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1
Star Trek

NBC (ended 1969)

"Space...The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise. Its 5-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before!"

The series is set in the 23rd century where Earth has survived World War III then moved on to explore the stars. Humanity has allied with other alien races and formed the United Federation of Planets, and Starfleet serves as its exploratory and military branch. Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise explores the galaxy with a crew of 430 men and women, contacting new life forms, conducting diplomat missions, and exploring the unknown.

Star Trek premiered on NBC after executive producer and creator Gene Roddenberry produced not one but two pilots to convince them of the quality of his show. The series ran two years but never achieved good ratings despite building a small but solid fan following. A letter-writing campaign convinced NBC to run a third season, but Roddenberry left in protest and the network buried the show in a late Friday night time slot.

After its three-year run Star Trek began running syndication where it was discovered by legion of new fans and became a phenomenon. This led to an animated series, six movies, and four spin-off television shows. Despite its short network run, Star Trek has become one of the most successful shows in television history.

Aside from its three main stars, Star Trek featured a large cast of reoccurring guest stars that includes James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Majel Barrett, and Grace Lee Whitney. Other notable guest stars include Diana Muldaur, Gary Lockwood, Ricardo Montalban, Sally Kellerman, Julie Newmar, Frank Gorshin, John Colicos, Roger C. Carmel, William Campbell, Ted Cassidy, Michael Ansara and Elisha Cook, Jr. Notable writers for the series include Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon, George Clayton Johnson, Jerry Sohl, Jerome Bixby, Robert Bloch, Theodore Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison, David Gerrold, and D.C. Fontana.moreless
2
Doctor Who (1963)

BBC (ended 1989)

"My name is William Hartnell, and as Doctor Who, I make my debut on Saturday 23rd November at 5.15." Doctor Who is the longest-running science fiction TV series in history, airing initially from 1963 to 1989. The series told the story of the Doctor, a mysterious traveller in space and time, whose TARDIS can take him and his companions anywhere in time and space. Inevitably he finds evil at work wherever he goes… The series was postponed indefintely in 1989, but fans of the series would not allow it to die, and a whole cottage industry was created around original novels and audio-only productions. There was an abortive attempt to renew the franchise as a series of telemovies in the U.S., but ratings for the pilot were judged insufficient. In 2003, the BBC announced that, at long last, it would commission a revival of Doctor Who. The series, initially starring Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, was launched in 2005. You can read about the new series here. Traditionally listed by production, the data on this site has now been amended to TV.com standards and lists each of the 697 broadcast episodes from the original series. I hope that you find the site useful, and that it might act as a springboard to the wider world of Doctor Who appreciation. TheOldBillmoreless
3
The Twilight Zone

CBS (ended 1964)

The series was a collection of various tales that range from the tragic to the comedic. They may be scary or just thought-provoking. Most episodes have unexpected endings and a moral lesson. But, no matter what, it's "a journey into a wondrous land, whose boundaries are that of the imagination." Rod Serling, creator and host of the series, won two Emmys for outstanding writing (1960 & '61), and the Golden Globe in 1962 for best TV director/producer. Reruns of the original Twilight Zone can be seen on the US Sci Fi channel. This is the Original 1959 series, not the CBS The Twilight Zone (1985) version nor the UPN The Twilight Zone (2002) version. CBS Programming History October 1959-September 1962 ..... Friday 10:00 January 1963-September 1963 ..... Thursday 9:00 September 1961-September 1964 ..... Friday 9:30 May 1965-September 1965 ..... Sunday 9:00 Note: Seasons 1-3 & 5 have a running time of 30 minutes. All of the episodes in Season 4 have a running time of one hour.moreless
4
Alfred Hitchcock Presents

