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21
Growing Pains

ABC (ended 1992)

Growing Pains was sitcom originally aired on ABC from September 1985 to April 1992. It went through seven very succesful seasons with a total of 166 episodes, each special in its own way. Growing Pains was about a family of five, the Seavers, who lived on Long Island, New York. Jason Seaver was the father, a psychiatrist, who had his practice at home. (From the 1st to the 5th season) Maggie, his wife, was a journalist who worked for the Long Island newspaper in the first three seasons of the sitcom. She got a job as the news anchor for channel 19 news and worked there through the middle of the 5th season when she decided to stay at home. Jason moved his practice out of the house to an office. During the last seasons, she worked at home writing a consumer awareness column for the local newspaper.

Together, Maggie and Jason raised four children. They often worried about "who would stay home with the baby" or would "be there for the kids" and the responsibility was often juggled, even fought over, between the two parents but eventually settled. The youngest, Chrissy, wasn't born until the 4th season and suddenly "grew up" from being a toddler to a five year old between the 5th and 6th seasons. The oldest of the four children was Mike. A dare-devil yet charming, Mike helped Growing Pains ratings shoot sky high and quickly became the 80's pin up boy appearing on cover after cover of teen magazines.

During the 4th season, Mike moved out of the house but not too far...to the loft above the garage. The 2nd oldest was Carol. Carol was the complete opposite of Mike. She was a straight "A" student, (a "nerd" according to her brothers), struggling with social obstacles at school, just like most teenage girls. From wanting a nose job, to dealing with the death of her boyfriend, (Sandy, played by Matthew Perry) to tolerating her roommate at Columbia University, Carol added a lot of comedy as well as a serious side to the show. Next was little Ben. Ben was a clever "con-artist" in the beginning and a little more naive during his teen years, sometimes being his brother's sidekick and other times his worst nightmare.

And of course, Mr. Leonardo DiCaprio-- then only 16 years old-- joined the cast during the final season when the show felt their ratings were dropping. The Seavers, reluctantly at first, took in a homeless boy, Luke Brower. Luke was one of Mike's students at the Community Health Clinic and quickly became one of the Seavers. Luke left with his father, George, during the end of the final season to help him open up a truck stop in Tuscon. The sitcom ended before Luke ever came back; Maggie got a job in Washington D.C. which required the family to move. In the last episode, the Seaver family gathered around a picnic blanket on the floor of their empty living room, remembering all their pastimes.

Theme Song Lyrics

Show me that smile again, (Oh, show me that smile) Don't waste another minute on your cryin', We're nowhere near the end (We're no where near) The best is ready to begin. As long as we've got each other, We got the world spinnin' right in our hands, Baby you and me, we gotta be, The luckiest dreamers who never keep dreaming. As long as we keep on givin' We can take anything that comes our way Baby, rain or shine All the time We got each other Sharin' the laughter and lovemoreless
22
The Brady Bunch

ABC (ended 1974)

