The 1996–97 United States network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the primetime hours from September 1996 to August 1997. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 1995–96 season.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows released in May 1997 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. .
New series highlighted in bold.
Repeat airings or same-day rebroadcasts are indicated by .
All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian times.
All sporting events air live in all time zones in U.S. Eastern time, with local and/or late-night programming (including Fox affiliates during the 10 p.m. ET/PT hour) by affiliates after game completion.
The WB expanded three nights a week with the new Monday Night lineup for the first time from fall 1996.
Legend
Sunday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC FallAmerica's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home VideosLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanThe ABC Sunday Night Movie WinterLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanAmerica's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home Videos SpringAmerica's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home VideosABC News programming SummerSecond NoahAmerica's Funniest Home VideosAmerica's Funniest Home Videos Late summerCBSTouched by an Angel Fox FallBig DealFox Movie Special Mid-fallMarried... with Children Married... with ChildrenThe Simpsons Ned & StaceyThe X-Files WinterKing of the Hill Spring SummerBeyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Mid-summer Late summerBeyond Belief: Fact or FictionNBC FallDateline NBC3rd Rock from the Sun Boston Common Winter Spring SummerNewsRadio The WB Fall Kirk Brotherly LoveThe Parent 'HoodThe Steve Harvey ShowUnhappily Ever AfterLife with Roger Mid-fallBrotherly Love Winter Brotherly Love Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher Spring SummerNick Freno: Licensed Teacher The Parent 'Hood The Steve Harvey Show The Wayans Bros. Mid-summerBuffy the Vampire Slayer Late summerThe Jamie Foxx Show The Jamie Foxx Show
Monday Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC FallDangerous MindsMonday Night Football WinterThe ABC Monday Night Movie Late winterSpy Game SpringRelativity Mid-springSpecial programming SummerWorld of Discovery Mid-summerMonday Night Football PreseasonCBS Fall Cosby PearlMurphy BrownCybill Chicago Hope Mid-fall Ink Winter Everybody Loves Raymond Cybill Ink Spring Murphy Brown Late springEverybody Loves Raymond Murphy Brown Fox FallMelrose Place Party Girl Lush LifeLocal programming Mid-FallSpecial programming Winter Ned and Stacey Married... with Children Late winter Married... with Children Pauly Late Spring MADtv Primetime The Ruby Wax ShowMarried... with Children SummerVarious programmingRoarNBC FallThe Jeff Foxworthy Show Mr. RhodesThe NBC Monday Movie Spring Boston Common Late springThe NBC Monday Movie Dateline NBC SummerSuddenly Susan Fired Up Caroline in the City Wings UPN FallIn the HouseMalcolm & Eddie Goode Behavior SparksLocal programming Winter Sparks Goode BehaviorThe WB Fall7th HeavenSavannah WinterBuffy the Vampire Slayer
Note: On CBS, the debut of Ink was delayed by a month due to production problems, resulting in another new sitcom, Pearl, which aired temporarily in its slot before moving to its own originally designated Wednesday time period in late October.
Tuesday Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC FallRoseanne Life's WorkHome Improvement Spin City NYPD Blue WinterEllen Late winterThe Practice SpringHome Improvement Soul ManNYPD Blue Late springRoseanneLife's Work SummerGrace Under Fire CBSPromised LandCBS Tuesday MovieFoxFox Tuesday Night MovieLocal programmingNBC FallMad About You Something So RightFrasier Caroline in the City Dateline Tuesday SummerThe Naked Truth Mid-summerNewsRadio Just Shoot Me! UPN FallMoesha Homeboys in Outer SpaceThe Burning ZoneLocal programming Winter Social Studies Spring Homeboys in Outer Space SummerSocial Studies Malcolm & Eddie In the House
Wednesday Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC FallEllen Townies Grace Under FireThe Drew Carey Show Primetime Live WinterGrace Under FireCoachThe Drew Carey Show Ellen Late winter Arsenio SpringEllen CBS FallThe Nanny Almost PerfectCBS Wednesday Movie Mid-fallPearl WinterCoast to CoastOrleans Late winter Temporarily YoursFedsEZ Streets SpringVarious programmingCBS Wednesday Movie Late spring Pearl SummerMurphy Brown Coast to Coast48 HoursFox FallBeverly Hills, 90210Party of Five Winter SpringPacific Palisades SummerNBC FallWings The John Larroquette ShowNewsRadioMen Behaving BadlyLaw & Order Mid-fall WinterChicago Sons Late winterNewsRadioWings Just Shoot Me! Prince Street SpringThe Single Guy Men Behaving Badly Law & Order Mid-spring Summer Men Behaving BadlyNBA on NBC Mid-summerWings Chicago Sons Law & Order Late summerNBC Wednesday Night MovieUPNThe SentinelStar Trek: VoyagerLocal programmingThe WB FallSister, SisterNick Freno: Licensed TeacherThe Wayans Bros.The Jamie Foxx Show Winter Spring Smart GuyThe Jamie Foxx ShowThe Wayans Bros. SummerThe Parent 'Hood Mid-summerThe Steve Harvey Show Late summer Smart Guy The Wayans Bros.The Steve Harvey Show
Note: On CBS, due to the effect of the debut delay of Ink on Monday, the first month of the new season on this night aired Almost Perfect at 8:30 p.m., followed by CBS Wednesday Movies at 9 p.m. The originally planned fall Wednesday lineup took shape at the end of October with Pearl taking over at 8:30 p.m., Almost Perfect moving to 9 p.m., Public Morals debuting at 9:30 p.m., and EZ Streets debuting at 10 p.m. This lasted for only one week in late October. CBS cancelled Public Morals after it aired for only one episode. This meant Almost Perfect would soon be cancelled. EZ Streets would be given a 2nd chance in the spring. Thursday Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC FallHigh IncidentMurder OneTurning Point WinterThe ABC Thursday Night Movie Late winterVital SignsTurning Point SummerTurning PointABC News programmingCBS FallDiagnosis: MurderMoloney48 Hours SummerPromised Land Diagnosis: Murder Fox Martin Living SingleNew York UndercoverLocal programming NBC FallFriends The Single Guy Seinfeld Suddenly Susan ER WinterThe Naked Truth Late winterSuddenly Susan Law & Order SpringFired Up ER Late springMen Behaving Badly Suddenly Susan Summer3rd Rock from the Sun
Friday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Family Matters Sabrina the Teenage Witch Clueless Boy Meets World 20/20 Mid-fallBoy Meets WorldSabrina the Teenage Witch Clueless Late Winter Step by Step Spring Step by StepClueless Summer Hangin' with Mr. CooperCBS FallDave's WorldEverybody Loves RaymondMr. & Mrs. SmithNash Bridges Late fallSpecial programming WinterJAG SpringJAGOrleans Late spring Dave's World Life... and StuffJAG SummerOrdinary ExtraordinaryFox FallSliders The X-Files Local programming Mid-fallMillenniumNBC FallUnsolved Mysteries Dateline NBC Homicide: Life on the Street WinterCrisis Center SpringHomicide: Life on the Street Late springProfiler SummerHomicide: Life on the Street
Note: CBS picked up JAG after NBC cancelled it due to low ratings and it became a success afterwards.
