Top-rated United States television programs of 1986–87

This table displays the top-rated primetime television series of the 1986–87 season as measured by Nielsen Media Research.

Rank	Program	Network	Rating
1	The Cosby Show	NBC	34.9
2	Family Ties		32.7
3	Cheers		27.2
4	Murder, She Wrote	CBS	25.4
5	The Golden Girls	NBC	24.5
6	60 Minutes	CBS	23.3
7	Night Court	NBC	23.2
8	Growing Pains	ABC	22.7
9	Moonlighting		22.4
10	Who's the Boss?		22.0
11	Dallas	CBS	21.3
12	Newhart	CBS	19.5
13	Amen	NBC	19.4
14	227		18.9
15	Matlock		18.6
	CBS Sunday Night Movie	CBS
	NBC Monday Night Movie	NBC
18	Monday Night Football	ABC	18.4
19	Kate & Allie	CBS	18.3
20	NBC Sunday Night Movie	NBC	18.2
21	L.A. Law	NBC	17.4
21	My Sister Sam	CBS	17.4
23	Falcon Crest	CBS	17.3
24	Highway to Heaven	NBC	17.2
24	Dynasty	ABC	17.2
26	Knots Landing	CBS	16.8
26	Miami Vice	NBC	16.8
28	ALF		16.5
28	Hunter		16.5
30	Head of the Class	ABC	16.4

References

Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (Ninth ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 1691. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.

v t e Top-rated United States television programs by season
Nielsen ratings
1950s	1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960s	1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970s	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
2000s	2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010s	2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19