The 2005–06 network television schedule for the six major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States covers the primetime hours from September 2005 through August 2006. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series canceled after the 2004–05 season.

This would be the final season of broadcasting for both UPN and The WB; their respective parent companies, CBS Corporation and Time Warner (now Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery, respectively), would consolidate the two networks to form The CW the following season. It was also the final season in which Monday Night Football would be regularly broadcast on ABC; the long-running "game of the week" showcase would move to ESPN after the 2005 NFL season, following a 35-year run on ABC (which would resume airing MNF—albeit only for selected regular season and wild card games simulcast with ESPN—in 2021.) From February 10 to 26, 2006, NBC preempted its regular prime time schedule in order to air coverage of the 2006 Winter Olympics.

PBS is not included, as member television stations have local flexibility over most of their schedules and broadcast times for network shows may vary. i: Independent Television (renamed from its original brand, Pax TV, on July 1, and now known as Ion Television) is also not included since the network's schedule consisted mainly of syndicated reruns and movies.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows released in May 2006 is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.^[1]

New series are highlighted in bold.

Repeat airings or same-day rebroadcasts are indicated by (R).

All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii-Aleutian times.

All sporting events air live in all time zones in U.S. Eastern time, with local and/or late-night programming (including Fox affiliates during the 10 p.m. ET/PT hour) by affiliates after game completion.

Note: On September 17, 2006, The WB aired The Night of Favorites and Farewells starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. The special included the pilot episodes of Felicity, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dawson's Creek. The special served as the network's last nationally scheduled broadcast.

• Note: Emily's Reasons Why Not and Jake in Progress premiered on ABC on January 9, 2006, at 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. respectively, and were removed from the schedule after airing one episode.
• Note: One Ocean View premiered on ABC on July 31, 2006, at 10 p.m. and was removed from the schedule after airing two episodes.

• Note: Get This Party Started premiered on UPN on February 7, 2006, at 9:00 p.m. and was removed from the schedule after airing two episodes.
• Note: Tuesday Night Book Club premiered on CBS on June 13, 2006, at 10:00 p.m. and was removed from the schedule after airing two episodes.

• Note: Inconceivable premiered on NBC on September 23, 2005, at 10:00 p.m. and was removed from the schedule after airing two episodes.