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1
The Wonder Years

ABC (ended 1993)

"The Wonder Years" was a hit comedy series starring Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold the main character, a boy facing rites of passage on his way to adulthood. Kevin lives with his brother Wayne (Jason Hervey), his sister Karen (Olivia d'Abo), his father Jack (Dan Lauria), and his mother Norma (Alley Mills). Kevin grows up with his on-and-off girlfriend, Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar), and his best friend, Paul Pfeiffer (Josh Saviano).

The show had a successful 6 year run.

Theme Song: "With a Little Help From My Friends" by John Lennon & Paul McCartney -- performed by Joe Cocker

ABC Broadcasty History: January 1988 - April 1988 --- Tuesdays 8:30 October 1988 - February 1989 --- Wednesdays 9:00 February 1989 - August 1990 --- Tuesdays 8:30 August 1990 - August 1991 --- Wednesdays 8:00 August 1991 - February 1992 --- Wednesdays 8:30 March 1992 - September 1993 --- Wednesdays 8:00moreless
2
Modern Family

ABC

This mockumentary explores the many different types of a modern family through the stories of a gay couple, comprised of Mitchell and Cameron, and their daughter Lily, a straight couple, comprised of Phil and Claire, and their three kids, Haley, Alex, and Luke, and a multicultural couple, which is comprised of Jay and Gloria, and their son Manny. These three types of families are being taped by a Dutch documentary crew who are using them for an upcoming reality-based television series due to air in The Netherlands.moreless
3
Better Off Ted

ABC (ended 2010)

Ted Crisp loves his job. He works for the team at Veridian Dynamics, where nothing is too far-fetched, or out of the ordinary. An average day for Ted could easily involve creating a suicidal turkey, for instance. The only problem is, Ted is ethical and the company is not. The show is being produced by 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios.moreless
4
Ugly Betty

ABC (ended 2010)

Betty Suarez has always had one goal in life: to make it into the publishing business. Despite being smart, hard-working, and productive, her dream has always been shadowed by the fact that she isn't as traditionally beautiful as her cover ready colleagues. But despite it all, she is determined to do whatever it takes to fulfill that ultimate dream.

Ugly Betty stars America Ferrera in the title role. The show is based on the wildly popular Colombian telenovela which has already been successfully translated in Mexico, India, Russia, Greece and Germany - all to stellar ratings.moreless
5
Sports Night

ABC (ended 2000)

Sports Night ran nearly two full seasons on the ABC network in the US during the '98-99 and '99-00 seasons. Created by Emmy Award winning writer/director, Aaron Sorkin. Sorkin created such movies as, A Few Good Men & The American President before his first venture into television (Sorkin would later create the massively respected & popular The West Wing). Smart, fast-paced, witty and featuring a fine ensemble cast, Sports Night struggled in the ratings from the start, particularly during its second season, when it was routinely pre-empted and moved from night to night. Art imitated life imitating art, as the show took on a consultant (William H. Macy in his first TV role since his stint on ER), was hired to "tweak" the ratings. The show within a show continued to falter, amidst rumors of the imminent sale of its network and the subsequent gutting of its staff, until it, like its parent Sports Night, simply disappeared from the schedule. Upon its cancellation, several networks, most notably HBO came to Sorkin for a possible move to the respected network, but nothing was ever solidified. Sports Night gained additional exposure through a subsequent syndication on Comedy Central.moreless
6
Leave It to Beaver

ABC (ended 1963)

