The Eighties in America - Salem Press (2009)

Entertainment: Most-Watched U.S. Television Shows

This list shows the top-ten U.S. television programs of each September-April season, as ranked by the Nielsen
Media Company. The ratings in the right column indicate the average percentage of American homes with
televisions watching each show. For example, during the 1980-1981 season, 34.5 percent of all American
homes with a television watchedDallason the evenings that it was broadcast. Titles followed by an asterisk (*)
indicate that the program has its own full-length essay withinThe Eighties in America.

1980-1981
1.Dallas CBS 34.5
2.The Dukes of Hazzard CBS 27.3
3.60 Minutes CBS 27.0
4.MASH CBS 25.7
5.The Love Boat ABC 24.3
6.The Jeffersons CBS 23.5
7.Alice CBS 22.9
8.House Calls CBS 22.4
Three’s Company ABC 22.4
10.Little House on the Prairie NBC 22.1

1981-1982
1.Dallas CBS 28.4
2.60 Minutes CBS 27.4
3.The Jeffersons CBS 23.4
4.Three’s Company ABC 23.3
5.Alice CBS 22.7
6.The Dukes of Hazzard CBS 22.6
Too Close for Comfort ABC 22.6
8.ABC Monday Night Movie ABC 22.5
9.MASH CBS 22.3
10.One Day at a Time CBS 22.0

1982-1983
1.60 Minutes CBS 25.5
2.Dallas CBS 24.6
3.MASH CBS 22.6
Magnum, P.I. CBS 22.6
5.Dynasty ABC 22.4
6.Three’s Company ABC 21.2
7.Simon and Simon CBS 21.0
8.Falcon Crest CBS 20.7
9.The Love Boat ABC 20.3
10.The A-Team NBC 20.1
Monday Night Football ABC 20.1

1983-1984
1.Dallas CBS 25.7
2.60 Minutes CBS 24.2
3.Dynasty ABC 24.1

4.The A-Team NBC 24.0

5.Simon and Simon CBS 23.8

6.Magnum, P.I.* CBS 22.4

7.Falcon Crest CBS 22.0

8.Kate and Allie CBS 21.9

9.Hotel ABC 21.1

10.Cagney and Lacey* CBS 20.9

1984-1985

1.Dynasty* ABC 25.0

2.Dallas* CBS 24.7

3.The Cosby Show* NBC 24.2

4.60 Minutes CBS 22.2

5.Family Ties* NBC 22.1

6.The A-Team NBC 21.9

7.Simon and Simon CBS 21.8

8.Murder, She Wrote CBS 20.1

9.Knot’s Landing CBS 20.0

10.Falcon Crest CBS 19.9

Crazy Like a Fox CBS 19.9

1985-1986

1.The Cosby Show* NBC 33.7

2.Family Ties* NBC 30.0

3.Murder, She Wrote CBS 25.3

4.60 Minutes CBS 23.9

5.Cheers* NBC 23.7

6.Dallas* CBS 21.9

7.Dynasty* ABC 21.8

The Golden Girls* NBC 21.8

9.Miami Vice* NBC 21.3

10.Who’s the Boss? ABC 21.1

1986-1987

1.The Cosby Show* NBC 34.9

2.Family Ties* NBC 32.7

3.Cheers* CBS 27.2

4.Murder, She Wrote CBS 25.4

5.The Golden Girls* NBC 24.5

6.60 Minutes CBS 23.3

7.Night Court NBC 23.2