Top 100 American Television Series

[66Crush]

75."CHiPs" (1977-83)- Just good dumb fun. How could a B-movie fan not love the thespian skills of Erik Estrada. That's Erik with a k kiddies. Ponch rules. He's the only guy I know who could pull a guy out of a burning, moving car and land them both back safely on his motorcycle. Like I said, dumb fun.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYf0ByjfEDo

[JaseSF]

76. Knight Rider (1982-1986): This series starring David Hasselhoff (as Michael Knight) and his high-powered car with artificial intelligence named K.I.T.T. (voiced by William Daniels) was very popular in the early 1980s and certainly rarely failed to deliver action thrills and entertain (even if it was also sometimes somewhat silly).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbnCQnDnfjs

[tracy]

77.Northern Exposure



This quirky little show was set in Cicely,Alaska where a Jewish doctor from NYC has to pay off his medical school loans by working there for several years. At first he fit in with the town's ecclectic citizens like ice cream and whiskey but he somehow fell into their ways. One of the best.

[bob]

The Office U.S. verison (2005-present)

[JaseSF]

79) Good Times (1974-1979): This spin-off of Maude certainly managed to forge an identity all its own. The show focused on a poor black family living in inner city Chicago in a poor black neighborhood. It starred Esther Rolle as mother Florida Evans, John Amos as father James Evans Sr., Jimmie Walker as the frequent show-stealing (even if his character sometimes felt rather stereotypical) James "J.J." Evans Jr., Ralph Carter as Michael Evans, Bern Nadette Stanis as Thelma Evans and Ja'net Dubois as neighbor Willona Woods. In later seasons Janet Jackson appeared as Willona's adopted daughter Penny and Johnny Brown was a recurring character as the building handyman Bookman. The series was funny more often than not but also had a serious edge dealing with important and serious world and family issues and often in a realistic down to earth fashion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFKHg5CP7pk

[JaseSF]

Two classics starring Andy Griffith I think belong on this list:

80) The Andy Griffith Show (1960-1968): This rather wholesome show starred Andy Griffith as a widowed town Sheriff named Andy Taylor in the fictional average American small town called Mayberry, North Carolina and his everyday life while dealing with a well-meaning but bumbling deputy in Barney Fife (Don Knotts), his spinster aunt/housekeeper Aunt Bee (Frances Baviar) and his ever curious and sometimes prone to trouble young son Opie (Ron Howard). This series feels like old-school small town Americana next to apple pie and baseball to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M14afIbJGA4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUERL6ITsAE

81) Matlock (1986-1995): The legal drama/murder mystery series that was reportedly always so popular with old folks was a favourite of mine from a young age. The show was well done, the stories were interestingand often keep one guessing until the end  and numerous talented guest stars appeared in the show over the years. Actually few legal dramas have been so long lasting on the airwaves...hmm that reminds me, is Perry Mason on this list yet?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQgdfJoxX1s

[Raffine]

82. GREEN ACRES

Often dismissed as a low-brow rural comedy this in reality was a surprisingly surreal and often hilarious sitcom about a relatively normal man (Eddie Arnold) surrounded by raving manics - including his lovely wife Lisa (Eva Gabor). The often broke the fourth wall, including characters reacting to (and arguing with) the opening credits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLIIkffxp1I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUNsnA2Kz-c&feature=related

[JaseSF]

Another successful lawyer/legal series, the one and only Perry Mason starring Raymond Burr in the lead. I recall and greatly enjoying this TV series based largely on the detective fiction of Erle Stanley Gardner. While the series was somewhat formulaic, it was nevertheless enjoyable.

83. Perry Mason (1957-1966)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdlPhe7oDRk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRnPgE_kDNU

Speaking of detective series, it would be greatly remiss to leave Peter Falk's Columbo off this list. Columbo always pretended to be dumb and ordinary but in fact was anything but...

84. Columbo  (1968-1978, 1989-2003)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0BKM_8bpXs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqFW2EUQ1aA

Continuing on with detective/mystery show greats, one cannot forget or overlook Angela Lansbury's Jessica Fletcher, a murder mystery writer who proves to have a flare for actually solving real murder mysteries in Murder, She Wrote, a show like Matlock that seemed popular with the older folks yet I have to admit to watching it regularly too back in its era.

85. Murder, She Wrote (1984-1996)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v94ugLhua9Y

[66Crush]

86. Charmed (1998-2006)

Although criticized by some, I for one, really like this show about three sisters, who just happen to be witches. Think of as Bewitched meets Charlie's Angels meets Buffy The Vampire Slayer. The series was funny, touching and had plenty of action and special effects. Plus the three sisters were easy on the eyes. It was a weekly escape and didn't take itself too seriously, unlike much of TV drama. I think it deserves a place in television history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TrGFNLjyog

[JaseSF]

87. MacGyver (1985-1992): Starring Richard Dean Anderson as secret agent MacGyver, a man who detests guns yet who can seemingly make anything out of household and other devices that just happen to be on hand to make other weapons to defend himself and others and get himself and others out of trouble. I recall this show being hugely popular in the 80s and 90s and it was a lot of fun to watch - in the realm of enjoyable mindless escapism although MacGyver himself always seemed so very clever and heroic...[some Canadian connections with this series as well].

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROT3GTjuqKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ZpeEbYs9U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNl9M5TxGC8

[66Crush]

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979-81)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4szGxaKF8Qw

Someone had to mention it sooner or later. Buck Rogers was an update of the old 1930's serial and an attempt to cash in on the Star Wars craze. It was cheaply made and cheesy, but I loved it. Gil Gerard starred as Buck an astronaut who was frozen in space in the year 1987 and awoke over 500 years later (2491 to be exact). Helping Buck adjust to his new life was Col. Wilma Deering (played by the gorgeous Erin Grey in tight spandex), and a little robot named Twiki (who's head looked like a part of the male anatomy and voiced by Mel Blanc of Looney Tunes fame). Buck was a rough and tough ladies man who could always kick some butt and get the girl. It was a bit corny (they can't all be Star Trek), but it was what it was. I watched it as kid, and it will always be one of my favorites.

[JaseSF]

89. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-1968): Entertaining Irwin Allen fantasy adventure series had the crew of the submarine Seaview tackling underwater threats. Initially the series was more serious with threats often coming from other foreign powers and there being a semblance of reality to the stories. In later seasons however, the Seaview crew faced more and more outlandish monsters, aliens and other assorted monsters and the series become more fun and filled with stuff sure to spark the more juvenile imagination. In some ways, the Seaview commanded by Admiral Nelson (Richard Basehart) and Commander Crane (David Hedison) kind of set a standard with regards to a crew and those under her command and was arguably influential on the later Star Trek series.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=recuvYEHsvw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKU0M9x0fCo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYb_2hECbUM

[HappyGilmore]

Is Law and Order on this list?

Jackass?

The Lone Gunmen?

[JaseSF]

Is Law and Order on this list? YES

Jackass? No

The Lone Gunmen? No

I'll add the following (surprised no one has added it thus far)

90) Babylon 5 (1993-1998): J. Michael Straczynski's creation that plays out like a five year story, a continuing sci-fi novel of sorts for TV. The setting, the space station Babylon 5 acts as a catalyst for science fiction storytelling involving themes such as politics, racism, social behaviour, religious motivations as different spacefaring races come to further trade and diplomacy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GuaXJmzNbU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQWFAE8at4w