This is the last season of Family Matters and Step by Step and the only season of Clueless to air on ABC's TGIF block, until the following season, the former two shows were picked up by CBS and Clueless moved to UPN on Tuesdays.
Saturday Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC FallSecond Noah Coach Common LawRelativity Mid-fallThe ABC Saturday Night Movie WinterDangerous MindsThe ABC Saturday Night Movie SpringLois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanLeaving L.A.Gun Late springFamily Matters Hangin' with Mr. CooperDangerous Minds Spy Game SummerSpecial programmingThe Practice CBSDr. Quinn, Medicine WomanEarly EditionWalker, Texas Ranger Fox FallCOPSCOPS Married... with Children Love and MarriageLocal programming Mid-fallAmerica's Most Wanted:America Fights BackNBC FallDark SkiesThe PretenderProfiler SpringSpecial programming SummerThe PretenderNBC Saturday Night At The Movies
Note: America's Most Wanted would return in November at 9:00 on Fox. Married... with Children moved to Sundays at 7-8pm in November, Mondays at 9:30 in January, and Mondays at 9pm in February. Lawless which aired on March 27, 1997, replacing the second half of America's Most Wanted was canceled after one episode.
By network ABC
Returning series 20/20 The ABC Monday Night Movie The ABC Sunday Night Movie The ABC Saturday Night Movie The ABC Thursday Night Movie America's Funniest Home Videos Boy Meets World Coach The Drew Carey Show Ellen Family Matters Grace Under Fire Hangin' with Mr. Cooper High Incident Home Improvement Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Monday Night Football Murder One NYPD Blue Primetime Live Roseanne Second Noah Step by Step Turning Point
New series Arsenio Clueless Common Law Dangerous Minds Gun Leaving L.A. Life's Work The Practice Relativity Sabrina the Teenage Witch Soul Man Spin City Spy Game Townies Vital Signs
Not returning from 1995-96 Aliens in the Family Before They Were Stars Buddies Champs Charlie Grace The Commish The Dana Carvey Show The Faculty Hudson Street The Jeff Foxworthy Show (moved to NBC) The Marshal Maybe This Time The Monroes Muppets Tonight The Naked Truth (moved to NBC) World's Funniest Videos
CBS
Returning series 48 Hours 60 Minutes Almost Perfect CBS Sunday Movie Chicago Hope Cybill Dave's World Diagnosis Murder Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman JAG (moved from NBC) Murphy Brown The Nanny Nash Bridges Touched by an Angel Walker, Texas Ranger
New series Cosby Early Edition Everybody Loves Raymond EZ Streets Feds Ink Life... and Stuff Mr. & Mrs. Smith Moloney Orleans Pearl Promised Land Public Morals Temporarily Yours
Not returning from 1995-96 American Gothic Bless This House The Bonnie Hunt Show Can't Hurry Love Central Park West The Client Courthouse Due South Dweebs High Society The Louie Show Matt Waters Murder, She Wrote My Guys Picket Fences Rescue 911 New York News
Fox
Returning series America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back Beverly Hills, 90210 Cops Fox Tuesday Night Movie Living Single Married... with Children Martin Melrose Place Ned and Stacey New York Undercover Party of Five The Simpsons Sliders The X-Files
New series Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Big Deal King of the Hill Lawless Love and Marriage Lush Life Millennium Pacific Palisades Party Girl Pauly Roar
Not returning from 1995-96 The Crew Encounters: The Hidden Truth Kindred: The Embraced L.A. Firefighters The Last Frontier Local Heroes Misery Loves Company Partners The Preston Episodes Profit Saturday Night Special The Show Space: Above and Beyond Strange Luck Too Something What's So Funny?
NBC
Returning series 3rd Rock from the Sun Boston Common Caroline in the City Dateline NBC ER Frasier Friends Homicide: Life on the Street The Jeff Foxworthy Show (moved from ABC) The John Larroquette Show Law & Order Mad About You The Naked Truth (moved from ABC) NBC Sunday Night Movie The NBC Monday Movie NewsRadio Seinfeld The Single Guy Unsolved Mysteries Wings
New series Chicago Sons Crisis Center Dark Skies Fired Up Just Shoot Me!