CBS decided to move the show from Sundays to Mondays night. The show had fell to #43 out of 67 shows. So the final two episodes that aired on Monday night was

Small Claims Court-March 28, 1983
Im Torn Here-April 4, 1983


The ranking after the 3/28/83 episode was #32 and #46 after 4/4/83 airing. So that is why CBS didnt bring the show back because nothing changed once it moved to Mondays as the lead in show. I always looked at the overall ranking for the entire season which was #22 and wondered why it was cancelled. Now I know why

The reason the show was moved was part of an overall strategy of CBS (it's a long story) to link up new shows that CBS thought showed promise with older shows that had compatible audiences. In looking at the moves concerning ABP , CBS wanted to put Goodnight Beantown a show about news anchors behind news show 60 Minutes, and Foot In The Door a sitcom starring Harold Gould as a widower who moves in with his son and daughter-in-law turning into a swinging bachelor much to their frustration. Here's a little blurb made in late April of 83 by Harvey Shephard, Senior Vice President, programs, CBS Entertainment:

“As for Archie Bunker and Alice, Shephard said,
"they can't be used aggressively," as Archie
Bunker proved in its current Monday time -
slot, "but if protected they'll perform well."

Although it was considered a surprise cancellation at the time you can read between the lines of Shephard's statement what CBS thought concerning the future of the series. The time slot behind 60 Minutes was being wasted, ABP was being carried by the lead show and it was losing too much of the lead-in audience. So the question, should the network attempt to find another timeslot for the series where the show would be protected but not lose as much of the lead-in audience and was making that effort worth it, we know what the ultimate determination was.

With respect to the two episodes you mentioned there were some extenuating circumstances which should be noted:

The episode of 3/28 was up against night two of a four night miniseries tsunami "The Thorn Birds". Now The Thorn Birds didn't start until 9pm so ABP wasn't directly up against it but the miniseries was popular enough that the audience arrived early, That's Incredible which was 14 the week before jumped to number 6 for the week of March 28.

With respect to the episode of 4/4 CBS had a sports special coming on at 9pm (NCAA championship game) cancelling the rest of the entertainment programming for the evening which may have indirectly played a role in the poor performance of ABP.

The reason the show was moved was part of an overall strategy of CBS (it's a long story) to link up new shows that CBS thought showed promise with older shows that had compatible audiences. In looking at the moves concerning ABP , CBS wanted to put Goodnight Beantown a show about news anchors behind news show 60 Minutes, and Foot In The Door a sitcom starring Harold Gould as a widower who moves in with his son and daughter-in-law turning into a swinging bachelor much to their frustration. Here's a little blurb made in late April of 83 by Harvey Shephard, Senior Vice President, programs, CBS Entertainment:

“As for Archie Bunker and Alice, Shephard said,
"they can't be used aggressively," as Archie
Bunker proved in its current Monday time -
slot, "but if protected they'll perform well."

Although it was considered a surprise cancellation at the time you can read between the lines of Shephard's statement what CBS thought concerning the future of the series. The time slot behind 60 Minutes was being wasted, ABP was being carried by the lead show and it was losing too much of the lead-in audience. So the question, should the network attempt to find another timeslot for the series where the show would be protected but not lose as much of the lead-in audience and was making that effort worth it, we know what the ultimate determination was.

With respect to the two episodes you mentioned there were some extenuating circumstances which should be noted:

The episode of 3/28 was up against night two of a four night miniseries tsunami "The Thorn Birds". Now The Thorn Birds didn't start until 9pm so ABP wasn't directly up against it but the miniseries was popular enough that the audience arrived early, That's Incredible which was 14 the week before jumped to number 6 for the week of March 28.

With respect to the episode of 4/4 CBS had a sports special coming on at 9pm (NCAA championship game) cancelling the rest of the entertainment programming for the evening which may have indirectly played a role in the poor performance of ABP.

How? ABP aired before the NCCA championship game

How? ABP aired before the NCCA championship game

As I said I think it may have had an indirect effect. There may have been people who thought the sports programming was preempting the entire schedule. Viewers of the other regularly shows that watched whatever was on beforehand who now had no reason to turn to CBS that evening. Admittedly, I'm speculating.

As I said I think it may have had an indirect effect. There may have been people who thought the sports programming was preempting the entire schedule. Viewers of the other regularly shows that watched whatever was on beforehand who now had no reason to turn to CBS that evening. Admittedly, I'm speculating.

Gotcha

Also, it would not have aired at the usual lead-off time in pacific and mountain time zones with the game coming first then postgame coverage, unknown start with the overrun. That includes huge states like California. Why CBS has in recent years not aired anything new in the 8PM hour on championship night.

Also, it would not have aired at the usual lead-off time in pacific and mountain time zones with the game coming first then postgame coverage, unknown start with the overrun. That includes huge states like California. Why CBS has in recent years not aired anything new in the 8PM hour on championship night.

Excellent point, thanks.

I remember 4/4/83 well. I was at the game and what a game it was with Jim Valvano running around the court at the end. It is still regularly replayed today.

I had no idea ABP even aired that night as in Albuquerque it would have been after the game and I would have been stuck in traffic leaving the arena.

No way CBS would burn a new episode of anything today. Instead they would do an extended post game show leading into late news.

When it became the Billie & Gary show it was unwatchable.