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This was the United States broadcast television schedule on all six commercial television networks for the Fall season beginning in September 1996. All times are Eastern and Pacific.

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

New series highlighted in bold.

The highest-rated show for the year is highlighted in lime. The top 10 rated programs are highlighted in yellow. The top 20 rated programs are highlighted in cyan. The top 30 rated programs are highlighted in magenta. Rankings determined by Nielsen Media Research^[1]

Sunday

Note: On FOX, the animated television series, King of the Hill premiered January 12, 1997 at 8:30.

Monday

Note: On CBS, the debut of Ink was delayed by a month due to production problems, resulting in another new sitcom, Pearl, to air temporarily in its slot before moving to its own originally designated Wednesday time period in late October.

The WB premiered Buffy the Vampire Slayer on March 10, 1997 at 9 PM.

Tuesday

Note: On ABC, the David E. Kelley law drama, The Practice, had a 6-episode run from March 4, 1997 to April 8, 1997 at 10:00.

UPN premiered the short lived teenage sitcom Social Studies in March as a midseason replacement. The show lasted for six episodes.

Wednesday

Note: On CBS, due to the effect of the debut delay of Ink on Monday, the first month of the new season on this night aired Almost Perfect at 8:30 p.m., followed by CBS Wednesday Movies at 9 p.m. The originally planned fall Wednesday lineup took shape at the end of October with Pearl taking over at 8:30 p.m., Almost Perfect moving to 9 p.m., Public Morals debuting at 9:30 p.m., and EZ Streets debuting at 10 p.m.

Thursday

Note: On NBC, the sitcom The Naked Truth, cancelled by ABC in 1996, aired from January 16, 1997 to February 27, 1997 at 9:30, then later moved to Friday nights. Its season finale aired on Wednesday, May 14 1997. Also on NBC, the sitcom The Single Guy was moved to Wednesdays in March 1997 to make room for the sitcom Fired Up which aired at 8:30, beginning April 10, 1997.

Friday

Note: Step by Step would debut in March on ABC.

Saturday

Note: America's Most Wanted would debut in November at 9:00 on FOX.

References