Leave It to Beaver portrayed the iconic postwar American family: June the perfect housewife, Ward the dad (what did he do for a living, anyway? And why did he always wear a suit to dinner?), big brother Wally, and of course Theodore ("The Beaver"), the good-hearted kid whose adventures propelled the show. Leave It to Beaver debuted in October of 1957 on CBS. In the fall of 1958, CBS dropped the series. ABC picked it up and ran it for an additional 5 years. Few people know that Leave it to Beaver was the first American television show broadcast behind the Iron Curtain -- perhaps part of the reason for so many references to God, Sunday School, Breaking Bread, etc. In several episodes, there are subtle references to the Soviet Union. In episode #31 ( New doctor ): Wally, has a model plane. Look close, it,s a Russian bomber. With, the red star decals. In episode #119 ( Beaver's House Guest ), the two boys are wearing their camp sweatshirts. With the name Camp Chekov on it. Propaganda? Maybe. What the average American family was like in the 1950's? I don't think so. What ever, I guess it worked. The series focuses on Theodore Cleaver (Beaver). Beaver (who was 7 when the series began) is your basic everyday little boy who had a knack of getting himself into trouble at every turn. His older brother Wally, is just entering his teen years and often wonders out loud how Beaver could be so dumb to get himself into stupid situations. (Examples: getting himself locked in the principals office, letting the bathtub overflow, letting the washing machine overflow, getting his head stuck in a fence at the park, constantly losing things (cats, change, etc.) His parents are your everyday 1950's parents, June and Ward Cleaver, who do their best to understand and support Beaver and Wally as they grew up. Other characters were mostly friends of Wally and Beaver. Wally's friends included Lumpy Rutherford and the two-faced Eddie Haskell. Eddie was courteous to June and Ward but when the grown ups weren't around he was a bully to Beaver and his friends. Beaver's friends include Whitey Whitney, Gilbert Gates/Bates/Harrison (inconsistent last name), Larry Mondello and Richard Rickover. Beaver's teachers, Miss Canfield and later Miss Landers were seen frequently as well as Lumpy's father, played by Richard Deacon known for his role on The Dick Van Dyke Show. While most people lump in Leave it to Beaver with other family sitcoms, such as Father Knows Best, and The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, this series was truly an original, and very much ahead of its time. It showed the world through the eyes of a young boy, and sometimes dealt with rather controversial subjects. One episode ("Beaver and Andy") dealt frankly with the subject of alcoholism. Another episode ("Beaver's House Guest") showed how divorce can affect a child. In 1985, Leave It to Beaver was in a full blown revival after a 1983 reunion movie, Still the Beaver, when a spin-off series, with the title of the reunion movie, was proposed. It later begin airing in syndication under the title, The New Leave It to Beaver and starred all of the original cast members except Hugh Beaumont who died on May 14, 1982. First Telecast: October 4, 1957 Last Telecast: September 12, 1963 Episodes: 234 B&W Episodes +1 Unaired B&W Pilot Theme Song: "The Toy Parade" Written by: Melvyn Leonard, Mort Greene & Dave Kahn Spin-offs: The New Leave It to Beaver NOTE: All air dates have now been verified through TV Guide. CBS Broadcast History October 1957-March 1958----Fridays----7:30 p.m. March-September 1958----Wednesdays----8:00 p.m. ABC Broadcast History October 1958-June 1959----Thursdays----7:30 p.m. July-September 1959----Thursdays----9:00 p.m. October 1959-September 1962----Saturdays----8:30 p.m. September 1962-September 1963----Thursdays----8:30 p.m. Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better) Never hit the top 30moreless
7
Full House

ABC (ended 1995)

Full House ran for eight seasons and was one of the few primetime sitcoms to have more than 190 episodes. Early in its run, Full House received awful reviews for being too "cheesy," but it still became a popular favorite with audiences, even as the reviews remained negative throughout its run. Set in San Francisco, this is a show about a very loving family headed by Danny Tanner, who became a single father when his wife, Pam Tanner, was killed in a car accident. Pam's brother Jesse, and Danny's best friend Joey Gladstone moved into the house to help Danny raise his three daughters D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle. Although Full House ended in 1995, with syndication, kids are still growing up with the Tanners just like millions did when the show first started. First Telecast: September 22, 1987 Last Telecast: May 23, 1995 Episodes: 192 Color Episodesmoreless
8
The Flintstones

ABC (ended 2001)

