- Sunday
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- By network ABC CBS NBC
- References
{{USTV|1986}}This was the United States television schedule on all three commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1986. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football. Although FOX debuted as a channel in fall 1986, its first fall season was not until 1987. PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation but the schedule was set by each local station. New series are highlighted in bold. All times given are in U.S. Eastern Time and Pacific Time (except for some live events or specials). Subtract one hour for Central and Mountain times. Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1] {{Color box|yellow|border=darkgray}} Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season. {{Color box|cyan|border=darkgray}} Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season. {{Color box|magenta|border=darkgray}} Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season. 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 |
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ABC | The Disney Sunday Movie | The ABC Sunday Night Movie |
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CBS | Fall | 60 Minutes (#6/23.3) | Murder, She Wrote (#4/25.4) | CBS Sunday Movie (#15/18.6) (Tied with Matlock and The NBC Monday Movie) |
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Mid-season | Designing Women | Nothing is Easy | Hard Copy |
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Spring | CBS Sunday Movie (#15/18.6) (Tied with Matlock and The NBC Monday Movie) |
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Fox | Spring (began April 5) | 21 Jump Street | Married... with Children | The Tracey Ullman Show | Mr. President | Duet | Local Programming |
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Summer | Duet |
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NBC | Fall | Our House | Easy Street | Valerie | NBC Sunday Night at the Movies (#20/18.2) |
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Spring | Rags to Riches |
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Summer | Family Ties (#2/32.7) | Specials |
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Monday Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
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ABC | Fall | MacGyver | Monday Night Football (#18/18.4) |
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Mid-season | The ABC Monday Night Movie |
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Summer | Monday Night Baseball |
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CBS | Fall | Kate & Allie (#19/18.3) | My Sister Sam (#21/17.4) (Tied with L.A. Law) | Newhart (#12/19.5) | Designing Women | Cagney & Lacey |
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Follow-up | The Cavanaughs |
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Spring | Designing Women |
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NBC | Fall | ALF (#28/16.5) (Tied with Hunter) | Amazing Stories | NBC Monday Night at the Movies (#15/18.6) (Tied with Matlock and The CBS Sunday Movie) |
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Spring | Valerie |
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Tuesday Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
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ABC | Fall | Who's the Boss? (#10/22.0) | Growing Pains (#8/22.7) | Moonlighting (#9/22.4) | Jack and Mike |
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Spring | Max Headroom |
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Summer | Jack and Mike |
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CBS | Fall | The Wizard | CBS Tuesday Night Movie |
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Mid-season | Spies |
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Spring | West 57th |
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Summer | The Wizard |
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Follow-up | Simon & Simon | Houston Knights | Night Heat |
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NBC | Fall | Matlock (#15/18.6) (Tied with The CBS Sunday Movie and The NBC Monday Movie) | Crime Story | 1986 |
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Follow-up | Hill Street Blues |
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Mid-season | Remington Steele |
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Spring | Gimme a Break! | Easy Street | Hill Street Blues |
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Follow-up | The Tortellis |
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Summer | NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies |
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Wednesday Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
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ABC | Fall | Perfect Strangers | Head of the Class (#30/16.4) | Dynasty (#24/17.2) (Tied with Highway to Heaven) | Hotel |
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Spring | Harry |
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Follow-up | Head of the Class (#30/16.4) | Mariah |
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Summer | MacGyver | Hotel |
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CBS | Fall | Together We Stand | Better Days | Magnum, P.I. | The Equalizer |
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Follow-up | The New Mike Hammer |
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Spring | Houston Knights |
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Follow-up | Roxie | Take Five |
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Follow-up | The New Mike Hammer |
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Summer | The Equalizer |
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NBC | Fall | Highway to Heaven (#24/17.2) (Tied with Dynasty) | Gimme a Break! | You Again? | St. Elsewhere |
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Winter | The Tortellis |
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Spring | Night Court (#7/23.2) | Easy Street | The Bronx Zoo |
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Thursday Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
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ABC | Fall | Our World | The Colbys | 20/20 |
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Spring | Jack and Mike |
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Summer | Heart of the City |
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Follow-up | Starman | Our World |