CBS (ended 1962)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents was a mystery and suspense anthology hosted by the master of supsense Alfred Hitchcock. Each 30 minute episode included opening and closing vingettes featuring Hitchcock who would often explain some aspect of the day's show and would often offer subtle (or not so subtle) jabs at the shows sponsors. The series premiered on CBS on Sunday, October 2, 1955 in the 9:30-10:00 PM timeslot opposite ABC's The Original Amateur Hour and NBC's Alcoa-Goodyear Playhouse. In its sixth season the show moved to NBC and was shown on Tuesday 8:30-9:00 PM. On NBC it served as the lead in for two other anthology shows Thriller and The Dick Powell Show. Alfred Hitchcock Presents featured both original works produced directly for television and adaptations of existing source material. Some authors whose work was adapted for the series include: Alexander Woollcott, Ambrose Bierce, Cornell Woolrich, Frederic Brown, Henry Slesar, H.H. Munro (aka Saki), John Cheever, John Collier, John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, and Robert Bloch. The show also featured work by famous (or later famous) directors Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Altman. It also served as a proving ground for stars and future stars: Charles Bronson, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, Peter Lorre, Robert Duvall, and Vera Miles. In 1962, Alfred Hitchcock Presents was expanded to one hour and was shown under the title the The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. In 1985, the these shows experienced a revival under the title Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Spinoff: The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Revivals: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985) Broadcast History CBS: October 1955-September 1960----Sunday----9:30 p.m.
NBC: September 1960-June 1962----Tuesdays----8:30 p.m.

Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better)
#6 in the 1956-1957 Season
#12 in the 1957-1958 Season
#24 in the 1958-1959 Season
#25 in the 1959-1960 Season

Emmy Awards and Nominations
1955
Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Action or Adventure Series Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Best MC or Program Hose (Male or Female) Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock, "The Case of Mr. Pelham" Best Director (Film Series) Winner: Edward W. Williams, "Breakdown" Best Editing of a Television Film

1956
Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Series (Half-Hour or Less) Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Best Male Personality (Continuing Performance) Winner: James P. Cavanagh, "Fog Closes In" Best Teleplay Writing (Half-Hour or Less)

1957
Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Anthology Series Winner: Robert Stevens, "The Glass Eye" Best Direction (Half-Hour or Less)

1958
Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Series (Less Than One Hour) Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock, "Lamb to the Slaughter" Best Direction of a Single Program of a Dramatic Series (Less Than One Hour) Nominated: Roald Dahl, "Lamb to the Slaughter" Best Writing of a Single Program of a Dramatic Series (Less Than One Hour)
1959
Nominated: John J. Lloyd Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic Design Nominated: Edward W. Williams, "Man from the South" Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Television

1960
Nominated: Edward W. Williams, "Incident in a Small Jail" Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Television
Other Awards or Nominations
The Golden Globe Awards (Voted each year since 1944 by members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association):
1957 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Television Program

Look Magazine's Annual Television Awards (Voted initially by poll of TV executives, producers, directors, advertising executives and TV columnists, then, in 1955, via polls taken of TV critics and editors. The Award was Presented annually from 1950 to 1959 by the editors of Look magazine):
1955 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Best Director 1956 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Series (One-Half Hour) 1957 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Series (One-Half Hour)

Television Champion Awards (Voted each year since 1949 by polls of the nation's TV critics taken by the publishers of Television Almanac. The awards ceased in 1972):
1955 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Mystery Program 1956 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Mystery Program 1960 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Mystery Program
First Telecast: October 2, 1955
Last Telecast: June 26, 1962
Unaired Episodes: 1
Episodes: 266 B&W Episodes
(266 half-hour episodes, 1 three-part episode) moreless
5
Lost in Space

CBS (ended 1968)

Lost In Space chronicles the travels and mis-adventures of The Robinson family, as they ricochet their way through space on a flight toward the Alpha Centauri star system.
By the year 1997, Earth has squandered all of its natural resources. The Robinson family departs Earth in the space ship Jupiter 2 in search of a habitable planet for mankind to move to and colonize.
However, a spy from a foreign country, Dr. Smith, becomes trapped aboard while trying to sabotage the ship and after lift off, Dr. Smith's extra weight causes the Jupiter 2 to be thrown off course, sending them all over the universe.moreless
6
Night Gallery

NBC (ended 1973)

