1984-85 Nielsen ratings - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

logan1! · 11-21-2014, 02:37 PM

Hi everybody.

I'm new to this website, and I especially enjoy checking out the old Nielsen ratings, so I'd thought I'd post one from an old season myself.

I found this list from an old TV Guide(it was on Google books, but I was able to write down the complete list using the snippet view and write it down).

Here are the complete ratings list from the 1984-85 TV season
(Note: I was only able to see the snippet view from the TV Guide, so there may be some errors. This list also is in my opinion, incomplete, as there is none of the movies included, but it is the list that TV Guide has published).

1984-85 TV season - 9/24/84 to 4/21/85

1. Dynasty – ABC- 25.0/37
2. Dallas – CBS – 24.7/39
3. The Cosby Show – NBC - 24.1/37
4. 60 Minutes – CBS – 22.2/35
5. Family Ties – NBC – 22.0/33
6. The A-Team – NBC – 21.9/33
7. Simon & Simon – CBS – 21.8/33
8. Murder, She Wrote– CBS – 20.1/30
9. Knots Landing– CBS – 20.0/33
10. Falcon Crest – CBS – 19.9/34
Crazy Like a Fox – CBS – 19.9/29
12. Hotel – ABC – 19.7/33
13. Cheers – NBC – 19.6/29
14. Riptide – NBC – 19.2/29
15. Magnum, P.I – CBS – 19.1/29
16. Newhart – CBS – 18.4/28
17. Kate & Allie – CBS – 18.3/27
18. Highway to Heaven – NBC – 17.7/27
19. Night Court – NBC – 17.6/27
20. Scarecrow and Mrs. King – CBS – 17.1/26
TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes – NBC – 17.1/26
The Fall Guy – ABC – 17.1/26
23. Remington Steele – NBC – 17.0/29
Monday Night Football – ABC – 17.0/28
Webster – ABC – 17.0/28
26. Cagney & Lacey – CBS – 16.9/28
27. Trapper John, M.D – CBS – 16.8/28
28. Hill Street Blues – NBC – 16.6/27
Knight Rider – NBC – 16.6/24
30. The Facts of Life – NBC – 16.2/24
31. Who’s The Boss – ABC – 15.8/24
32. Hardcastle & McCormick – ABC – 15.7/23
33. Benson – ABC – 15.5/25
34. The Love Boat – ABC – 15.3/26
35. Mr. Belvedere – ABC – 15.1/25
36. MacGruder & Loud – ABC – 14.9/23
37. Diff’rent Strokes – NBC – 14.7/25
38. Sara – NBC – 14.5/22
Three’s a Crowd – ABC – 14.5/22
40. Miami Vice – NBC – 14.4/24
41. Gimme a Break! – NBC – 14.2/24
42. 20/20 – ABC – 14.1/23
43. Double Trouble – NBC – 13.8/23
T.J. Hooker – ABC – 13.8/23
The Dukes of Hazzard – CBS – 13.8/22
46. Finder of Lost Loves – ABC – 13.7/25
Street Hawk – ABC – 13.7/21
48. Foul Ups, Bleeps, Blunders – ABC – 13.6/22
49. St. Elsewhere – NBC – 13.4/22
50. Cover Up – CBS – 13.3/24
Airwolf – CBS – 13.3/22
52. Moonlighting – ABC – 13.2/23
It’s Your Move – NBC – 13.2/21
The Jeffersons – CBS – 13.2/20
55. Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer – CBS – 13.1/22
Charles in Charge – CBS – 13.1/21
57. V – NBC – 12.8/20
58. Alice – CBS – 12.5/18
59. Matt Houston – ABC – 12.4/21
60. E/R – CBS – 12.2/19
61. Codename: Foxfire – NBC – 12.1/20
62. Off the Rack – ABC – 12.0/19
63. Detective in the House – CBS – 11.8/20
Spencer – NBC -11.8/20
Paper Dolls – ABC -11.8/19
66. Call to Glory – ABC – 11.7/18
67. Hunter – NBC – 11.6/19
68. Ripley’s Believe it or Not – ABC – 11.5/18
69. Punky Brewster – NBC – 11.3/18
70. Partners in Crime – NBC – 11.2/20
Jessie – ABC – 11.2/19
72. AfterMASH – CBS – 11.1/18
73. Hawaiian Heat – ABC – 10.6/17
74. Otherworld – CBS – 10.4/17
Silver Spoons – NBC – 10.4/17
76. Hot Pursuit – NBC – 9.7/18
77. Berrenger’s – NBC – 9.3/16

Patty Duke · 11-21-2014, 03:18 PM

I've never understood how they can figure out exactly how many people watch certain shows. The only way that would be possible is if they had a box in every single home. I had a family member that was part of the 'Nelson family' as she called it years ago. She didn't understand either and like myself believed the numbers couldn't have been accurate. She said she felt it was more of a hypothesis.

