# 1978–79 United States network television schedule

The following is the 1978–79 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1978 through August 1979. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1977–78 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
New fall series are highlighted in bold. Series ending their original runs are in italics.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.
    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.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.

## Sunday

| Network | 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 | The Hardy Boys | The Hardy Boys | Battlestar Galactica | Battlestar Galactica | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) |
| ABC | Winter | The Osmond Family Hour | The Osmond Family Hour | | Battlestar Galactica | Battlestar Galactica | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) |
| ABC | Spring | Friends | Friends | | Battlestar Galactica | Battlestar Galactica | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) |
| ABC | May | The Osmond Family Hour | The Osmond Family Hour | | Battlestar Galactica | Battlestar Galactica | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) |
| ABC | Summer | The Osmond Family Hour | The Osmond Family Hour | Salvage 1 | Salvage 1 | | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (#16/22.7) |
| CBS | Fall | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | Mary | Mary | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | Alice (#13/23.8) | Kaz | Kaz |
| CBS | October | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | Alice (#13/23.8) | Kaz | Kaz | Dallas | Dallas |
| CBS | Winter | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | Alice (#13/23.8) | CBS Sunday Night Movie (#23/20.7) (Tied with Vega$ and Just Friends) | CBS Sunday Night Movie (#23/20.7) (Tied with Vega$ and Just Friends) | CBS Sunday Night Movie (#23/20.7) (Tied with Vega$ and Just Friends) | CBS Sunday Night Movie (#23/20.7) (Tied with Vega$ and Just Friends) |
| CBS | Spring | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | Alice (#13/23.8) | Just Friends (#23/20.7) (Tied with Vega$ and the CBS Sunday Night Movie) | The Mary Tyler Moore Hour | The Mary Tyler Moore Hour |
| CBS | Summer | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | Alice (#13/23.8) | The Jeffersons | Moses the Lawgiver | Moses the Lawgiver |
| CBS | Follow-up | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | 60 Minutes (#8/25.4) | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | Alice (#13/23.8) | The Jeffersons | Kaz | Kaz |
| NBC | Fall | The Wonderful World of Disney | The Wonderful World of Disney | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | Lifeline | Lifeline |
| NBC | Winter | The Wonderful World of Disney | The Wonderful World of Disney | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | Weekend | Weekend |
Notes: On CBS, the premiere (and only) episode of Co-Ed Fever aired on February 4 from 10:30 to 11:00 p.m., after which the show was cancelled. Moses the Lawgiver was a rerun of the 1975 miniseries. Mr. Dugan was supposed to premiere March 11, 1979 between All in the Family and Alice but due to black Congressmembers' criticism of it after a preview for them, the show was never broadcast. On NBC, the Centennial miniseries aired as part of The Big Event; the show itself reached #28 at the end of the season, with 20.3 rating.

## Monday

| Network | Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| ABC | Fall | Welcome Back, Kotter | Operation Petticoat | Monday Night Football | Monday Night Football | Monday Night Football | Monday Night Football |
| ABC | October | Lucan | Lucan | | Monday Night Football | Monday Night Football | Monday Night Football | Monday Night Football |
| ABC | Winter | Salvage 1 | Salvage 1 | How the West Was Won | How the West Was Won | How the West Was Won | How the West Was Won |
| ABC | Summer | Monday Night Baseball | Monday Night Baseball | Monday Night Baseball | Monday Night Baseball | Monday Night Baseball | Monday Night Baseball |
| CBS | Fall | WKRP in Cincinnati | People | M*A*S*H (#7/25.4) | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | Lou Grant | Lou Grant |
| CBS | November | The White Shadow | The White Shadow | | M*A*S*H (#7/25.4) | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | Lou Grant | Lou Grant |
| CBS | Winter | Billy | Flatbush | M*A*S*H (#7/25.4) | WKRP in Cincinnati | Lou Grant | Lou Grant |
| CBS | Spring | The White Shadow | The White Shadow | | M*A*S*H (#7/25.4) | WKRP in Cincinnati | Lou Grant | Lou Grant |
| NBC | NBC | Little House on the Prairie (#14/23.3) | Little House on the Prairie (#14/23.3) | NBC Monday Night at the Movies (#21/21.0) | NBC Monday Night at the Movies (#21/21.0) | NBC Monday Night at the Movies (#21/21.0) | NBC Monday Night at the Movies (#21/21.0) |

