TOP SHOW

1985-86 Television Season

The top five shows of 1985-86 were Dallas, Cheers, Murder, She Wrote, Family Ties, with the most popular being Cosby Show. A full five of the top 10 programs were on NBC - including the top two. This was a remarkable turnaround for a network that had only one in the top 20 as recently as the Fall '82 season. (See below for the list of the top 30 programs.)

Shows that began before 8:00 p.m. on Sunday include Punky Brewster, 60 Minutes, Silver Spoons, and Ripley's Believe It or Not. Select a show below to read all about it and to share your memories!

Prime Time TV Schedule for 1985-1986
		8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30
		Hardcastle & McCormick		Monday Night Football
		Scarecrow and Mrs. King		Kate & Allie	Newhart	Cagney & Lacey
		TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes		NBC Monday Night Movie
		Who's The Boss	Growing Pains	Moonlighting		Our Family Honor
		Hometown		CBS Tuesday Night Movie
		A-Team		Riptide		Remington Steele
		Insiders		Dynasty		Hotel
		Stir Crazy		Charlie & Company	George Burns Comedy Week	The Equalizer
		Highway to Heaven		Hell Town		St. Elsewhere
		Fall Guy		Lady Blue		20-20
		Magnum P.I.		Simon & Simon		Knots Landing
		Cosby Show	Family Ties	Cheers	Night Court	Hill Street Blues
		Webster	Mr. Belvedere	Diff'rent Strokes	Benson	Spenser: For Hire
		Twilight Zone		Dallas		Falcon Crest
		Knight Rider		Misfits of Science		Miami Vice
		Hollywood Beat		Lime Street		Love Boat
		Airwolf		CBS Saturday Movie
		Gimme a Break	Facts of Life	Golden Girls	227	Hunter
		MacGyver		ABC Sunday Night Movie
		Murder, She Wrote		Crazy Like a Fox		Trapper John, M.D.
		Amazing Stories	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	NBC Sunday Night Movie
		8:00	8:30	9:00	9:30	10:00	10:30

Note: Television seasons have generally begun in September of each year. And new shows often do not last the entire season. The shows below began the new season but did not necessarily run all the way through to summer reruns.
- Indicates show began before the time period indicated. 

1985-86 Ratings