Editing 1988 in American television (section)

==Programs==

===Debuting this year===

The following is a list of shows that premiered in 1988.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Date
! Title
! Network
|-
| January 2
| ''[[High Mountain Rangers]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[CBS]]
|-
|rowspan="2"|January 4
| ''[[Blackout (game show)|Blackout]]'' 
|-
| ''[[The World of David the Gnome]]''
| [[Nick Jr.]]
|-
| January 11
| ''[[T. and T.]]''
| [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| January 15
| ''[[The Thorns (TV series)|The Thorns]]''
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| January 17
| ''[[The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh]]'' 
|[[Disney Channel|The Disney Channel]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| January 18
| ''[[Home (1988 TV series)|Home]]''
| [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| January 19
| ''[[48 Hours (TV series)|48 Hours]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
| January 31
| ''[[The Wonder Years]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| February 6
| ''[[Count Duckula]]''
|[[Nickelodeon]]
|-
| February 7
| ''[[America's Most Wanted]]'' 
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
| February 29
| ''[[Day by Day (American TV series)|Day by Day]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
|rowspan="2"| March 6
| ''[[In the Heat of the Night (TV series)|In the Heat of the Night]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Supercarrier (TV series)|Supercarrier]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| March 7
| ''[[Probe (1988 TV series)|Probe]]'' 
|-
| March 9
| ''[[Aaron's Way]]'' 
|[[NBC]]
|-
| March 14
| ''[[Eisenhower and Lutz]]'' 
|rowspan="3"|[[CBS]]
|-
|rowspan="2"| March 15
| ''[[Coming of Age (1988 TV series)|Coming of Age]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Trial and Error (TV series)|Trial and Error]]'' 
|-
| March 23
| ''[[HeartBeat (1988 TV series)|HeartBeat]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| April 1
| ''[[Denver, the Last Dinosaur]]''
|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|-
| April 6
| ''[[Just in Time (TV series)|Just in Time]]'' 
|rowspan="3"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
|rowspan="2"| April 26
| ''[[China Beach]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Just the Ten of Us]]'' 
|-
| May 8
| ''[[Something Is Out There]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
| June 13
| ''[[Blue Skies (1988 TV series)|Blue Skies]]''
|[[CBS]]
|-
| July 1
| ''[[Don't Just Sit There]]''
|[[Nickelodeon]]
|-
| August 6
| ''[[Yo! MTV Raps]]'' 
|[[MTV]]
|-
| August 22
| ''[[Later (talk show)|Later with Bob Costas]]''
|[[NBC]]
|-
| August 27
|''[[Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (TV series)|Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers]]''
|[[Disney Channel]]
|-
| September 3
| ''[[Kids' Court]]''
|[[Nickelodeon]]
|-
|rowspan="2"| September 5
| ''[[Fun House (American game show)|Fun House]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[Relatively Speaking (game show)|Relatively Speaking]]''
|-
|rowspan="7"| September 10
| ''[[A Pup Named Scooby-Doo]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| ''[[The New Adventures of Beany and Cecil]]''
|-
| ''[[ALF Tales]]'' 
|rowspan="3"|[[NBC]]
|-
| ''[[Baby Boom (American TV series)|Baby Boom]]'' 
|-
| ''[[The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Beyond Tomorrow (TV series)|Beyond Tomorrow]]''
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
|-
| ''[[Police Academy (TV series)|Police Academy]]''
|rowspan="4"|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|-
|rowspan="3"| September 12
| ''[[Sweethearts (American game show)|Sweethearts]]''
|-
| ''[[USA Today#USA Today: The Television Show|USA Today: The Television Series]]''
|-
| ''[[Wipeout (1988 American game show)|Wipeout]]''
|-
|rowspan="5"| September 17
| ''[[Katts and Dog|Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop]]''
|[[Freeform (TV channel)|CBN Family Channel]]
|-
| ''[[Garfield and Friends]]'' 
|rowspan="3"|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[Hey Vern, It's Ernest!]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Superman (TV series)|Superman]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Fantastic Max]]''
| [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
| September 19
| ''[[C.O.P.S.]]''
|rowspan="3"|[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|-
| October 1
| ''[[Monsters (American TV series)|Monsters]]'' 
|-
| October 2
| ''[[Marvel Action Universe]]'' 
|-
|rowspan="2"| October 4
| ''[[The American Experience]]'' 
|[[PBS]]
|-
| ''[[High Risk (TV series)|High Risk]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
| October 6
| ''[[Dear John (American TV series)|Dear John]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
| rowspan="4" | October 8
| ''[[Empty Nest]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Freddy's Nightmares]]''
| rowspan="4" |[[Syndication (television)|Syndication]]
|-
| ''[[The Munsters Today]]''
|-
| ''[[Superboy (TV series)|Superboy]]''
|-
| October 10
| ''[[War of the Worlds (1988 TV series)|War of the Worlds]]'' 
|-
| October 15
| ''[[Capital Gang]]''
|[[CNN]]
|-
| October 18
| ''[[Roseanne (TV series)|Roseanne]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| October 23
| ''[[Mission: Impossible (1988 TV series)|Mission: Impossible]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| October 25
| ''[[Midnight Caller]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[NBC]]
|-
|rowspan="3"| October 26
| ''[[Tattingers]]'' 
|-
| ''[[Annie McGuire (TV series)|Annie McGuire]]'' 
|rowspan="4"|[[CBS]]
|-
| ''[[The Van Dyke Show]]'' 
|-
| October 27
| ''[[Paradise (American TV series)|Paradise]]'' 
|-
| October 29
| ''[[Dirty Dancing (1988 TV series)|Dirty Dancing]]'' 
|-
| November 2
| ''[[Murphy's Law (American TV series)|Murphy's Law]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| November 5
| ''[[Raising Miranda]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
| November 11
| ''[[Knightwatch]]'' 
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|-
| November 14
| ''[[Murphy Brown]]'' 
|[[CBS]]
|-
| November 24
| ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]'' 
|[[WUCW|KTMA-TV]]
|-
| November 27
| ''[[Almost Grown (TV series)|Almost Grown]]'' 
|rowspan="2"|[[CBS]]
|-
| November 29
| ''[[TV 101]]'' 
|-
| November 30
| ''[[Good Morning, Miss Bliss]]'' 
|[[Disney Channel]]
|}

