1980–81 United States network television schedule

This was the television schedule for the three United States commercial television networks, for the fall season beginning in September 1980. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.

New series are highlighted in bold.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.

     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.

Note: An actors' strike hindered the ability to start airing shows in a timely manner. The shows in the schedule were the first to air new episodes in their respective time periods as they bowed in between late August and December 31, 1980. Some of the new shows intended for a fall launch did not debut until 1982 or 1983, if at all.

PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, was in operation but the schedule was set by each local station.

Sunday

Network	7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Those Amazing Animals (Sep.)		Charlie's Angels		The ABC Sunday Night Movie (24/19.4)
CBS	60 Minutes (3/27.0)		Archie Bunker's Place (13/21.4)	One Day at a Time (11/22.0)	Alice (7/22.9)	The Jeffersons (6/23.5)	Trapper John, M.D. (17/20.7)
NBC	Disney's Wonderful World		CHiPs (24/19.4)		The Big Event

Note: On ABC, local and paid political programming aired in the 8-9 p.m. hour from September till November.

Monday

Network		8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Fall	That's Incredible! (28/19.0)		ABC NFL Monday Night Football (20/20.6)
	Winter			Dynasty		Foul Play
CBS		Flo	Ladies' Man (Oct.)	M*A*S*H (4/25.7)	House Calls (8/22.4)	Lou Grant (27/19.1)
NBC		Little House on the Prairie (10/22.1)		NBC Monday Night at the Movies (29/18.8)

Note: Private Benjamin premiered April 6, 1981 at 8:00-8:30 pm on CBS.

Tuesday

Network	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Happy Days (15/20.8)	Laverne & Shirley (20/20.6)	Three's Company (8/22.4)	Too Close for Comfort (Nov.) (15/20.8)	Hart to Hart (23/19.9)
CBS	The White Shadow		The CBS Tuesday Night Movies
NBC	Lobo		(local)		The Steve Allen Comedy Hour (Oct.)

Note: On CBS, local and paid political programming aired in the 8-9 p.m. hour between September and November. On NBC, NBC Tuesday Night at the Movies aired 8-10 p.m. from September till November.

Wednesday

Network	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Eight is Enough		Taxi	Soap	Vega$
CBS	Enos (Nov.)		The CBS Wednesday Night Movies
NBC	Real People (12/21.5)		Diff'rent Strokes (17/20.7)	The Facts of Life (26/19.3)	Quincy, M.E.

Note: NBC's Movie of the Week aired 9-11 p.m. between September and November.

Thursday

Network	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Mork & Mindy	Bosom Buddies (Nov.)	Barney Miller	It's a Living (Oct.)	20/20
CBS	The Waltons (30/18.6)		Magnum, P.I. (Dec.) (14/21.0)		Knots Landing (22/20.5)
NBC	Games People Play		NBC Thursday Night at the Movies

Note: CBS Thursday Movie Special aired 9-11 p.m. from September till the end of November.

Friday

Network	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Benson	I'm a Big Girl Now (Oct.)	The ABC Friday Night Movie
CBS	The Incredible Hulk		The Dukes of Hazzard (2/27.3)		Dallas (1/34.5)
NBC	Marie (Dec.)		Number 96 (Dec.)		NBC Magazine with David Brinkley (Sep.)

Note: NBC Friday Night at the Movies aired 8-10 p.m. through October and November.

Saturday

Network	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Breaking Away (Nov.)		The Love Boat (5/24.3)		Fantasy Island (17/20.7)
CBS	WKRP in Cincinnati	The Tim Conway Show	Freebie and the Bean (Dec.)		Secrets of Midland Heights (Dec.)
NBC	Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (Nov.)		NBC Saturday Night at the Movies

Note: The CBS Saturday Night Movies aired 9-11 p.m. through till the end of November.