The following is the 1985–86 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1985 through August 1986. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1984–85 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football. New series are highlighted in bold. Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research. This was also the first television season wherein the Nielsen people meter technology was used for the nationwide audience measurement system, largely replacing the diaries system in place from the 1950-1951 television season. Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season. Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season. Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season. PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary. Most of the ratings come from AmericanRadioHistory.com's PDF archive. Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%; margin:auto; text-align:center;" |- ! colspan="2" style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| Network ! style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 8:00 PM ! style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 8:30 PM ! style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 9:00 PM ! style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 9:30 PM ! style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 10:00 PM ! style="background:silver; text-align:center;"| 10:30 PM |- ! rowspan="4"|ABC ! Fall | colspan="2"|The Insiders | style="background:#ff0;" rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Dynasty (#7, 21.8/33)(Tied with The Golden Girls) | style="background:#f2f;" rowspan="4" colspan="2"|Hotel (#22, 18.3/31)(Tied with The NBC Monday Movie) |- ! Mid-season | colspan="2" rowspan="2" |MacGyver |- ! Summer | colspan="2" | Hardcastle and McCormick |- ! Follow-up | Perfect Strangers | Mr. Sunshine | colspan="2" |MacGyver |- ! rowspan="7"|CBS ! Fall | colspan="2"|Stir Crazy | rowspan="3"|Charlie & Co. | rowspan="3"|George Burns Comedy Week| rowspan="5" colspan="2"|The Equalizer|- ! Follow-up | colspan="2"|Airwolf|- ! December | rowspan="2"|Mary| rowspan="2"|Foley Square|- ! Mid-season | rowspan="2" colspan="2"|Crazy Like a Fox|- ! Follow-up | Fast Times| Tough Cookies|- ! Spring | colspan="2"|West 57th| colspan="4"|CBS Wednesday Night Movie|- ! Summer | Foley Square| Newhart| colspan="2" | Airwolf| colspan="2" | West 57th|- ! rowspan="3"| NBC ! Fall | style="background:#0ff;" rowspan="3" colspan="2"|Highway to Heaven (#13, 20.1/31) | colspan="2"|Hell Town| rowspan="3" colspan="2"|St. Elsewhere|- ! Mid-season | colspan="2"|Blacke's Magic|- ! Summer | Gimme a Break!| style="background:#0ff;"| You Again? (#19, 19.2/29) |} Thursday Friday Note: Diff'rent Strokes