The Flintstones was a parody on modern suburban life, set in the Stone Age. The characters in the cartoon series all behaved and spoke in a contemporary manner, though they lived in the prehistoric city of Bedrock. Fred worked as operator of a dinosaur-powered crane at Rock Hard & Quarry Cave Construction Co. (slogan: "Own Your Own Cave and Be Secure"). Around their split-level cave the Flintstones enjoyed such conveniences as Wilma's Stoneway piano, a hi-fi on which Fred could play his "rock" music (it consisted of a turntable and a bird with a long beak to serve as a needle), a vacuum cleaner (a baby elephant with a long trunk), and an automatic garbage disposal unit (a famished buzzard stashed under the sink). Their car, which sported tail fins, also came equipped with steamroller wheels--to smooth out the rocky road. Then one day in 1963 they were blessed with a baby daughter, whom they named Pebbles. Not to be outdone, their neighbors the Rubbles adopted an orphan boy named Bamm Bamm. (The two kids later had a Saturday morning cartoon series of their own, Pebbles and Bamm Bamm.) The Flintstones was always as much adult satire as children's fun. In many respects it resembled Jackie Gleason's popular Honeymooners, especially in the relationships of the principals. A wide range of caricatures passed through the stories: Lollobrickida, a pretty cook; Ann-Margrock, whose voice was supplied by Ann-Margret; attorney Perry Masonry (he never lost a case); Ed Sullystone, a TV host; Eppy Brianstone, a teenage impresario; and Weirdly and Creepella Gruesome, the strange couple who with their son Goblin moved into a cave nearby (this was a parody on The Addams Family and The Munsters, then popular). The Gruesomes thought that they were normal, and everyone else in Bedrock was odd. The Flintstones and its spin-offs had a highly successful run on Saturday mornings--on NBC from January 1967-September 1970, on CBS from September 1972-January 1974, back on NBC from February 1979-September 1984, and on ABC with The Flintstone Kids from September 1986-September 1989. This series has also many movies and specials (about 10 specials). Some of them are:"A Flintstones Christmas Carol", a flintstones version of the famous Charles Dickens book, "A Flintstones Christmas" where Fred replaces Santa Claus (Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are speaking now), "I Yabba Dabba Do" where Pebbles and Bamm Bamm are grown up and get married, and "Holly-Rock-a-bye Baby" where Pebbles gives birth.moreless
9
Dinosaurs

ABC (ended 1994)

The show was conceived by the Muppet masters at Jim Henson Productions, who wanted to do a sitcom-style show with puppets using the animatronics processes the company had developed. The brain trust settled on the idea of doing a straightforward show about a family that happened to be composed of dinosaurs. Henson Productions offshoot The Creature Shop developed huge, lifelike puppets that could be operated from inside by puppeteers, and Brian Henson, Jim's son, devised a process called ‘audio animatronics' to bring the facial expressions of these puppets to life. The shows premise mixed elements of The Flintstones and The Simpsons, focusing on a blue-collar family of dinosaurs. Earl, the father, worked for the Wesayso Corporation and leveled trees to make way for tract homes. His blustery qualities were balanced out by his even-tempered wife Fran. The Dino clan had three children: rebellious teen Robbie, shopaholic preteen Charlene, and Baby, a smart-alecky infant. Rounding out the family was Grandma Ethyl, who always seemed to be locked in a battle of wills with Earl. Other characters included B. P. Richfield, Earl's fearsome boss, and Roy Hess, a prehistoric swinger buddy of Earl's. Dinosaurs depicted dinosaur life as being very close to human life: they watched television, shopped at supermarkets, and held down nine-to-five jobs. This allowed the show to tackle relevant social concerns in their stories. For instance, in Steroids To Heaven Robbie tried to overcome feelings of inadequacy by building up his body with an artificial growth hormone called ‘thornoids.' You didn't expect a very special episode of Dinosaurs, now did you? In making the dinosaurs human-like, the show allowed itself a unique opportunity to comment on our foibles as human beings. Much like modern homo sapiens, the shows prehistoric protagonists wasted their precious resources and allowed themselves to stay bound to outmoded ways of thinking when they could turn things around by trying out more progressive ways of thinking. The latter concern was usually voiced by Robbie, who questioned many of his dinosaur family's customs. Dinosaurs managed to rack up 65 episodes before being cancelled in July of 1994. It is a memorable entry in the sitcom canon, not only for its use of technology but also for the social messages it passed on to its viewers...through a group of animatronic dinosaurs (who knew?).moreless
10
Roseanne

ABC (ended 1997)

Roseanne was one of the most successful series of the late '80s and early '90s. It always received great ratings and was awarded with 4 Emmys, 3 Golden Globes, 4 American Comedy Awards and a Peabody. The show ran from 1988 to 1997 and ended with one of the most original (and confusing for some) endings in TV history.