Night Gallery was creator-host Rod Serling's follow-up to The Twilight Zone. Set in a shadowy museum of the outre, Serling weekly unveiled disturbing portraiture as preface to a highly diverse anthology of tales in the fantasy-horror vein. Bolstering Serling's thoughtful original dramas were adaptations of classic genre material--short stories by such luminaries as H. P. Lovecraft, Fritz Leiber, A.E. van Vogt, Algernon Blackwood, Conrad Aiken, Richard Matheson, August Derleth, and Christianna Brand. Variety of material brought with it a variety of tone, from the deadly serious to the tongue-in-cheek, stretching the television anthology concept to its very limits. (CREW INFORMATION SUPPLEMENT: Jaroslav Gebr was the artist for the pilot film's three gallery paintings. For the series, all of the gallery canvases were painted by Tom Wright. The gallery's metal sculptures were created by Phil Vanderlei and Logan Elston. Most episodes contained multiple story segments. For the listing of episode credits, crew information is listed under the primary story segment except where a production aspect--music, cinematography--differs among the segments.)moreless
7
The Jetsons

ABC (ended 1987)

With the success of The Flintstones, the modern Stone Age family, Hanna-Barbera decided to make a similar family cartoon, but set in their vision of the Space Age in the 21st century. This new series that debuted September 23, 1962 became The Jetsons. Set mainly in sky-high Orbit City, the show featured the family of George Jetson, Jane, his wife, their daughter Judy, and son Elroy living the average life in the future with flying space cars, instant transport tubes, and various robots and gadgets than can get their work done for them in a matter of seconds.

George brought in the family income by working at Spacely Space Sprockets, run by his stocky, ill-tempered boss Cosmo S. Spacely, who's usually quick to fire George for any reason he could find. But somehow, he always managed to get his job back and continue supporting his family. He works as an indexer and is teamed with his helpful computer R.U.D.I. Other than the threats of firing by Spacely, George would also have to worry about any schemes carried out by Mr. Spacely's top business rival W.C. Cogswell, owner and president of Cogswell Cogs. If there's a dispute between the two businessmen, it's almost certain George would wind up in the middle of it. Most times, though, things always worked out in the end.

Jane is the housewife who tends to the home, but loves to shop for the latest fashions and various items that can be a help to the family, like new gadgets that can help them in new ways. She's assisted by the family's robot maid Rosey (which can also be spelled Rosie). She's one of the older-fashioned models compared to most of the advanced robot maids of the future, but the Jetsons love her and regard her as a member of the family.

Judy is the Jetsons' teenage daughter who attends Orbit High School and goes for the latest teen fashions, trends, and music, and seems to have a different boyfriend in most episodes. If she's lucky, she can even wind up dating a celebrity, like her favorite rock star Jet Screamer, much to her father's chagrin.

Elroy is the Jetsons' genius son who attends Little Dipper Elementary School and is a straight-A student. He's a part-time inventor and can make new creations in hope to make a better future, and if fortunate, a little money on the side. But most times, he likes to be an average boy by playing various sports, and with his faithful companion, the family's dog Astro, who at times is overly affectionate, and can annoy George at times. But like Rosey, he's regarded as a member of the family.
The Jetsons reside at the Skypad Apartments, which are properly cared for by superintendant Henry Orbit, who like Elroy is a mechanical genius. At times, he can invent gadgets that can help him with his maintenance work. His greatest accomplishment is his robot assistant Mac, who can get his work at the Skypad Apartments done in half the time. But he does have feelings for Rosey as the two are occasionally seen as a couple, but are mainly friends.

Other recurring characters in this series include Mr. Spacely's family, including his wife Stella (sometimes called Petunia, likely her nickname), one of few people who can actually put a scare in him if he rubs her the wrong way. They have a young son close to Elroy's age named Arthur. And he has a faithful dog named Zero, a bulldog. Common characters at Spacely Sprockets are Uniblab, an underling robot who at times is a stool pigeon for Mr. Spacely to George's dismay, as well as Spacely's secretary Miss Galaxy. Cogswell also had a few subordinates of his own. Among them were his assistant Harlan and his scientist Moonstone.

The Jetsons ran for only one season on ABC, but the series was more successful in syndication. This led to a revival in 1985 with new episodes with more advanced animation that was richer in color and made the series even more futuristic than the 1960's version of the 21st century. New characters were introduced as well, including a new alien gremlin pet for the Jetsons, named Orbitty, who has springlike legs and suction cup feet, enabling him to hang upside down. He could also tinker with machines and change color in accordance to emotion. Another new animal for the revival was a robot dog for Cogwell named Sentro, who served as a guard dog and a spy often used against Mr. Spacely in efforts to beat him to the punch on his latest projects.

