1976–77 United States network television schedule

This is the 1976–77 network television schedule. It shows the 3 biggest broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule shows the primetime hours from September 1976 to August 1977. This is also called the 1975–76 season. The schedule also has a list per network. This list shows the series that continued to happen, series that were new, and series that were cancelled. Most of the times are in Eastern or Pacific.

The highest-rated shows are highlighted. The rankings are decided 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. .

 Yellow shows the 10 best shows from the season
 Cyan shows the 20 best shows from the season
 Magenta shows the 30 best shows from the season.

 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 Fall Cos The Six Million Dollar Man (7/24.2) The ABC Sunday Night Movie (8/23.4)(Tied with Baretta and One Day at a Time) Winter Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries CBS Fall 60 Minutes (18/21.9)(Tied with Hawaii Five-O) The Sonny and Cher Show Kojak Delvecchio Winter Rhoda Phyllis Switch Summer Starland Vocal Band Show NBC The Wonderful World of Disney NBC Sunday Mystery Movie:
Columbo / McCloud / McMillan / Quincy, M.E. / Lanigan's Rabbi (beginning winter)  The Big Event (6/24.4)

 Monday 
 Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall The Captain and Tennille ABC NFL Monday Night Football (22/21.2) Winter The ABC Monday Night Movie (3/26.0) Spring The Brady Bunch Hour Most Wanted The Feather and Father Gang Summer The ABC Monday Night Comedy Special Monday Night Baseball August Holmes & Yoyo Follow-up The ABC Monday Night Comedy Special CBS Fall Rhoda Phyllis Maude All's Fair Executive Suite Winter The Jeffersons (24/21.0) Busting Loose The Andros Targets Summer The Shields and Yarnell Show The Sonny and Cher Show August Szysznyk NBC Little House on the Prairie (15/22.3)(Tied with The Waltons) NBC Monday Night at the Movies (20/21.8)

Note: The Brady Bunch Hour was also sometimes aired in November 1976. However, it was not a weekly until February 1977.

 Tuesday 
 Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Happy Days (1/31.5) Laverne & Shirley (2/30.9) Rich Man, Poor Man Book II (21/21.6) Family Winter Eight Is Enough (23/21.1) Summer Rich Man, Poor ManFollow-upThe ABC Tuesday Night Movie CBS Fall The Tony Orlando and Dawn Rainbow Hour M*A*S*H (4/25.9) One Day at a Time (8/23.4)(Tied with The ABC Sunday Night Movie and Baretta) Switch! Winter Who's Who KojakSummerThe Family HolvakMid-SummerThe Jack Benny ShowPhyllis NBC Baa Baa Black Sheep Police Woman Police Story
Note: On ABC, the 1977 miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man had reruns of the 1976 1976 miniseries. On CBS, The Family Holvak had reruns of the 1975 NBC series. However, this show was replaced with The Jack Benny Show for 4 weeks.

 Wednesday 
 Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABCFall The Bionic Woman (14/22.4) Baretta (8/23.4)(Tied with The ABC Sunday Night Movie and One Day at a Time) Charlie's Angels (5/25.8)SummerDonny & MarieFollow-upEight Is EnoughCharlie's AngelsBaretta CBS Fall Good Times (26/20.5) Ball Four All in the Family (12/22.9) Alice (30/20.0) The Blue Knight October The Jeffersons (24/21.0) The CBS Wednesday Night Movie Winter The Jacksons Spring Loves Me, Loves Me Not Summer Alice Follow-up Busting Loose NBC Fall The Practice NBC Movie of the Week The Quest December C.P.O. Sharkey The McLean Stevenson Show Sirota's Court The Practice Winter The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams C.P.O. Sharkey The McLean Stevenson Show Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected Spring Sirota's Court Kingston: Confidential Summer 3 Girls 3 July C.P.O. Sharkey Comedy TimeAugust The Kallikaks Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected
NOTE: On NBC, Comedy Time was an anthology series that showed television pilots. These were aired on Wednesdays in July. They were also aired on July 21, 28, August 25, and September 1.

 Thursday 
 Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Welcome Back, Kotter (13/22.7) Barney Miller (17/22.2) The Tony Randall Show (29/20.1) The Nancy Walker Show The Streets of San Francisco Winter What's Happening!! (25/20.9) Barney Miller (17/22.2) The Tony Randall Show (29/20.1) Westside Medical Spring Three's Company (11/23.1) CBS The Waltons (15/22.3)(Tied with Little House on the Prairie) Hawaii Five-O (18/21.9)(Tied with 60 Minutes) Barnaby Jones NBC Fall Gemini Man NBC's Best Sellers Van Dyke and Company November Van Dyke and Company Gibbsville Winter The Fantastic Journey NBC's Best SellersSummer Comedy Time / SpecialsNBC Thursday Night at the Movies

Notes: NBC wanted to broadcast Snip on Thursdays at 9:30. The Practice would broadcast at 9:00. However, on August 28, NBC said they changed their schedules. Because of this, they never broadcasted Snip.

On NBC, Comedy Time was an anthology series that showed unsold television pilots. These were aired on Wednesdays in July. They were also aired on July 21, 28, August 25, and September 1.

