The following is the 1998–99 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1998 through August 1999. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1997–98 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
New series highlighted in bold.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined 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 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. Other Legend Light blue indicates local programming. Gray indicates encore programming. Blue-gray indicates news programming. Light green indicates sporting events. Red indicates series being burned off and other irregularly scheduled programs, including movies and specials. Light gold indicates programming produced outside of the United States.
PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary. Also not included is Pax TV (now Ion), a venture of Paxson Communications (now Ion Media) that debuted on August 31, 1998; although Pax carried a limited schedule of first-run programs in its early years, its schedule otherwise was composed mainly of syndicated reruns.
This is the UPN fall season expanding five nights a week for the first time ever from September 1998 and The WB expanding five nights a week with the new Thursday night lineup from the fall 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 The Wonderful World of Disney 20/20 The Practice Winter Spring Summer Late summer Who Wants to Be a Millionaire CBS60 Minutes Touched by an Angel CBS Sunday Movie Fox Fall The World's Funniest! Holding the Baby The Simpsons That '70s ShowThe X-Files Mid-fall The World's Funniest! Winter Spring Futurama Mid-spring Family Guy Summer The World's Funniest! King of the Hill Futurama NBC Fall Dateline NBC Dateline NBCNBC Sunday Night Movie Winter Spring NBA on NBC Summer World's Most Amazing Videos Late summer Dateline NBC You Asked For It The WB Fall 7th Heaven Beginnings Sister, Sister Smart Guy Unhappily Ever After The Army Show Winter Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane Unhappily Ever After Spring Summer The Parent 'Hood The Parent 'Hood Mid-summer The Parent 'Hood Smart Guy Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane Movie Stars Late summer Rescue 77 Smart Guy The Steve Harvey Show
Monday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC FallMonday Night BlastMonday Night Football Winter 20/20 ABC Big Picture Show Spring Summer CBS Fall Cosby The King of QueensEverybody Loves Raymond The Brian Benben Show L.A. Doctors Mid-fallBecker Winter Spring Summer 48 Hours Late summer The King of Queens Thanks Fox Fall Melrose PlaceAlly McBeal Winter Spring Summer That '70s Show That '70s Show NBC Fall Suddenly Susan Conrad Bloom Caroline in the City Will & GraceDateline Monday Mid-fall Caroline in the City Mad About You Conrad Bloom Winter Working Spring Law & Order Mid-spring Mad About You The NBC Monday Movie Summer Suddenly Susan Mad About You Mad About You Dateline Monday Mid-summer Veronica's Closet Law & Order UPN Fall Guys Like Us DiResta The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer Malcolm & Eddie Mid-fall Malcolm & Eddie Guys Like Us Malcolm & Eddie DiResta Winter Dilbert DiResta The Sentinel Spring Redhanded Mid-spring Home Movies Early summer Power Play Summer Dilbert Redhanded Redhanded Mid-summer The Sentinel Seven Days Late summer Moesha Moesha Between Brothers Malcolm & Eddie The WB Fall 7th Heaven Hyperion Bay Mid-fall Winter Hyperion Bay Spring Rescue 77 Mid-spring Buffy the Vampire Slayer Summer Rescue 77 Mid-summer Movie Stars For Your Love Late summer Katie Joplin
Note: UPN only broadcast the first two episodes of Power Play. On August 16, 1999, ABC aired the series premiere of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire at 8:30pm EDT. It was the only 30 minute episode to air on a Monday night.
Tuesday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC FallHome Improvement The HughleysSpin City Sports NightNYPD Blue Winter Spring Strange World Mid-springNYPD Blue Summer Mid-summerSpin City It's Like, You Know... Dharma & Greg Late summer Who Wants to Be a Millionaire CBS FallJAG CBS Tuesday Movie Winter Spring Summer 60 Minutes II 48 Hours Fox Fall King of the Hill Costello Guinness World Records Primetime Mid-fall King of the Hill Late fall Holding the Baby Winter The PJs Spring Futurama The PJs King of the Hill Summer Guinness World Records Primetime Fox Files NBC Fall Mad About You Encore! Encore! Just Shoot Me! WorkingDateline Tuesday Winter 3rd Rock from the Sun NewsRadio Will & Grace Spring NewsRadio 3rd Rock from the Sun Everything's Relative Mid-spring 3rd Rock from the Sun NewsRadio 3rd Rock from the Sun Summer Will & Grace Mid-summer Just Shoot Me! 3rd Rock from the Sun UPN Fall Moesha Clueless Mercy Point Mid-fall America's Greatest Pets Reunited Winter Malcolm & Eddie Between Brothers Spring Family Rules Mid-springClueless Summer The WB Buffy the Vampire Slayer Felicity NOTE: On Fox, Brimstone was supposed to premiere 9-10, but it was moved up to Friday.
