Single Guy (8/14.1)*Men Behaving Badly*Law & Order (27/10.8)
(Tied with 3rd Rock from the Sun)
Various programming
*Men Behaving Badly*NBA on NBC
Various programmingWings*Chicago Sons*Law & Order (27/10.8)
(Tied with 3rd Rock from the Sun)
NBC Wednesday Night Movie
The SentinelStar Trek: VoyagerLocal programming
Sister, Sister*Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher*The Wayans Bros.*The Jamie Foxx Show*
*Smart Guy**The Jamie Foxx Show*The Wayans Bros.
The Parent 'Hood (R)
*The Steve Harvey Show* (R)
*Smart Guy*The Wayans Bros.*The Steve Harvey Show* (R)

Note: On CBS, due to the effect of the debut delay of Ink on Monday, the first month of the new season on this night aired Almost Perfect at 8:30 p.m., followed by CBS Wednesday Movies at 9 p.m. The originally planned fall Wednesday lineup took shape at the end of October with Pearl taking over at 8:30 p.m., Almost Perfect moving to 9 p.m., Public Morals debuting at 9:30 p.m., and EZ Streets debuting at 10 p.m. This lasted for only one week in late October. CBS cancelled Public Morals after it aired for only one episode. This meant Almost Perfect would soon be cancelled. EZ Streets would be given a 2nd chance in the spring.

Thursday

Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABCFallWinterLate winterSummerCBSFallSummerFoxNBCFallWinterLate winterSpringLate springSummer
High IncidentMurder OneTurning Point
The ABC Thursday Night Movie
*Vital Signs*Turning Point
Turning PointABC News programming
Diagnosis: Murder*Moloney*48 Hours
*Promised Land* (R)Diagnosis: Murder (R)
MartinLiving SingleNew York UndercoverLocal programming
Friends (4/16.8)
(Tied with The Naked Truth)The Single Guy (8/14.1)Seinfeld (2/20.5)*Suddenly Susan* (3/17.0)ER (1/21.2)
The Naked Truth (4/16.8)
(Tied with Friends)
*Suddenly Susan* (3/17.0)Law & Order (27/10.8)
(Tied with 3rd Rock from the Sun)
*Fired Up* (6/16.5)ER (1/21.2)
*Men Behaving Badly* (R)*Suddenly Susan* (R)
3rd Rock from the Sun (R)

Friday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallMid-fallLate WinterSpringSummerCBSFallLate fallWinterSpringLate springSummerFoxFallMid-fallNBCFallWinterSpringLate springSummer
Family Matters*Sabrina the Teenage Witch**Clueless*Boy Meets World20/20 (12/12.8)
Boy Meets World*Sabrina the Teenage Witch**Clueless*
Step by Step
Step by Step*Clueless* (R)
Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
Dave's World*Everybody Loves Raymond**Mr. & Mrs. Smith*Nash Bridges
Special programming
JAG
JAG*Orleans*
Dave's World*Life... and Stuff*JAG (R)
*Ordinary Extraordinary*
SlidersThe X-Files (21/11.4)
(Tied with Cosby)Local programming
*Millennium*
Unsolved MysteriesDateline NBC (30/10.5)
(Tied with Chicago Hope and Cybill)Homicide: Life on the Street
*Crisis Center*
Homicide: Life on the Street
*Profiler* (R)
Homicide: Life on the Street (R)

Note: CBS picked up JAG after NBC cancelled it due to low ratings and it became a success afterwards.

This is the last season of Family Matters and Step by Step and the only season of Clueless to air on ABC's TGIF block, until the following season, the former two shows were picked up by CBS and Clueless moved to UPN on Tuesdays.

Saturday

Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABCFallMid-fallWinterSpringLate springSummerCBSFoxFallMid-fallNBCFallSpringSummer
Second NoahCoach*Common Law**Relativity*
The ABC Saturday Night Movie
*Dangerous Minds*The ABC Saturday Night Movie
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman*Leaving L.A.**Gun*
Family Matters (R)Hangin' with Mr. Cooper*Dangerous Minds* (R)*Spy Game*
Special programming*The Practice* (R)
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman*Early Edition*Walker, Texas Ranger (23/11.0)
(Tied with Mad About You, Caroline in the City
and The NBC Monday Movie)
COPSCOPS (R)Married... with Children*Love and Marriage*Local programming
*America's Most Wanted:
America Fights Back*
*Dark Skies**The Pretender**Profiler*
Special programming
*The Pretender**NBC Saturday Night At The Movies*

Note: America's Most Wanted would return in November at 9:00 on Fox. Married... with Children moved to Sundays at 7-8pm in November, Mondays at 9:30 in January, and Mondays at 9pm in February. Lawless which aired on March 27, 1997, replacing the second half of America's Most Wanted was canceled after one episode.

