Favorite Show By Decade.. (1 Viewer)

[Dan McW]

I might have to check out that Nada show. It's made two people's lists so far.

 

[ScottRichard]

These are my favorites:


50's-I Love Lucy


60's-Bewitched


70's-Little House on the Prairie


80's-Magnum P.I.


90's-Star Trek: Deep Space Nine


00's-Gilmore Girls


10's-Parks and Recreation


I think there are a lot of good shows in every decade!

 

[JohnMor]

50's: I Love Lucy


60's: Bewitched


70's: The Carol Burnett Show (started in the 60's but really came into it's own in the 70's)


80's: Knots Landing


90's: Buffy the Vampire Slayer


00's: Carnivàle


10's: American Horror Story


Edited: I removed the ties and forced myself to pick one per decade as requested.

 

[Bob_S.]

Carol Burnett would have been my tie for the 70's but since we weren't allowed to use ties I didn't mention it.

 

[Squire]

Carol Burnett would have been my tie for the 70's but since we weren't allowed to use ties I didn't mention it.

You guys have sold me! Changed my list to include The Carol Burnett Show. I somehow forgot about it and I can't imagine why since I watch "Carol Burnett and Friends" reruns every night on MeTV. Truly one of the greatest shows ever!

 

[MaxMorrow]

1950s- I Love Lucy

1960s- Twilight Zone

1970s- Monty Python's Flying Circus*

1980s- Moonlighting

1990s- Twin Peaks

2000s- Boston Legal

2010s- Community


(*EDITED: I originally had The Carol Burnett Show for my 1970s pick, completely forgetting about the Pythons in my old age. I really need to stay away from this thread from now on so I don't second guess ALL of my choices )

 

[Kasey]

1950s - DONNA REED (although I consider it a '60s sitcom there are no others from this decade I can call 'favorites')

1960s - BEWITCHED

1970s - MAUDE (of course)

1980s - MAMA'S FAMILY

1990s - ROSEANNE

2000s - QUEER AS FOLK (US Version with the great Sharon Gless)

2010-now DEXTER

 

[Dave Lawrence]

1950s - The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

1960s - The Twilight Zone

1970s - All in the Family & Columbo *

1980s - Dallas

1990s - Mystery Science Theater 3000

2000s - Boston Legal

2010s (so far) - The Closer **


* I did my best to follow the original instructions and make a final decision for each decade, with no ties, but it's simply not possible for me to do that with the 1970s. While I was born in '74 and so obviously wasn't watching most shows first-run, the 70s is by far my favorite decade for TV. Between the Lear comedies, many of the MTM comedies and dramas, the Universal detective shows as well as other shows that don't fall within those categories, it's a decade of abundance, IMO. (Though I also have many 50s, 60s, 80s and 90s shows I like as well.) So I just had to put 2 shows for this decade - my favorite of the Lear comedies and my favorite of the Universal detective series.


** I know The Closer was primarily first-run in the 2000s, but it did cross over into the 2010s, ending in 2012, so I'm placing it here. While there are several shows I've enjoyed in this decade so far, there's very little that I would place among the best of the best TV. Even this show is one I like quite a bit but wouldn't put on a list of my overall all-time faves. But for this decade, for me, it's probably the best so far.

 

[davidHartzog]

50s, Peter Gunn
60s, The Fugitive
70s, Mannix
80s, Miami Vice
90s, Twin Peaks
00s, The Wire
10s, Bosch

 

[Virgoan]

1950s - Wagon Train

1960s - Peyton Place

1970s - Mary Tyler Moore Show

1980s - Dynasty

1990s - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

2000s - Lost

2010s - NCIS

 

[Ron1973]

50's - The Phil Silvers Show

60's - The Beverly Hillbillies

70's - Barnaby Jones and Emergency! tied

80's - The Incredible Hulk

90's - Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

00's - NCIS

And honorable mention to Hee Haw which actually ran in FOUR different decades

 

[EdG]

50's - Leave It To Beaver

60's - Star Trek

70's - Mission:Impossible

80's - Miami Vice

90's - Seinfeld

00's - 24

10's - Doctor Who

 

[LeoA]

This is a tough one...


1950's - I Love Lucy

1960's - My Three Sons

1970's - Little House on the Prairie

1980's - Cheers

1990's - Wings

 

[mrz7]

1950s - The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

1960s - The Twilight Zone

1970s - All in the Family & Columbo *

1980s - Dallas

1990s - Mystery Science Theater 3000

2000s - Boston Legal

2010s (so far) - The Closer **


* I did my best to follow the original instructions and make a final decision for each decade, with no ties, but it's simply not possible for me to do that with the 1970s. While I was born in '74 and so obviously wasn't watching most shows first-run, the 70s is by far my favorite decade for TV. Between the Lear comedies, many of the MTM comedies and dramas, the Universal detective shows as well as other shows that don't fall within those categories, it's a decade of abundance, IMO. (Though I also have many 50s, 60s, 80s and 90s shows I like as well.) So I just had to put 2 shows for this decade - my favorite of the Lear comedies and my favorite of the Universal detective series.

