2002–03 United States network television schedule

The following is the 2002–03 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 2002 through June 2003. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 2001–02 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.[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. Also not included are stations affiliated with Pax TV, as its schedule is composed mainly of syndicated reruns although it also carried a limited schedule of first-run programs.

Sunday

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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 Fall The Wonderful World of Disney Alias The Practice
Winter L.A. Dragnet
Spring The Practice (R)
CBS Fall 60 Minutes (17/9.6) Becker Bram & Alice CBS Sunday Movie
Mid-fall Various programming
Winter My Big Fat Greek Life (28/8.0) Becker
Spring Becker Charlie Lawrence
Summer Without a Trace (R)
Fox Fall MLB on Fox
Mid-fall Futurama The Simpsons (R) The Simpsons King of the Hill Malcolm in the Middle Malcolm in the Middle (R) Local programming
Late fall King of the Hill Andy Richter Controls the Universe
Winter The Simpsons (R) Malcolm in the Middle (R)
Spring Oliver Beene The Pitts
Mid-spring King of the Hill (R) The Simpsons (R) Oliver Beene
Late spring Futurama King of the Hill
Summer Banzai Malcolm in the Middle (R)
Mid-summer Banzai King of the Hill (R)
NBC Fall Dateline Sunday American Dreams Law & Order: Criminal Intent (19/9.4)
(Tied with Still Standing)
Boomtown
Winter Kingpin
Spring Boomtown
Late spring Dateline Sunday Law & Order: Crime & Punishment
Summer The Restaurant
Mid-summer Dateline Sunday American Dreams (R)
The WB Fall Gilmore Girls (R) Charmed Angel Local programming
Winter High School Reunion
Spring Black Sash
Mid-spring Charmed (R)
Summer Boarding House: North Shore (R)
Mid-summer Charmed (R)

NOTE: Fox was to have aired Oliver Beene and The Grubbs on Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., respectively, but instead made last-minute changes by postponing Oliver Beene to the following spring and canceling The Grubbs. In their places, King of the Hill and reruns of Malcolm in the Middle were slotted.

Monday

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Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall The Drew Carey Show Whose Line Is It Anyway? NFL Monday Showcase Monday Night Football (10/11.4)
Mid-fall Special programming
Late fall Monk (R)[a]
Winter Veritas: The Quest The Practice Miracles
Late winter ABC News programming
Spring The Practice (R)
Late spring Various programming Primetime Live: Special Edition
Summer ABC Sports programming
CBS Fall The King of Queens (25/8.5) Yes, Dear (24/8.6) Everybody Loves Raymond (7/11.9)
(Tied with Survivor)
Still Standing (19/9.4)
(Tied with Law & Order: Criminal Intent)
CSI: Miami (11/11.0)
(Tied with Will & Grace)
Summer Yes, Dear (R) Still Standing (R) The King of Queens (R)
Fox Fall Special programming Local programming
Mid-fall Boston Public Special programming
Winter Joe Millionaire (3/13.3)
Late winter Married by America
Spring Mr. Personality
Summer Anything for Love Stupid Behavior Caught on Tape (R) Paradise Hotel
Mid-summer The O.C. (R)
NBC Fall Fear Factor (30/7.7) Third Watch Crossing Jordan
Summer For Love or Money Who Wants to Marry My Dad?
UPN The Parkers One on One Girlfriends Half & Half Local programming
The WB Fall 7th Heaven Everwood
Summer 7th Heaven (R)
  1. ^ Originally aired on USA Network

Tuesday

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Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall 8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter According to Jim Life with Bonnie Less than Perfect NYPD Blue (#29/7.8)
Spring According to Jim Lost at Home
Follow Up Less than Perfect
Summer 8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter
Mid-Summer Life with Bonnie
CBS Fall JAG (#22/8.9) The Guardian (#27/8.3) Judging Amy (#18/9.5)
Mid-Summer Big Brother Cupid
Fox Fall That '70s Show Grounded for Life Various Specials Local Programming
Follow Up MLB on FOX
Late Fall That '70s Show That '70s Show (Repeats) 24 Local Programming
December Andy Richter Controls the Universe
Winter American Idol (#5/12.6)
Summer American Juniors Keen Eddie
Mid-Summer The O.C.
Late Summer Performing As...
NBC Fall Just Shoot Me! In-Laws Frasier (#26/8.4) Hidden Hills Dateline NBC
Winter In-Laws Just Shoot Me! A.U.S.A. Kingpin
March Let's Make a Deal Dateline NBC
Follow Up Just Shoot Me! Good Morning Miami Watching Ellie
Summer Dog Eat Dog Last Comic Standing
Mid-Summer Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
UPN Fall Buffy the Vampire Slayer Haunted Local Programming
November Girlfriends (Repeats) Various Comedy Encores
Winter Abby Girlfriends (Repeats)
March Various Comedy & Drama Encores
Spring Platinum
Follow Up America's Next Top Model
Summer America's Next Top Model (Repeats)
Mid-Summer One on One Abby Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The WB Gilmore Girls Smallville

NOTE: Grounded for Life was also originally scheduled to run on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. on Fox, but it was pulled after two new episodes in September, and one in early December. The show moved to The WB in the spring in 2003.

