PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.
[1] The 1988 Writers Guild of America strike lasted between March 7 and August 7.
The writers' strike forced the networks to postpone the start of the fall 1988 schedule later than usual; rather than the traditional late-September/early-October start, new and returning series had their premieres delayed until late October and into November.
In the interim, the networks had to rely on a hodgepodge of programming, including reruns, films, entertainment and news specials, program-length political advertising, and unscripted original series (e.g. CBS' High Risk); NBC and ABC also benefited from sports programming (NBC relied on the Summer Olympics in September and the World Series in October, while ABC had postseason baseball coverage and moved up the start time for the early weeks of Monday Night Football from 9 p.m.
Stryker, Columbo, Gideon Oliver Note: On CBS, Frank's Place consisted of reruns of the 1987-88 sitcom.