Set in small town Lanford Illinois, the show followed The Conners, a blue collar family with a humerous backbone, through the trials of: life, marriage, raising a family, and making ends meet. ABC Broadcasting Schedule October 1988-February 1989.....Tuesday 8:30-9:00 February 1989-September 1994......Tuesday 9:00-9:30 September 1994-March 1995......Wednesday 9:00-9:30 March 1995-May 1995......Wednesday 8:00-8:30 May 1995-September 1995......Wednesday 9:30-10:00 September 1995-May 1997......Wednesday 8:00-8:30moreless
11
Family Matters

ABC (ended 1998)

A perfect spin-off from Perfect Strangers: Family Matters focused on Harriet Winslow (the elevator operator from the Chronicle) and her family of sorts. Carl Winslow, her husband, was a dutiful cop, and a gruff and lovable father to three kids: Eddie Winslow, the rebel son; Laura Winslow, the smart-aleck daughter; and cute little Judy Winslow. They had opened their home to Harriet's sister, Rachel Crawford and her little baby son Richie, and in the very first episode, Carl had to open his home to his cool and streetwise mother, Estelle Winslow, whether he wanted to or not.

Everything was going along just fine until one day, Steve Urkel, the inventive nerd, barged into their home and eventually, into their hearts. Steve had a killer crush on Laura, but she would never give him the time of day. Steve Urkel was intended to be a one-shot appearance, but his popularity with the fans won him the number-one spot as America's favorite nerd.

As the show went on, the characters and the stories evolved. Richie grew from a little baby into a rambunctious and impressionable little boy. The stories started revolving around Steve and his incredible inventions, which became the greatest sight gags on the show. In almost every episode, Steve ends up breaking furniture, windows, and Carl's patience. Eddie and Laura each had best buddies to hang out with: Eddie had dim-witted yet lovable Waldo Geraldo Faldo,and Laura had faithful and true-blue gal pal Maxine. The greatest mystery of Family Matters is Judy and Rachel's sudden disappearances from the show, but Rachel made guest appearances whenever possible.

To stop Steve from chasing her, Laura matched him up with perky-yet-pushy Myra Monkhouse. Steve loved Myra physically, but his emotions will always go to Laura. Eddie had his share of steady girlfriends, and even he had an Urkel chasing him- Myrtle May Urkel, Steve's cousin from Biloxi (Jaleel White also). Every so often, Steve uses one of his inventions to turn himself into debonair, irresistable lover Stefan Urquelle or karate hero Bruce Lee to draw Laura closer to him, much to Myra's chagrin.

At the end of season 6, the Winslows welcomed Steve into their home when Steve's family went to Russia. Pretty soon, Richie hung out with 3J, a tough, streetwise kid always running from the children's home. The Winslows then adopted 3J as one of their kids, as they did with Steve.

In the final season, Family Matters - along with Step by Step - moved to CBS, and Steve slowly matured from the annoying nerd that he used to be. This was when Laura started falling in love with Steve, and Myra got kicked to the curb, but she vowed to get her "Stevie-kins" back. Also, the original Harriette, JoMarie Peyton, had left the show in mid-season and Judyann Elder took her role. Steve and Laura got engaged, but they never had a wedding because CBS dropped the ax on the show. But, nevertheless, Family Matters had a great successful run and is one of the longest running African-American comedies ever. In Germany the show is known as Alle unter einem Dach ("Under One Roof").
In Spain it is known as Cosas de casa.
In France it is known as La Vie de famille ("Life of the Family").
In Italy it is known as Otto sotto un tetto ("Eight Under One Roof").
In Sweden it is known as Rï¿½kna med brï¿½k. In Croatia it is known as ''Pod istim krovom''moreless
12
Bewitched (1972)

ABC (ended 1972)

