The 1982-83 television season

The 1982-83 season had some notable hits (Cheers, St. Elsewhere, Newhart, Knight Rider, Remington Steele, Family Ties, The A-Team) as well as notable flops (Ace Crawford Private Eye, Gloria, Goodnight, Beantown, Square Pegs, The New Odd Couple, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Silver Spoons) and even a couple shows which would catch fire later (Buffalo Bill, Mama's Family). Here's a night-by-night breakdown, for some reason.

SUNDAY:

“60 Minutes” was the top-rated show on all of TV. “Archie Bunker's Place,” “The Jeffersons,” “One Day at a Time” and “Trapper John” were all in the teens and winding down, creatively at least. After ABP was one-season wonder “Gloria” -- a strange concoction. Only ABC could muster any heat, with a 9pm movie.

 

MONDAY:

What a rad lineup! “Square Pegs,” “Private Benjamin,” “MASH,” “Newhart,” “Cagney & Lacey”... unfortunately, only “Newhart” would survive into the next year (though “Cagney” would return in spring '84 after viewer outrage). Again, only ABC could muster any heat, with “That's Incredible” and then another 9pm movie.

 

TUESDAY:

ABC's traditionally strong slate was showing its weakness at 8pm: “Happy Days” and “Laverne & Shirley” plunged to the low 20s thanks to “The A-Team.” On CBS, that meant Disney (and later, Tim Conway's "Ace Crawford") were in the ratings cellar. A 9pm movie did okay for CBS (#27) up against ABC’s lineup: “Three's Company” (#6), “9 to 5” and “Hart to Hart.” BTW that meant NBC's 10pm “St. Elsewhere” ranked a lowly #87.

 

WEDNESDAY:

ABC had “The Fall Guy” (#14) and “Dynasty” (#5). So CBS couldn't gain any traction with “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” “Alice,” or “Filthy Rich” (a proto-“Designing Women”). NBC had “Real People” (#30) at 8, but then from 9-11p did terribly with various combinations of “The Facts of Life,” “Family Ties,” “Buffalo Bill,” “Quincy,” “Taxi”... and "The News Is The News," which sounds just like "Yesterday," proposed in 1980 by Herb Sargent (SNL). It was essentially an expansion of "Weekend Update" to a nightly series.

 

THURSDAY:

"Must See TV" wasn't quite a hit yet, so CBS was flying high with #2 “Magnum,” #7 “Simon & Simon,” and #20 “Knots Landing.” NBC had “Fame” (with Yummy Award-winner LEE CURRERI!!!!!!!), “Cheers,” “Taxi” and “Hill Street Blues” (#21), billed in promos as the Best Night of Television on Television. ABC had several shows which are well-remembered today but weren't doing so great in '82-83: “20/20,” “Too Close For Comfort,” “Benson,” “Greatest American Hero”... plus a string of weird flops (“Joanie Loves Chachi,” “Condo” w/McLean Stevenson) and British adaptations (“Reggie” and “Amanda's”).

 

FRIDAY:

Another big night for CBS, a few years before stiff competition from ABC’s TGIF: “Dukes of Hazzard,” despite its weird recasting, still managed to come in at #30 (tying “Real People”), followed by #2 “Dallas” and #8 “Falcon Crest.” Among many floundering series on the other networks, standouts (for various reasons) include ABC's “The New Odd Couple” and NBC's “Knight Rider” and “Remington Steele.”

 

SATURDAY:

Seemingly a dumping ground for all three networks, except #9 “Love Boat” on ABC. CBS offered Disney at 8p (soon replaced by “Wizards & Warriors”) followed by a 9p movie.