Totally agree with you Dave on the '70's shows!!! There was an abundance of shows that were great......how could you go wrong with the Norman Lear shows, MTM shows, The Carol Burnett Show......and a great little show that I still watch to this day on DVD that still makes me laugh....."Soap".


Now onto my list:


1.) 1950's - "I Love Lucy" and "The Honeymooners" (tie.....sorry, but I've watched and bought these two shows religiously on every possible format known on home video (Laserdisc, VHS, DVD and Blu-Ray!!!) Love these two shows.....cause they make me laugh out loud.....still!!!


2.) 1960's - "Batman" - I grew up with this show (though I watched them in the 70's). It was a unique show for it's time.....and I love the "camp" part of the show. (Just an honorable mention to a close second is "The Dick Van Dyke Show".)


3.) 1970's - "Soap" - As mentioned before, this was a tough decade to choose from......I love "All In The Family", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show" as well.....and these three shows started to air in the early part of the '70's....but it wasn't until the later '70's that I had to watch every week ..... "Soap"


4.) 1980's - "Knots Landing" - without a doubt.....from December 1979 until May 1993, I made room in my schedule to watch this show....I couldn't miss it. There was no other show that I did this for.....a loyal fan here!!! "Dallas" was good up until Donna Reed replace Barbra Belle Geddes as Miss Ellie (lost interest in the show after that) and "Dynasty" was too over the top for my taste......but "Knots Landing" was the best!!! (Side note: Warner Brothers Or Shout Factory!.....please release the complete series on DVD already!!!! I miss this show!!!)


5.) 1990's - "Will & Grace" and "The Drew Carey Show" (Sorry for another tie. But these two shows along with "Seinfeld" and "Friends" ran through my VCR constantly in the 90's. The only difference though was "Will and Grace" and "The Drew Carey Show" made me laugh more often (and out loud) many more times than the other two more famous shows. (Another side note: Again....Warner Brothers or Shout Factory!.......please release the complete series of "The Drew Carey Show" on DVD already.....I miss this show too!!!)


6.) 2000's - "The Soprano's" - In my opinion....the greatest show ever to be on t.v. (I know it's HBO). This one started it all for future dramas (the way it's written/acted). Brilliant show.....and surprised it wasn't mentioned earlier. Another honorable mention would be "Queer As Folk" another great show that ran on the same night as "The Soprano's" (when they first aired). Religiously watch both shows on Sunday night with friends (I use to make dinner for all my friends that night too!!! Miss those days!!!)


7.) 2010's - "Breaking Bad" and "Mad Men" as far as dramas (Another tie.....but both shows are very well written (as well as acted) following the footsteps of "The Soprano's". And I have to have another honorable mention to "The Big Bang Theory" as far comedies.....it makes me laugh out loud.....much thanks to Jim Parson's "Sheldon" character.

 

[Walsh61]

1950s - The Honeymooners

1960s - The Fugitive

1970s - Columbo

1980s - Family Ties

1990s - Roseanne


After the 90s I pretty much stopped watching prime time televison.

 

[MatthewA]

1950s: I Love Lucy

1960s: Bewitched

1970s: The Mary Tyler Moore Show

1980s: The Golden Girls

1990s: The Simpsons

2000s: Mad Men

2010s: Breaking Bad

 

[AndrewCrossett]

Man, it's hard to whittle it down to just one per decade.


1950's - I Love Lucy

1960's - Star Trek

1970's - WKRP In Cincinnati

1980's - Night Court

1990's - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

2000's - Lost [but Veronica Mars was very close]

2010's - Game of Thrones

 

[rjd0309]

50s - Adventures Of Superman


60s - The Fugitive


70s - Barnaby Jones (geriatric Barnaby chasing down a twentysomething bad guy!)


80s - Star Trek: The Next Generation


90s - (tie) Star Trek: Deep Space Nine / Babylon 5


00s - The West Wing


10s - The Big Bang Theory

 

[Vic Pardo]

Ok, just picking one this time. No ties or toss ups as tough as that might be. Remember, these are your personal favorites, not the best made or critically acclaimed. In other words, if you want to choose My Mother The Car over The Defenders for the 60's, have at it. Enjoy.

In the event of an overlap of decades, feel free to put it where you want (ex - Mannix)



50's - Bilko


60's - Run For Your Life


70's - Mannix


80's - Crime Story


90's - Weakest decade in TV history IMO. If I have to choose one, I guess I'll go with Seinfeld


2000-2009 - Lost


2010 - Present - Breaking Bad

I'll play...


1950s: Bilko

1960s: Star Trek

1970s: Star Blazers

1980s: Robotech

1990s: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers

2000s: Pokemon

2010s: Make It Pop

 

[Gary OS]

Good topic. I've got a few minutes so here's my list (portions of which will probably be different an hour after I post). I list my runner up in parenthesis.


50's - Ozzie & Harriet (Leave it to Beaver)

60's - The Fugitive (TAGS)

70's - Little House on the Prairie (Quincy)

80's - In the Heat of the Night (The Cosby Show)

90's - The Wonder Years (Avonlea)

00's - Sue Thomas, F.B.Eye (Smallville - but only through S5)

10's - nada



Gary "it definitely got easier to pick favorites as the decades progressed" O.