But there is no doubt that TV was better years ago. My husband and I find it almost impossible to find things to watch today and we give new shows a chance out of pure desperation. We are down to 4 shows per week right now.

Mr. Television · 11-21-2014, 03:38 PM

Look at all those classics. TV was great back then.

Mace Dolex · 11-21-2014, 05:12 PM

Only 6 sitcoms were in the top 20.

king of comedy · 11-21-2014, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

Look at all those classics. TV was great back then.

Yes it was.

Frenky · 11-22-2014, 12:00 PM

Thanks for the list, back then TV Guide didn't include movie nights, can you find full ratings list for 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1987-88 and 1988-89 TV seasons?

factsoflife · 11-24-2014, 03:39 AM

My god, any show on TV producer today would literally be thrilled to have ratings anywhere near what those shows were getting. Hell even the lowest rated show in 1984 gets higher ratings than the highest rated shows today.

Frenky · 11-24-2014, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by factsoflife

My god, any show on TV producer today would literally be thrilled to have ratings anywhere near what those shows were getting. Hell even the lowest rated show in 1984 gets higher ratings than the highest rated shows today.

TBBT and NCIS would have been in Top 50 with DVR numbers, little higher with streaming, also people meters came in 1987, so we don't know how many viewers these show had back then.

JR1 · 06-01-2015, 09:02 PM

I remember that edition of TV Guide, but no longer have it. Thanks for posting.

factsoflife · 06-15-2015, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patty Duke

I've never understood how they can figure out exactly how many people watch certain shows. The only way that would be possible is if they had a box in every single home. I had a family member that was part of the 'Nelson family' as she called it years ago. She didn't understand either and like myself believed the numbers couldn't have been accurate. She said she felt it was more of a hypothesis.

But there is no doubt that TV was better years ago. My husband and I find it almost impossible to find things to watch today and we give new shows a chance out of pure desperation. We are down to 4 shows per week right now.

It is based on averages with each Neilsen Box representing a certain number of viewers. That is my best understanding of how it works.

