Television

All-TIME 100 TV Shows

"I apologize. I know I left some of your favorite shows off this list. How do I know that? Because I left some of my favorite shows off this list. The happy and unfortunate fact is that there are far more than 100 great shows, and more created every year. Lists are incredibly important: they are how we define what matters to us, what we want entertainment and art to do, what we expect of our culture." —TIME TV critic James Poniewozik

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The Monkees

By James PoniewozikAug. 13, 20070

Everett

Remember, this is not a musical top-100 list—see the entry on American Idol. But whatever contributions the Prefab Four didn’t make to music, their show was a form-breaking tribute to video chaos. This sitcom-cum-marketing-platform was surrealistic, experimental, self-referential and as trippy as a network show of the time could reasonably be. (It’s funny to think that it was on the same network that was airing the drug-paranoid Dragnet ’67.) Davy, Micky, Mike and Peter made up what they lacked in musical cred with real acting chops, using improv in a way that foreshadowed shows like Reno 911! while the show’s psychedelic wackiness presaged the hallucinatory Saturday-morning shows of Sid and Marty Krofft. And as for its show of TV’s power to fabricate pop sensations? Again… see American Idol.

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9 comments

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StanDaMann

I have seen a lot of really bad lists on the internet. TV shows seem to be among the most subjective of subjects when it comes to naming the best. This is one of the more thoughtful and better lists. I appreciate, for example, including "What's My Line" for the witty panel, although I would have featured Arlene Francis more than Bennett Cerf. The show also had perhaps the most impressive list of celebrities that appeared on the show, from all professions. SCTV was also a "good catch".

Of course, I have disagreements. It seems you did include popular shows that were just awful, such as American Idol, Oprah, and Seinfeld. And Jeopardy should have been included, and The Price is Right should not have been. As far as cartoons, I agree with Rocky and Bullwinkle, but I would have found room for Mighty Mouse and Underdog. The worst omission was Barney Miller; in the TV world cop shows are perhaps the most numerous, and this was the most realistic view of what day-to-day police life is really like. The show also had such brilliant subtle, understated humor, with great themes, and improved every year it was on. As far as westerns, Gunsmoke does not belong, but the vastly underrated Maverick is a glaring omission, and Bonanza, The Lone Ranger, and Have Gun Will Travel certainly belong. Star Trek: The Next Generation certainly belongs on the list, as does The Adventures of Superman. How in the world did you leave off The Andy Griffith Show?? Other incredible omissions are Columbo, Perry Mason, Boston Legal, and WGN's Bozo's Circus.

fiskindickens

No Firefly. This list is false. It's a false list.

DarklordGhurch

Phil Silvers Show/Twilight Zone/Steptoe & Son/Doctor Who/Not Only..But Also/Civilisation/The Mary Tyler Moore Show/Elizabeth R/The Ascent of Man/Porridge/Fawlty Towers/Rich Man Poor Man/Pennies From Heaven/Life On Earth/Tinker,Tailor,Soldier,Spy are just some of the shows not included in this list.

evoxpisces

No Wonder Years???

JohnWilson2

Sanford and Son is the greatest show of all time! If you don't believe me then you're a big dummy! Then it was probably "All In The Family". I think "Good Times" should have been on the list too. This is a great list but it's missing great recent shows like "The Unit" and "Falling Skies". Maybe this was done before those two shows were on.

JustinVincent

I still cannot believe that the ending to Six Feet under was revealed in the summary of the show. The last episode was given away as well! This totally ruined it for me. This article should have a spoiler warning!!!!