2011–12 United States network television schedule


The 2011–12 network television schedule for the five major English-language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers prime time hours from September 2011 through August 2012. The schedule is followed by a [|list per network] of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2010–11 season.
NBC was the first to announce its fall schedule on May 15, 2011, followed by Fox on May 16, ABC on May 17, CBS on May 18 and The CW on May 19, 2011.
The CW was the first to announce their midseason schedule on November 2, 2011, followed by CBS and NBC on November 14, 2011, ABC on November 18, 2011, and Fox on December 1, 2011.
PBS is not included; member stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary. MyNetworkTV is also not included since its programming comprises syndicated reruns, with limited original programming. The CW is not included on weekends, when it does not offer network programming. Ion Television primarily airs syndicated reruns, along with new episodes of Flashpoint.
New series are highlighted in bold.
All times are U.S. Eastern Time and Pacific Time. Subtract one hour for Central and Mountain times.
From July 27 to August 12, 2012, all of NBC's primetime programming was preempted in favor of coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.

Tuesday

Saturday

By network

ABC">American Broadcasting Company">ABC

Returning series
New series
Not returning from 2010–11:

[CBS]

Returning series
New series
Not returning from 2010–11:

[The CW]

Returning series
New series
Not returning from 2010–11:

Fox">Fox Broadcasting Company">Fox

Returning series
New series
Not returning from 2010–11:

[NBC]

Returning series
New series
Not returning from 2010–11:

Renewals and cancellations

Full season pickups

ABC

  • Happy Endings—Picked up for a full season on November 3, 2011.
  • Last Man Standing—Picked up for a full season on November 3, 2011.
  • Once Upon a Time—Picked up for a full season on November 3, 2011.
  • Revenge—Picked up for a full season on October 13, 2011.
  • Shark Tank—Picked up two additional episodes, totaling to 15 episodes on February 28, 2012.
  • Suburgatory—Picked up for a full season on October 13, 2011.

CBS

The CW

  • Hart of Dixie—Picked up for a full season on October 12, 2011.
  • Ringer—Picked up for a full season on October 12, 2011.
  • The Secret Circle—Picked up for a full season on October 12, 2011.

Fox

NBC

  • Grimm—Picked up for a full season on November 21, 2011.
  • Harry's Law—Picked up for a full season on January 6, 2012.
  • Up All Night—Picked up for a full season on October 4, 2011, plus an additional 2 episodes on November 21, 2011.
  • Whitney—Picked up for a full season on October 4, 2011.

Renewals

ABC

CBS

The CW

Fox

  • American Dad!—Picked up for a seventh production cycle on February 23, 2011.
  • American Idol—Announced on the 2012/13 schedule for a twelfth season on May 14, 2012.
  • Bob's Burgers—On October 31, 2011, Fox ordered 9 additional episodes to the second production cycle, leaving some episodes out, airing in the 2012/13 season.
  • Bones—Picked up for an eighth season on March 29, 2012.
  • The Cleveland Show—Picked up for a fourth season on May 9, 2011.
  • Family Guy—Picked up for an eleventh season on May 9, 2011.
  • Fringe—Picked up for a fifth and final season on April 26, 2012.
  • Glee—Picked up for a fourth season on April 9, 2012.
  • Kitchen Nightmares—Picked up for a fifth production cycle on February 2, 2012.
  • Mobbed—Announced on the 2012/13 schedule for more specials on May 14, 2012.
  • New Girl—Picked up for a second season on April 9, 2012.
  • Raising Hope—Picked up for a third season on April 9, 2012.
  • The Simpsons—Picked up for a twenty-third production cycle on November 11, 2010, plus an additional extension through its twenty-fifth production cycle in 2013/14.
  • Touch—Picked up for a second season on May 9, 2012.
  • The X Factor—Picked up for a second season on November 2, 2011.

Ion Television

  • Flashpoint—Picked up for a fifth season on January 3, 2012.

NBC

Cancellations/Series endings

ABC

  • Bachelor Pad—It was announced on March 16, 2013, that would not pick for the fourth season.
  • Charlie's Angels—Canceled on October 14, 2011, after seven low rated episodes. The remaining episodes aired through November 10, 2011.
  • Cougar Town—It was announced on May 10, 2012, that TBS would carry future seasons of the series, ending its run on ABC.
  • Desperate Housewives—It was announced on August 5, 2011, that season eight would be the final season. The series concluded on May 13, 2012.
  • Extreme Makeover: Home Edition—Canceled as a regular series on December 15, 2011. The series finale aired on January 13, 2012. Moved to HGTV in 2020. On June 7, 2023, it was announced that the show would later return to ABC in the 2024-25 schedule.
  • GCB—Canceled on May 11, 2012.
  • Man Up!—Canceled on December 8, 2011, after eight low rated episodes. The 5 remaining episodes were moved to ABC's online website.
  • Missing—Canceled on May 11, 2012.
  • Pan Am—Canceled on May 11, 2012.
  • The River—Canceled on May 11, 2012.
  • Work It—Canceled on January 13, 2012, due to low ratings, harsh reviews and controversy after airing only 2 episodes.
  • You Deserve It—Canceled on May 15, 2012.