The Brady Bunch was first seen in September 1969, Friday nights on ABC. The series was created by Sherwood Schwartz the same person who had created Gilligan's Island, 5 years earlier. In this series, Michael Paul Brady marries Carol Ann Tyler Martin and they combine their families. Mike had three sons from a previous marriage and Carol had three daughters also from a previous marriage. Mike's previous wife had died and the fate of Carol's previous husband was never explained. However, creator Sherwood Schwartz, originally intended Carol to have been divorced, but ABC balked at that idea. So thus we have two parents (Mike and Carol),six kids (Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby & Cindy), one housekeeper (Alice), and the family dog (Tiger), all living under one roof. Thus setting the scene for one of the most popular family sitcoms of all-time. The first season revolved mainly around the family adjusting to living together. The following seasons then revolved mainly around the six kids growing up and going through puberty and childhood adolescents. Other notable characters included, Sam Franklin, who was Alice's steady boyfriend, appeared several times throughout the 5-year run. In the final season, the character of Oliver, Carol's nephew was introduced mainly to add some of the cuteness back into the show since Cindy and Bobby had outgrown that stage. The series ended it's run in 1974, but the Brady family was far from gone. Two years prior, a animated cartoon, The Brady Kids had been created and aired Saturday mornings. In 1977, a variety show, The Brady Bunch Hour was created but lasted after only a handful of episodes. In 1981, NBC decided to break apart the reunion movie, The Brady Girls Get Married into a weekly series called, The Brady Brides. That too failed. Then the Brady Bunch was revived yet again in 1988, with the CBS TV-movie, A Very Brady Christmas. The movie was the highest rated TV movie of the year and forever cemented The Brady Bunch's immortality in pop culture. To date, the last spin-off aired in 1990 as a weekly hour-long drama called, The Bradys. In 1989, most of the cast returned to their roles on an episode of the short lived, series, Day by Day. The episode was called A Very Brady Episode. Interesting enough, Christopher Daniel Barnes starred in the series and would later portray Greg in the 1995 feature film, The Brady Bunch Movie and a year later in A Very Brady Sequel. Spin-offs: The Brady Kids, The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Brides and The Bradys ABC Broadcast History September 1969-September 1970----Fridays----8:00 p.m. September 1970-September 1971----Fridays----7:30 p.m. September 1971-August 1974----Fridays----8:00 p.m. Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better) Never hit the top 30 First Telecast: September 26, 1969 Last Telecast: August 31, 1974 Episodes: 117 Color Episodes Theme Song: "The Brady Bunch" Written by: Frank DeVol and Sherwood Schwartz Sung by: The Peppermint Trolley Company (Season 1) and The Brady Kids (Seasons 2-5) Here's a story of a lovely lady, Who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, The youngest one in curls. It's a story, of a man named Brady, Who was busy with three boys of his own. They were four men, living all together, Yet they were all alone. 'Till the one day when the lady met this fellow, And they knew they we're much more than a hunch. That this group must somehow form a family. That's the way (we)* all became the Brady Bunch. The Brady Bunch, The Brady Bunch. That's the way (we)* became the Brady Bunch. *they instead of we during Season 1 only.moreless
23
My Wife and Kids

ABC (ended 2005)

Popular film and television star Damon Wayans stars as Michael Kyle, a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. As he teaches his three children some of life's lessons, he does so with his own brand of wisdom, discipline and humor.

Now that Jr. and his girlfriend, Vanessa, are parents of a baby boy, Michael and his loving wife, Jay, are proud but young grandparents, and are adjusting to their new roles. Not only are they trying to help their son become a responsible father, but they want to help the teenaged couple make some important decisions in their lives. They all seem to have their own opinion when it comes to answering such questions like: Should the new parents continue to live in the Kyle garage? Should they get engaged or married? Will the new baby make Jr., who is terrified in his role as a new dad, act any smarter?

While trying to turn his son into a man, Michael begins to look at where his own life has taken him and wonders if he should make some changes. Jay, who also starts to question her purpose in life, pursues her educational goals and, along the way, decides to open a restaurant. Meanwhile, oldest daughter Claire's relationship with Tony, the odd and oddly endearing bible thumper, has endured. Claire is now a high school senior and is more than ready to do all the things that come along with that special time in life.

Little Kady feels a bit threatened by the new baby's presence, and her family is there to help her get over any insecurities. She continues her friendship with the young piano virtuoso, Franklin, who often complicates Michael's life. The boy sensed an opening in the family with Jr.'s impending graduation into adulthood, and Franklin is still trying to weasel his way into becoming the "good new son."

Michael can only hope his parental advice, mixed with witty humor, will steer his children to act responsibly. Through it all, Jr., Claire and Kady know they can turn to their father when they need his guidance. Sometimes it seems as though, even without their asking, Dad knows ahead of time what they might need, and he's only too happy to provide direction -- often to their chagrin.

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24
Happy Endings

ABC (ended 2013)

ABC's comedy sees a couple break up at the altar, and follows the fallout that affects their group of friends.
25
Suburgatory

ABC

Writer Emily Kapnek, from Parks and Recreation and Hung, brings us a single-camera comedy project that features the perception of a typical suburban life through the eyes of a seasoned New Yorker.moreless
26
The Drew Carey Show

ABC (ended 2004)