## Tuesday

| Network | Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| ABC | Fall | Happy Days (#3/29.1) | Laverne & Shirley (#1/30.6) | Three's Company (#2/30.2) | Taxi (#11/24.9) (Tied with Eight is Enough) | Starsky & Hutch | Starsky & Hutch |
| ABC | Spring | Happy Days (#3/29.1) | Laverne & Shirley (#1/30.6) | Three's Company (#2/30.2) | Taxi (#11/24.9) (Tied with Eight is Enough) | The Ropers (#6/25.6) | 13 Queens Boulevard (#26/20.5) (Tied with Barnaby Jones) |
| ABC | Summer | Happy Days (#3/29.1) | Detective School | Three's Company (#2/30.2) | Taxi (#11/24.9) (Tied with Eight is Enough) | The Ropers (#6/25.6) | 13 Queens Boulevard (#26/20.5) (Tied with Barnaby Jones) |
| CBS | Preliminary | The Amazing Spider-Man | The Amazing Spider-Man | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | CBS Tuesday Night Movie |
| CBS | Official | The Paper Chase | The Paper Chase | | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | CBS Tuesday Night Movie | CBS Tuesday Night Movie |
| NBC | Fall | Grandpa Goes to Washington | Grandpa Goes to Washington | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event |
| NBC | Winter | Cliffhangers: Stop Susan Williams/The Secret Empire/The Curse of Dracula | Cliffhangers: Stop Susan Williams/The Secret Empire/The Curse of Dracula | | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event |
| NBC | Summer | The Runaways | The Runaways | | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event | The Big Event |

## Wednesday

| Network | Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| ABC | ABC | Eight Is Enough (#11/24.9) (Tied with Taxi) | Eight Is Enough (#11/24.9) (Tied with Taxi) | Charlie's Angels (#10/25.0) | Charlie's Angels (#10/25.0) | Vega$ (#23/20.7) (Tied with Just Friends and the CBS Sunday Night Movie) | Vega$ (#23/20.7) (Tied with Just Friends and the CBS Sunday Night Movie) |
| CBS | Fall | The Jeffersons | In the Beginning | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie |
| CBS | Follow-up | The Jeffersons | Good Times | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie |
| CBS | Winter | The Incredible Hulk | The Incredible Hulk | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | The Jeffersons | Kaz | Kaz |
| CBS | Follow-up | The Amazing Spider-Man | The Amazing Spider-Man | | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | The Jeffersons | Kaz | Kaz |
| CBS | Spring | Married: The First Year | Married: The First Year | | One Day at a Time (#18/21.6) (Tied with Soap) | The Jeffersons | Kaz | Kaz |
| CBS | Follow-up | The Jeffersons | Miss Winslow and Son | Dear Detective | Dear Detective | | Kaz | Kaz |
| CBS | Summer | All in the Family (#9/25.2) | Good Times | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie |
| CBS | Follow-up | Dorothy | Hanging In | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie | CBS Wednesday Night Movie |
| NBC | Fall | Dick Clark's Live Wednesday | Dick Clark's Live Wednesday | NBC Wednesday Night at the Movies | NBC Wednesday Night at the Movies | NBC Wednesday Night at the Movies | NBC Wednesday Night at the Movies |
| NBC | Winter | Supertrain | Supertrain | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels |
| NBC | Spring | Real People | Real People | | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels | NBC Novels for Television: From Here to Eternity/Studs Lonigan/Wheels |
| NBC | Summer | Laugh-In | Laugh-In | Various | Various | Various | Various |
Notes: The Wheels segment of NBC Novels for Television was a rerun of the 1978 miniseries. Laugh-In consisted of reruns of the 1977 television series.

## Thursday

| Network | Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| ABC | Fall | Mork & Mindy (#4/28.5) | What's Happening!! (#29/20.1) (Tied with CHiPs) | Barney Miller (#15/22.8) | Soap (#18/21.6) (Tied with One Day at a Time) | Family | Family |
| ABC | Winter | Mork & Mindy (#4/28.5) | Angie (#5/27.1) | Barney Miller (#15/22.8) | Soap (#18/21.6) (Tied with One Day at a Time) | Family | Family |
| ABC | Spring | Mork & Mindy (#4/28.5) | Angie (#5/27.1) | Barney Miller (#15/22.8) | Soap (#18/21.6) (Tied with One Day at a Time) | Doctors' Private Lives | Doctors' Private Lives |
| ABC | Follow-up | Mork & Mindy (#4/28.5) | Angie (#5/27.1) | Barney Miller (#15/22.8) | Soap (#18/21.6) (Tied with One Day at a Time) | Family | Family |
| ABC | Summer | Mork & Mindy (#4/28.5) | Angie (#5/27.1) | Barney Miller (#15/22.8) | Soap (#18/21.6) (Tied with One Day at a Time) | 20/20 | 20/20 |
| CBS | Fall | The Waltons | The Waltons | Hawaii Five-O | Hawaii Five-O | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) |
| CBS | Spring | The Chisholms | The Chisholms | | Hawaii Five-O | Hawaii Five-O | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) |
| CBS | Follow-up | Time Express | Time Express | | Hawaii Five-O | Hawaii Five-O | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) |
| CBS | Summer | The Waltons | The Waltons | | Hawaii Five-O | Hawaii Five-O | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) | Barnaby Jones (#26/20.5) (Tied with 13 Queens Boulevard) |
| NBC | Fall | Project U.F.O. | Project U.F.O. | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | W.E.B. | W.E.B. |
| NBC | Follow-up | Project U.F.O. | Project U.F.O. | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | David Cassidy: Man Undercover | David Cassidy: Man Undercover |
| NBC | Winter | Little Women | Little Women | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | Mrs. Columbo | Mrs. Columbo |
| NBC | Spring | Harris and Company | Harris and Company | | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | Mrs. Columbo | Mrs. Columbo |
| NBC | April | Whodunnit? | Highcliffe Manor | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | Presenting Susan Anton | Presenting Susan Anton |
| NBC | May | Hizzonner | Whodunnit? | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | Presenting Susan Anton | Presenting Susan Anton |
| NBC | Follow-up | Hizzonner | Comedy Theatre | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | NBC Novels for Television: The Innocent and the Damned | NBC Novels for Television: The Innocent and the Damned |
| NBC | Summer | Project U.F.O. | Project U.F.O. | Quincy, M.E. | Quincy, M.E. | David Cassidy: Man Undercover | David Cassidy: Man Undercover |
Notes: Mork & Mindy had a one-hour premiere on September 14, 1978.
Comedy Theatre, an anthology series of unsold television pilots for situation comedies last seen in the summer of 1976, returned for its second and last season.
The NBC Novels for Television segment The Innocent and the Damned was a rerun of the 1977 television miniseries Aspen.
Coasttocoast was supposed to air Thursdays 10:00-11:00PM, but NBC's new boss, Fred Silverman, canceled the show.