CBS

  • CSI: Miami—Canceled on May 13, 2012, after ten seasons. The series was credited as a key player in the network's ratings rise. This is the first CSI series to be canceled.
  • A Gifted Man—Canceled on May 12, 2012.
  • How to Be a Gentleman—Canceled, cut back from 13 episodes to 9 episodes, and changed the airdate from Thursdays to Saturdays for the remaining episodes on October 7, 2011, after only 2 episodes airing. The series was later pulled from Saturdays on October 18, 2011, after only one episode airing on Saturday.
  • NYC 22—Canceled on May 13, 2012.
  • Rob—Canceled on May 13, 2012.

The CW

  • H8R—Canceled on October 6, 2011, after four low rated episodes.
  • One Tree Hill—It was announced on May 19, 2011, that season nine would be the final season. The series concluded on April 4, 2012.
  • Remodeled—Canceled on February 9, 2012, after four low rated episodes. The remaining episodes aired through between February 22; and the last two episodes were August 13 and 20, 2012.
  • Ringer—Canceled on May 11, 2012.
  • The Secret Circle—Canceled on May 11, 2012.

Fox

NBC

Top weekly ratings

18–49 Viewers

WeekNameViewers
Network
August 29 – September 4Big Brother 13 8/313.3CBS
September 5 – September 11NFL Thursday Night Opener: New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers10.9NBC
September 12 – September 18Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons10.0NBC
September 19 – September 25Two And A Half Men10.7CBS
September 26 – October 2Sunday Night Football: New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens7.7NBC
October 3 – October 9Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons8.9NBC
October 10 – October 16Sunday Night Football: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears6.6NBC
October 17 – October 23Modern Family5.7ABC
October 24 – October 30Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles9.3NBC
October 31 – November 6Sunday Night Football: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers8.8NBC
November 7 – November 13Sunday Night Football: New England Patriots at New York Jets8.1NBC
November 14 – November 20Sunday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants7.6NBC
November 21 – November 27Sunday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs7.9NBC
November 28 – December 4The OT7.4FOX
December 3 – December 9Sunday Night Football: New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys9.4NBC
December 12 – December 18Sunday Night Football: Baltimore Ravens at San Diego Chargers6.1NBC
December 19 – December 25Sunday Night Football: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers7.7NBC
December 26 – January 1Sunday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants9.8NBC
January 2 – January 8NFC Wild Card Playoff: Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints11.3NBC
January 9 – January 15AFC Divisional Playoff: Denver Broncos at New England Patriots12.5CBS
January 16 – January 22NFC Championship Game: New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers21.4FOX
January 23 – January 29American Idol 1/256.5FOX
January 30 – February 5Super Bowl XLVI: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots40.5NBC
February 6 – February 1254th Grammy Awards14.1CBS
February 13 – February 19American Idol 2/156.1FOX
February 20 – February 2684th Academy Awards11.7ABC
February 27 – March 4The Voice5.4NBC
March 5 – March 11The Voice6.2NBC
March 12 – March 18American Idol 3/145.4FOX
March 19 – March 25American Idol 3/215.1FOX
March 26 – April 12012 Final Four National Semifinal: Kansas vs. Ohio State5.5CBS
April 2 – April 82012 Final Four National Championship: Kansas vs. Kentucky7.6CBS
April 9 – April 15American Idol 4/115.0FOX
April 16 – April 22American Idol 4/184.8FOX
April 23 – April 29American Idol 4/254.8FOX
April 30 – May 6The Big Bang Theory4.7CBS
May 7 – May 13American Idol 5/94.5FOX
May 14 – May 20American Idol 5/164.9FOX
May 21 – May 27American Idol 5/236.4FOX
May 28 – June 3America's Got Talent 5/293.7NBC
June 4 – June 10America's Got Talent 6/53.5NBC
June 11 – June 172012 NBA Finals Game 2: Miami Heat at Oklahoma City Thunder7.1ABC
June 18 – June 242012 NBA Finals Game 5: Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat7.6ABC
June 25 – July 12012 U.S. Olympic Trials: Gymnastics Final3.3NBC
July 2 – July 8America's Got Talent 7/23.0NBC
July 9 – July 152012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game3.2FOX
July 16 – July 22The Bachelorette 7/223.1ABC
July 23 – July 292012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies12.2NBC
July 30 – August 52012 Summer Olympics Day 412.8NBC
August 6 – August 122012 Summer Olympics Day 119.6NBC
August 13 – August 19NFL Preseason Football: Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers3.2NBC
August 20 – August 26NFL Preseason Football: Carolina Panthers at New York Jets3.3NBC