These episodes aired in syndication, which generated the same level of success as the originals when they went in that direction. This led to 10 more episodes to finalize the series in 1987, as well as two TV movies, the music-themed Rockin' with Judy Jetson, which was preceded by the epic crossover The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones, which brought the Space Age and the Stone Age together as Hanna-Barbera's most famous families had a grand adventure spanning two eras. The Jetsons had its true finale when Jetsons: The Movie hit theaters in 1990, as this would be among the last voice work for actors George O'Hanlon (George Jetson) and Mel Blanc (Mr. Spacely) for they both had died around the movie's release.

Overall, The Jetsons may not have had the supreme popularity of The Flintstones, but it did have a wide appeal for families of any generation and certainly had a place in the heart for those who would turn on and watch the series.

The Jetsons, like many Hanna-Barbera series, can be seen on Boomerang from Cartoon Network. Check your local listings.moreless
8
The Invaders

ABC (ended 1968)

"The Invaders, alien beings from a dying planet. Their destination: the Earth. Their purpose: to make it "their" world. David Vincent has seen them, for him it began one lost night on a lonely country road, looking for a short cut that he never found. It began with a closed deserted diner, and a man too long without sleep to continue his journey. It began with the landing of a craft from another galaxy. Now, David Vincent knows that the Invaders are here, that they have taken human form. Somehow he must convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has "already" begun."moreless
9
The Outer Limits - Original

ABC (ended 1965)

"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits."moreless
10
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

CBS (ended 1965)

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour was a mystery and suspense anthology hosted by the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Each 60 minute episode included opening and closing vignettes featuring Hitchcock, who would often explain some aspect of the day's show and would often offer subtle (or not so subtle) jabs at the show's sponsors. The series premiered on CBS on Thursday, September 20, 1962, in the 10:00-11:00 PM time-slot opposite ABC's Alcoa Premiere and NBC's The Andy Williams Show. In its third season, the show moved to NBC and was shown on Monday 10:00 to 11:00 PM. On NBC it was broadcast opposite ABC's Ben Casey and CBS's Slattery's People. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour featured both original works produced directly for television and adaptations of existing source material. Some authors whose work was adapted for the series include: Cornell Woolrich, Ellery Queen, H.G. Wells, Henry Slesar, John Wyndham, William Link, Ray Bradbury, and Robert Bloch. The show also featured work by famous (or soon to be famous) directors Alfred Hitchcock, Sydney Pollack, and William Friedkin.moreless
11
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

ABC (ended 1968)

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was the brainchild of Writer/Producer/Director Irwin Allen... the "Master of Disaster." It ran on ABC from September 14, 1964 to September 15, 1968 for 110 episodes (32 in black and white [1964-65] and 78 in color [1965-68]), and was for its four years of some of the best and most exciting science fiction on TV at the time. While the series became rather fanciful as it wore on, it remained an entertaining, action-filled adventure. Based on the 1961 20th Century-Fox movie of the same name, co-written, produced and directed by Allen and starring Walter Pidgeon and Joan Fontaine.Broadcast History (Eastern):September 1964-September 1965, ABC Monday 7:30-8:30 September 1965-September 1968, ABC Sunday 7:30-8:30moreless
12
One Step Beyond

ABC (ended 1961)

Outside the known is irreality, and one step beyond that is Surrealism. John Newland introduces reported cases of supernatural phenomena, whose poetry is revealed in magnificent and almost brutally compressed dramatizations. One Step Beyond was mainly filmed at M-G-M Studios, Hollywood, and partly at M-G-M British Studios, Borehamwood, Herts. It premiered nine months before The Twilight Zone, and was also known as Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond. All episodes are directed by Newland himself, a dab hand whose trademark is subtle, balletic camera work. This series fed the nation's growing interest in paranormal suspense in a different way. Rather than creating fictional stories with supernatural twists and turns, this program sought out 'real' stories of the supernatural, including ghosts, disappearances, monsters, etc., and re-creating them for each episode. No solutions to these mysteries were ever found, and viewers could only scratch their heads and wonder, "what if it's real?"moreless
13
Thriller

NBC (ended 1962)