11-21-2014, 02:37 PM	#1
logan1! Member First Time Poster Join Date: Nov 12, 2014 Location: California Posts: 1	1984-85 Nielsen ratings Hi everybody. I'm new to this website, and I especially enjoy checking out the old Nielsen ratings, so I'd thought I'd post one from an old season myself. I found this list from an old TV Guide(it was on Google books, but I was able to write down the complete list using the snippet view and write it down). Here are the complete ratings list from the 1984-85 TV season (Note: I was only able to see the snippet view from the TV Guide, so there may be some errors. This list also is in my opinion, incomplete, as there is none of the movies included, but it is the list that TV Guide has published). 1984-85 TV season - 9/24/84 to 4/21/85 1. Dynasty – ABC- 25.0/37 2. Dallas – CBS – 24.7/39 3. The Cosby Show – NBC - 24.1/37 4. 60 Minutes – CBS – 22.2/35 5. Family Ties – NBC – 22.0/33 6. The A-Team – NBC – 21.9/33 7. Simon & Simon – CBS – 21.8/33 8. Murder, She Wrote– CBS – 20.1/30 9. Knots Landing– CBS – 20.0/33 10. Falcon Crest – CBS – 19.9/34 Crazy Like a Fox – CBS – 19.9/29 12. Hotel – ABC – 19.7/33 13. Cheers – NBC – 19.6/29 14. Riptide – NBC – 19.2/29 15. Magnum, P.I – CBS – 19.1/29 16. Newhart – CBS – 18.4/28 17. Kate & Allie – CBS – 18.3/27 18. Highway to Heaven – NBC – 17.7/27 19. Night Court – NBC – 17.6/27 20. Scarecrow and Mrs. King – CBS – 17.1/26 TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes – NBC – 17.1/26 The Fall Guy – ABC – 17.1/26 23. Remington Steele – NBC – 17.0/29 Monday Night Football – ABC – 17.0/28 Webster – ABC – 17.0/28 26. Cagney & Lacey – CBS – 16.9/28 27. Trapper John, M.D – CBS – 16.8/28 28. Hill Street Blues – NBC – 16.6/27 Knight Rider – NBC – 16.6/24 30. The Facts of Life – NBC – 16.2/24 31. Who’s The Boss – ABC – 15.8/24 32. Hardcastle & McCormick – ABC – 15.7/23 33. Benson – ABC – 15.5/25 34. The Love Boat – ABC – 15.3/26 35. Mr. Belvedere – ABC – 15.1/25 36. MacGruder & Loud – ABC – 14.9/23 37. Diff’rent Strokes – NBC – 14.7/25 38. Sara – NBC – 14.5/22 Three’s a Crowd – ABC – 14.5/22 40. Miami Vice – NBC – 14.4/24 41. Gimme a Break! – NBC – 14.2/24 42. 20/20 – ABC – 14.1/23 43. Double Trouble – NBC – 13.8/23 T.J. Hooker – ABC – 13.8/23 The Dukes of Hazzard – CBS – 13.8/22 46. Finder of Lost Loves – ABC – 13.7/25 Street Hawk – ABC – 13.7/21 48. Foul Ups, Bleeps, Blunders – ABC – 13.6/22 49. St. Elsewhere – NBC – 13.4/22 50. Cover Up – CBS – 13.3/24 Airwolf – CBS – 13.3/22 52. Moonlighting – ABC – 13.2/23 It’s Your Move – NBC – 13.2/21 The Jeffersons – CBS – 13.2/20 55. Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer – CBS – 13.1/22 Charles in Charge – CBS – 13.1/21 57. V – NBC – 12.8/20 58. Alice – CBS – 12.5/18 59. Matt Houston – ABC – 12.4/21 60. E/R – CBS – 12.2/19 61. Codename: Foxfire – NBC – 12.1/20 62. Off the Rack – ABC – 12.0/19 63. Detective in the House – CBS – 11.8/20 Spencer – NBC -11.8/20 Paper Dolls – ABC -11.8/19 66. Call to Glory – ABC – 11.7/18 67. Hunter – NBC – 11.6/19 68. Ripley’s Believe it or Not – ABC – 11.5/18 69. Punky Brewster – NBC – 11.3/18 70. Partners in Crime – NBC – 11.2/20 Jessie – ABC – 11.2/19 72. AfterMASH – CBS – 11.1/18 73. Hawaiian Heat – ABC – 10.6/17 74. Otherworld – CBS – 10.4/17 Silver Spoons – NBC – 10.4/17 76. Hot Pursuit – NBC – 9.7/18 77. Berrenger’s – NBC – 9.3/16

11-21-2014, 03:18 PM	#2
Patty Duke Good night, John Boy Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 09, 2013 Location: The Land of Milk and Honey Posts: 788	I've never understood how they can figure out exactly how many people watch certain shows. The only way that would be possible is if they had a box in every single home. I had a family member that was part of the 'Nelson family' as she called it years ago. She didn't understand either and like myself believed the numbers couldn't have been accurate. She said she felt it was more of a hypothesis. But there is no doubt that TV was better years ago. My husband and I find it almost impossible to find things to watch today and we give new shows a chance out of pure desperation. We are down to 4 shows per week right now.
	__________________ Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

11-21-2014, 03:38 PM	#3
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,129	Look at all those classics. TV was great back then.
	__________________ Sonny

11-24-2014, 03:39 AM	#7
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,744	My god, any show on TV producer today would literally be thrilled to have ratings anywhere near what those shows were getting. Hell even the lowest rated show in 1984 gets higher ratings than the highest rated shows today.
	__________________ "and to the fans. I was only supposed to be on every other Tuesday. But, thanks to you, I'm here, and I promise! I will try my best never to let you down. I am going back into that studio on Monday, and I'm going to play Erica Kane for all she's worth!"-- Susan Lucci, May 1999 Daytime Emmy Speech.

11-21-2014, 05:12 PM	#4
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,668	Only 6 sitcoms were in the top 20.

11-22-2014, 12:00 PM	#6
Frenky Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Dec 28, 2013 Posts: 146	Thanks for the list, back then TV Guide didn't include movie nights, can you find full ratings list for 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1987-88 and 1988-89 TV seasons?

06-01-2015, 09:02 PM	#9
JR1 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 07, 2009 Location: USA Posts: 742	I remember that edition of TV Guide, but no longer have it. Thanks for posting.