1965–66 United States network television schedule

The following is the 1965–66 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1965 through August 1966. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1964–65 season.

During this season, ABC and CBS initiated the broadcast of a predominant portion of their prime-time programming in color, while nearly all of NBC's autumn lineup was presented in color, except for the war drama Convoy and the fantasy sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. The former was terminated after 13 episodes, whereas the latter transitioned to color in the subsequent season. With the majority of prime-time content being produced in color, the scheduling for this season denoted the residual black-and-white programming with a "(B/W)" designation.

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.


 * 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.

Monday
Note: Art Linkletter's Hollywood Talent Scouts replaced The Steve Lawrence Show in December. The Avengers replaced Ben Casey in March. Vacation Playhouse was a summer anthology series made up entirely of unsold television pilots.

Wednesday
* formerly Burke's Law

Friday
Note: The Farmer's Daughter took over the 9:30–10 time period on ABC, effective November 5, because many viewers were not home to watch Peyton Place on Fridays. Starting November 1, Peyton Place was seen Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. In the winter of 1966, The Sammy Davis, Jr. Show replaced Convoy on its timeslot, which was transmitted live in color. Summer Fun was a summer anthology series made up entirely of unsold television pilots.

Saturday
Note: Even though ABC Scope was scheduled at 10:30 PM, not one major station (including WABC-TV New York, the network's flagship station) carried it in that time period, preferring to schedule local or syndicated programming in its place. Most affiliates aired it in "fringe time" during the weekend.

ABC
Returning Series
 * 12 O'Clock High
 * ABC Scope
 * The ABC Sunday Night Movie
 * The Addam's Family
 * The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
 * Amos Burke — Secret Agent
 * The Avengers
 * Ben Casey
 * Bewitched
 * Combat!
 * The Donna Reed Show
 * The Farmer's Daughter
 * The Flintstones
 * The Fugitive
 * The Hollywood Palace
 * The Jimmy Dean Show
 * The King Family Show
 * The Lawrence Welk Show
 * McHale's Navy
 * The Patty Duke Show
 * Peyton Place
 * Saga of Western Man
 * Shindig!
 * Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

New Series
 * The Baron
 * Batman *
 * The Big Valley
 * Blue Light *
 * Court Martial *
 * The Double Life of Henry Phyfe *
 * F Troop
 * The F.B.I.
 * Gidget
 * Honey West
 * The Legend of Jesse James
 * The Long Hot Summer
 * A Man Called Shenandoah
 * O.K. Crackerby!
 * Preview Tonight *
 * Summer Fun *
 * Tammy

Not returning from 1964–65:
 * The Bing Crosby Show
 * Broadside
 * F.D.R.
 * Jonny Quest
 * Mickey
 * My Three Sons (moved to CBS)
 * No Time for Sergeants
 * The Outer Limits
 * The Tycoon
 * Valentine's Day
 * Wagon Train
 * Wendy and Me

CBS
Returning Series
 * The Andy Griffith Show
 * The Beverly Hillbillies
 * Candid Camera
 * CBS News Hour
 * CBS Reports
 * The Danny Kaye Show
 * The Dick Van Dyke Show
 * The Ed Sullivan Show
 * Gilligan's Island
 * Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
 * Gunsmoke
 * Hazel (moved from NBC)
 * I've Got a Secret
 * The Jackie Gleason Show
 * Lassie
 * The Lucy Show
 * The Munsters
 * My Favorite Martian
 * My Three Sons (moved from ABC)
 * Perry Mason
 * Petticoat Junction
 * Rawhide
 * The Red Skelton Hour
 * Secret Agent
 * Slattery's People
 * To Tell the Truth
 * The Twentieth Century
 * Vacation Playhouse
 * What's My Line?

New Series
 * Art Linkletter's Hollywood Talent Scouts
 * CBS Thursday Night Movie
 * Continental Showcase
 * Daktari *
 * The Face Is Familiar *
 * Green Acres
 * The Hippodrome *
 * Hogan's Heroes
 * The John Gary Show *
 * The Loner
 * Lost in Space
 * The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
 * The Smothers Brothers Summer Show *
 * The Steve Lawrence Show
 * The Trials of O'Brien
 * Wayne & Shuster Take An Affectionate Look At... *
 * The Wild Wild West

Not returning from 1964–65:
 * The Baileys of Balboa
 * The Cara Williams Show
 * The Celebrity Game
 * The Defenders
 * The Doctors and the Nurses
 * The Entertainers
 * Fanfare
 * For the People
 * Glynis
 * The Great Adventure
 * The Joey Bishop Show
 * Many Happy Returns
 * Mr. Broadway
 * Mister Ed
 * My Living Doll
 * On Broadway Tonight
 * Our Private World
 * Password
 * The Reporter
 * Summer Playhouse
 * World War One

NBC
Returning Series
 * Actuality Specials
 * The Andy Williams Show
 * The Bell Telephone Hour
 * Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
 * Bonanza
 * Branded
 * Daniel Boone
 * Dr. Kildare
 * Flipper
 * The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
 * NBC Saturday Night at the Movies
 * Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall
 * The Virginian
 * Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color

New Series
 * Camp Runamuck
 * Convoy
 * The Dean Martin Show
 * The Dean Martin Summer Show *
 * Get Smart
 * Hank
 * I Dream of Jeannie
 * I Spy
 * The John Forsythe Show
 * Laredo
 * Mickie Finn's *
 * Mister Roberts
 * Mona McCluskey
 * My Mother the Car
 * Please Don't Eat the Daisies
 * Run for Your Life
 * The Sammy Davis Jr. Show *
 * The Wackiest Ship in the Army

Not returning from 1964–65:
 * 90 Bristol Court
 * The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
 * The Bill Dana Show
 * Cloak of Mystery
 * The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo
 * Harris Against the World
 * Hazel (moved to CBS)
 * Hullabaloo
 * International Showtime
 * The Jack Benny Program
 * The Jack Paar Program
 * Kentucky Jones
 * Kraft Suspense Theater
 * Mr. Novak
 * Moment of Fear
 * Profiles in Courage
 * The Rogues
 * Tom, Dick and Mary

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

Additional sources

 * Castleman, H. & Podrazik, W. (1982). Watching TV: Four Decades of American Television. New York: McGraw-Hill. 314 pp.
 * McNeil, Alex. Total Television. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
 * Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-31864-1.