The following is the 1997–98 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1997 through August 1998. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1996–97 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. . and
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. Light Purple indicates movies. Red indicates series being burned off and other regularly scheduled programs, including specials.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
From February 7 to 22, 1998, all of CBS's primetime programming was preempted in favor of coverage of the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
For new series debuting during the season, it would ultimately prove to be one of the weakest seasons in American television history, as only ten shows would be picked up for a second season. Of those ten shows, only five (Dharma & Greg, Two Guys and a Girl, Ally McBeal, For Your Love and Dawson's Creek) would last beyond three seasons, and would all end their runs within six seasons.
For its tenth and final season, onetime CBS powerhouse Murphy Brown was moved from its lifelong home of Monday nights to Wednesday, where it lost a significant number of viewers. For its last block of episodes in the spring, the show was put back into the familiar timeslot that it had once used to anchor the CBS Monday night lineup.
Sunday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m.ABC FallThe Wonderful World of DisneyThe ABC Sunday Night Movie Winter Spring SummerABC News programmingThe Practice CBS60 Minutes Touched by an Angel CBS Sunday Movie Fox FallThe World's Funniest! The Simpsons King of the Hill The X-Files Winter Damon Spring King of the Hill SummerNBC Fall Dateline Sunday Men Behaving Badly Jenny NBC Sunday Night Movie Winter Dateline Sunday Spring SummerFrasier Working Law & Order Mid-summer NBC Sunday Night Movie The WB FallNick Freno: Licensed TeacherThe Parent 'HoodThe Jamie Foxx Show Unhappily Ever After The Tom ShowAlright AlreadyLocal programming Mid-fall The Tom ShowUnhappily Ever After Winter The Tom Show The Parent 'HoodThe Jamie Foxx Show SpringThe Parent 'HoodSister, Sister You're The One Mid-springThe Parent 'Hood Kelly KellyAlright Already SummerNick Freno: Licensed TeacherThe Parent 'Hood Mid-summerThe Parent 'Hood Smart Guy The Steve Harvey Show
Monday 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 FallTimecopMonday Night Football Mid-fall WinterAmerica's Funniest Home Videos20/20 The Practice Spring SummerCBS FallCosby Everybody Loves Raymond Cybill George and Leo Brooklyn South Winter George and Leo Style & Substance Late winter The Closer George and Leo Spring Murphy Brown SummerCybill George and Leo Michael Hayes Mid-summerEverybody Loves Raymond Murphy Brown 48 Hours Fox FallMelrose PlaceAlly McBeal Winter Spring Damon Getting Personal SummerMelrose PlaceNBC FallSuddenly Susan Fired UpCaroline in the CityThe Naked TruthDateline Monday Late fall Jenny Winter Fired Up Late winter House Rules Spring Mid-springSuddenly Susan Caroline in the City SummerHouse Rules Mid-summerCaroline in the City Veronica's Closet Late summerThe NBC Monday MovieUPN FallIn the HouseMalcolm & EddieGood NewsSparks Winter SpringLove Boat: The Next Wave SummerClueless Clueless Mid-summerIn the HouseMalcolm & EddieGood NewsSparks The WB Fall7th HeavenBuffy the Vampire Slayer WinterThree Spring7th Heaven SummerBuffy the Vampire Slayer
Tuesday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Home Improvement Soul Man Home Improvement Hiller and Diller NYPD Blue Mid-fall Soul Man Over the Top Late fall Grace Under Fire Soul Man Spin City Winter The Drew Carey Show Grace Under Fire Spring Home Improvement Something So Right That's Life Mid-spring Soul Man Something So Right Summer Soul Man Something So Right Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Mid-summer Home Improvement Soul Man Spin City Dharma & Greg Maximum Bob CBS Fall JAG Michael Hayes Dellaventura Winter CBS Tuesday Movie Late winter Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel Four Corners Spring 48 Hours Summer CBS Tuesday Movie Fox Fall Fox Tuesday Night Movie Winter Spring Summer King of the Hill King of the Hill Guinness World Records Primetime NBC FallMad About You NewsRadio Frasier Just Shoot Me! Dateline NBC Winter Spring For Your Love LateLine Summer NewsRadio 3rd Rock from the Sun Late summer Just Shoot Me! UPN Fall Clueless Moesha Hitz Head Over Heels Mid-fall Moesha Clueless Malcolm & Eddie Hitz Winter Clueless Spring In the House Mid-spring Good News Summer In the House Mid-summer Clueless In the House Clueless The WB Winter(began Jan. 20th) Buffy the Vampire Slayer Dawson's CreekSpringSummer Invasion America Invasion AmericaMid-summer Dawson's Creek
Wednesday Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM ABC Fall Spin CityDharma & Greg The Drew Carey Show EllenPrimetime Live Winter Spring Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place Summer Ellen Late summer Whose Line Is It Anyway? CBS Fall The Nanny Murphy Brown Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel Chicago Hope Winter Spring Cybill Michael Hayes Summer The Simple Life Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel Mid-summer Style & Substance Fox Fall Beverly Hills, 90210 Party of Five Winter Spring Significant Others Mid-spring Party of Five Summer Fox Wednesday Night Movie NBC Fall The Tony Danza Show Built to Last 3rd Rock from the Sun WorkingLaw & Order Mid-fall Dateline NBC Late fall 3rd Rock from the Sun The Tony Danza Show Winter Seinfeld Spring NewsRadio Mid-spring 3rd Rock from the Sun NewsRadio Summer The Pretender Late summer Dateline NBC Stressed Eric UPN Fall The Sentinel Star Trek: Voyager Late fall Star Trek: Voyager The Sentinel Winter Spring The Sentinel Star Trek: Voyager Summer The WB FallSister, SisterSmart Guy The Wayans Bros. The Steve Harvey Show Winter Spring Smart Guy Sister, Sister Summer Smart Guy Mid-summer The Wayans Bros. The Jamie Foxx Show
Thursday 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 FallNothing SacredCracker20/20 Thursday WinterPreyThe ABC Thursday Night Movie Spring SummerC-16PreyABC News programming Mid-summerABC News programmingNightline in PrimetimeCBSPromised LandDiagnosis: Murder 48 HoursFox Fall Living Single Between Brothers413 Hope St. Winter Ask HarrietNew York Undercover Late winter SpringWorld's Wildest Police Videos SummerNew York Undercover Mid-summerFox FilesNBC FallFriends Union Square Seinfeld Veronica's Closet ER Winter Mid-winterJust Shoot Me! Spring SummerVeronica's Closet Just Shoot Me! Mid-summerSuddenly Susan Late summerFrasier Frasier NOTE: On Fox, Rewind was supposed to air 8-8:30, but it was cancelled due to production troubles.
