2001–02 United States network television schedule

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The 2001–02 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the primetime hours from September 2001 through August 2002. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2000–01 season.

PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcasts times for network shows may vary.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows released in May 2002 is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[1]

New series are highlighted in bold.

Repeat airings or same-day rebroadcasts are indicated by (R).

All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian times.

All sporting events air live in all time zones in U.S. Eastern time, with local and/or late-night programming (including Fox affiliates during the 10 p.m. ET/PT hour) by affiliates after game completion.

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.

Impact of the September 11 attacks[edit]

Main article: List of entertainment affected by 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 was the 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.

Legend[edit]

  •   Light blue indicates local programming.
  •   Gray indicates encore programming.
  •   Blue-gray indicates news programming.
  •   Light green indicates sporting events.
  •   Red indicates series being burned off and other irregularly scheduled programs, including specials and movies.
  •  highlight  Yellow highlights indicates the top-10 most watched programs of the season.
  •  highlight  Cyan highlights indicates numbers 11-20 most watched programs of the season.
  •  highlight  Magenta highlights indicates numbers 21-30 most watched programs of the season.
  •  highlight  Highlights indicates that it falls in multiple of the above categories.

Sunday[edit]

Network 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 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 The Wonderful World of Disney Alias The Practice (23/8.3)
(Tied with NYPD Blue)
CBS Fall 60 Minutes (13/10.1) The Education of Max Bickford CBS Sunday Movie
Spring Touched by an Angel (R)
Summer Everybody Loves Raymond (R) Becker (R)
Fox Fall Futurama King of the Hill The Simpsons Malcolm in the Middle The X-Files Local programming
Spring Looking for Love:
Bachelorettes in Alaska
Summer King of the Hill (R) Malcolm in the Middle (R)
NBC Fall Dateline NBC The Weakest Link Law & Order: Criminal Intent (27/7.9)
(Tied with Fear Factor and Providence) 		UC: Undercover
Spring NBA on NBC Various programming
Late spring Dateline NBC Law & Order: Crime & Punishment
Summer Various programming
The WB Fall Ripley's Believe It or Not! [a] The Steve Harvey Show Men, Women & Dogs Nikki Off Centre Local programming
Mid-fall Off Centre Nikki
Late fall Nikki Men, Women & Dogs
Winter The Steve Harvey Show (R) The Steve Harvey Show The Jamie Kennedy Experiment For Your Love
Late winter No Boundaries The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (R)
Spring Flix from the Frog The Jamie Kennedy Experiment Off Centre
Late spring Angel (R)
Summer For Your Love (R) Charmed (R)
Mid-summer Charmed (R)

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[edit]

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 Fall Who Wants to Be a Millionaire NFL Monday Showcase Monday Night Football (7/11.5)
Winter The ABC Monday Night Movie
Spring America's Funniest Home Videos (R) The Bachelor Once and Again
Mid-spring The ABC Monday Night Movie
Summer Special programming
CBS Fall The King of Queens (19/8.9) Yes, Dear (20/8.8)
(Tied with Crossing Jordan) 		Everybody Loves Raymond (4/12.8) Becker (11/10.7) Family Law (30/7.7)
(Tied with 60 Minutes II)
Winter Yes, Dear (20/8.8)
(Tied with Crossing Jordan) 		Baby Bob (25/8.1)
(Tied with Dateline NBC)
Spring The King of Queens (19/8.9) Yes, Dear (20/8.8)
(Tied with Crossing Jordan) 		48 Hours
Fox Fall Boston Public Ally McBeal Local programming
Winter The American Embassy
Spring Ally McBeal
Summer Titus
Mid-summer Boston Public (R)
NBC Fall The Weakest Link Dateline NBC Crossing Jordan (20/8.8)
(Tied with Yes, Dear)
Mid-fall Third Watch
Winter Fear Factor (27/7.9)
(Tied with Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Providence)
Spring Dog Eat Dog
Summer Meet My Folks
UPN The Hughleys One on One The Parkers Girlfriends Local programming
The WB 7th Heaven Angel

Note: On ABC, The Runner was supposed to start when ESPN Monday Night Football concludes, but it was cancelled due to production problems.

Tuesday[edit]

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 Fall Dharma & Greg What About Joan? Bob Patterson Spin City Philly
Mid-fall Spin City NYPD Blue (23/8.3)
(Tied with The Practice)
Winter The Chair
Late winter Dharma & Greg Spin City
Spring The Court
Mid-spring Special programming NYPD Blue (23/8.3)
(Tied with The Practice)
Summer According to Jim (R) The Mole Houston Medical
Mid-summer Monk (R)[b] Widows
CBS JAG (14/9.9)
(Tied with Frasier) 		The Guardian (22/8.4) Judging Amy (16/9.8)
(Tied with Inside Schwartz)
Fox Fall That '70s Show Undeclared Love Cruise Local programming
Mid-fall 24
Winter Andy Richter Controls the Universe
Spring That '70s Show (R)
Late spring That '70s Show (R) American Idol: The Search for a Superstar
Summer That '70s Show (R) Grounded for Life
NBC Fall Emeril Three Sisters Frasier (14/9.9)
(Tied with JAG) 		Scrubs Dateline Tuesday
Winter Frasier (R)
Late winter Watching Ellie
Spring Special programming
Summer Spy TV Spy TV (R)
Mid-summer Just Shoot Me! (R) The Rerun Show
UPN Fall Buffy the Vampire Slayer Roswell Local programming
Winter Various programming
Spring Roswell
Late spring Various programming
The WB Gilmore Girls Smallville

Note: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Roswell moved to UPN from The WB this season.

