The 1989–90 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers primetime hours from September 1989 through August 1990. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1988–89 season.

Beginning this season, Fox started their prime time expansion starting with Mondays.

This is the first season to feature entirely closed captioning programs on the Big Four networks.

This was the first time that two programs were tied for the no. 1 spot in the Nielsen ratings.

PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.

New series are highlighted in bold.

All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian times.

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

Legend

Sunday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|7:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|7:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30 p.m.

|-

! rowspan="7"|ABC

! Fall

| rowspan="7" colspan="2"|Life Goes On

| Free Spirit

| Homeroom

| rowspan="4" colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|The ABC Sunday Night Movie

|-

! Winter

| style="background:#FFFF00;" rowspan="6" |America's Funniest Home Videos

| Free Spirit

|-

! Mid-winter

| Elvis

|-

! Spring

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|America's Funniest Home Videos

|-

! Summer

| colspan="5" style="background:#FA8072;"|The ABC Sunday Night Movie

|-

! Mid-summer

| style="background:#FA8072;" |Mr. Belvedere

| rowspan="2" colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|The ABC Sunday Night Movie

|-

! Late summer

| Tim Conway's Funny America

|-

! colspan="2"|CBS

| style="background:#6699CC;" colspan="2"|

| style="background:#00FFFF;" colspan="2"|Murder, She Wrote

| style="background:#FA8072;" colspan="4"|

|-

! rowspan="4"|Fox

! Fall

| rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Booker

| rowspan="4"|America's Most Wanted

| Totally Hidden Video

| rowspan="4"|Married... with Children

| rowspan="3"|Open House

| rowspan="2"|The Tracey Ullman Show

| rowspan="2" style="background:#CD7F32;"|It's Garry Shandling's Show

|-

! Winter

| rowspan="3" style="background:#FF66FF;"|The Simpsons

|-

! Spring

| rowspan="2" colspan="2"|The Outsiders

| rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Booker

|-

! Summer

| In Living Color

|-

! rowspan="7"|NBC

! Fall

| colspan="2"|Brand New Life

| rowspan="2"|Sister Kate

| rowspan="2"|My Two Dads

| rowspan="7" colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|NBC Sunday Night Movie

|-

! Late fall

| rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|The Magical World of Disney

|-

! Winter

| Ann Jillian

| Sister Kate

|-

! Spring

| colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|The Magical World of Disney

|-

! Mid-spring

| colspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|The Magical World of Disney

| style="background:#C0C0C0;" |ALF

| 227

|-

! Summer

| colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|The Magical World of Disney

|-

! Late summer

| style="background:#FA8072;"| Ann Jillian

| style="background:#FA8072;"| A Family for Joe

| colspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|The Magical World of Disney

|}

Note: In Living Color premiered Sunday, April 15, 1990 at 9:30 PM on Fox.

Monday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30 p.m.

|-

! rowspan="5"|ABC

! Fall

| colspan="2" rowspan="3"|MacGyver

| style="background:lightgreen;" colspan="4"|

|-

! Winter

| colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|The ABC Monday Night Movie

|-

! Spring

| colspan="2"|China Beach

| colspan="2"|Capital News

|-

! Mid-spring

| colspan="2"|The Young Riders

| colspan="4" rowspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|The ABC Monday Night Movie

|-

! Summer

| colspan="2"|MacGyver

|-

! rowspan="7"| CBS

! Fall

| rowspan="7"|Major Dad

| The People Next Door

| style="background:#FF66FF;" rowspan="7"|Murphy Brown

| The Famous Teddy Z

| style="background:#FF66FF;"|Designing Women

| Newhart

|-

! Mid-fall

| The Famous Teddy Z

| style="background:#FF66FF" rowspan="6"|Designing Women

| rowspan="3"|Newhart

| rowspan="2"|Doctor Doctor

|-

! Winter

| rowspan="2"|City

|-

! Spring

| His & Hers

|-

! Mid-spring

| Newhart

| colspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|

|-

! Summer

| style="background:#FA8072;"|Sydney

| Newhart

| The Dave Thomas Comedy Show

|-

! Mid-summer

| colspan=“2”|Doctor Doctor

| colspan="2" style="background:#6699CC;"|Saturday Night with Connie Chung

|-

! colspan="2"|Fox

| colspan="2"|21 Jump Street

| colspan="2"|Alien Nation

| style="background:#abbfff;" colspan="2"|

|-

! rowspan="6" | NBC

! Fall

| rowspan="2"|ALF

| rowspan="3"|The Hogan Family

| colspan="4" rowspan="3" style="background:#FA8072;"|NBC Monday Night at the Movies

