The following is the 1951–52 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1951 through March 1952. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1950–51 season. This was the first television season of national network interconnection by coaxial cable and microwave, meaning programming could be transmitted live coast-to-coast (or in the case of filmed programs, distributed simultaneously across the country) if needed.

On Sunday nights, NBC experimented with airing its new comedy-variety program Chesterfield Sound-off Time (featuring Bob Hope, Fred Allen and Jerry Lester as rotating hosts) in an early evening timeslot, 7:00–7:30. Previously, network TV variety programs had only been aired during late evening hours; NBC had experimented with a late-night show, Broadway Open House, with Lester as host the previous season, but that show was not considered a success (it was replaced by the more generic Mary Kay's Nightcap this season). According to television historians Castleman and Podrazik (1982), the experiment was designed to "duplicate the early-evening radio success of Jack Benny". (Benny himself would appear on rival network CBS's The Jack Benny Program immediately following Chesterfield Sound-off Time). Red Skelton also made his network television debut on NBC's Sunday night schedule this season, but long-term success eluded him until after he moved to CBS in the fall of 1953.

Although most TV programming was live, both CBS and NBC also experimented in filmed series; Castleman and Podrazik highlight early filmed hits I Love Lucy on CBS and Dragnet on NBC. Dragnet was "one of NBC's first major experiments in filmed TV series"; the series was added to NBC's regular network schedule in January 1952, after a "preview" on Chesterfield Sound-off Time in December 1951. I Love Lucy was given what historians have called a "choice time slot": Monday night immediately following the number one program on television: Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. The series "proved the strength and acceptability of TV sitcoms, giving [CBS] a strong weapon against NBC's flashy comedy-variety hours".

DuMont, too, avoided flashy comedy series when in February 1952, in desperation the network added Bishop Fulton Sheen's program, Life Is Worth Living, to its Tuesday night schedule. The religious series was pitted against NBC's hit program Texaco Star Theater, and became the surprise hit of the year, holding its own against Texaco host "Uncle Miltie", and attracting a sponsor, an Emmy, and 10 million viewers.Weinstein, D. (2004). The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television, p. 156–157. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. . The ABC and CBS programs which aired in the same time slot, Charlie Wild, Private Detective, and The Frank Sinatra Show (respectively), attracted relatively few viewers.

New fall series are highlighted in bold.

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

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.

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 ABC Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue Music in Velvet Admission Free Other Lands, Other People The Marshall Plan in Action Hour of Decision Youth on the March CBS The Gene Autry Show This Is Show Business Toast of the Town The Fred Waring Show Celebrity Time What's My Line? NBC Fall Chesterfield Sound-off Time Young Mr. Bobbin The Colgate Comedy Hour (5/45.3) The Philco Television Playhouse (12/40.4) / Goodyear Television Playhouse (16/37.8) The Red Skelton Show (4/50.2) Leave It to the Girls Summer The Big Payoff DMN Local Pentagon Rocky King, Inside Detective The Plainclothesman They Stand Accused

On CBS, The Jack Benny Show (9/42.8) aired as occasional specials once every six to eight weeks at 7:30-8:00 pm. On NBC, Hopalong Cassidy (28/32.2) aired 6–7 p.m. until December, when it was partly replaced by The Roy Rogers Show (27/32.7), airing 6:30–7 p.m.

Monday 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 ABC Fall After the Deadlines (7:00) / Local (7:15) Hollywood Screen Test The Amazing Mr. Malone / Mr. District Attorney Life Begins at Eighty Curtain Up The Bill Gwinn Show Studs' Place Spring Mr. District Attorney / Out of the Fog CBSFall Local Douglas Edwards with the News (7:30) / The Perry Como Show (7:45) Lux Video Theatre Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (1/53.8) I Love Lucy (3/50.9) It's News to Me Studio OneSpring Claudia NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) The Speidel Show/The Paul Winchell Show The Voice of Firestone Lights Out Robert Montgomery Presents (26/34.4) / Somerset Maugham TV Theatre Who Said That? Follow-up Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Bob and Ray (7:15) Spring Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00–7:15) Summer Summer Stock Theatre DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Stage Entrance The Johns Hopkins Science Review Wrestling from Columbia Park

Notes: On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952. In January 1952, The Speidel Show was renamed for its star, Paul Winchell, becoming The Paul Winchell Show.