Friday 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 Sabrina the Teenage WitchBoy Meets World You WishTeen Angel20/20 Friday WinterSabrina the Teenage Witch Sabrina the Teenage Witch Mid-winter Hiller and Diller SpringBoy Meets World Summer Sabrina the Teenage WitchYou Wish Boy Meets World Teen AngelCBS Fall Family Matters Meego The Gregory Hines ShowStep by StepNash Bridges Mid-fallFamily Matters WinterKids Say the Darndest Things The Gregory Hines Show SpringCandid CameraUnsolved Mysteries SummerFamily MattersStep by Step Mid-summerUnsolved Mysteries Fox FallThe VisitorMillennium WinterBeyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Spring Summer Getting PersonalGetting Personal NBC FallPlayersDateline FridayHomicide: Life on the Street Winter SpringSpecial programming Early summerDateline FridayNBA on NBC SummerNBC Friday Night Movie Mid-summerNBC Friday Night MovieDateline Friday
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 FallC-16Total SecurityThe Practice Mid-fallSpecial programming WinterNothing SacredCrackerABC News Saturday Night Late winterABC Saturday Night Movie SpringTimecopABC Saturday Night Movie Summer20/20CBS FallDr. Quinn, Medicine WomanEarly Edition Walker, Texas Ranger WinterThe Magnificent Seven Late winterDr. Quinn, Medicine WomanThe Magnificent Seven SpringEarly Edition Summer Early Edition The Magnificent SevenFox COPSCOPS America's Most Wanted:America Fights BackLocal programmingNBC Fall The Pretender NBC Saturday Night At The Movies Mid-fallThe PretenderSleepwalkers Profiler Late fallSpecial programmingThe Pretender WinterAll Star TV Bloopers SpringNBC Saturday Night At The Movies SummerAll Star TV Bloopers NBC Saturday Night At The Movies
By network ABC
Returning series 20/20 ABC Saturday Night Movie The ABC Sunday Night Movie The ABC Thursday Night Movie America's Funniest Home Videos Boy Meets World The Drew Carey Show Ellen Grace Under Fire Home Improvement Monday Night Football NYPD Blue The Practice Primetime Live Sabrina the Teenage Witch Something So Right (moved from NBC) Soul Man Spin City
New series ABC News Saturday Night C-16: FBI Cracker Dharma & Greg Hiller and Diller Maximum Bob * Nothing Sacred Over the Top Prey * Push * Teen Angel That's Life * Timecop Total Security Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place * The Wonderful World of Disney You Wish
Not returning from 1996–97: The ABC Monday Night Movie Arsenio Clueless (moved to UPN) Coach Common Law Dangerous Minds Family Matters (moved to CBS) Gun Hangin' with Mr. Cooper High Incident Leaving L.A. Life's Work Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Murder One Relativity Roseanne (revived and returned for 2017–18 for one season) Second Noah Spy Game Step by Step (moved to CBS) Townies Turning Point Vital Signs
CBS
Returning series 48 Hours 60 Minutes Candid Camera CBS Sunday Movie Chicago Hope Cosby Cybill Diagnosis Murder Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Early Edition Everybody Loves Raymond Family Matters (moved from ABC) JAG Murphy Brown The Nanny Nash Bridges Promised Land Step by Step (moved from ABC) Touched by an Angel Unsolved Mysteries (moved from NBC) Walker, Texas Ranger
New series Brooklyn South The Closer * Dellaventura Four Corners * George and Leo The Gregory Hines Show Kids Say the Darndest Things * The Magnificent Seven * Meego Michael Hayes Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel The Simple Life * Style & Substance *
Not returning from 1996–97: Almost Perfect Dave's World EZ Streets Ink Life... and Stuff Mr. & Mrs. Smith Moloney Orleans Pearl Public Morals Temporarily Yours Feds
Fox
Returning series America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back Beverly Hills, 90210 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Cops Fox Tuesday Night Movie King of the Hill Living Single Melrose Place Millennium New York Undercover Party of Five The Simpsons The X-Files
New series 413 Hope St. Ally McBeal Ask Harriet * Between Brothers Damon * Fox Files * Fox Wednesday Night Movie Getting Personal Significant Others * The Visitor The World's Funniest! World's Wildest Police Videos *
Not returning from 1996–97: Big Deal Lawless Love and Marriage Lush Life Married... with Children Martin Ned and Stacey Pacific Palisades Party Girl Pauly Roar Sliders
NBC
Returning series