Fall 1981

This is the prime time schedule for the fall of 1981.
Many programs were delayed by a writers' strike at the start of the season. The shows indicated in this schedule represent the first with new episodes to premiere in each time period. Some started in September, while others may have started several months later.
New shows are indicated in bold text. Returning shows making their fall debut are indicated in italic text.
==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 	Code Red 	Code Red 	Today's F.B.I. 	Today's F.B.I. 	The ABC Sunday Movie	The ABC Sunday Movie	The ABC Sunday Movie	The ABC Sunday Movie
CBS 	60 Minutes	60 Minutes 	Archie Bunker's Place	One Day at a Time	Alice 	The Jeffersons 	Trapper John, M.D. 	Trapper John, M.D.
NBC 	Specials 	Here's Boomer	CHiPS 	CHiPS 	The NBC Sunday Movie	The NBC Sunday Movie	The NBC Sunday Movie	The NBC Sunday Movie
==Monday==
Network	8:00 PM 	8:30 PM 	9:00 PM 	9:30 PM 	10:00 PM 	10:30 PM
ABC 	That's Incredible! 	That's Incredible! 	Monday Night Football	Monday Night Football	Monday Night Football	Monday Night Football
CBS 	Private Benjamin 	The Two of Us 	M*A*S*H 	House Calls 	Lou Grant 	Lou Grant
NBC 	Little House on the Prairie	Little House on the Prairie	The NBC Monday Movie 	The NBC Monday Movie 	The NBC Monday Movie 	The NBC Monday Movie
==Tuesday==
Network	8:00 PM 	8:30 PM 	9:00 PM 	9:30 PM 	10:00 PM 	10:30 PM
ABC 	Happy Days 	Laverne & Shirley	Three's Company 	Too Close for Comfort	Hart to Hart 	Hart to Hart
CBS 	Simon & Simon	Simon & Simon 	The CBS Tuesday Movie	The CBS Tuesday Movie	The CBS Tuesday Movie	The CBS Tuesday Movie
NBC 	Father Murphy	Father Murphy 	Bret Maverick 	Bret Maverick 	Flamingo Road 	Flamingo Road
==Wednesday==
Network	8:00 PM 	8:30 PM 	9:00 PM 	9:30 PM 	10:00 PM 	10:30 PM
ABC 	The Greatest American Hero	The Greatest American Hero	The Fall Guy 	The Fall Guy	Dynasty 	Dynasty
CBS 	Mr. Merlin 	WKRP in Cincinnati 	Nurse 	Nurse 	Shannon 	Shannon
NBC 	Real People 	Real People 	The Facts of Life	Love, Sidney	Quincy, M.E.	Quincy, M.E.
==Thursday==
Network	8:00 PM 	8:30 PM 	9:00 PM 	9:30 PM 	10:00 PM 	10:30 PM
ABC 	Mork & Mindy 	Best of the West	Barney Miller 	Taxi 	20/20 	20/20
CBS 	Magnum, P.I. 	Magnum, P.I. 	Knots Landing 	Knots Landing 	Jessica Novak 	Jessica Novak
NBC 	Harper ValleyFormerly known as "Harper Valley, P.T.A."	Lewis & Clark 	Diff'rent Strokes	Gimme a Break!	Hill Street Blues	Hill Street Blues
==Friday==
Network	8:00 PM 	8:30 PM 	9:00 PM 	9:30 PM 	10:00 PM 	10:30 PM
ABC 	Benson 	Bosom Buddies 	Darkroom 	Darkroom 	Strike Force	Strike Force
CBS 	The Incredible Hulk	The Incredible Hulk	The Dukes of Hazzard	The Dukes of Hazzard	Dallas 	Dallas
NBC 	NBC Magazine 	NBC Magazine 	McClain's Law 	McClain's Law 	Specials 	Specials
==Saturday==
Network	8:00 PM 	8:30 PM 	9:00 PM 	9:30 PM 	10:00 PM 	10:30 PM
ABC 	Maggie 	Making a LivingFormerly known as "It's a Living".	The Love Boat 	The Love Boat 	Fantasy Island 	Fantasy Island
CBS 	Walt Disney 	Walt Disney 	The CBS Saturday Movie	The CBS Saturday Movie	The CBS Saturday Movie	The CBS Saturday Movie
NBC 	Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters	Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters 	The Nashville Palace 	The Nashville Palace 	Fitz and Bones 	Fitz and Bones
==Notes==
Category:Primetime schedules
Category:1980s primetime schedules