This long-running sitcom stars comedian Drew Carey as a sort of blue-collar everyman. The show chronicles Drew's working life, the ups and downs of his romances and his strong relationship with his long-time friends Lewis, Oswald and Kate. Episodes: 233 Color Episodes ABC Broadcast History: September 1995 - May 1996: Wednesday 8:30 May 1996 - September 1996: Tuesday 8:30 August 1996 - November 1996: Wednesday 9:30 December 1996 - May 2002: Wednesday 9:00 September 2002 - October 2002: Monday 8:00 November 2002 - November 2002: Friday 9:00 December 2002 - January 2003: Friday 9:30 June 2003 - July 2003: Wednesday 9:00/9:30 August 2003 - September 2003: Wednesday 9:30 June 2004 - September 2004: Wednesday 9:00/9:30 (Simulcast in HDTV on ABC beginning with the 2001-2002 season)moreless
27
Happy Days

ABC (ended 1984)

One of the most successful series of the 1970s is Happy Days, which is set in the late 1950s, early 1960s in Milwaukee, the heart of middle-class America. Happy Days tells the story of the Cunninghams, one of America's most beloved TV families played by Tom Bosley (Howard), Erin Moran (Joanie), Marion Ross (Marion), and Ron Howard (Richie). Richie and Joanie had an older brother, Chuck (Gavan O'Herlihy and Randolph Roberts), but he was phased out by the third season. Richie, who hangs out at Arnold's Drive-In with his buddies Potsie Weber (Anson Williams) and Ralph Malph (Donny Most), forms a close bond with neighborhood greaser, the Fonz (Henry Winkler). Living in an apartment above the Cunningham garage, the Fonz gives Richie advice on just about everything that he wants to know. Wearing his leather jacket atop his motorcycle while saying phrases like "aaaayyyy" and "sit on it," the Fonz is the king of cool and quickly became a cultural icon. As time passed, additional characters were introduced. Al Delvecchio (Al Molinaro) replaced Arnold (Pat Morita) as owner of Arnold's Drive-In in season 4. He would remain until the end of season 9. Season 5 saw Fonzie's cousin, Chachi Arcola (Scott Baio), and Richie's love interest, Lori Beth Allen (Lynda Goodfriend), come onto the scene. When Ron Howard and Donny Most left the show after season 7, the producers felt that they needed to add some characters to fill the void. Enter Cathy Silvers (as Jenny Piccalo - the never-before-seen-but-often-talked-about best friend of Joanie) and Ted McGinley (as Roger Phillips - Marion's nephew). The focus of the series shifted to the relationship between Joanie and Chachi. Season 10 saw Fonzie get a season-long love interest in the person of Ashley Pfister (Linda Purl). Other recurring characters added during the last four seasons were Roger's brother, Leopold "Flip" Phillips (Billy Warlock), Howard's niece, K. C. Cunningham (Crystal Bernard), Ashley's daughter, Heather Pfister (Heather O'Rourke), and Joanie and Chachi's classmates, Eugene Belvin (Denis Mandel), Melvin Belvin (Scott Bernstein), Bobby Milner (Harris Kal), and Tommy (Kevin Sullivan). In addition, Pat Morita returned during season 10 (and the first episode of season 11) to reprise his role as Arnold. By the end of the series, Richie had married Lori Beth and had two children, Al had married Chachi's mother, Louisa, Potsie was, presumably, still in college, and Ralph was training to be an optometrist. In the series' finale, "Passages," Joanie and Chachi were married, and Fonzie (owner of Fonzie's Auto Repairing and Arnold's as well as Dean of Boys at Patton High) adopted an orphan boy named Danny. Howard thanked the audience for being a part of their family, and a sentimental clip montage was shown to Elvis Presley's "Memories." Main Title Theme Songs "Rock Around The Clock" - written by Jimmy DeKnight (James E. Myers) and Max C. Freedman; performed by Bill Haley and The Comets (Seasons 1-2) "Happy Days" - written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox; performed by Pratt & McClain (Seasons 3-10) "Happy Days" - written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox; performed by Bobby Arvon (Season 11) ABC Broadcast History January 15, 1974 - September 20, 1983 ---- Tuesdays ---- 8:00 - 8:30 P.M. September 27, 1983 - January 31, 1984 ---- Tuesdays ---- 8:30 - 9:00 P.M. April 24, 1984 - May 29, 1984 ----------------- Tuesdays ---- 8:30 - 9:00 P.M. June 7, 1984 - September 24, 1984 ---------- Tuesdays ---- 8:00 - 9:00 P.M. Nielsen Ratings - Top 30 Season 1 (1974) Not In Top 30 Season 2 (1974-1975) Not In Top 30 Season 3 (1975-1976) #11 (23.9) Season 4 (1976-1977) #1 (31.5) Season 5 (1977-1978) #2 (31.4) Season 6 (1978-1979) #3 (tie) (28.6) Season 7 (1979-1980) #17 (21.7) Season 8 (1980-1981) #15 (tie) (20.8) Season 9 (1981-1982) #18 (20.6) Season 10 (1982-1983) #28 (tie) (17.4) Season 11 (1983-1984) Not In Top 30 Emmy Awards Nominations Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 1976 - Henry Winkler 1977 - Henry Winkler 1978 - Henry Winkler Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series 1978 - Tom Bosley Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series 1978 - Jerry Paris - "Richie Almost Dies" 1981 - Jerry Paris - "Hello Mrs. Arcola" Outstanding Film Editing in a Comedy Series 1978 - Ed Cotter - "Richie Almost Dies" (winner) Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series 1979 - Marion Ross Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 1984 - Marion Ross (source: Academy of Television Arts & Sciences) Golden Globe Awards Nominations Outstanding Production - Musical Or Comedy Series 1976 1977 Actor In A Leading Role - Musical Or Comedy Series 1976 - Henry Winkler (winner) 1977 - Henry Winkler (winner) 1977 - Ron Howard Actor In A Supporting Role - Series, Mini-Series, Or Television Movie 1982 - Anson Williams Youth in Film Awards Nominations Best Young Comedian 1979-1980 - Scott Baio Best Young Comedian - Motion Picture or Television 1980-1981 - Scott Baio (winner) Best Television Series - Family Enjoyment 1980-1981 Best Young Actor In A Television Series 1980-1981 - Scott Baio Best Young Actress In A Comedy Series 1981-1982 - Heather O'Rourke (source: The Young Artist Foundation) Miscellaneous Awards and Honors The Producers Guild of America's Hall of Fame for Theatrical Motion Pictures 2002 Television Inductee Other shows connected with Happy Days Love, American Style (pilot series) Laverne & Shirley (spin off) Blansky's Beauties (spin off) Mork & Mindy (spin off) Out of the Blue (crossover) The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang (cartoon) The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour (cartoon) Joanie Loves Chachi (spin off) First Telecast: January 15, 1974 Last Telecast: September 24, 1984 Episodes: 255 color episodes plus two reunion specialsmoreless
28
According to Jim