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

| rowspan="2"|My Two Dads

|-

! Mid-spring

|Working Girl

| bgcolor="#FF66FF" colspan="2" |Hunter

| colspan="2" |Shannon's Deal

|-

! Summer

| ALF

| The Hogan Family

| colspan="4" rowspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|NBC Monday Night at the Movies

|-

! Mid-summer

| style="background:#FA8072;"| Sister Kate

| style="background:#FA8072;"| Working Girl

|}

Tuesday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30 p.m.

|-

! rowspan="5"|ABC

! Fall

| style="background:#00FFFF;" rowspan="5"|Who's the Boss?

| style="background:#FFFF00;" rowspan="5"|The Wonder Years

| bgcolor="lime" rowspan="5"|Roseanne

| style="background:#00FFFF;"|Chicken Soup

| colspan="4" rowspan="5" |Thirtysomething

|-

! Mid-fall

| style="background:#00FFFF;" rowspan="4"|Coach

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

|-

! Summer

|-

! rowspan="4"|CBS

! Fall

| colspan="2" rowspan="4"|Rescue 911

| colspan="2" |Wolf

| colspan="2" |Island Son

|-

! Winter

| colspan="4" rowspan="3" style="background:#FA8072;"|CBS Tuesday Night Movie

|-

! Spring

|-

! Summer

|-

! rowspan="4"|NBC

! Fall

| rowspan="2" style="background:#00FFFF;" colspan="2" rowspan="4"|Matlock

| rowspan="2" style="background:#00FFFF;" colspan="2" rowspan="4"|In the Heat of the Night

| colspan="2" rowspan="3"|Midnight Caller

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

|-

! Summer

| colspan="2" style="background-color:#6699CC;"|Real Life with Jane Pauley

|}

Wednesday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00 p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30 p.m.

|-

! rowspan="5"|ABC

! Fall

| rowspan="5" bgcolor="#FF66FF"|Growing Pains

| rowspan="5" bgcolor="#FF66FF"|Head of the Class

| bgcolor="#FF66FF" rowspan="5"|Doogie Howser, M.D.

| rowspan="2"|Anything but Love

| colspan="2" rowspan="2"|China Beach

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

| The Marshall Chronicles

| rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Equal Justice

|-

! Mid-spring

| Brewster Place

|-

! Summer

| Anything but Love

| colspan="2"|China Beach

|-

! rowspan="7"| CBS

! Fall

| colspan="2"|Peaceable Kingdom

| colspan="2" rowspan="7"|Jake and the Fatman

| colspan="2" rowspan="4"|Wiseguy

|-

! Mid-fall

| colspan="2"|Beauty and the Beast

|-

! Winter

| colspan="2"|Grand Slam

|-

! Spring

| Normal Life

| Sydney

|-

! Mid-spring

| Sydney

| rowspan="2"|Normal Life

| style="background:#FA8072;" colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Special programming

|-

! Summer

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|This Is America, Charlie Brown

|-

! Mid-summer

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Newhart

| style="background:#FA8072;"| His & Hers

| colspan="2"|Top Cops

|-

! rowspan="2" |Fox <br/>

! Mid-summer

| colspan="2"|Glory Days

| rowspan="2" |Molloy

| rowspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|Various pilots

| rowspan="2" style="background:#abbfff;" colspan="2"|Local programming

|-

! Late Summer

| style="background:#C0C0C0;" colspan="2"|21 Jump Street

|-

! rowspan="7" |NBC

! Fall

| style="background:#00FFFF;" colspan="2" rowspan="7"|Unsolved Mysteries

| style="background:#FF66FF;" rowspan="5"|Night Court

| The Nutt House

| colspan="2" rowspan="7"|Quantum Leap

|-

! Mid-fall

| My Two Dads

|-

! Winter

| style="background:#00FFFF;"|Dear John

|-

! Spring

| FM

|-

! Late spring

| rowspan="3" style="background:#00FFFF;"|Dear John

|-

! Summer

| Singer & Sons

|-

! Mid-summer

| style="background:#FF66FF;" |Night Court

|}

Notes: Molloy aired at 9:00&nbsp;p.m. on Fox from July 25 until August 15, 1990. Fox aired movies at 8:00&nbsp;p.m. on an irregular basis.