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Follow-up | Sledge Hammer! | The Charmings |
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CBS | Fall | Simon & Simon | Knots Landing (#26/16.8) (Tied with Miami Vice) | Kay O'Brien |
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Follow-up | The Twilight Zone | Simon & Simon | Designing Women | Knots Landing (#26/16.8) (Tied with Miami Vice) |
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Mid-season | Shell Game | Simon & Simon |
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Follow-up | The Wizard |
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Summer | Scarecrow and Mrs. King |
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Follow-up | CBS Thursday Night Movie |
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NBC | Fall | The Cosby Show (#1/34.9) | Family Ties (#2/32.7) | Cheers (#3/27.2) | Night Court (#7/23.2) | Hill Street Blues |
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Follow-up | L.A. Law (#21/17.4) (Tied with My Sister Sam) |
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Spring | Nothing in Common |
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Summer | The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd |
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Friday Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
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ABC | Fall | Webster | Mr. Belvedere | Sidekicks | Sledge Hammer! | Starman |
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Follow-up | Dads | Gung Ho |
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Follow-up | Gung Ho | Dads |
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Mid-season | The ABC Friday Night Movie |
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Follow-up | The Charmings | Webster |
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Summer | Sledge Hammer! | Mr. Belvedere |
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Follow-up | Webster |
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CBS | Fall | Scarecrow and Mrs. King | Dallas (#11/21.3) | Falcon Crest (#23/17.3) |
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Spring | Nothing Is Easy | The Popcorn Kid |
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Summer | CBS Summer Playhouse |
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NBC | Fall | The A-Team | Miami Vice (#26/16.8) (Tied with Knots Landing) | L.A. Law (#21/17.4) (Tied with My Sister Sam) |
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Follow-up | Crime Story |
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Follow-up | Stingray |
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Spring | Roomies | Amazing Stories |
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Summer | Stingray |
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Saturday Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
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ABC | Fall | Life With Lucy | The Ellen Burstyn Show | Heart of the City | For Hire |
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Follow-up | Sidekicks | Sledge Hammer! |
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Mid-season | Ohara |
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Follow-up | Starman |
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Summer | Webster | The ABC Saturday Night Movie |
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Follow-up | Animal Crack-Ups | The Ellen Burstyn Show | The ABC Saturday Night Movie |
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CBS | Fall | Downtown | The New Mike Hammer | The Twilight Zone |
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Follow-up | The CBS Saturday Night Movie |
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Mid-season | Outlaws |
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Summer | The CBS Saturday Night Movie | West 57th |
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Fox | Summer (started Jul. 11) | Down and Out in Beverly Hills | The New Adventures of Beans Baxter | Werewolf | Karen's Song | Local Programming |
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Follow-up | Werewolf | Down and Out in Beverly Hills |
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NBC | Fall | The Facts of Life | 227 (#14/18.9) | The Golden Girls (#5/24.5) | Amen (#13/19.4) | Hunter (#28/16.5) (Tied with ALF) |
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Spring | Sweet Surrender |
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Summer | 227 (#14/18.9) | Me & Mrs. C |
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Follow-up | The Facts of Life | 227 (#14/18.9) |
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By networkABC{{col-begin}}{{col-3}}Returning Series- 20/20
- The Colbys
- The Disney Sunday Movie
- Dynasty
- Growing Pains
- Hotel
- MacGyver
- Mr. Belvedere
- Monday Night Football
- Moonlighting
- Perfect Strangers
- For Hire
- Webster
- Who's the Boss?
{{col-3}}New Series- 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
{{col-3}}Not Returning From 1985-86- Benson
- Diff'rent Strokes
- The Fall Guy
- Hardcastle and McCormick
- Hollywood Beat
- Lady Blue
- Lime Street
- The Love Boat
- Our Family Honor
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- Shadow Chasers
- The Insiders
{{col-end}}+ Animal Crack-Ups had a short run in prime time before moving to Saturday mornings in the fall of 1987. CBS{{col-begin}}{{col-3}}Returning Series- 60 Minutes
- Cagney & Lacey
- 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
{{col-3}}New Series- Better Days
- The Cavanaughs
- 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
{{col-3}}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.
{{col-end}}+ This was a revival of the 1984-1985 series following star Stacy Keach's release from prison on drug charges. NBC{{col-begin}}{{col-3}}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
- Night Court
- Remington Steele
- St. Elsewhere
- Stingray
- Valerie
- You Again?
{{col-3}}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
{{col-3}}Not Returning From 1985-86- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
- 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
{{col-end}}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. References1. ^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}}.
{{US TV schedule}}{{DEFAULTSORT:1986-87 United States network television schedule}} 3 : United States primetime network television schedules|1986 in American television|1987 in American television |