1986–87 United States network television schedule

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.
• Lime highlights indicates the number-one most watched program of the season.
• 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.

Schedule

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

Sunday

Note:

• The "opening night" of the Fox network on April 5, 1987 featured the premieres of Married... with Children and The Tracey Ullman Show at 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. respectively, both shows being repeated twice. 21 Jump Street debuted on April 12 with two episodes airing back-to-back. Duet aired its first two episodes on April 19. Down and Out in Beverly Hills premiered on April 26, but was put on hiatus and eventually aired during the summer. Its slot was taken over by Mr. President, which premiered on May 3. Fox Night at the Movies aired on an irregular basis at 8 p.m. during the summer.
• Family Ties consisted of assorted repeats of previous seasons, with current reruns airing on the show's regular 8:30 p.m. Thursday night slot.

Monday

Tuesday

Note:

• Jack and Mike premiered with a 90-minute pilot on September 16 at 9 p.m.

Wednesday

Note:

• On CBS, Roxie and Take Five premiered on April 1, 1987 at 8 and 8:30 p.m. respectively, but were both cancelled after only two episodes.

Thursday

Note:

• Crime Story premiered with a two-hour pilot on September 18 at 9 p.m.

Friday

Saturday

Notes:

• The Fox network added its Saturday night line-up on July 11, 1987 with the two-hour premiere of Werewolf. The New Adventures of Beans Baxter and Karen's Song premiered on July 18 (the former with an hour-long episode), and Down and Out in Beverly Hills joined the line-up on July 25.
• Animal Crack-Ups was a "summer preview" of the Saturday morning series.

By network

[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]

Returning Series

• 20/20
• The ABC Friday Night Movie
• The ABC Monday Night Movie
• The ABC Saturday Night Movie
• The ABC Sunday Night Movie
• The Colbys
• The Disney Sunday Movie
• Dynasty
• Growing Pains
• Hotel
• MacGyver
• Mr. Belvedere
• Monday Night Baseball
• Monday Night Football
• Moonlighting
• Perfect Strangers
• Spenser: For Hire
• Webster
• Who's the Boss?

New Series

• The ABC Saturday Night Movie
• Animal Crack-Ups * +
• The Charmings *
• Dads *
• The Ellen Burstyn Show
• Gung Ho *
• Harry *
• Head of the Class
• Heart of the City
• Jack and Mike
• Life with Lucy
• Mariah
• Max Headroom *
• Ohara *
• Our World
• Sidekicks
• Sledge Hammer!
• Starman

Not returning from 1985–86:

• The ABC Thursday Night Movie
• Benson
• Diff'rent Strokes
• The Fall Guy
• Hardcastle and McCormick
• Hollywood Beat
• The Insiders
• Lady Blue
• Life's Most Embarrassing Moments
• Lime Street
• The Love Boat
• Our Family Honor
• The Redd Foxx Show
• Ripley's Believe It or Not!
• Shadow Chasers

• Animal Crack-Ups had a short run in prime time before moving to Saturday mornings in the fall of 1987.

[[CBS]]

Returning Series

• 60 Minutes
• Cagney & Lacey
• CBS Sunday Movie
• Dallas
• The Equalizer
• Falcon Crest
• Kate & Allie
• Knots Landing
• Magnum, P.I.
• The New Mike Hammer +
• Murder, She Wrote
• Newhart
• Scarecrow and Mrs. King
• Simon & Simon
• The Twilight Zone
• West 57th *

New Series

• Better Days
• The Cavanaughs *
• CBS Summer Playhouse *
• Designing Women
• Downtown
• Hard Copy *
• Houston Knights *
• Kay O'Brien
• My Sister Sam
• Outlaws *
• The Popcorn Kid *
• Roxie *
• Shell Game *
• Spies *
• Take Five *
• Together We Stand/Nothing Is Easy
• The Wizard

Not returning from 1985–86:

• Airwolf
• Bridges to Cross
• Charlie & Co.
• Crazy Like a Fox
• Fast Times
• Foley Square
• George Burns Comedy Week
• Hometown
• Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills
• Mary
• Melba
• Morningstar/Eveningstar
• Stir Crazy
• Tough Cookies
• Trapper John, M.D.

• This was a revival of the 1984–1985 series following star Stacy Keach's release from prison on drug charges.

[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]

New Series

• 21 Jump Street
• Down and Out in Beverly Hills
• Duet
• Fox Night at the Movies
• Karen's Song
• Married... with Children
• Mr. President
• The New Adventures of Beans Baxter
• The Tracey Ullman Show
• Werewolf

[[NBC]]

Returning Series

• 1986
• 227
• The A-Team
• Amazing Stories
• Cheers
• The Cosby Show
• The Facts of Life
• Family Ties
• Gimme a Break!
• The Golden Girls
• Highway to Heaven
• Hill Street Blues
• Hunter
• Me & Mrs. C *
• Miami Vice
• NBC Sunday Night Movie
• NBC Monday Night at the Movies
• Night Court
• Remington Steele *
• St. Elsewhere
• Stingray *
• Valerie
• You Again?

New Series

• ALF
• Amen
• The Bronx Zoo *
• Crime Story
• The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd *
• Easy Street
• L.A. Law
• Matlock
• Nothing in Common *
• Our House
• Rags to Riches *
• Roomies *
• Sweet Surrender *
• The Tortellis *

Not returning from 1985–86:

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Moved to USA Network)
• All Is Forgiven
• Blacke's Magic
• Fathers and Sons
• Hell Town
• Knight Rider
• The Last Precinct
• Misfits of Science
• Punky Brewster ^
• Riptide
• Silver Spoons ^
• TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason. An ^ indicates a show that continued in first-run syndication after the network cancelled it.

Notes

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.