 Friday 
 Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Donny & Marie The ABC Friday Night Movie (28/20.2) CBS Fall Spencer's Pilots The CBS Friday Night Movie Winter Code R The Sonny & Cher Show Executive Suite Follow-up Hunter April Nashville 99  Follow-upThe CBS Friday Night Movie Summer A Year at the Top The Keane Brothers Show  NBC Fall Sanford and Son (27/20.3) Chico and the Man The Rockford Files Serpico Winter Quincy, M.E.

Note: A new program called Campaign '76 was broadcast on CBS. It was showed from 7:30 to 8:00 pm. This was showed from September to early November. It was made to get ready for the 1976 presidential election.

 Saturday 
 Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Holmes & Yoyo Mr. T and Tina Starsky & Hutch Most Wanted Winter Blansky's Beauties Fish Dog and Cat SummerWonder Woman The Feather and Father GangFollow-upMr. T and TinaSugar Time!Most Wanted CBS Fall The Jeffersons (24/21.0) Doc The Mary Tyler Moore Show The Bob Newhart Show The Carol Burnett Show October The Mary Tyler Moore Show The Bob Newhart Show All in the Family (12/22.9) Alice (30/20.0) Spring The Andros Targets Summer  Switch Follow-up The Diahann Carroll Show NBC Emergency! NBC Saturday Night at the Movies

By network

ABC

Returning Series
The ABC Friday Night Movie
The ABC Monday Night Movie
ABC NFL Monday Night Football
The ABC Sunday Night Movie
Baretta
Barney Miller
The Bionic Woman
Donny & Marie
Family
Happy Days
Laverne & Shirley
Monday Night Baseball
Starsky & Hutch
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Streets of San Francisco
Welcome Back, Kotter

New Series
The ABC Tuesday Night Movie
Blansky's Beauties *
The Brady Bunch Hour *
The Captain and Tennille
Charlie's Angels
Cos
Dog and Cat *
Eight Is Enough *
The Feather and Father Gang *
Fish *
Future Cop *
The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries *
Holmes & Yoyo
How the West Was Won *
Mr. T and Tina
Most Wanted
The Nancy Walker Show
Rich Man, Poor Man Book II
Sugar Time!
Three's Company *
The Tony Randall Show
Westside Medical *
What's Happening!!
Wonder Woman *

Cancelled shows from 1975–76:
Almost Anything Goes
Barbary Coast
Bert D'Angelo/Superstar
Good Heavens
Harry O
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Matt Helm
Mobile One
On the Rocks
Rich Man, Poor Man
The Rookies
Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell
S.W.A.T.
The Swiss Family Robinson
That's My Mama
When Things Were Rotten
Viva Valdez

CBS

Returning Series
60 Minutes
All in the Family
Barnaby Jones
The Blue Knight
The Bob Newhart Show
The Carol Burnett Show
Doc
Good Times
Hawaii Five-O
The Jacksons
The Jeffersons
Kojak
M*A*S*H
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Maude
One Day at a Time
Phyllis
Rhoda
The Sonny and Cher Show
Switch
The Tony Orlando and Dawn Rainbow Hour
The Waltons

New Series
Alice
All's Fair
The Andros Targets *
Ball Four
Busting Loose *
Code R *
Delvecchio
The Diahann Carroll Show *
Executive Suite
Hunter *
The Keane Brothers Show *
Loves Me, Loves Me Not *
The Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. Show
Nashville 99 *
The Shields and Yarnell Show *
Spencer's Pilots
Starland Vocal Band Show *
Szysznyk *
Who's Who *
A Year at the Top *

Cancelled shows from 1975–76:
Beacon Hill
Big Eddie
Bronk
The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Show
Cannon
CBS Thursday Night Movie
Cher
Ivan the Terrible
I've Got a Secret
Joe and Sons
Johnny Cash and Friends
Kate McShane
The Kelly Monteith Show
Medical Center
Popi
Sara
Three for the Road

NBC

Returning Series
Chico and the Man
Columbo
Emergency!
Little House on the Prairie
McCloud
McMillan & Wife
The NBC Sunday Mystery Movie
NBC Monday Night at the Movies
NBC Saturday Night at the Movies
Police Story
Police Woman
The Practice
The Rockford Files
Sanford and Son
The Wonderful World of Disney

New Series
3 Girls 3 *
Baa Baa Black Sheep
The Big Event
Comedy Time *
C.P.O. Sharkey *
The Fantastic Journey *
Gemini Man
Gibbsville *
The Kallikaks *
Kingston: Confidential *
Lanigan's Rabbi *
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams *
The McLean Stevenson Show *
NBC's Best Sellers *
The Quest
Quincy, M.E. *
Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected *
Serpico
Sirota's Court *
Van Dyke and Company

Cancelled shows from 1975–76:
City of Angels
Comedy Theatre (returned in 1979)
The Cop and the Kid
Doctors' Hospital
The Dumplings
Ellery Queen
The Family Holvak
Fay
Grady
The Invisible Man
Jigsaw John
Joe Forrester
The John Davidson Show
The Mac Davis Show
McCoy
Medical Story
The Montefuscos
Movin' On
Petrocelli
The Rich Little Show

Note: The * shows a program that started in the middle of the seaso.

References

Other sources
 Castleman, H. & Podrazik, W. (1982). Watching TV: Four Decades of American Television. New York: McGraw-Hill. 314 pp.
 McNeil, Alex. Total Television. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. .
 Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1985). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. .

Category:1976 in American television
Category:1977 in American television
Category:Television schedules