Bewitched is a fantasy sitcom chronicling what happens when a witch and a mortal fall in love and get married in 1960s and '70s suburban America. At the very center of the show is Elizabeth Montgomery's portrayal of a good-hearted witch named Samantha. A strong, independent woman with the world at her finger tips (or at the twitch of her nose), she gives up her witchly life to do things the "mortal way". Her mortal husband Darrin Stephens (played by Dick York, and later Dick Sargent) is a talented advertising executive with McMann & Tate. He obsesses with leading a "normal life" where one works hard to earn a good living for one's family. He constantly struggles against disapproving witches and warlocks, like Samantha's powerful mother, Endora (played by Agnes Moorehead).
Endora is determined to prove to Samantha that the mixed-marriage marriage is a tremendous mistake. Over the show's eight year run, Endora tries numerous spells, all creating humiliation and chaos in Darrin's mortal world. This often ends up affecting Darrin's money-obsessed boss and best friend, Larry Tate (played by David White). Larry's wife, Louise (played by Irene Vernon and Kasey Rogers), is Samantha's best friend, although she is unaware that Sam is a witch.
In season two, life changes dramatically when Samantha and Darin give birth to daughter Tabitha Stephens (played by five babies that season and by twins Erin and Diane Murphy starting in season three). Many early Tabitha episodes revolve around whether she is a witch or mortal until the big reveal in season three. Later in season six, the Stephenses give birth to a boy, Adam. Although less airtime is spent on his character, eventually audiences find out that he too has powers.
Recurring characters include Samantha's favorite aunt, Clara, who is a lovable, bumbling witch (played by Marion Lorne). Due to Aunt Clara's extended age, she is suffering the loss of her powers and inadvertently wreaks havoc at the Stephens home. Also often wreaking havoc are Samantha's practical joking Uncle Arthur (Paul Lynde), her Shakespeare orating father, Maurice (Maurice Evans), a bad joke-telling witch doctor, Dr. Bombay (Bernard Fox) and a shy witch-maid Esmeralda (Alice Ghostley). Elizabeth Montgomery also portrays Samantha's free-spirited, mischievous twin cousin, Serena.
On the mortal receiving end of the seemingly hallucinogenic world of witches are neighbors Gladys and Abner Kravitz. Gladys, first portrayed by Alice Pearce and later by Sandra Gould, was immediately aware that the Stephens household was positively strange, and was certain that something "beyond this world" was at work across the street. Abner (George Tobias) never believes it. Darrin's mother, Phyllis Stephens (Mabel Albertson), fairs no better, as she is forever witnessing zany antics only to have her husband, Frank Stephens (Robert F. Simon and later Roy Roberts) not believe it.
Bewitched earned nearly two dozen Emmy nominations during its run. Marion Lorne and Alice Pearce won well deserved awards, as did director and producer, William Asher (Elizabeth Montgomery's husband at the time). In 1970, Bewitched presented a Christmas episode regarding bigotry and racism, and received a special Emmy, the Governor's Award, for the landmark episode "Sisters at Heart". Beyond the theme of bigotry and "mixed-marriages", the series explored cultural issues of consumerism, materialism, human vanity, women's liberation, and mass hysteria. Season six of Bewitched brought about the biggest change to the series as Dick York was replaced by Dick Sargent in the role of Darrin. This element of the show has become a cultural touchstone, with many viewers debating their favorite Darrin.
First Telecast: September 17, 1964 Last Telecast: July 1, 1972 ABC Daytime: 1968 - 1973 ABC Saturday Morning: 1971 - 1973 Episodes: 254 Episodes (74 black and white, 180 color) Ratings Season 1: #2 Season 2: #7 Season 3: #8 Season 4: #11 Season 5: #12 Season 6: #25 Season 7: (above #25) Season 8: (above #25)moreless
13
The Middle

ABC

ABC's comedy series uses a mother's point of view to shed light on the lives of a middle-class family in the Midwest. The show focuses on the Heck family life in an Indiana suburb and is narrated by Frankie, a dedicated—though frazzled—mother who works at a local car dealership and volunteers for school functions. Father Mike works at a quarry and takes a more laid back approach to most things, but backs up Frankie with force when the need arises. Oldest child Axl, a snarky, surly, high schooler, spends much of his time napping and roams around the home shirtless. Geeky, gangly, braces-wearing Sue is trying to navigate her way through junior high, join the cool crowd, and avoid Axl's endless onslaught of taunts, none of which she does with much success. Youngest child Brick is in elementary school and is the academic in the family, but suffers from near-crippling social anxieties and possesses an odd habit of repeating words he just said back to himself in a loud whisper. Starring Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn, the Warner Bros. television pilot was written by Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline, who also serve as executive producers.moreless
14
George Lopez

ABC (ended 2007)

"George Lopez," the hit family comedy starring popular standup comedian George Lopez, is on ABC. The series is from Bruce Helford, Deborah Oppenheimer and Robert Borden – all from ABC's long-running hit comedy series, "The Drew Carey Show" – and actress/producer Sandra Bullock ("Miss Congeniality," "Speed").