Tuesday 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 ABC After the Deadlines (7:00) / Local (7:15) The Beulah Show Charlie Wild, Private Detective What Do You Think? United or Not On Trial Q.E.D. The Symphony CBS Local Douglas Edwards with the News (7:30) / The Stork Club (7:45) The Frank Sinatra Show Crime Syndicated / City Hospital Suspense Danger MLB NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie The Little Show (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) Texaco Star Theater (2/52.0) Fireside Theatre (7/43.1) Armstrong Circle Theatre (24/34.7) The Original Amateur Hour Follow-up Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Bob and Ray (7:15) SummerLocalBoss Lady DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local What's the Story Keep Posted Cosmopolitan Theatre Hands of Mystery Local Note: On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Wednesday 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 ABC After the Deadlines (7:00) / Local (7:15) Chance of a Lifetime Paul Dixon Show Don McNeill's TV Club / The Arthur Murray Party The Clock Celanese Theater / Pulitzer Prize Playhouse* CBS Local Douglas Edwards with the News (7:30) / The Perry Como Show (7:45) Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (6/43.3) Strike It Rich (25/34.5) The Web Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts (10:00) (17/37.5) / Sports Spot (10:45) NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie The Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) The Kate Smith Evening Hour Kraft Television Theatre (23/34.8) Break the Bank The Freddy Martin Show Follow-up Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Bob and Ray (7:15) Spring Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00–7:15) DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local The Gallery of Mme. Liu-Tsong Shadow of the Cloak Local Notes: On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

(*) From December 1951 to June 1952, these shows were 30 minutes, 10pm to 10:30pm ET

Thursday 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 ABC After the Deadlines (7:00) / Local (7:15) The Lone Ranger (18/36.8) Stop the Music Herb Shriner Time Gruen Guild Playhouse Paul Dixon Show Masland at Home Party (10:30) / The Carmel Myers Show (10:45) CBS Fall Local Douglas Edwards with the News (7:30) / The Stork Club (7:45) The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show / The Garry Moore Evening Show Amos 'n' Andy (13/38.9) The Alan Young Show (22/35.8) Big Town (15/38.5) Racket Squad (29/32.0)(Tied with Man Against Crime) Crime Photographer December The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show / Star of the Family June The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie The Little Show (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) You Bet Your Life (10/42.1) Treasury Men in Action Ford Festival (The James Melton Show) Martin Kane, Private Eye Wayne King November Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Bob and Ray (7:15) Winter Dragnet (20/36.3)(Tied with All-Star Revue) Local Spring Dragnet (20/36.3)(Tied with All-Star Revue) / Gangbusters (14/38.7) DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Georgetown University Forum Broadway to Hollywood – Headline Clues The Adventures of Ellery Queen Crawford Mystery Theatre The Bigelow Theatre Local (10:30) / Football This Week (10:45)

Notes: Wayne King was seen only on NBC's Midwest Network. On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Friday 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 ABC After the Deadlines (7:00) / Local (7:15) Life With Linkletter / Say It with Acting Mystery Theater The Stu Erwin Show* Crime with Father Tales of Tomorrow / Versatile Varieties* Hollywood Premiere Theatre / The Dell O'Dell Show Industries for America CBSFall The Stork Club Douglas Edwards with the News (7:30) / The Perry Como Show (7:45) Mama (11/41.3) Man Against Crime (29/32.0)(Tied with Racket Squad) Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Live Like a Millionaire Hollywood Opening NightSpringLocal My Friend Irma Schlitz Playhouse of Stars It's News to Me Police Story Presidential Timber NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie The Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) Quiz Kids We, the People The Big Story The Aldrich Family Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (10:00) (19/36.5) / Greatest Fights of the Century (10:45) Follow-up Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Bob and Ray (7:15) Spring Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00-7:15) DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Twenty Questions You Asked For It Down You Go Front Page Detective Cavalcade of Stars

Notes: Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt replaced Versatile Varieties on January 26, 1951.

On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

* also known as Trouble With Father

Saturday