Welcome to the Thriller guide at TV.com. This hour-long anthology series was hosted by Boris Karloff, who each week brought you a tale of spine-tingling suspense. Karloff would open each episode with a brief onscreen appearance (in the tradition of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents"), setting the scene for the story to follow and introducing us to the cast. Occasionally the hour was divided into two or sometimes even three separate tales, and Boris Karloff himself acted in several episodes. The earlier entries lean more towards straight mystery and suspense, while later shows deal directly with horror and the occult.moreless
14
The Time Tunnel

ABC (ended 1967)

"Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages, during the first experiments on America's greatest and most secret project, the Time Tunnel. Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new fantastic adventure, somewhere along the infinite corridors of time. This one-season show, produced by Irwin Allen, chronicled the adventures of two scientists, Dr. Tony Newman and Dr. Douglas Phillips. Both are working on Project TicToc, a government operation to perfect time travel. In the first episode, the impetuous Tony jumps through the untested portal and finds himself on the Titanic. Doug goes after him, and although they manage to escape before the ship goes down, the folks back home are never quite able to retrieve them. So in each week's episode the two travellers are whisked from one setting to another (sometimes several times in the same episode) and have to survive pirates, Roman soldiers, battlefields, and the occasional invading silver-skinned alien, all while hoping the folks back at the Project find a way to get them back for good.moreless
15
Star Trek: Remastered

CBS

Star Trek: Remastered takes Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking 1960s science fiction series and gives it a fresh coat of paint for a new generation. The Original Series gets a full make-over, presented now in high definition with new CGI effects and enhanced audio. This digital re-mastering was released in 2006 to commemorate Star Trek's 40th anniversary. Star Trek didn't always have the loyal following it does now. It's first season received lukewarm ratings, and while it developed a significant fan base, it received little network support and was canceled after three seasons. Nonetheless, the show continued to run in syndication in the 70s and gained popularity. Now, Stark Trek is one of the most-loved sci-fi stories of all time, with many spin-off series and several feature films. Star Trek holds the Guinness World Record for having the largest number of spin-offs among television shows in history. The Original Series has stood the test of time, and this updated version gives it a new, polished finish. Whether you're a long-time fan of this smart sci-fi classic, or a recent convert looking to catch up, Star Trek: Remastered is the best Original Series viewing experience available.moreless
16
Land of the Giants

ABC (ended 1970)

This two-season series details the adventures of the three crew and four passengers of the sub-orbital spacecraft Spindrift. They are drawn through a space warp that crashes them onto a planet where everything is 12 times normal size. The castaways struggle to repair their damaged craft and somehow get back to Earth while being hunted by the totalitarian government that rule the planet. Despite the inherent scientific impossibilities (something 12 times as large would weigh 144 times as much, making it impossible for the "giants" to move), Land of the Giants, the last of Irwin Allen's four 60's s.f. programs, was highly-budgeted (about $250,000 an episode: a record for the time), features some decent characterization, and is another of the 60's shows to feature a competent African-American in a leading role.moreless
17
Thunderbirds

ITV (ended 1966)

In 2065, former astronaut and millionaire Jeff Tracy forms an secret organization named International Rescue. Its mission is to intervene when human life is at threat and nobody else is able to help. They're based on a small tropical island in the Pacific. While it appears to all the world as a reclusive millionaire's retreat, complete with luxurious hillside house (appropriately in the International Style of architecture) and swimming pool, hidden beneath the house and inside a cliff face are various facilities for the enormous complex where their equipment is built, maintained and stored. The equipment, including the specialized Thunderbird vehicles, is designed and assembled by Brains, a brilliant engineer fiercely loyal to Jeff. Supporting the team is Lady Penelope, a famous society figure who secretly acts as their London operative, assisted by her butler, Parker. The five Thunderbird craft are piloted by each of Jeff's five sons, all named after members of America's Mercury program: - Thunderbird 1, piloted by Scott, named after Scott Carpenter. This ramjet-powered plane is their fastest aircraft, always first on the scene to assess the situation and coordinate the rescue. - Thunderbird 2, piloted by Virgil (after Virgil "Gus" Grissom." A fan favorite, Thunderbird 2 is the heavy lift air transport, responsible for carrying all manner of large and bulky machinery to rescue sites. - Thunderbird 3 is piloted by Alan (after Alan Shepard) or John (after John Glenn,) depending on who is on station in Thunderbird 5. 3 is the spaceship for International Rescue. - Thunderbird 4, piloted by Gordon (after Gordon Cooper), is a mini-submarine usually carried to sites inside Thunderbird 2. - Thunderbird 5 is manned by John and Alan on rotating monthly shifts. It's an orbital space platform where all communications around the world can be monitored and issues alerts to Jeff whenever trouble arises. International Rescue insists on complete secrecy. Their identities aren't known to anyone outside the organization and photography of their equipment is forbidden. Thunderbirds was produced by Gerry Anderson and was the culmination of his Supermarionation process, which used marionette puppets instead of live actors. Originally intended for children, the show still has a devoted fanbase of adult viewers, both in the United Kingdom where it originated and in the United States, where it was syndicated in the 1960s and 70s. The series spawned three theatrical features. Thunderbirds Are Go! and Thunderbird Six were produced soon after the series left the air, although neither met with box office success. In 2004, a live action feature of the same name was made without Anderson's involvement. It drew scathing comments from professional movie reviewers who compared it unfavorably to the original show.moreless
18
The Green Hornet