George Lopez is a guy who has made lemonade from lemons at every turn. Since he became plant manager at an L.A. airplane parts factory, he has handled a complicated and tumultuous job, a strong but challenging marriage, two rebellious children and a mother who can't keep track of her own lies about his childhood -- all with his sense of humor intact.

His affable compadre, Ernie (Valente Rodriguez, "Erin Brokovich"), still ribs George about his high-powered management position at the plant, but always lends a hand when George needs him. Ernie, who still lives with his mother and father, has learned some fathering skills of his own after foster-parenting a troubled twelve-year-old boy.

Though their marriage has had some close calls, George and his devoted wife, Angie (Constance Marie), still chose to renew their vows recently. Angie deals with his questionable decisions and freewheeling approach to parenthood and his mother's insensitive wisecracks with the patience of a saint -- and some guidance from her father, Vic (Emiliano Díez) -- but her drive to build a still unprofitable wedding-planning business has nearly driven their family to the poor house.

George's biggest test, both at work and home, is dealing with his tough and acerbic but loving mother, Benny (Belita Moreno, "Perfect Strangers"), while sifting through her vast assortment of lies about his family and childhood. After rediscovering and losing his father to kidney disease and learning of a long lost sister, George constantly wonders what, or who, is around the next corner.

After running away from home, being expelled from school and falling in love with a handsome jock, sixteen year-old Carmen's (Masiela Lusha) free-spirited, teenage rebellion has left her parents at a total loss about what to do next. Always the practical joker, thirteen-year-old Max clearly maintains the sense of humor he inherited from his father, but continues to struggle with dyslexia and constantly tests his parents' limits by being drawn toward the wrong crowd.

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15
Samantha Who?

ABC (ended 2009)

Samantha "Sam" Newly is a corporate executive and hit-and-run victim who awakens after being in a coma for eight days, only to find she has amnesia. With no memories of the past, she must rediscover everything about her life and herself by looking for clues from her past. Sam discovers that she wasn't a very nice person to most people and she is determined to change that. She also discovers that she cheated on her boyfriend Todd (played by Barry Watson) with a married man. Sam even learns that her "accident" was no accident at all, but a failed attempt at someone trying to kill her, but who? Slowly but surely little parts of her start to emerge to the delight of some and to the shock of others. Will she change or will she act like she did before her amnesia? The people that Sam has to rely on aren't all what they appear to be. Sam leans on her parents after she awakens, but has no idea that she hasn't spoken to them in over two years. Sam thinks that Dena is her best friend, but Andrea, her real best friend, lets in be known that Sam and Dena haven't even spoken to each other since the seventh grade. Andrea on the other hand is hiding a lot of Sam's wild past from her, which could be disastrous. And then there is Frank, the door man at Todd's apartment. Up until the accident, Sam had never spoken a word to him, but one days ends up saying hi to him and is shocked to learn how observant he is. Production companies are ABC Studios & Brillstein-Grey Television. The show was originally called Sam I Am, but changed to Samantha Be Good because of copyrights issues with Dr. Seuss's estate and his legendary children's book Green Eggs and Ham. It was later changed to Samantha Who?moreless
16
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
17
Boy Meets World

ABC (ended 2000)

This gentle yet mildly surreal sitcom was part of ABC's "TGIF" lineup aimed at pre-teens and early teens. Its tenure lasted from 1993 through its end in 2000. The people in the world of teenager Cory Matthews (Ben Savage) continue to test his theories about life and relationships, on the fourth season of "Boy Meets World."
Topanga (Danielle Fishel) is one person who continues to test Cory's outlook and emotions in the ways of young love. Though they are back together again after a bumpy start, anything could happen when it comes to their relationship.
His best friend, Shawn (Rider Strong), no longer lives with English teacher Jonathan Turner ( Anthony Tyler Quinn), but with his truck-driver dad, who has moved back to town. Cory, who was instrumental in bringing the father and son together, hopes that Shawn's mother will also rejoin the family.
Cory's older brother, Eric (Will Friedle), failed to get accepted to a four-year college, even after all of his amusing yet sincere efforts to do so. He must now figure out if he's either going to make a fresh start living out of town or stay within the comforts of home.
Eric isn't the only one trying to decide what's best for his life. Their dad (William Russ) is also at a point where he must decide his future. He's worked at the grocery store since his teenage years and wonders if it isn't time to explore a different career. Fortunately, there's always Cory's mom, Amy (Betsy Randle), to give everyone guidance and all sorts of helpful advice; and his little sister, Morgan (Lindsay Ridgeway), to add her ten-year-old point of view.
At high school, the ever-present and wise Principal George Feeny (William Daniels) continues to make Cory's and Shawn's lives more challenging. The principal even gets involved with former student Eric as he makes some educational decisions. Feeny, who still lives next door to the Matthews, has a unique way of always seeming to know what unpredictable antics the young men are up to. (ABC Season 4 Press Release)moreless
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The Addams Family