Thursday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30&nbsp;p.m.

|-

! rowspan="4"|ABC

! Fall

| colspan="2"|Mission: Impossible

| rowspan="2" colspan="2"|The Young Riders

| rowspan="4" colspan="2" style="background:#6699CC;"|Primetime Live

|-

! Winter

| rowspan="3" colspan="2"|Father Dowling Mysteries

|-

! Spring

| rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Twin Peaks

|-

! Summer

|-

! rowspan="6"|CBS

! Fall

| rowspan="6" colspan="2" style="background:#6699CC;"|48 Hours

| colspan="2"|Top of the Hill

| rowspan="4" colspan="2" |Knots Landing

|-

! Winter

| colspan="2" |Island Son

|-

! Spring

| colspan="2"|Max Monroe: Loose Cannon

|-

! Mid-spring

| colspan="2"|Falcon Crest

|-

! Summer

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Wiseguy

| style="background:#FA8072;" colspan="2"|Wolf

|-

! Mid-summer

| colspan="2"|Northern Exposure

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|The Eddie Capra Mysteries

|-

! Fox<br/>

! Late summer

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|The Simpsons

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|

| colspan="2"|Glory Days

| style="background:#abbfff;" colspan="2"|

|-

! rowspan="5"|NBC

! Fall

| bgcolor="lime" rowspan="5"|The Cosby Show

| style="background:#FFFF00;" rowspan="5"|A Different World

| style="background:#FFFF00;" rowspan="5"|Cheers

| style="background:#00FFFF;"|Dear John

| style="background:#00FFFF;" rowspan="5" colspan="2"|L.A. Law

|-

! Winter

| style="background:#00FFFF;"|Grand

|-

! Spring

| Wings

|-

! Summer

| Seinfeld

|-

! Mid-summer

| style="background:#00FFFF;"|Grand

|}

Notes: The Eddie Capra Mysteries, which CBS aired from July 26 to August 30, consisted of reruns of episodes from the 1978-79 NBC series.

Friday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30&nbsp;p.m.

|-

! rowspan="4"|ABC

! Fall

| rowspan="4" style="background:#FF66FF;"|Full House

| rowspan="4"|Family Matters

| rowspan="4"|Perfect Strangers

| rowspan="3"|Just the Ten of Us

| rowspan="4" colspan="2" style="background:#77AACC;"|20/20

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

|-

! Summer

| New Attitude

|-

! rowspan="8"|CBS

! Fall

| colspan="2"|Snoops

| colspan="2" rowspan="3"|Dallas

| colspan="3" rowspan="3"|Falcon Crest

|-

! Winter

| colspan="2"|Max Monroe: Loose Cannon

|-

! Mid-winter

| colspan="2"|The Bradys

|-

! Spring

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|

| rowspan="2"|Bagdad Cafe

| rowspan="2"|Sugar and Spice

| colspan="2" rowspan="2"|Dallas

|-

! Mid-spring

| Small Talk

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|

|-

! Summer

| style="background:#FA8072;"|

| style="background:#FA8072;"|City

| colspan="4" rowspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|CBS Friday Movie

|-

! Mid-summer

| colspan="2" style="background:#FA8072;"|Snoops

|-

! Late summer

| Prime Time Pets

| Candid Camera

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Newhart

|Wish You Were Here

| colspan="2"|Room for Romance

|-

! rowspan="10"|NBC

! Early fall

| colspan="2" rowspan="5"|Baywatch

| colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|NBC Friday Night at the Movies

|-

! Fall

| colspan="2"|Hardball

| colspan="2" rowspan="3"|Mancuso, F.B.I.

|-

! Winter

| colspan="2"|True Blue

|-

! Mid-winter

| colspan="2" rowspan="4"|Nasty Boys

|-

! Spring

| colspan="2" rowspan="3"|Hardball

|-

! Mid-spring

| colspan="2"|Mancuso, F.B.I.

|-

! Late spring

| colspan="2" |Baywatch

|-

! Summer

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Bret Maverick

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|The Yellow Rose

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;" rowspan="3"|Midnight Caller

|-

! Mid-summer

| colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Quantum Leap

| colspan="2" style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Shannon's Deal

|-

! Late summer

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Night Court

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|Wings

|}

Notes: Bret Maverick, which aired on NBC, consisted of reruns of the series' 1981–82 network run. The Yellow Rose, which also aired on NBC, consisted of reruns of the series' 1983–84 network run.

