People Pleasers

By SUSAN KING

Dec. 2, 1990 12 AM PT

Prime-time hits that get little press and how they are ranked this season in the A.C. Nielsen Co.’s national ratings:

A Different World-Starring Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. Ranked No. 4 in its fourth season. Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC.

Unsolved Mysteries-Hosted by Robert Stack. Ranked No. 12 in its third season. Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

Matlock-Starring Andy Griffith and Nancy Stafford. Ranked No. 15 in its fourth season. Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

Who’s the Boss?-Starring Tony Danza and Judith Light. Ranked No. 16 in its seventh season. Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Doogie Howser, M.D.-Starring Neil Patrick Harris and James B. Sikking. Ranked No. 17 in its second season. Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.

In the Heat of the Night-Starring Carroll O’Connor and Howard Rollins. Ranked No. 19 in its third full season. Tuesday at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Major Dad-Starring Gerald McRaney and Shanna Reed. Ranked No. 22 in its second season. Mondays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS.

Head of the Class-Starring Billy Connolly. Ranked No. 23 in its fifth season. Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.

Full House-Starring John Stamos and Bob Saget. Ranked No. 24 in its fourth season. Fridays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

Family Matters-Starring Reginald Veljohnson. Ranked No. 25 in its second season. Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.

Growing Pains-Starring Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns and Kirk Cameron. Ranked No. 28 in its sixth season. Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.

Knots Landing-Starring Ted Shackelford, Michele Lee and Joan Van Ark. Ranked No. 30 in its 12th season. Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CBS.

Rescue 911-Hosted by William Shatner. Ranked No. 35 in its second season. Tuesdays at 8 p.m.

Jake and the Fatman-Starring William Conrad and Joe Penny. Ranked No. 38 in its fourth season. Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS.

MacGyver-Starring Richard Dean Anderson. Ranked No. 45 in its sixth season (and it usually improves after the football season). Mondays at 10 p.m. during football season, 8 p.m. during the regular season on ABC.

Hunter-Starring Fred Dryer. Ranked No. 47 in its seventh season. Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.

Television

Susan King

Susan King is a former entertainment writer at the Los Angeles Times who specialized in Classic Hollywood stories. She also wrote about independent, foreign and studio movies and occasionally TV and theater stories. Born in East Orange, N.J., she received her master’s degree in film history and criticism at USC. She worked for 10 years at the L.A. Herald Examiner and came to work at The Times in January 1990. She left in 2016.

People Pleasers

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