Wednesday[edit]

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 Fall My Wife & Kids According to Jim The Drew Carey Show Whose Line is it Anyway? 20/20 Downtown
Winter The Job
Spring George Lopez
Mid-spring According to Jim
Late spring My Adventures in Television
Early summer The Drew Carey Show (R)
Summer My Wife & Kids
CBS Fall 60 Minutes II (30/7.7)
(Tied with Family Law) 		The Amazing Race Wolf Lake
Mid-fall Special programming
Winter CBS Wednesday Movie
Late winter The Amazing Race 48 Hours
Spring CBS Wednesday Movie
Summer Big Brother 48 Hours
Fox Fall Malcolm in the Middle (R) Grounded for Life Various programming Local programming
Mid-fall The Bernie Mac Show Titus
Winter That '80s Show
Spring Greg the Bunny
Mid-spring Various programming
Late spring American Idol:
The Search for a Superstar
Summer 30 Seconds to Fame Special programming
Mid-summer 30 Seconds to Fame
NBC Fall Ed The West Wing (8/11.4) Law & Order (5/12.6)
Summer Special programming
UPN Fall Star Trek: Enterprise Special Unit 2 Local programming
Winter Special programming
Spring Wolf Lake
Mid-spring Various programming
Late spring Wolf Lake (R)
Summer Buffy the Vampire Slayer (R)
The WB Fall Dawson's Creek Felicity
Winter Glory Days
Spring Felicity
Late spring Dawson's Creek (R)
Summer WB Wednesday Movie

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[edit]

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 Fall Whose Line Is It Anyway? Whose Line Is It Anyway? (R) Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Primetime
Summer ABC Big Picture Show
CBS Fall Survivor (6/11.8) CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2/14.5) The Agency
Winter Various programming
Late winter Survivor (6/11.8)
Spring The Price is Right Salutes
Summer Big Brother
Fox Fall Special programming Local programming
Mid-fall Family Guy The Tick Temptation Island
Winter Family Guy (R)
Late winter King of the Hill (R) Futurama (R)
Spring Fox Thursday Night Movie
Summer Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction The Pulse
NBC Fall Friends (1/15.0) Inside Schwartz (16/9.8)
(Tied with Judging Amy) 		Will & Grace (9/11.0)
(Tied with Leap of Faith) 		Just Shoot Me! (18/9.3) ER (3/14.2)
Mid-fall Various programming
Late fall Inside Schwartz (16/9.8)
(Tied with Judging Amy)
Winter Will & Grace (R)
Late winter Leap of Faith (9/11.0)
(Tied with Will & Grace)
Spring Friends (R)
Late spring Various programming
Summer Scrubs (R)
Mid-summer The Rerun Show
Late summer Various programming
UPN WWF Thursday Night SmackDown! Local programming
The WB Fall Popstars Charmed
Late fall Popstars Maybe It's Me (R)
Winter Various programming
Spring Gilmore Girls (R)
Late spring The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (R)
Summer Reba (R) The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (R) Off Centre (R)

Friday[edit]

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 Fall The Mole: The Next Betrayal Thieves Once and Again
Mid-fall America's Funniest Home Videos
Late fall Various Specials
Winter 20/20
Spring Various programming
Summer Whose Line Is It Anyway? (R)
CBS Fall The Ellen Show Various programming That's Life 48 Hours
Mid-fall Various programming The Ellen Show
Late fall Special programming
Winter JAG (R) First Monday
Spring Various programming
Late spring 48 Hours CBS Friday Night Movie
Summer Various programming
Fox Fall Dark Angel Pasadena Local programming
Mid-fall 24 (R)
Winter That '70s Show (R) Various programming Dark Angel
Spring Dark Angel (R) The X-Files (R)
Summer 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)
Spring Dateline Friday (25/8.1)
(Tied with Baby Bob)
Summer Dateline NBC (25/8.1)
(Tied with Baby Bob) 		Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (R)
UPN UPN's Night at the Movies Local programming
The WB Fall Sabrina the Teenage Witch Maybe It's Me Reba Raising Dad
Winter Raising Dad Maybe It's Me
Summer Sabrina the Teenage Witch (R) Raising Dad (R)

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[edit]

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 (R) 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[edit]

ABC[edit]

CBS[edit]

Fox[edit]

NBC[edit]

UPN[edit]

The WB[edit]

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.

Renewals and cancellations[edit]

Renewals[edit]

ABC[edit]

CBS[edit]

Fox[edit]

NBC[edit]

UPN[edit]

The WB[edit]

Cancellations/series endings[edit]

ABC[edit]

CBS[edit]

Fox[edit]

NBC[edit]

UPN[edit]

The WB[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by Nielsen Media Research and reported on TimBrooks.net/Ratings Archived 2012-06-21 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Carter, Bill (16 May 2001). "TV NOTES; '20/20' Bouncing and Vanishing". The New York Times.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Originally aired on TBS Superstation
  2. ^ Originally aired on USA Network
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