Saturday

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;margin-right:0;text-align:center"

|-

! colspan="2" style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|Network

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|8:30&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|9:30&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:00&nbsp;p.m.

! style="background-color:#C0C0C0;text-align:center"|10:30&nbsp;p.m.

|-

! rowspan="7"|ABC

! Fall

| Mr. Belvedere

| Living Dolls

| rowspan="6" colspan="4" style="background:#FA8072;"|The ABC Saturday Mystery Movie

|-

! Winter

| colspan="2"|Mission: Impossible

|-

! Spring

| colspan="2"|H.E.L.P.

|-

! Late spring

| colspan="2"|Sunset Beat

|-

! Early summer

| Elvis

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|

|-

! Summer

| rowspan="2"|Super Jeopardy!

| rowspan="2"|Monopoly

|-

! Late summer

| style="background:#C0C0C0;" colspan="2"|China Beach

| style="background:#C0C0C0;" colspan="2"|Twin Peaks

|-

! rowspan="4"|CBS

! Fall

| colspan="2" rowspan="4"|Paradise

| colspan="2" rowspan="3"|Tour of Duty

| colspan="2" rowspan="3" style="background:#6699CC;"|Saturday Night with Connie Chung

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

|-

! Summer

| style="background:#FA8072;" colspan="2"|Beauty and the Beast

| colspan="2"|Tour of Duty

|-

! rowspan="4"|Fox

! Fall

| rowspan="4"|COPS

| colspan="2" style="background:#6699CC;"|The Reporters

| Beyond Tomorrow

| rowspan="4" style="background:#abbfff;" colspan="2"|

|-

! Winter

| rowspan="3"|Totally Hidden Video

| colspan="2" style="background:#6699CC;"|The Reporters

|-

! Spring

| rowspan="2"|In Living Color

| rowspan="2"|The Tracey Ullman Show

|-

! Summer

|-

! rowspan="8"|NBC

! Fall

| rowspan="2"|227

| rowspan="3"|Amen

| style="background:#FFFF00;" rowspan="8"|The Golden Girls

| style="background:#FFFF00;" rowspan="8"|Empty Nest

| style="background:#FF66FF;" colspan="2" rowspan="3"|Hunter

|-

! Winter

|-

! Spring

| ALF

|-

! Mid-spring

| A Family for Joe

| 13 East

| rowspan="2"|Carol and Company

| rowspan="2"|Down Home

|-

! Late spring

| 13 East

| rowspan="2" | Amen

|-

! Summer

| 227

| style="background:#FF66FF;" rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Hunter

|-

! Mid-summer

| rowspan="2"|Amen

| rowspan="2"|13 East

|-

! Late summer

| Carol and Company

| style="background:#C0C0C0;"|

|}

Note: Comic Strip Live aired at 11:00&nbsp;p.m.-12:00&nbsp;a.m. on Fox.

By network

ABC

;Returning series

  • 20/20
  • The ABC Monday Night Movie
  • ABC Mystery Movie (moved from Monday to Saturday)
  • The ABC Sunday Night Movie
  • Anything but Love
  • China Beach
  • Coach
  • Father Dowling Mysteries (moved from NBC)
  • Full House
  • Growing Pains
  • Head of the Class
  • Just the Ten of Us
  • MacGyver
  • Mission: Impossible
  • Mr. Belvedere
  • Monday Night Football
  • Perfect Strangers
  • Roseanne
  • Thirtysomething
  • Who's the Boss?
  • The Wonder Years

;New series

  • America's Funniest Home Videos *
  • Brewster Place *
  • Capital News *
  • Chicken Soup
  • Doogie Howser, M.D.
  • Elvis *
  • Equal Justice *
  • Family Matters
  • Free Spirit
  • H.E.L.P. *
  • Homeroom
  • Life Goes On
  • Living Dolls
  • The Marshall Chronicles *
  • Monopoly *
  • New Attitude *
  • Primetime Live
  • Sunset Beat *
  • Super Jeopardy! *
  • Tim Conway's Funny America *
  • Twin Peaks *
  • The Young Riders

