2001–02 United States network television schedule
The following is the 2001–02 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 2001 through June 2002. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 2000–01 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.
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New fall series are highlighted in bold.
From February 8 to 24, 2002, all of NBC's primetime programming was preempted in favor of coverage of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1]
- 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.
Other Legend
- Light blue indicates local programming.
- Gray indicates encore programming.
- Blue-gray indicates news programming.
- Light green indicates sporting events.
- Light Purple indicates movies.
- Red indicates series being burned off and other scheduled programs, including specials.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary.
Impact of the September 11 attacks
During the week of September 11, 2001, the major television networks aired continuous news coverage of the September 11 attacks. The news coverage preempted the networks' primetime schedules between September 11 and September 15, with regular programming resuming on September 16. As a result of the preemptions, the programs that were set to begin airing new seasons in mid-September had their premieres delayed until late September and early October. The Amazing Race was the first program to premiere in the 2001–02 season; the show's first season premiered on September 5, but had its second episode postponed from September 12 to September 19 due to the aforementioned news coverage. As a result of the scheduling oddities that were necessitated by the news coverage, the 2001–02 season was the second of four instances where the start of the season was delayed due to issues outside of the control of the major television networks; the other instances were the 1988–89 season (due to the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike) and the 2020–21 season (due to a suspension of television productions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic). The next major disruption to the primetime television schedules of the major television networks would not occur until the 2007–08 season, which was affected by the 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike, The fourth major disruption to the primetime television schedules of the major television networks is the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike
The 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards, which were planned for September 16, were initially postponed to October 7, but news coverage of the United States invasion of Afghanistan prompted the awards to be postponed for a second time; the awards would be eventually held on November 4.
Sunday
NOTE: FOX aired 2 episodes of The Chamber in mid-January 2002. During the fall, Futurama and King of the Hill were preempted by overruns of NFL games. On The WB, Lost in the USA was supposed to air at 7–8, but it was cancelled due to 9/11 problems.
Monday
Note: On ABC, The Runner was supposed to start when ESPN Monday Night Football concludes, but it was cancelled due to production problems.
Tuesday
Note: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Roswell moved to UPN from The WB this season.
Wednesday
NOTE: When ABC announced their 2001 Fall Schedule, originally the plan was for The Job to air after The Drew Carey Show starting in mid-September and NYPD Blue would air in the 10pm ET timeslot after 20/20 Downtown returned to Friday nights in late December.[2] However, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, ABC decided to not air The Job until 2002 because the show was set in New York City. In October, when the sitcom Bob Patterson was not doing well in the ratings on Tuesday nights, they moved the show to the Wednesday 9:30pm ET timeslot and put NYPD Blue in the Tuesday 9pm ET timeslot.
Thursday
Friday
| Network | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:30 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:30 PM | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | Fall | The Mole: The Next Betrayal | Thieves | Once and Again | ||||||
| Follow Up | America's Funniest Home Videos | |||||||||
| December | Various Specials | |||||||||
| Winter | Once and Again | Vanished | ||||||||
| Follow Up | Various Specials | 20/20 | ||||||||
| Summer | America's Funniest Home Videos | |||||||||
| Mid-Summer | Whose Line Is It Anyway? | Whose Line Is It Anyway? | ||||||||
| CBS | Fall | The Ellen Show | Danny | That's Life | 48 Hours | |||||
| Follow Up | The King of Queens (Repeats) | |||||||||
| November | Yes, Dear (Repeats) | The Ellen Show | ||||||||
| December | Various Specials | |||||||||
| January | JAG (Repeats) | First Monday | ||||||||
| Spring | AFP: American Fighter Pilot | |||||||||
| May | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Repeats) | |||||||||
| Summer | 48 Hours | CBS Friday Night Movie | ||||||||
| Mid-Summer | Various Specials & Encore Programming | |||||||||
| Fox | Fall | Dark Angel | Pasadena | Local Programming | ||||||
| Follow Up | 24 (Repeats) | |||||||||
| Spring | That '70s Show (Repeats) | Various Comedy Encores | Dark Angel | |||||||
| Summer | Dark Angel | The X-Files | ||||||||
| Mid-Summer | Invasion of the Hidden Cameras | Invasion of the Hidden Cameras | ||||||||
| NBC | Fall | Providence (#27/7.9) (Tied with Fear Factor and Law & Order: Criminal Intent) |
Dateline NBC (#25/8.1) (Tied with Baby Bob) |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (#12/10.4) | ||||||
| Summer | Dateline Friday (#25/8.1) (Tied with Baby Bob) | |||||||||
| August | Dateline NBC (#25/8.1) (Tied with Baby Bob) |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Repeats) | ||||||||
| UPN | Fall | UPN's Night at the Movies | Local Programming | |||||||
| Spring | Under One Roof | As If | As If | |||||||
| Follow Up | UPN's Night at the Movies | |||||||||
| The WB | Fall | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Maybe It's Me | Reba | Raising Dad | |||||
| Winter | Raising Dad | Maybe It's Me | ||||||||
| Mid-Summer | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Raising Dad | ||||||||
NOTE: Fox aired The Chamber on January 25, 2002, after two preview airings on past Sunday nights. The show was cancelled after its Friday night airing.