By network

[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]

;Returning series

  • 20/20
  • The ABC Monday Night Movie
  • The ABC Sunday Night Movie
  • The ABC Saturday Night Movie
  • The ABC Thursday Night Movie
  • America's Funniest Home Videos
  • Boy Meets World
  • Coach
  • The Drew Carey Show
  • Ellen
  • Family Matters
  • Grace Under Fire
  • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper
  • High Incident
  • Home Improvement
  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
  • Monday Night Football
  • Murder One
  • NYPD Blue
  • Primetime Live
  • Roseanne
  • Second Noah
  • Step by Step
  • Turning Point

;New series

  • Arsenio
  • Clueless
  • Common Law
  • Dangerous Minds
  • Gun
  • Leaving L.A.
  • Life's Work
  • The Practice
  • Relativity
  • Sabrina the Teenage Witch
  • Soul Man
  • Spin City
  • Spy Game
  • Townies
  • Vital Signs

;Canceled/Ended

  • Aliens in the Family
  • Before They Were Stars
  • Buddies
  • Champs
  • Charlie Grace
  • The Commish
  • The Dana Carvey Show
  • The Faculty
  • Hudson Street
  • The Jeff Foxworthy Show (moved to NBC)
  • The Marshal
  • Maybe This Time
  • The Monroes
  • Muppets Tonight
  • The Naked Truth (moved to NBC)
  • World's Funniest Videos

[[CBS]]

;Returning series

  • 48 Hours
  • 60 Minutes
  • Almost Perfect
  • CBS Sunday Movie
  • Chicago Hope
  • Cybill
  • Dave's World
  • Diagnosis Murder
  • Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
  • JAG (moved from NBC)
  • Murphy Brown
  • The Nanny
  • Nash Bridges
  • Touched by an Angel
  • Walker, Texas Ranger

;New series

  • Cosby
  • Early Edition
  • Everybody Loves Raymond
  • EZ Streets
  • Feds
  • Ink
  • Life... and Stuff
  • Mr. & Mrs. Smith
  • Moloney
  • Orleans
  • Pearl
  • Promised Land
  • Public Morals
  • Temporarily Yours

;Canceled/Ended

  • American Gothic
  • Bless This House
  • The Bonnie Hunt Show
  • Can't Hurry Love
  • Central Park West
  • The Client
  • Courthouse
  • Due South
  • Dweebs
  • High Society
  • The Louie Show
  • Matt Waters
  • Murder, She Wrote
  • My Guys
  • Picket Fences
  • Rescue 911
  • New York News

[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]

;Returning series

  • America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back
  • Beverly Hills, 90210
  • Cops
  • Fox Tuesday Night Movie
  • Living Single
  • Married... with Children
  • Martin
  • Melrose Place
  • Ned and Stacey
  • New York Undercover
  • Party of Five
  • The Simpsons
  • Sliders
  • The X-Files

;New series

  • Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction
  • Big Deal
  • King of the Hill
  • Lawless
  • Love and Marriage
  • Lush Life
  • Millennium
  • Pacific Palisades
  • Party Girl
  • Pauly
  • Roar

;Canceled/Ended

  • The Crew
  • Encounters: The Hidden Truth
  • Kindred: The Embraced
  • L.A. Firefighters
  • The Last Frontier
  • Local Heroes
  • Misery Loves Company
  • Partners
  • The Preston Episodes
  • Profit
  • Saturday Night Special
  • The Show
  • Space: Above and Beyond
  • Strange Luck
  • Too Something
  • What's So Funny?

[[NBC]]

;Returning series

  • 3rd Rock from the Sun
  • Boston Common
  • Caroline in the City
  • Dateline NBC
  • ER
  • Frasier
  • Friends
  • Homicide: Life on the Street
  • The Jeff Foxworthy Show (moved from ABC)
  • The John Larroquette Show
  • Law & Order
  • Mad About You
  • The Naked Truth (moved from ABC)
  • NBC Sunday Night Movie
  • The NBC Monday Movie
  • NewsRadio
  • Seinfeld
  • The Single Guy
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Wings

;New series

  • Chicago Sons
  • Crisis Center
  • Dark Skies
  • Fired Up
  • Just Shoot Me!
  • Men Behaving Badly
  • Mr. Rhodes
  • The Pretender
  • NBC Saturday Night At The Movies
  • Prince Street
  • Profiler
  • Something So Right
  • Suddenly Susan

;Canceled/Ended

  • Brotherly Love (moved to The WB)
  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (returning on HBO Max in 2020)
  • The Home Court
  • Hope and Gloria
  • In the House (moved to UPN)
  • JAG (moved to CBS)
  • Malibu Shores
  • The Pursuit of Happiness
  • seaQuest 2032
  • Sisters

[[UPN]]

;Returning series

  • In the House (moved from NBC)
  • Moesha
  • The Sentinel
  • Star Trek: Voyager

;New series

  • The Burning Zone
  • Goode Behavior
  • Homeboys in Outer Space
  • Malcolm & Eddie
  • Social Studies
  • Sparks

;Canceled/Ended

  • Deadly Games
  • Live Shot
  • Minor Adjustments
  • Nowhere Man
  • The Paranormal Borderline
  • Swift Justice

[[The WB]]

;Returning series

  • Brotherly Love (moved from NBC)
  • Kirk
  • The Parent 'Hood
  • Savannah
  • Sister, Sister
  • Unhappily Ever After
  • The Wayans Bros.

;New series

  • 7th Heaven
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • The Jamie Foxx Show
  • Life with Roger
  • Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher
  • Smart Guy
  • The Steve Harvey Show

;Canceled/Ended

  • Cleghorne!
  • First Time Out
  • Pinky and the Brain (moved to Kids' WB in daytime)
  • Simon

References

References

  1. Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by [[Nielsen Media Research]] and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows'' (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. {{ISBN. 978-0-345-49773-4.
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