===Resuming this year===
{| class="wikitable"
|- "
! Title || Final aired || Previous network || Returning network || Date of return
|-
|''[[Family Feud]]''
|1985
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|[[CBS]]
|July 4
|-
|''[[The Gong Show]]''
|1980
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|Same
|September 12
|-
|''[[Gumby]]''
|1968
|[[NBC]]
|[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|Fall 1988
|}

===Changing networks===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Show || Moved from || Moved to
|-
|''[[Family Feud]]''
|[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
|[[CBS]]
|-
|''[[The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh]]''
|[[Disney Channel]]
|ABC
|-
|''[[Double Dare (Nickelodeon game show)|Double Dare]]''
|rowspan="2"|[[Nickelodeon]]
|[[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]/[[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
|-
|''[[Finders Keepers (American game show)|Finders Keepers]]''
|First-run syndication
|-
|''[[Snorks]]''
|[[NBC]]
|[[USA Network]] / First-run syndication
|-
|''[[Heathcliff (1984 TV series)|Heathcliff]]''
|Syndication
|Nickelodeon
|}

===Entering syndication===
A list of programs (current or canceled) that have accumulated enough episodes (between 65 and 100) or seasons (3 or more) to be eligible for off-network syndication and/or basic cable runs.
{|class="wikitable"
|- "
! Show || Seasons 
|-
|''[[The Cosby Show]]''||4
|-
|''[[Kate & Allie]]''||4
|-
|''[[Night Court]]''||4
|}

