See also: 1976 in television, other events of 1977, 1978 in television and the list of 'years in television'.

For the American network television schedule, please see 1977-78 American network television schedule.

Events

• January 23-30 - American Broadcasting Company broadcasts the mini series Roots, which sets television ratings records.
• February 4 - American Bandstand celebrates its 25th anniversary on television with an special hosted by Dick Clark. An "all-star band" made up of Chuck Berry, Seals & Crofts , Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels, Doc Severenson , Les McCann , Donald Byrd, Chuck Mangione and three members of Booker T and the MGs perform "Roll Over Beethoven."
• April - Jesus of Nazareth, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, first airs on NBC.
• Chevy Chase leaves the cast of Saturday Night Live to make movies. Chase is replaced by Bill Murray.
• Don Novello first appeared on Saturday Night Live until 1987.
• Lisa Peluso makes her first appearance on Search for Tomorrow.
• Scum, an entry in BBC1's Play for Today anthology strand, is pulled from transmission due to controversy over its depiction of life in a Young Offender's Institution. Two years later the director Alan Clarke makes a film version with most of the same cast, and the original play itself is eventually transmitted on Channel 4 in 1991.

Debuts

• January 28 - Fantasy Island premieres on ABC (1977-1984).
• March 15 - Eight Is Enough premieres on ABC (1977-1981).
• March 15 - Three's Company premieres on ABC (1977-1984).
• September 13 - Soap premieres on ABC (1977-1981).
• September 15 - CHiPs premieres on NBC (1977-1983).
• September 20 - Lou Grant premieres on CBS (1977-1982).
• September 24 - The Love Boat premieres on ABC (1977-1986).
• The Naked Vicar Show premieres on ATN-7 in Australia (1977-1978).

Television shows

• Meet the Press (1947-present).
• Candid Camera (1948-present).
• Truth or Consequences (1950-1988).
• Love of Life (1951-1980).
• Search for Tomorrow (1951-1986).
• American Bandstand (1952-1989).
• Guiding Light (1952-present).
• The Today Show (1952-present).
• Panorama (UK) (1953-present).
• The Good Old Days (UK) (1953-1983).
• Face the Nation (1954-present).
• The Tonight Show (1954-present).
• Captain Kangaroo (1955-1984).
• The Lawrence Welk Show (1955-1982).
• This Is Your Life (UK) (1955-2003).
• As the World Turns (1956-present).
• Opportunity Knocks (UK) (1956-1978).
• The Edge of Night (1956-1984).
• What the Papers Say (UK) (1956-present).
• The Sky at Night (UK) (1957-present).
• Blue Peter (UK) (1958-present).
• Grandstand (UK) (1958-present).
• Coronation Street (UK) (1960-present).
• Four Corners (Australia) (1961-present).
• The Mike Douglas Show (1961-1981).
• The Late Late Show (Ireland) (1962-present).
• Z-Cars (UK) (1962-1978).
• Doctor Who (UK) (1963-1989, 1996, 2005-present).
• General Hospital (1963-present).
• The Doctors (1963-1982).
• Another World (1964-1999).
• Crossroads (UK) (1964-1988, 2001-2003).
• Top of the Pops (UK) (1964-present).
• Days of Our Lives (1965-present).
• World of Sport (UK) (1965-1985).
• Play School (1966-present).
• The Money Programme (UK) (1966-present).
• The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978).
• 60 Minutes (1968-present).
• Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980).
• Magpie (UK) (1968-1980).
• One Life to Live (1968-present).
• Hee Haw (1969-1993).
• Sesame Street (1969-present).
• The Benny Hill Show (UK) (1969-1989).
• The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979).
• All My Children (1970-present).
• Monday Night Football (1970-present).
• Play for Today (UK) (1970-1984).
• All in the Family (1971-1979).
• Columbo (1971-1978).
• Masterpiece Theatre (1971-present).
• Old Grey Whistle Test (UK) (1971-1987).
• Soul Train (1971-present).
• Are You Being Served? (UK) (1972-1985).
• Emmerdale Farm (UK) (1972-present).
• Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-1984).
• John Craven's Newsround (UK) (1972-present).
• Maude (1972-1978).
• M*A*S*H (1972-1983).
• The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978).
• The Price Is Right (1972-present).
• The Waltons (1972-1981).
• Barnaby Jones (1973-1980).
• Kojak (1973-1978, 2005-present).
• Last of the Summer Wine (UK) (1973-present).
• Match Game '77 (1962-1969, 1973-1984, 1990-1991, 1998-1999).
• Schoolhouse Rock! (1973-1986).
• The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978).
• The Tomorrow Show (1973-1982).
• The Young and the Restless (1973-present).
• Chico and the Man (1974-1978).
• Countdown (Australia) (1974-1987).
• Derrick (1974-1998).
• Good Times (1974-1979).
• Happy Days (1974-1984).
• Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983).
• Police Woman (1974-1978).
• Rhoda (1974-1978).
• Tattletales (1974-1978, 1982-1984).
• The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast (1974-1984).
• The Rockford Files (1974-1980).
• Tiswas (UK) (1974-1982).
• Wish You Were Here...? (UK) (1974-present).
• Baretta (1975-1978).
• Barney Miller (1975-1982).
• Good Morning America (1975-present).
• Jim'll Fix It (UK) (1975-1994).
• King of Kensington (Canada) (1975-1980).
• Match Game PM (1975-1981).
• One Day at a Time (1975-1984).
• Pop Quest (UK) (1975-1978).
• Runaround (UK) (1975-1981).
• Ryan's Hope (1975-1989).
• Saturday Night Live (1975-present).
• Superstars (UK) (1975-1985, 2003-present).
• The Don Lane Show (Australia) (1975-1983).
• the fifth estate (Canada) (1975-present).
• The Good Life (UK) (1975-1978).
• The Jeffersons (1975-1985).
• The Sweeney (UK) (1975-1978).
• Tom and Jerry (1940-1958, 1965-1972, 1975-1977, 1980-1982).
• Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979).
• Wheel of Fortune (1975-present).
• Alice (1976-1985).
• Charlie's Angels (1976-1981).
• Family Feud (1976-1985, 1988-1995, 1999-present).
• In Search of... (1976-1982).
• Laverne & Shirley (1976-1983).
• Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983).
• Second City Television (SCTV) (Canada) (1976-1984).
• The Bionic Woman (1976-1978).
• The Muppet Show (UK) (1976-1981).
• The P.T.L. Club (1976-1987).
• What's Happening!! (1976-1979).
• Wonder Woman (1976-1979).

Ending this year

• May - Emergency! (1972-1977).
• June - Survivors (UK) (1975-1977).
• November 13 - Popular UK sitcom Dad's Army ends its run on BBC1 (1968-1977).
• Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977).
• McCloud (1970-1977).
• McMillan and Wife (1971-1977).
• Sanford and Son (1972-1977).
• Land of the Lost (1974-1977).
• Space: 1999 (1975-1977, although a few leftover episodes would air in the UK in 1978).
• Supersonic (UK) (1975-1977).
• New Howdy Doody Show (1976-1977).

Changes of network affiliation

• The Bionic Woman moves from ABC to NBC.

Births

• January 1 - Keeley Hawes, British actress.
• April 14 - Sarah Michelle Gellar, American actress.

Deaths

• January 28 - Burt Mustin , actor.
• February 28 - Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, comedian.
• August 16 - Elvis Presley, musician.
• August 19 - Groucho Marx, comedian, television host.
• August 22 - Sebastian Cabot, actor.
• August 29 - Jean Hagen, actress.
• October 14 - Bing Crosby, singer.