## Friday

| Network | Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| ABC | Fall | Donny & Marie | Donny & Marie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie |
| ABC | Winter | Makin' It | What's Happening!! (#29/20.1) (Tied with CHiPs) | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie |
| ABC | Spring | Family | Family | | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie |
| ABC | Follow-up | The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove | The MacKenzies of Paradise Cove | | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie |
| ABC | Summer | Operation Petticoat | Welcome Back, Kotter | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie | The ABC Friday Night Movie |
| CBS | Fall | The New Adventures of Wonder Woman | The New Adventures of Wonder Woman | The Incredible Hulk | The Incredible Hulk | Flying High | Flying High |
| CBS | Winter | The New Adventures of Wonder Woman | The New Adventures of Wonder Woman | The Dukes of Hazzard (#20/21.1) | The Dukes of Hazzard (#20/21.1) | Dallas | Dallas |
| CBS | Summer | The Incredible Hulk | The Incredible Hulk | | The Dukes of Hazzard (#20/21.1) | The Dukes of Hazzard (#20/21.1) | Dallas | Dallas |
| NBC | Fall | The Waverly Wonders | Who's Watching the Kids? | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files | The Eddie Capra Mysteries | The Eddie Capra Mysteries |
| NBC | November | Diff'rent Strokes | Who's Watching the Kids? | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files | The Eddie Capra Mysteries | The Eddie Capra Mysteries |
| NBC | Winter | Diff'rent Strokes | Joe & Valerie | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files | The Eddie Capra Mysteries | The Eddie Capra Mysteries |
| NBC | February | Diff'rent Strokes | Brothers and Sisters | Turnabout | Hello, Larry | $weepstake$ | $weepstake$ |
| NBC | March | Diff'rent Strokes | Hello, Larry | Brothers and Sisters | Turnabout | $weepstake$ | $weepstake$ |
| NBC | Spring | Diff'rent Strokes | Hello, Larry | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files | The Duke | The Duke |
| NBC | Summer | Diff'rent Strokes | Hello, Larry | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files | The Eddie Capra Mysteries | The Eddie Capra Mysteries |

## Saturday

| Network | Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM |
| ABC | Fall | Carter Country | Apple Pie | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) |
| ABC | October | Welcome Back, Kotter | Carter Country | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) |
| ABC | Winter | Delta House | Welcome Back, Kotter | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) |
| ABC | Spring | What's Happening!! (#29/20.1) (Tied with CHiPs) | Delta House | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) |
| ABC | Summer | Battlestar Galactica | Battlestar Galactica | | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) |
| ABC | August | Carol Burnett & Company | Carol Burnett & Company | | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | The Love Boat (#17/22.1) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) | Fantasy Island (#22/20.8) |
| CBS | Fall | Rhoda | Good Times | The American Girls | The American Girls | Dallas | Dallas |
| CBS | Winter | The White Shadow | The White Shadow | CBS Movie | CBS Movie | CBS Movie | CBS Movie |
| CBS | Spring | The Bad News Bears | Billy | CBS Movie | CBS Movie | CBS Movie | CBS Movie |
| NBC | Fall | CHiPs (#29/20.1) (Tied with What's Happening!!) | CHiPs (#29/20.1) (Tied with What's Happening!!) | Various programming | Various programming | Sword of Justice | Sword of Justice |
| NBC | Winter | CHiPs (#29/20.1) (Tied with What's Happening!!) | CHiPs (#29/20.1) (Tied with What's Happening!!) | B. J. and the Bear | B. J. and the Bear | The Rockford Files | The Rockford Files |
| NBC | Spring | CHiPs (#29/20.1) (Tied with What's Happening!!) | CHiPs (#29/20.1) (Tied with What's Happening!!) | B. J. and the Bear | B. J. and the Bear | Supertrain | Supertrain |

## By network
### NBC

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.