1997 in American television

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is a musical written for television, but later played on stage, with music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based upon the fairy tale Cinderella, particularly the French version Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre ("Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper"), by Charles Perrault. The story concerns a young woman forced into a life of servitude by her cruel stepmother and self-centered stepsisters, who dreams of a better life. With the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella is transformed into a princess and finds true love with the kingdom's prince.

Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac is a 1997 American television miniseries which is a continuation of the 1979–1993 prime time soap opera Knots Landing and takes place four years after the series ended. Directed by Bill Corcoran, the four-hour miniseries was originally broadcast in two parts on CBS on May 7 and 9, 1997.

Crowned and Dangerous is a 1997 American crime comedy television film directed by Christopher Leitch and written by Alan Hines, Carey W. Hayes and Chad Hayes. It stars Yasmine Bleeth, Cassidy Rae, George Eads, Jill Clayburgh and Gates McFadden. The film premiered on September 21, 1997 on ABC.

What the Deaf Man Heard is a 1997 Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie that aired on CBS television on November 23, 1997. It concerns Sammy, a man who pretends to be deaf and mute, when in reality he can hear and speak perfectly well. The movie stars Matthew Modine and James Earl Jones and is based on the novel What the Deaf Mute Heard by G.D. Gearino.

To Sir, with Love II is a 1996 American television film directed by Peter Bogdanovich (his first made-for-TV film). A sequel to the 1967 British film To Sir, with Love, it stars Sidney Poitier reprising the role of Mark Thackeray. The film premiered on April 7, 1996 on CBS. Like the first film, it deals with social issues in an inner city school.

Black Scorpion II: Aftershock, also known as Black Scorpion II: Ground Zero, is a 1997 American superhero comedy television film directed by Jonathan Winfrey, written by Craig J. Nevius, and produced by Roger Corman. It is the sequel to Black Scorpion (1995), and stars Joan Severance, reprising her role as the titular crime-fighting superhero. It aired on Showtime on May 13, 1997.

Beverly Hills Family Robinson is a 1997 American comedy television film directed by Troy Miller and written by T.C. Smith. It is a remake of the 1960 Walt Disney film Swiss Family Robinson, itself based on the 1812 novel The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss. The film stars Dyan Cannon, Martin Mull, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan O'Donohue. It aired on ABC on January 25, 1997, as an episode of The Wonderful World of Disney.

Before Women Had Wings is a 1997 American drama television film directed by Lloyd Kramer and written by Connie May Fowler, based on her 1996 semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. It stars Ellen Barkin, Oprah Winfrey, Tina Majorino, Julia Stiles, Burt Young, and John Savage. In the film, set in 1960s Tampa, Florida, a woman whose abusive husband had committed suicide begins violently abusing her two daughters. It is only then that a kindly woman becomes good friends with her youngest daughter and helps the daughter escape her tortured life.

Super Bowl XXXI was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Green Bay Packers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1996 season. The Packers defeated the Patriots by the score of 35–21, earning their third overall Super Bowl victory, and their first since Super Bowl II. The Packers also extended their league record for the most overall NFL championships to 12. It was also the last in a run of 13 straight Super Bowl victories by the NFC over the AFC. The game was played on January 26, 1997, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Legend of the Lost Tomb is a 1997 American adventure thriller film directed by Jonathan Winfrey and written by Jeremy Doner, based on the 1983 young adult book Tales of a Dead King by Walter Dean Myers. It premiered on Showtime on May 18, 1997.