Wednesday

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Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall My Wife & Kids George Lopez The Bachelor (#16/9.9) MDs
Follow Up Various ABC News Programs
December Extreme Makeover
January The Bachelor / The Bachelorette (#16/9.9) The Mole
Mid-February I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Various Specials
Spring The Bachelor / The Bachelorette (#16/9.9) All American Girl
Late April Extreme Makeover
Summer The Drew Carey Show The Drew Carey Show The Dating Experiment
August The Real Roseanne Show The Family
Follow Up George Lopez The Drew Carey Show
CBS Fall 60 Minutes II The Amazing Race Presidio Med
Winter Star Search 60 Minutes II 48 Hours Investigates
June Various Specials
Mid-Summer 60 Minutes II Big Brother Cupid
Late summer 48 Hours Investigates
Fox Fall The Bernie Mac Show Cedric the Entertainer Presents Fastlane Local Programming
Winter That '70s Show American Idol (#6/12.5) The Bernie Mac Show Cedric the Entertainer Presents
Spring American Idol (#6/12.5) Wanda at Large
Follow Up American Idol (#6/12.5) The Bernie Mac Show
Summer American Juniors Paradise Hotel
NBC Fall Ed The West Wing (#21/9.0) Law & Order (#9/11.7)
Spring Dateline NBC
Summer Fame Law & Order
Mid-Summer Race to the Altar The West Wing (#21/9.0)
UPN Star Trek: Enterprise The Twilight Zone Local Programming
The WB Fall Dawson's Creek Birds of Prey
Winter Angel
Summer Boarding House: North Shore The Jamie Kennedy Experiment The Jamie Kennedy Experiment
Mid-Summer Smallville Pepsi Smash

Thursday

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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 Monk (R)[a] Push, Nevada Primetime Thursday
Late fall Dinotopia Special programming
Winter Special programming
Mid-winter Profiles from the Front Line Are You Hot?: The Search for America's Sexiest People
Spring Special programming
Mid-spring NBA on ABC
Late spring ABC Thursday Night Movie Primetime Thursday
Summer Various programming
CBS Fall Survivor (7/11.9)
(Tied with Everybody Loves Raymond)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (1/16.3) Without a Trace (15/10.0)
Winter Star Search
Mid-winter Survivor (7/11.9)
(Tied with Everybody Loves Raymond)
Spring The Amazing Race
Fox Fall MLB on Fox
Mid-fall 30 Seconds to Fame Special programming Local programming
Late fall Fox Thursday Night Movie
Winter Joe Millionaire (R) The Pulse
Spring Various programming
Late spring Stupid Behavior Caught on Tape 30 Seconds to Fame
Summer Various programming Temptation Island
NBC Fall Friends (2/13.9) Scrubs (13/10.3) Will & Grace (11/11.0)
(Tied with CSI: Miami)
Good Morning, Miami (23/8.7) ER (4/13.1)
Spring Frasier (R)
UPN WWE Thursday Night SmackDown! Local programming
The WB Fall Family Affair Do Over The Jamie Kennedy Experiment Off Centre
Late fall The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (R)
Winter High School Reunion (Repeats) The Surreal Life The Jamie Kennedy Experiment
Late winter Sabrina the Teenage Witch Family Affair The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (R)
Spring Various programming The Jamie Kennedy Experiment On the Spot
Mid-spring The WB Thursday Night Movie
Late spring Various programming The O'Keefes The Jamie Kennedy Experiment (R)
Summer The WB Thursday Night Movie
  1. ^ Originally aired on USA Network

NOTE: Movies, baseball games, reruns, and specials comprised most of the programming Thursday nights on Fox. Septuplets was supposed to air at 9-10, but it was cancelled at the last minute.

Friday

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Network 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall America's Funniest Home Videos Various programming 20/20
Mid-fall Whose Line Is It Anyway? The Drew Carey Show
Spring 8 Simple Rules... for Dating My Teenage Daughter (R) Regular Joe
Mid-spring America's Funniest Home Videos (R)
Summer Whose Line Is It Anyway?
CBS Fall 48 Hours Hack Robbery Homicide Division
Late fall Special programming
Winter Star Search 48 Hours
Spring Baby Bob Yes, Dear (R)
Summer Big Brother JAG (R)
Fox Fall Firefly John Doe Local programming
Winter Fastlane
Summer The Bernie Mac Show (R) Wanda at Large (R) Boston Public (R)
NBC Fall Providence Dateline Friday Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (14/10.1)
Winter Mister Sterling
Spring America's Most Talented Kid Ed
Mid-spring Dateline Friday
UPN UPN's Night at the Movies Local programming
The WB Fall What I Like About You Sabrina the Teenage Witch Reba Greetings from Tucson
Winter Grounded for Life
Spring Greetings from Tucson

Saturday

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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 Movie of the Week
CBS Touched by an Angel The District The Agency
Fox COPS COPS (R) America's Most Wanted:
America Fights Back
Local programming
NBC Fall NBC Saturday Night Movie
Winter Law & Order (R) Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (R)
Spring Hunter Law & Order (R)
Late spring NBC Saturday Night Movie
Summer Just Shoot Me! NBC Saturday Night Movie

By network

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

Renewals and cancellations

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Renewals

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The WB

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Cancellations/series endings

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The WB

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References

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  1. ^ 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.