ABC (ended 1967)

Welcome to The Green Hornet guide at TV.com. The Green Hornet debuted shortly after the 1966 Batman TV Series and was produced by the same company. Whereas Batman was known for its heavy camp and semi-comedic storytelling, The Green Hornet took a more serious and realistic approach to masked crimefighting. However, this may have hurt the show as Batman is easily recalled by many for the outlandish villains such as the Joker and the Riddler, but The Green Hornet featured the protagonists battling against various "normal" criminals with no odd gimmicks. Despite only lasting one season, The Green Hornet has amassed a cult following, most likely because of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, who made his American television debut on the show. "Another challenge for the Green Hornet, his aide Kato, and their rolling arsenal, the Black Beauty. On police record, a wanted criminal, The Green Hornet is really Britt Reid, owner/publisher of The Daily Sentinel. His dual identity known only to his secretary and to the District Attorney. And now, to protect the rights and lives of decent citizens rides the Green Hornet!" -Narration from the opening creditsmoreless
19
My Favorite Martian

CBS (ended 1966)

My Favorite Martian first aired in September of 1963 on CBS and was probably one of the first sitcoms with a "bizarre" or fantasy premise to emerge in the early to mid 1960's. It joined the ranks with Mister Ed which began in 1961. The series centered around Tim O'Hara, who worked as a reporter for The Los Angeles Sun. Tim stumbled across a space-ship that crashed and discovered a Martian. Tim became friends with the Martian and began passing him off as his Uncle Martin. After all it wasn't that hard to pass him off, he could speak English and looked human. The only thing physically odd about him was that on occasions he would reveal a retractable antennae that would come out of the top of his head. Martin made it clear that he wasn't going to reveal himself to anyone other than Tim and he worked on his space ship while staying with Tim in the apartment above Mrs. Lorelei Brown's garage and when he wanted to, he would display his abilities that included, telepathy, moving objects just by pointing and he could make himself invisible. Lorelei Brown was your typical busybody who was always snooping around and Martin constantly always found himself almost being discovered by her. Angela was Lorelei's daughter. In 1963, Bill Brennan was introduced as Lorelei's boyfriend and yet another threat to Martin. First Telecast: September 29, 1963
Last Telecast: September 4, 1966
Episodes: 107 Episodes
(75 B&W and 32 Color) CBS Broadcast History September 1963-September 1966----Sundays----7:30 p.m. Nielsen Ratings: (Top 25 or Better) #10 in the 1963-1964 Season
#24 in the 1964-1965 Season
moreless
20
Astro Boy (1963)

NBC (ended 1981)

The 1963 black-and-white version of Astro Boy was the first anime to cross the Pacific and penetrate American television. It was highly successful as it drew the highest ratings at that time. It was taken off the air in 1966 as it completed its 104-episode run (193 episodes in Japan), having lost its popularity due to it not being in color and having "depressing" and violent themes and story lines.
However, in 1980, Astro Boy was reborn in Japan and was brought back to North America in 1982 with a 51-episode color series (52 episodes in Japan).
All 104 episodes of the original 1963 series which aired in the United States are now available on DVD.moreless
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