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1978–79 United States network television schedule

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The following is the 1978–79 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1978 through August 1979. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1977–78 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.

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

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

: Lime indicates the number-one watched program for the season. : Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season. : Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season. : Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season.

Other Legend

  • Light blue indicates local programming.
  • Gray indicates shows repeats or 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.

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

Sunday

Network7:00 PM7:30 PM8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallWinterSpringMid-springSummerCBSFallMid-fallWinterSpringSummerMid-summerNBCFallWinterSpringSummer
*The Hardy Boys****Battlestar Galactica***
***The Osmond Family Hour***
***Friends***
***The Osmond Family Hour***
***Salvage 1*** (R)
***Mary****All in the Family* (9/25.2)*Alice* (13/23.8)***Kaz***
*All in the Family* (9/25.2)*Alice* (13/23.8)***Kaz****Dallas*
*One Day at a Time* (18/21.6)
(Tied with *Soap*)*Alice* (13/23.8)***Just Friends*** (23/20.7)
(Tied with *Vega$* and the *CBS Sunday Night Movie*)***The Mary Tyler Moore Hour***
*The Jeffersons* (R)*Moses the Lawgiver* (R)
***Kaz***
*The Wonderful World of Disney**The Big Event****Lifeline***
*Weekend*

Notes: On CBS, the premiere (and only) episode of Co-Ed Fever aired on February 4 from 10:30 to 11:00 p.m., after which the show was cancelled. Moses the Lawgiver was a rerun of the 1975 miniseries. Mr. Dugan was supposed to premiere March 11, 1979 between All in the Family and Alice but due to black Congressmembers' criticism of it after a preview for them, the show was never broadcast. On NBC, the Centennial miniseries aired as part of The Big Event; the show itself reached #28 at the end of the season, with 20.3 rating.

Monday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallMid-fallWinterSpringSummerCBSFallMid-fallWinterSpringSummerNBC
*Welcome Back, Kotter**Operation Petticoat**Monday Night Football*
*Lucan*
***Salvage 1****How the West Was Won*
*Monday Night Baseball*
***WKRP in Cincinnati******People****M*A*S*H* (7/25.4)*One Day at a Time* (18/21.6)
(Tied with *Soap*)*Lou Grant*
***The White Shadow***
***Billy******Flatbush******WKRP in Cincinnati***
***The White Shadow***
*Little House on the Prairie* (14/23.3)

Tuesday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallWinterSpringSummerCBSNBCFallWinterSpringSummer
*Happy Days* (3/29.1)*Laverne & Shirley* (1/30.6)*Three's Company* (2/30.2)***Taxi*** (11/24.9)
(Tied with *Eight is Enough*)*Starsky & Hutch*
***The Ropers*** (6/25.6)***[13 Queens Boulevard](13-queens-boulevard)*** (26/20.5)
(Tied with *Barnaby Jones*)
***Detective School***
***The Paper Chase****CBS Tuesday Night Movie*
***Grandpa Goes to Washington****The Big Event*
***Cliffhangers***
*The Runaways*

Wednesday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCCBSFallMid-fallWinterMid-winterSpringMid-springSummerMid-summerNBCFallWinterSpringSummerMid-summer
*Eight Is Enough* (11/24.9)
(Tied with *Taxi*)*Charlie's Angels* (10/25.0)***Vega$*** (23/20.7)
(Tied with *Just Friends* and the *CBS Sunday Night Movie*)
*The Jeffersons****In the Beginning****CBS Wednesday Night Movie*
*Good Times*
*The Incredible Hulk**One Day at a Time* (18/21.6)
(Tied with *Soap*)*The Jeffersons****Kaz***
*The Amazing Spider-Man*
***Married: The First Year***
*The Jeffersons****Miss Winslow and Son******Dear Detective***
*All in the Family* (R)*Good Times**CBS Wednesday Night Movie*
***Dorothy******Hanging In***
***Dick Clark's Live Wednesday****NBC Wednesday Night at the Movies*
***Supertrain******NBC Novels for Television***
***Real People***
*Laugh-In* (R)Various programming
***Real People***

Notes: The Wheels segment of NBC Novels for Television was a rerun of the 1978 miniseries. Laugh-In consisted of reruns of the 1977 television series.