ABC (ended 1966)

The Addams Family centers around one of the two "creepy" families that premiered on television in 1964. ABC aired The Addams Family and CBS aired The Munsters.

The Addams Family consisted of Gomez and Morticia Addams and their two children, Pugsley and Wednesday. Also included are Uncle Fester, Grandmama, the hairy Cousin Itt, the butler Lurch and Thing! The series is based on a one-panel cartoon created by Charles Addams that had appeared in The New Yorker magazine since the 1930s. The show's title came from the cartoonist's name; The family in the cartoon is never referred to by name. The finger-snapping theme song was written by Vic Mizzy, who also write the theme for Green Acres. The series lasted two seasons, yet gained much more success in syndication. The series was later transformed into a the 1991 feature film starring Raul Julia and Angelica Huston.

ABC Broadcast History: Sept 1964-Sept 1966 Fridays 8:30 p.m.moreless
19
America's Funniest Home Videos

ABC

America's Funniest Home Videos is ABC's longest-running comedy series. The show began with original host Bob Saget (Full House)The series was an instant sensation on Sunday nights and ran for seven successful seasons. The show was re-launched with new hosts John Fugelsang (a stand up comedian with a one man show called Junk Male) & Daisy Fuentes (Loving), with a new hour long format, and moved to Monday nights where it would once again become a ratings success and then aired on Saturday. Then, after several years of being shown as an occasional special hosted by D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) and Richard Kind (Spin City), ABC brought the series back on Friday nights with new host Tom Bergeron (Hollywood Squares). In September 2003, it was moved back to Sunday nights. Once again, the series has become a success. On This Show First Price is 10,000 and second is 5,000 and 3,000 for third also there is a 100,000 grand price show every so often where the 10,000 winners compete for 100,000.moreless
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8 Simple Rules

ABC (ended 2005)

It's a time for healing and learning to deal with life without family patriarch Paul (the late John Ritter), as the Hennessys discover the frailties of life and the strength of the family unit, on 8 Simple Rules. Cate (Katey Sagal) now finds herself in the precarious position of raising three teenagers on her own while holding down a full time job as a hospital nurse near their Detroit-area home. She does, however, get a little relief, thanks to her father, Jim (James Garner), who's been staying at the house since Paul's death. Retired and separated from his wife, Jim mostly spends his days making home improvements to the house - with arguably mixed results - and, in his own inimitable way, gives comfort and guidance to his daughter and grandchildren during their time of need. But the family is thrown for a loop when Cate's wayward nephew, C.J. (David Spade), moves in and finds it hard to resist getting himself into trouble or offering questionable advice to the kids. Now more than ever, Cate needs to be there for her kids - particularly her daughters. Oldest daughter Bridget (Kaley Cuoco) has matured into a beautiful and popular teenager - especially with the boys. But since her father's death, she has begun to question the importance of running with the "in crowd" at school. By contrast, middle child Kerry (Amy Davidson) is intelligent and cute, but her continued lack of self-confidence has led her to hide behind a mask of sarcasm - which makes it difficult for her to get in touch with her true feelings. And youngest child Rory (Martin Spanjers), fondly referred to as "The Boy," is trying to fill his father's shoes by becoming the man of the family, while at the same time entering the world of puberty and discovering one of life's true mysteries - girls. Dating boys and fitting in with their peers will once again become a top priority for the girls. But no matter what, Cate will continue to enforce Paul's number one rule - "If you make my daughters cry, I'll make you cry." In Memory Of John Ritter (1948-2003). You will be missed! You are (and always will be) the funniest!moreless
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