Wednesday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC FallDharma & Greg Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza PlaceThe Drew Carey Show The Secret Lives of Men20/20 Wednesday Winter Whose Line Is It Anyway? Spring It's Like, You Know... The Norm Show Summer Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Whose Line Is It Anyway? Mid-summer Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place The Norm Show Late summer Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place CBS Fall The Nanny Maggie Winters To Have & to Hold Chicago Hope Winter60 Minutes II Spring Cosby Payne Summer The Nanny The Nanny CBS Wednesday Movie Mid-summer Cosby Cosby Late summer CBS Wednesday Movie Fox Fall Beverly Hills, 90210 Party of Five Winter Spring Summer Fox Wednesday Night Movie NBC Fall Dateline NBC 3rd Rock from the Sun NewsRadioLaw & Order Mid-fall Encore! Encore! Winter LateLine Spring World's Most Amazing Videos Summer UPN Seven Days Star Trek: Voyager The WB Dawson's Creek Charmed
Thursday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Vengeance Unlimited ABC Thursday Night Movie Mid-fall Winter Vengeance Unlimited Mid-winter Cupid ABC News Specials Spring America's Funniest Home Videos The Drew Carey Show Spin City Summer ABC Thursday Night Movie Vanished Late summer Whose Line Is It Anyway? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Nightline in Primetime CBS Fall Promised LandDiagnosis: Murder 48 Hours WinterDiagnosis: Murder Turks Spring Promised Land Mid-springDiagnosis: Murder Summer Diagnosis: Murder Fox Fall World's Wildest Police Videos Fox Files Mid-fall Late fall Fox Files Winter Spring Fox Files Mid-spring Summer Family Guy The PJs NBC Fall Friends Jesse Frasier Veronica's Closet ER Winter Spring Will & Grace Summer Jesse Will & Grace Late summer Frasier UPN Fall UPN Thursday Night at the Movies Winter Spring Summer Mid-summer Mercy Point Mercy Point Late summer The WB FallThe Wayans Bros. The Jamie Foxx Show The Steve Harvey Show For Your Love Winter Spring Smart Guy Mid-springThe Wayans Bros. Summer Note: On Fox, Hollyweird was supposed to premiere 9:00-10:00 but it was canceled due to a conflict with Shaun Cassidy.
Friday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC FallTwo of a Kind Boy Meets WorldSabrina the Teenage Witch Brother's Keeper20/20 Friday Winter Spring Sabrina the Teenage Witch Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Mid-spring Home Improvement Sabrina the Teenage Witch Summer Two of a Kind Mid-summer Home Improvement The Hughleys Boy Meets World Late summer Who Wants to Be a Millionaire CBS Fall Kids Say the Darndest Things Candid Camera Buddy Faro Nash Bridges Winter The Magnificent Seven Spring Unsolved Mysteries Mid-spring Summer Unsolved Mysteries Mid-summer The Magnificent Seven Fox Fall Living in Captivity Getting Personal Millennium Mid-fall Brimstone Winter Spring Guinness World Records Primetime Summer The World's Funniest! MADtv Primetime NBC FallDateline Friday Trinity Homicide: Life on the Street Mid-fall Law & Order WinterProvidence Dateline Friday Spring SummerDateline Friday NBA on NBC Mid-summerProvidence Dateline Friday Homicide: Life on the Street Late summerDateline Friday UPN Fall Legacy Love Boat: The Next Wave Winter SpringAmerica's Greatest PetsAmerica's Greatest Pets Summer Mid-summer Legacy Late summer UPN's Night at the Movies
Note: On Fox, the one-hour drama Brimstone premiered at 8:00 on October 23, 1998.
Saturday Network8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC Fall America's Funniest Home Videos Fantasy Island Cupid Winter ABC Big Picture Show Fantasy Island Mid-winter Spring America's Funniest Home Videos The Big Moment ABC Big Picture Show Mid-spring America's Funniest Home Videos Summer America's Funniest Home Videos The Big Moment Mid-summer America's Funniest Home Videos Late summer America's Funniest Home Videos Who Wants to Be a MillionaireCBS FallEarly EditionMartial LawWalker, Texas Ranger WinterSons of Thunder SpringWalker, Texas Ranger SummerFox COPSCOPS America's Most Wanted:America Fights BackNBC Fall Wind on Water The Pretender Profiler Winter Spring Summer The Pretender NBC Saturday Night At The Movies
By network ABC
Returning series 20/20 The ABC Monday Night Movie ABC Thursday Night Movie America's Funniest Home Videos Boy Meets World Dharma & Greg The Drew Carey Show Home Improvement Monday Night Football NYPD Blue The Practice Sabrina the Teenage Witch Spin City Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place The Wonderful World of Disney
New series ABC Big Picture Show The Big Moment * Brother's Keeper Cupid Fantasy Island The Hughleys It's Like, You Know... * The Norm Show * The Secret Lives of Men Sports Night Strange World * Two of a Kind Vengeance Unlimited Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Not returning from 1997–98: ABC News Saturday Night The ABC Sunday Night Movie C-16: FBI Cracker Ellen Grace Under Fire Hiller and Diller Maximum Bob Nothing Sacred Over the Top Prey Primetime Live Push Soul Man Something So Right Teen Angel That's Life Timecop Total Security You Wish
CBS
Returning series 48 Hours 60 Minutes Candid Camera CBS Sunday Movie Chicago Hope Cosby Diagnosis: Murder Early Edition Everybody Loves Raymond JAG Kids Say the Darndest Things The Magnificent Seven The Nanny Nash Bridges Promised Land Touched by an Angel Unsolved Mysteries Walker, Texas Ranger
New series 60 Minutes II Becker * The Brian Benben Show Buddy Faro The King of Queens L.A. Doctors Maggie Winters Martial Law Payne * Sons of Thunder * Thanks * To Have & to Hold Turks *
Not returning from 1997–98: Brooklyn South The Closer Cybill Dellaventura Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Family Matters Four Corners George and Leo The Gregory Hines Show Meego Michael Hayes Murphy Brown (revived in 2018–19) Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel The Simple Life Step by Step Style & Substance
Fox
Returning series Ally McBeal America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back Beverly Hills, 90210 COPS Fox Files FOX Night at the Movies Guinness World Records Primetime Getting Personal King of the Hill Melrose Place Millennium Party of Five The Simpsons The World's Funniest! World's Wildest Police Videos The X-Files
New series Brimstone Costello Family Guy * Futurama * Holding the Baby * Living in Captivity The PJs *