Thursday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallWinterSpringMid-springSummerCBSFallWinterSpringMid-springSummerNBCFallMid-fallWinterLate winterSpringMid-springSummerMid-summer
***Mork & Mindy*** (4/28.5)*What's Happening!!* (29/20.1)
(Tied with *CHiPs*)*Barney Miller* (15/22.8)*Soap* (18/21.6)
(Tied with *One Day at a Time*)*Family*
***Angie*** (5/27.1)
***Doctors' Private Lives***
*Family*
*[20/20](20-20-american-tv-program)*
*The Waltons**Hawaii Five-O**Barnaby Jones* (26/20.5)
(Tied with *[13 Queens Boulevard](13-queens-boulevard)*)
***The Chisholms***
***Time Express***
*The Waltons*
*Project U.F.O.**Quincy, M.E.****W.E.B.***
***David Cassidy: Man Undercover***
***Little Women******Mrs. Columbo***
***Harris and Company***
***Whodunnit?******Highcliffe Manor******Presenting Susan Anton***
***Hizzonner******Whodunnit?***
***Comedy Theatre******NBC Novels for Television***
*Project U.F.O.****David Cassidy: Man Undercover***

Notes: Mork & Mindy had a one-hour premiere on September 14, 1978.

Comedy Theatre, an anthology series of unsold television pilots for situation comedies last seen in the summer of 1976, returned for its second and last season.

The NBC Novels for Television segment The Innocent and the Damned was a rerun of the 1977 television miniseries Aspen.

Coasttocoast was supposed to air Thursdays 10:00-11:00PM, but NBC's new boss, Fred Silverman, canceled the show.

Friday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallWinterSpringMid-springSummerCBSFallWinterSpringSummerNBCFallMid-fallWinterMid-winterLate winterSpringSummerLate summer
*Donny & Marie**The ABC Friday Night Movie*
***Makin' It****What's Happening!!* (29/20.1)
(Tied with *CHiPs*)
*Family*
***The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove***
*Operation Petticoat* (R)*Welcome Back, Kotter* (R)
*The New Adventures of Wonder Woman**The Incredible Hulk****Flying High***
***The Dukes of Hazzard*** (20/21.1)*Dallas*
*The Incredible Hulk*
***The Waverly Wonders******Who's Watching the Kids?****The Rockford Files****The Eddie Capra Mysteries***
***Diff'rent Strokes***
*Joe & Valerie*
***Brothers and Sisters******Turnabout******Hello, Larry******$weepstake$***
***Hello, Larry******Brothers and Sisters******Turnabout***
*The Rockford Files****The Duke***
***The Eddie Capra Mysteries***
***Hello, Larry******The Facts of Life***Various programming

Saturday

Network8:00 PM8:30 PM9:00 PM9:30 PM10:00 PM10:30 PMABCFallMid-fallWinterSpringSummerLate summerCBSFallWinterSpringSummerNBCFallWinterSpringSummer
*Carter Country****Apple Pie****The Love Boat* (17/22.1)*Fantasy Island* (22/20.8)
*Welcome Back, Kotter**Carter Country*
***Delta House****Welcome Back, Kotter*
*What's Happening!!* (29/20.1)
(Tied with *CHiPs*)***Delta House***
***Battlestar Galactica*** (R)
***Carol Burnett & Company***
*Rhoda**Good Times****The American Girls****Dallas*
***The White Shadow****CBS Saturday Movie*
***The Bad News Bears******Billy***
*CHiPs* (29/20.1)
(Tied with *What's Happening!!*)Various programming***Sword of Justice***
***B. J. and the Bear****The Rockford Files*
***Supertrain***

By network

[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]

Returning Series

  • 20/20
  • The ABC Friday Night Movie
  • The ABC Sunday Night Movie
  • Barney Miller
  • Carter Country
  • Charlie's Angels
  • Donny & Marie
  • Eight Is Enough
  • Family
  • Fantasy Island
  • Happy Days
  • The Hardy Boys
  • How the West Was Won
  • Laverne & Shirley
  • Lucan
  • The Love Boat
  • Monday Night Baseball
  • Monday Night Football
  • Operation Petticoat
  • Soap
  • Starsky & Hutch
  • Three's Company
  • Welcome Back, Kotter
  • What's Happening!!

