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 August 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''.

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.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. .

: 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 three 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 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

NOTES: 1. 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. However, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, ABC decided to not air The Job until mid-season 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.

2. ''That '80s Show'' premiered midseason on January 23 on Fox in the 8:00pm ET timeslot.

Thursday

Friday

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

By network

ABC

Returning series
*'' 20/20''
*''America's Funniest Home Videos''
*''Dharma & Greg''
*''The Drew Carey Show''
*'' The Job''
*'' The Mole''
*''Monday Night Football''
*''My Wife and Kids''
*'' NYPD Blue''
*'' Once and Again''
*''The Practice''
*'' Primetime Thursday''
*''Spin City''
*''The Wayne Brady Show''
*''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire''
*''Whose Line Is It Anyway?''
*''The Wonderful World of Disney''

New series
*''According to Jim''
*'' Alias''
*'' The Bachelor''
*'' Bob Patterson''
*'' The Chair'' *
*'' The Court'' *
*''George Lopez'' *
*'' Houston Medical'' *
*''Philly''
*''Thieves''
*'' Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)'' *
*'' Widows'' *

Not returning from 2000–01:
*'' The Beast''
*'' Dot Comedy''
*''The Geena Davis Show''
*''Gideon's Crossing''
*''Madigan Men''
*''Making the Band'' (revived and moved to MTV in 2002)
*''The Norm Show''
*'' The Trouble With Normal''
*''Two Guys and a Girl''
*'' You Don't Know Jack''

CBS

Returning series
*'' 48 Hours''
*'' 60 Minutes''
*'' 60 Minutes II''
*''Becker''
*'' Big Brother''
*''CBS Sunday Movie''
*''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''
*''The District''
*''Everybody Loves Raymond''
*''Family Law''
*'' JAG''
*'' Judging Amy''
*''The King of Queens''
*'' Survivor''
*'' That's Life''
*''Touched by an Angel''
*''Yes, Dear''

New series
*'' AFP: American Fighter Pilot'' *
*''The Amazing Race''
*'' The Agency''
*'' Baby Bob'' *
*''Citizen Baines''
*''Danny''
*''The Education of Max Bickford''
*''The Ellen Show''
*''First Monday'' *
*''The Guardian''
*''Wolf Lake''

Not returning from 2000–01:
*'' Bette''
*''Big Apple''
*'' Diagnosis: Murder''
*'' The Fugitive''
*''Kate Brasher''
*''Ladies Man''
*'' Nash Bridges''
*''Some of My Best Friends''
*''Walker, Texas Ranger''
*'' Welcome to New York''

Fox

Returning series
*'' Ally McBeal''
*'' America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back''
*'' Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction''
*''Boston Public''
*'' Cops''
*'' Dark Angel''
*'' Family Guy''
*''FOX Night at the Movies''
*'' Futurama''
*''Grounded for Life''
*'' Guinness World Records Primetime''
*''King of the Hill''
*'' Malcolm in the Middle''
*''That '70s Show''
*''The Simpsons''
*'' Temptation Island''
*''Titus''
*''World's Wildest Police Videos''
*''The X-Files''

New series
*'' 24''
*''30 Seconds to Fame'' *
*''The American Embassy'' *
*''American Idol'' *
*''Andy Richter Controls the Universe'' *
*''The Bernie Mac Show''
*'' The Chamber'' *
*''Greg the Bunny'' *
*'' Love Cruise''
*''Meet the Marks'' *
*''Pasadena''
*''The Pulse'' *
*''That '80s Show'' *
*'' The Tick''
*''Undeclared''

Not returning from 2000–01:
*'' Boot Camp''
*''FreakyLinks''
*''The Lone Gunmen''
*'' Murder in Small Town X''
*''Night Visions''
*''Normal, Ohio''
*''The Street''

NBC

Returning series
*''Dateline NBC''
*'' Ed''
*'' ER''
*'' Fear Factor''
*''Frasier''
*'' Friends''
*''Just Shoot Me!''
*'' Law & Order''
*'' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''
*'' Providence''
*'' Spy TV''
*''Third Watch''
*'' Three Sisters''
*''The Weakest Link''
*''The West Wing''
*''Will & Grace''

New series
*''Crossing Jordan''
*'' Dog Eat Dog'' *
*''Emeril''
*'' Imagine That'' *
*''Inside Schwartz''
*''Law & Order: Criminal Intent''
*''Leap of Faith''
*''Lost''
*'' Meet My Folks'' *
*''The Rerun Show'' *
*'' Scrubs''
*'' UC: Undercover''
*''Watching Ellie'' *

Not returning from 2000–01:
*'' Cursed (renamed The Weber Show)''
*'' DAG''
*'' Daddio''
*''Deadline''
*''The Downer Channel''
*'' The Fighting Fitzgeralds''
*''First Years''
*''Go Fish''
*'' Kristin''
*''The Michael Richards Show''
*'' 3rd Rock from the Sun''
*''Titans''
*'' Tucker''

UPN

Returning series
*'' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (moved from The WB)
*'' Girlfriends''
*''The Hughleys''
*''The Parkers''
*'' Roswell'' (moved from The WB)
*''Special Unit 2''
*''UPN's Night at the Movies''
*'' WWE SmackDown!''

New series
*'' As If'' *
*'' One on One''
*'' The Random Years'' *
*''Star Trek: Enterprise''
*'' Under One Roof'' *

Not returning from 2000–01:
*'' All Souls''
*'' Chains of Love''
*'' Freedom''
*'' Gary and Mike''
*'' Level 9''
*'' Manhunt''
*'' Moesha''
*'' Seven Days''
*'' Star Trek: Voyager''

The WB

Returning series
*'' 7th Heaven''
*''Angel''
*'' Charmed''
*''Dawson’s Creek''
*'' Felicity''
*''Flix From the Frog''
*''For Your Love''
*''Gilmore Girls''
*''Nikki''
*'' Popstars USA''
*'' Ripley's Believe It or Not!''
*''Sabrina the Teenage Witch''
*''The Steve Harvey Show''

New series
*'' Elimidate Deluxe''
*'' Glory Days'' *
*'' The Jamie Kennedy Experiment'' *
*''Maybe It's Me''
*''Men, Women & Dogs''
*''My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star'' *
*''Off Centre''
*'' Raising Dad''
*'' Reba''
*'' Smallville''

Not returning from 2000–01:
*'' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (moved to UPN)
*''Grosse Pointe''
*'' Hype''
*'' Jack & Jill''
*''The Jamie Foxx Show''
*''The Oblongs''
*''The PJs''
*''Popular''
*'' Roswell'' (moved to UPN)

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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2001-02 United States Network Television Schedule
United States primetime network television schedules
2001 in American television
2002 in American television
Impact of the September 11 attacks on television