Saturday
| Network | 8:00 p.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 9:00 p.m. | 9:30 p.m. | 10:00 p.m. | 10:30 p.m. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABC | ABC Saturday Night Movie | ||||||
| CBS | Fall | Touched by an Angel | Citizen Baines | The District | |||
| Mid-fall | Various programming | ||||||
| Summer | Big Brother | The District | The Agency (R) | ||||
| Fox | COPS | COPS (R) | America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back |
Local programming | |||
| NBC | Special programming | NBC Saturday Night Movie | |||||
By network
ABC
CBS
|
Returning series |
New series |
Not returning from 2000–01:
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Fox
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Returning series
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New series
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Not returning from 2000–01:
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NBC
|
Returning series |
New series |
Not returning from 2000–01:
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UPN
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Returning series
|
New series |
Not returning from 2000–01:
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The WB
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Returning series |
New series |
Not returning from 2000–01:
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Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.
Renewals and cancellations
ABC
- According to Jim—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Alias—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The Drew Carey Show—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- George Lopez—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- My Wife and Kids—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- NYPD Blue—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The Practice—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
CBS
- The Agency—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Baby Bob—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Becker—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The District—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Everybody Loves Raymond—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The Guardian—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- JAG—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Judging Amy—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The King of Queens—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Touched by an Angel—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Yes, Dear—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
Fox
- 24—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Andy Richter Controls the Universe—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The Bernie Mac Show—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Boston Public—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Futurama—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- King of the Hill—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Malcolm in the Middle—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The Simpsons—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- That '70s Show—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
NBC
- Crossing Jordan—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Ed—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- ER—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Frasier—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Friends—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Just Shoot Me!—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Law & Order—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Providence—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Scrubs—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Third Watch—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Watching Ellie—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The West Wing—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Will & Grace—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
UPN
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Girlfriends—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- One on One—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- The Parkers—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Star Trek: Enterprise—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
The WB
- 7th Heaven—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Angel—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Charmed—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Dawson’s Creek—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Gilmore Girls—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Off Centre—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Reba—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Sabrina the Teenage Witch—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
- Smallville—Renewed for the 2002–2003 season.
ABC
- Bob Patterson—Canceled after one season, due to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
- The Court—Canceled after one season.
- Dharma & Greg—Ended after five seasons.
- The Job—Canceled after two seasons.
- Once and Again—Ended after three seasons.
- Philly—Canceled after one season.
- Spin City—Ended after six seasons.
- Thieves—Canceled after one season.
- Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)—Canceled after one season.
- What About Joan?—Canceled after two seasons, due to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
CBS
- Citizen Baines—Canceled after one season.
- Danny—Canceled after one season.
- The Education of Max Bickford—Canceled after one season.
- The Ellen Show—Canceled after one season.
- Family Law—Ended after three seasons.
- First Monday—Canceled after one season.
- That's Life—Canceled after two seasons.
- Wolf Lake—Canceled by CBS after 5 episodes. The final 4 episodes aired from April 10, 2002 until May 1, 2002 on UPN.
Fox
- Ally McBeal—Ended after five seasons.
- The American Embassy—Canceled after one season.
- Dark Angel—Canceled after two seasons.
- Family Guy—Returned for the 2004-2005 season.
- Grounded for Life—Moved to The WB on February 28, 2003.
- Pasadena—Canceled after one season.
- That '80s Show—Canceled after one season.
- The Tick—Canceled after one season.
- Titus—Canceled after three seasons.
- Undeclared—Canceled after one season.
- The X-Files—Returned for the 2015-2016 season.
NBC
- Emeril—Canceled after one season.
- Imagine That—Canceled after one season.
- Inside Schwartz—Canceled after one season.
- Leap of Faith—Canceled after one season.
- Three Sisters—Canceled after two seasons.
- UC: Undercover—Canceled after one season.
- The Weakest Link—Returned for the 2020-2021 season.
UPN
- As If—Canceled after one season.
- The Hughleys—Ended after four seasons.
- The Random Years—Canceled after one season.
- Roswell—Ended after three seasons.
The WB
- Felicity—Ended after four seasons.
- For Your Love—Ended after five seasons.
- Glory Days—Canceled after one season.
- Maybe It's Me—Canceled after one season.
- Men, Women & Dogs—Canceled after one season.
- My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star—Canceled after one season.
- Nikki—Canceled after two seasons.
- Raising Dad—Canceled after one season.
- The Steve Harvey Show—Ended after six seasons.
References
- Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by Nielsen Media Research and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- Carter, Bill (16 May 2001). "TV NOTES; '20/20' Bouncing and Vanishing". The New York Times.
Notes
- Originally aired on TBS Superstation
- Originally aired on USA Network