New Series

  • 13 Queens Boulevard *
  • Angie *
  • Apple Pie
  • Battlestar Galactica
  • Carol Burnett & Company *
  • Delta House *
  • Detective School *
  • Doctors' Private Lives *
  • Friends *
  • The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove *
  • Makin' It *
  • Mork & Mindy
  • The Ropers *
  • Salvage 1 *
  • Taxi
  • Vega$

Not returning from 1977–78:

  • The ABC Monday Night Movie
  • Baretta
  • Fish
  • Free Country
  • The Harvey Korman Show
  • A.E.S. Hudson Street
  • Having Babies
  • Mel & Susan Together
  • The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour
  • The San Pedro Beach Bums
  • The Six Million Dollar Man
  • Sugar Time!
  • Tabitha

[[CBS]]

Returning Series

  • 60 Minutes
  • Alice
  • All in the Family
  • The Amazing Spider-Man
  • Barnaby Jones
  • Dallas
  • Good Times
  • Hawaii Five-O
  • The Incredible Hulk
  • The Jeffersons
  • Lou Grant
  • MASH*
  • One Day at a Time
  • The New Adventures of Wonder Woman
  • Rhoda
  • The Waltons

New Series

  • The American Girls
  • The Bad News Bears *
  • Billy *
  • The Chisholms *
  • Dear Detective *
  • Dorothy *
  • The Dukes of Hazzard *
  • Flatbush *
  • Flying High
  • Hanging In *
  • In the Beginning
  • Just Friends *
  • Kaz
  • Married: The First Year
  • Mary
  • The Mary Tyler Moore Hour *
  • Miss Winslow and Son *
  • The Paper Chase
  • Time Express *
  • The White Shadow
  • WKRP in Cincinnati

Not returning from 1977–78:

  • Another Day
  • Baby I'm Back
  • The Betty White Show
  • The Bob Newhart Show
  • Busting Loose
  • The Carol Burnett Show
  • Celebrity Challenge of the Sexes
  • The Fitzpatricks
  • Husbands, Wives & Lovers
  • Kojak
  • Logan's Run
  • Maude
  • On Our Own
  • Rafferty
  • Sam
  • The Shields and Yarnell Show
  • Switch
  • Szysznyk
  • The Ted Knight Show
  • The Tony Randall Show
  • We've Got Each Other
  • Young Dan'l Boone

[[NBC]]

Returning Series

  • The Big Event
  • CHiPs
  • Comedy Theatre (returning from 1976)
  • Joe & Valerie
  • Laugh-In
  • Little House on the Prairie
  • NBC Monday Night at the Movies
  • Project U.F.O.
  • Quincy, M.E.
  • The Rockford Files
  • The Runaways
  • Weekend
  • The Wonderful World of Disney

New Series

  • B. J. and the Bear *
  • Brothers and Sisters *
  • Cliffhangers *
  • David Cassidy: Man Undercover
  • Dick Clark's Live Wednesday
  • Diff'rent Strokes
  • The Duke *
  • The Eddie Capra Mysteries
  • Grandpa Goes to Washington
  • Harris and Company *
  • Hello, Larry *
  • Highcliffe Manor *
  • Hizzonner *
  • Lifeline
  • Kate Loves a Mystery *
  • Presenting Susan Anton *
  • Real People *
  • Supertrain *
  • $weepstake$ *
  • Sword of Justice
  • Turnabout *
  • W.E.B.
  • The Waverly Wonders
  • Who's Watching the Kids
  • Whodunnit? *

Not returning from 1977–78:

  • Black Sheep Squadron
  • Big Hawaii
  • The Bionic Woman
  • Chico and the Man
  • Chuck Barris Rah Rah Show
  • Columbo
  • C.P.O. Sharkey
  • The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour
  • James at 15
  • The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams
  • Man from Atlantis
  • Mulligan's Stew
  • The Oregon Trail
  • Police Woman
  • Quark
  • The Richard Pryor Show
  • Richie Brockelman, Private Eye
  • Rollergirls
  • Rosetti and Ryan
  • Sanford Arms
  • What Really Happened to the Class of '65?

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.

References

Additional sources

  • Castleman, H. & Podrazik, W. (1982). Watching TV: Four Decades of American Television. New York: McGraw-Hill. 314 pp.
  • McNeil, Alex. Total Television. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. .
  • Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1985). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. .

References

  1. (1979-06-18). "Rounding up the ratings for `the season'". [[Broadcasting & Cable.
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