===Ending this year===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date || Title || Debut
|-
|January 2
|''[[Sable (TV series)|Sable]]''
|rowspan="5"|1987
|-
|January 8
|''[[I Married Dora]]''
|-
|January 15
|''[[Rags to Riches (TV series)|Rags to Riches]]''
|-
|February 10
|''[[The Law & Harry McGraw]]''
|-
|February 11
|''[[The Charmings]]''
|-
|February 12
|''[[Sledge Hammer!]]''
|1986
|-
|February 13
|''[[Mr. President (TV series)|Mr. President]]''
|rowspan="5"|1987
|-
|February 20
|''[[Women in Prison (TV series)|Women in Prison]]''
|-
|March 8
|''[[I'm Telling!]]''
|-
|March 22
|''[[Frank's Place]]''
|-
|March 25
|''[[Lingo (American game show)|Lingo]]'' (returned in 2002)
|-
|rowspan="3"|March 26
|''[[9 to 5 (TV series)|9 to 5]]''
|1982
|-
|''[[Dennis the Menace (1986 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]''
|1986
|-
|''[[What's Happening Now!!]]''
|rowspan="2"|1985
|-
|March 28
|''[[Yogi's Treasure Hunt]]''
|-
|March 29
|''[[Trial and Error (TV series)|Trial and Error]]''
|1988
|-
|March 30
|''[[We Got It Made]]''
|1983
|-
|April 1
|''[[Blackout (game show)|Blackout]]''
|rowspan="2"|1988
|-
|April 9
|''[[High Mountain Rangers]]''
|-
|April 12
|''[[My Sister Sam]]''
|1986
|-
|April 14
|''[[Probe (1988 TV series)|Probe]]''
|1988
|-
|April 22
|''[[Beverly Hills Buntz]]''
|1987
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 1
|''[[Magnum, P.I.]]'' (original series) (Rebooted in 2018)
|1980
|-
|''[[Truth or Consequences]]''
|1950
|-
|May 2
|''[[Jem (TV series)|Jem]]''
|1985
|-
|May 3
|''[[Hotel (American TV series)|Hotel]]''
|1983
|-
|rowspan="3"|May 7
|''[[The Facts of Life (TV series)|The Facts of Life]]''
|1979
|-
|''[[Spenser: For Hire]]''
|1985
|-
|''[[Ohara (TV series)|Ohara]]''
|rowspan="2"|1987
|-
|May 6
|''[[The Highwayman (TV series)|The Highwayman]]''
|-
|May 8
|''[[Our House (1986 TV series)|Our House]]''
|rowspan="2"|1986
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 10
|''[[Crime Story (American TV series)|Crime Story]]''
|-
|''[[Dolly (1987 TV series)|Dolly]]''
|rowspan="3"|1987
|-
|May 12
|''[[Max Headroom (TV series)|Max Headroom]]''
|-
|May 14
|''[[Second Chance (1987 TV series)|Second Chance]]'' (aka ''Boys Will Be Boys'')
|-
|May 16
|''[[Cagney and Lacey]]''
|rowspan="2"|1982
|-
|rowspan="2"|May 25
|''[[St. Elsewhere]]''
|-
|''[[Aaron's Way]]''
|1988
|-
|May 27
|''[[Punky Brewster]]'' (returned in [[Punky Brewster (2021 TV series)|2021]])
|1984
|-
|May 28
|''[[Marblehead Manor]]''
|rowspan="3"|1987
|-
|June 8
|''[[The Slap Maxwell Story]]''
|-
|June 10
|''[[Houston Knights]]''
|-
|June 20
|''[[Eisenhower and Lutz]]''
|1988
|-
|June 28
|''[[J.J. Starbuck]]''
|rowspan="3"|1987
|-
|June 29
|''[[The Bronx Zoo (TV series)|The Bronx Zoo]]''
|-
|July 16
|''[[Little Clowns of Happytown]]''
|-
|July 23
|''[[Solid Gold (television series)|Solid Gold]]''
|1980
|-
|July 24
|''[[Tales from the Darkside]]''
|1984
|-
|August 21
|''[[Werewolf (TV series)|Werewolf]]''
|1987
|-
|September 2
|''[[Pyramid (game show)|Pyramid]]'' (returned in 1991)
|1973
|-
|rowspan="2"|September 3
|''[[Dennis the Menace (1986 TV series)|Dennis the Menace]]''
|rowspan="2"|1986
|-
|''[[The Flintstone Kids]]''
|-
|September 9
|''[[High Rollers]]''
|1974
|-
|October 22
|''[[Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures]]''
|1987
|-
|October 28
|''[[The Late Show (1986 TV series)|The Late Show]]''
|1986
|-
|November 18
|''[[3-2-1 Contact]]''
|1980
|-
|November 22
|''[[Denver, the Last Dinosaur]]''
|rowspan="6"|1988
|-
|December 3
| ''[[The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley]]'' 
|-
|December 7
|''[[The Van Dyke Show]]''
|-
|December 9
|''[[Something Is Out There]]''
|-
|December 17
|''[[Superman (TV series)|Superman]]''
|-
|December 24
|''[[Hey Vern, It's Ernest!]]''
|-
|December 25
|''[[The Care Bears (TV series)|The Care Bears]]''
|1985
|-
|December 28
|''[[Annie McGuire (TV series)|Annie McGuire]]''
|rowspan="2"|1988
|-
|December 31
|''[[Raising Miranda]]''
|}

===Made-for-TV movies and miniseries===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title !! Network !! Premiere date !! class="unsortable" |Notes
|-
|''[[The Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank]]'' 
| align="center"|CBS 
| April 17
|
|-
|''[[Case Closed (film)|Case Closed]]'' 
| align="center"|CBS 
| April 9
|
|-
|''[[David (1988 film)|David]]'' 
| align="center"|ABC
| October 28
|
|-
|''[[Goddess of Love (film)|Goddess of Love]]''
| align="center"|NBC
| November 20
|
|-
|''[[Inherit the Wind (1988 film)|Inherit the Wind]]'' 
| align="center"|NBC
| March 20
| [[Emmy Award]] winner
|-
|''[[Internal Affairs (film)|Internal Affairs]]'' 
| align="center"|CBS
| November 6
| 
|-
|''[[Jack the Ripper (1988 TV series)|Jack the Ripper]]'' 
| align="center"|CBS 
| October 21
|
|-
|''[[Lincoln (miniseries)|Lincoln]]''
| align="center"|NBC
| March 27
| Miniseries, based on [[Lincoln (novel)|Gore Vidal's novel]]
|-
|''[[The Murder of Mary Phagan]]''
| align="center"|NBC
| January 24
| Emmy Award winner
|-
|''[[The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story]]''
| align="center"|NBC
| May 2
|
|-
|''[[War and Remembrance (miniseries)|War and Remembrance]]''
| align="center"|ABC
| November 13
| Miniseries; sequel to ''[[The Winds of War (miniseries)|The Winds of War]]''
|}