"All in the Family" Being Moved to Mondays in the Fall of 1975

[James28]

Some people may ask this question: Why was All in the Family moved from Saturdays to Mondays in the fall of 1975? I think I can provide an explanation for such a scheduling change.

In the spring of 1975, CBS cancelled Gunsmoke after a 20-year original run. Gunsmoke had been the network's Monday lead-off program since it was saved from cancellation in 1967. The cancellation of Gunsmoke opened up a slot for two half-hour comedies on CBS's Monday night schedule for the fall of 1975.

And then some people may ask this: How was CBS's Monday night schedule changed for the Fall of 1975? I can provide an answer for that, also.

Maude, a spin-off of All in the Family, was bumped from 9:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Rhoda, a spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, shifted from 9:30 pm to become the new Monday lead-off program at 8:00 pm with Phyllis, another spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, following it at 8:30 pm. All in the Family was moved from the Saturday lead-off position which it had occupied for the previous four years to the Mondays-at-9:00-pm timeslot. The Jeffersons, another spin-off of AitF, became the network's new Saturday lead-off program as a result of its parent show moving to Mondays.

Even with this scheduling change, All in the Family remained the number-one program in the Nielsen Ratings for the fifth consecutive year during the 1975-76 TV season, with an average rating of 30.1.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by James28

Some people may ask this question: Why was All in the Family moved from Saturdays to Mondays in the fall of 1975? I think I can provide an explanation for such a scheduling change.

In the spring of 1975, CBS cancelled Gunsmoke after a 20-year original run. Gunsmoke had been the network's Monday lead-off program since it was saved from cancellation in 1967. The cancellation of Gunsmoke opened up a slot for two half-hour comedies on CBS's Monday night schedule for the fall of 1975.

And then some people may ask this: How was CBS's Monday night schedule changed for the Fall of 1975? I can provide an answer for that, also.

Maude, a spin-off of All in the Family, was bumped from 9:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Rhoda, a spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, shifted from 9:30 pm to become the new Monday lead-off program at 8:00 pm with Phyllis, another spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, following it at 8:30 pm. All in the Family was moved from the Saturday lead-off position which it had occupied for the previous four years to the Mondays-at-9:00-pm timeslot. The Jeffersons, another spin-off of AitF, became the network's new Saturday lead-off program as a result of its parent show moving to Mondays.

Even with this scheduling change, All in the Family remained the number-one program in the Nielsen Ratings for the fifth consecutive year during the 1975-76 TV season, with an average rating of 30.1.

Not surprising since the show had already had a large fan base from being on the air 5 years. This move by CBS also caused the ratings for the Jeffersons to fall and never recovered until CBS moved it to sundays night at the start of the 1979 season

[biffbronson]

I remember watching AITF on Mondays, followed by Maude -- although a lot of the political aspects of Maude went over my head back then. I remember very little of Rhoda from primetime, and as far as Phyllis I'm certain I saw it only much later in syndication or cable.

On Saturday nights, it was always the following for me:

The Carol Burnett Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Bob Newhart Show -- and sometimes Kung Fu.

I don't recall for certain if I saw much of The Jeffersons in primetime after Season 1, but I watched it whenever I could in syndication.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

I remember watching AITF on Mondays, followed by Maude -- although a lot of the political aspects of Maude went over my head back then. I remember very little of Rhoda from primetime, and as far as Phyllis I'm certain I saw it only much later in syndication or cable.

On Saturday nights, it was always the following for me:

The Carol Burnett Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Bob Newhart Show -- and sometimes Kung Fu.

I don't recall for certain if I saw much of The Jeffersons in primetime after Season 1, but I watched it whenever I could in syndication.

Monday was actually a good timeslot since it was the first day of the work week but CBS had no idea that ABC would come up with Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley after the 1975-76 season