Classic TV Raitings and Rankings: 1975-76

ALL IN THE FAMILY is the #1 program on TV for the FIFTH straight season, topping GUNSMOKE's run of four straight in the lat 50's. But again, even while being #1, CBS has some more moves to make that included a lot of their hit series.

M*A*S*H was initially moved again to Fridays, but at mid season was move back to Tuesdays. CHER didn't do so well on her own, and neither did SONNY, but CBS got them back together at mid season. ALL IN THE FAMILY moved to Mondays to help form a strong line up of RHODA, PHYLLIS, ALL IN THE FAMILY and MAUDE. The JEFFERSONS took over leading off Saturday nights and the ratings fell for all the shows that night. BARNABY JONES was on the move yet again, now closing out Friday nights for the network. CBS still managed 14 top 30 programs, but that is down 7 from last season.

This was also the year ABC started becoming a force in the ratings. After just three top 30 hits last season ABC now has 13, including three of the top five. Some of the classic ABC shows were charting, like freshmen series LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, WELCOME BACK KOTTER, DONNY AND MARIE and THE BIONIC WOMAN. Oddly enough MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL was not a top 30 program. CBS created some vulnerable spots with all the movement and ABC took advantage of it.

Poor NBC was left with very little. SANFORD & SON was still a top 10 hit, but last year's #3 show (CHICO & THE MAN) dropped to #25. Those plus POLICE WOMAN, were the only three programs from the network in the top 30.

Notable new series from this season were SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH HOWARD COSELL, ONE DAY AT A TIME (#12), THE INVISIBLE MAN, RICH MAN POOR MAN (#2).

Top 30 Network Programs by household ratings
(Households with TVs - 69.60 million)

1. 30.1 - All In The Family (CBS)
2. 28.0 - Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC)
3. 27.5 - Laverne & Shirley (ABC)
4. 25.0 - Maude (CBS)
5. 24.9 - The Bionic Woman (ABC)
6. 24.5 - Phyllis (CBS)
7. 24.4 - Rhoda (CBS)
7. 24.4 - Sanford & Son (NBC)
9. 24.3 - The Six Million Dollar Man (ABC)
10. 24.2 - ABC Monday Night Movie (ABC)
11. 23.9 - Happy Days (ABC) 
12. 23.1 - One Day At A Time (CBS)
13. 23.0 - ABC Sunday Night Movie (ABC)
14. 22.9 - The Waltons (CBS)
14. 22.9 - M*A*S*H (CBS)
16. 22.5 - Starsky & Hutch (ABC)
16. 22.5 - Good Heavens (ABC)
18. 22.1 - Welcome Back Kotter (ABC)
19. 21.9 - The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS)
20. 21.5 - The Jeffersons (CBS)
21. 21.3 - Baretta (ABC)
22. 21.0 - Good Times (CBS)
23. 21.8 - Kojak (CBS)
24. 21.2 - The Sonny & Cher Show (CBS) 
25. 20.8 - Chico & The Man (NBC)
26. 20.7 - The Bob Newhart Show (CBS)
26. 20.7 - The Streets of San Francisco (ABC)
26. 20.7 - Donn & Marie (ABC)
29. 20.5 - The Carol Burnett Show (CBS)
30. 20.2 - Police Woman (NBC)