Not returning from 1988–89:

  • ABC Saturday Night Movie
  • Dynasty
  • A Fine Romance
  • Great Circuses of the World
  • Have Faith
  • HeartBeat
  • Hooperman
  • Incredible Sunday
  • Knightwatch
  • A Man Called Hawk
  • Men
  • Moonlighting
  • Murphy's Law
  • Police Story
  • The Robert Guillaume Show
  • Studio 5-B
  • Thursday Night Baseball

CBS

;Returning series

  • 48 Hours
  • 60 Minutes
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • CBS Sunday Movie
  • Dallas
  • Designing Women
  • Doctor Doctor
  • Falcon Crest
  • Jake and the Fatman
  • Knots Landing
  • Murder, She Wrote
  • Murphy Brown
  • Newhart
  • Paradise
  • Tour of Duty
  • Wiseguy

;New series

  • Bagdad Cafe *
  • The Bradys *
  • City *
  • The Dave Thomas Comedy Show *
  • The Famous Teddy Z
  • Grand Slam *
  • His & Hers *
  • Island Son
  • Major Dad
  • Max Monroe: Loose Cannon *
  • Normal Life *
  • Northern Exposure *
  • A Peaceable Kingdom
  • The People Next Door
  • Prime Time Pets *
  • Rescue 911
  • Room for Romance *
  • Saturday Night with Connie Chung
  • Small Talk *
  • Snoops
  • Sugar and Spice *
  • Sydney *
  • Top Cops *
  • Top of the Hill
  • Wish You Were Here *
  • Wolf

Not returning from 1988–89:

  • Almost Grown
  • Annie McGuire
  • The Cavanaughs
  • CBS Summer Playhouse
  • Coming of Age
  • Dirty Dancing
  • Dolphin Cove
  • The Equalizer
  • First Impressions
  • Hard Time on Planet Earth
  • Heartland
  • High Risk
  • Jesse Hawkes
  • Kate & Allie
  • Live! Dick Clark Presents
  • Live-In
  • Raising Miranda
  • Simon & Simon
  • The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
  • TV 101
  • The Van Dyke Show
  • West 57th

Fox

;Returning series

  • 21 Jump Street
  • America's Most Wanted
  • Beyond Tomorrow
  • Cops
  • It's Garry Shandling's Show
  • Married... with Children
  • The Reporters
  • Totally Hidden Video
  • The Tracey Ullman Show

;New series

  • Alien Nation
  • Booker
  • Comic Strip Live
  • Glory Days *
  • In Living Color *
  • Molloy *
  • Open House
  • The Outsiders *
  • The Simpsons *

Not returning from 1988–89:

  • Duet

NBC

;Returning series

  • 13 East
  • 227
  • ALF
  • Amen
  • Cheers
  • The Cosby Show
  • Dear John
  • A Different World
  • Empty Nest
  • The Golden Girls
  • The Hogan Family
  • Hunter
  • In the Heat of the Night
  • L.A. Law
  • The Magical World of Disney
  • Matlock
  • Midnight Caller
  • My Two Dads +
  • NBC Sunday Night Movie
  • NBC Monday Night at the Movies
  • Night Court
  • Quantum Leap
  • Unsolved Mysteries

;New series

  • Ann Jillian *
  • Baywatch
  • Brand New Life
  • Carol & Company *
  • Down Home *
  • A Family for Joe *
  • FM
  • Grand *
  • Hardball
  • Mancuso, F.B.I.
  • Nasty Boys *
  • The Nutt House
  • Real Life with Jane Pauley *
  • Seinfeld *
  • Shannon's Deal *
  • Singer & Sons *
  • Sister Kate
  • True Blue *
  • Wings *
  • Working Girl *

Not returning from 1988–89:

  • Baby Boom
  • Day by Day
  • Dream Street
  • Family Ties
  • Father Dowling Mysteries (moved to ABC)
  • Highway to Heaven
  • The Jim Henson Hour
  • Knight & Daye
  • Miami Vice
  • Nearly Departed
  • Nightingales
  • One of the Boys
  • Something Is Out There
  • Sonny Spoon
  • Tattingers/Nick & Hillary
  • Unsub

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.

+ These shows returned as "backup" programming in midseason

References