We all know that Punky Brewster did a "very special episode" (https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?496666-No-Network-coverage-of-Challenger-launch-1-28-86) at the end of its second season dealing with Punky coping with the disaster. But did any other shows respond to it? And what network shows did ABC, CBS and NBC break in when they announced the news?

The only show that I know that was adversely effected by the news was the sitcom Melba (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melba_(TV_series)), which unfortunately debuted on CBS the same night (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-08-02/entertainment/8602250777_1_melba-patterson-challenger-space-shuttle-explosion-melba-moore) as the disaster. Its premiere was ranked as the lowest program of the week and CBS immediately pulled it from its schedule (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985%E2%80%9386_United_States_network_television_schedule).

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Not quite. They actually broadcast the premiere episode of Melba again at a later date. And it did even WORSE in the ratings then! I'm not making that up that's what I read somewhere. But other than Punky Brewster I'm not aware there were any other TV shows that did episodes about the shuttle disaster. Or if there are I've definitely never seen them.

Ed.

CBS was planning on airing an animated series for their Saturday morning line-up called Young Astronauts (https://lostmediawiki.com/The_Young_Astronauts_(lost_animated_series;_1986)), which got scrapped in light of the Challenger disaster. Allegedly, the pilot actually aired the Saturday (https://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/165641-Young-Astronauts) before the disaster.