"My Sister Sam" premiered on October 6, 1986, scheduled between "Kate & Allie" and "Newhart", both hit shows for CBS. The series earned solid ratings and was ranked #21 by the end of its first season. Due to its success, CBS renewed the series for a second season. CBS then moved "My Sister Sam" to Saturday nights opposite "The Facts of Life", which was a part of NBC's successful Saturday night comedy lineup. By the end of October 1987, the show's audience had dwindled to one of the lowest on network TV ranking at #71. The series was put on hiatus in November 1987 but remained in production while the network decided its fate.