ABC (ended 2009)

Jim Belushi stars as Jim, the macho everyman, with a soft spot for his beautiful wife, Cheryl (Courtney Thorne-Smith), and their three precocious kids -- Ruby (Taylor Atelian), Gracie (Billi Bruno) and Kyle (Conner Rayburn). A success at his construction business and the family breadwinner, at home Jim seems to keep Cheryl in constant turmoil with his boyish bravado and ever-willful antics. But their underlying love for each other guarantees they are in this marriage for keeps. Cheryl, for her part, instinctively aims for the straight and narrow, but secretly enjoys it when Jim coaxes out her playful side. It's an odd-couple tug-of-war of happily-married opposites yet equals. This is a love story couched in a family comedy.

At the conclusion of last season, Cheryl's high-strung sister, Dana (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), a career woman who seemed destined to remain forever single, finally met and married a doctor and the man of her dreams (Mitch Rouse). Jim's brother-in-law and partner in the Ground Up design/building firm, Andy (Larry Joe Campbell), is Jim's foil but also his truest friend. Andy doggedly covers for his pal whenever Cheryl gets close to uncovering Jim's incessant schemes.moreless
29
Soap

ABC (ended 1981)

Soap is a tale about two sisters, Mary Campbell & Jessica Tate. While the Tates are a rich family, the Campbells are just another blue-collared family, but they go through amazing and crazy situations. This series will make you travel through a world of crazy and funny situation that happen all in the family.

#13 in the 1977-1978 Season

#19 in the 1978-1979 Season

#25 in the 1979-1980 Season

Not in Top 30 in the 1980-1981 Season

From September 1977 to March 1978 it was aired on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 9:30pm

From September 1978 to March 1980 it was aired on Thursdays from 9:00 to 9:30pm

From October 1980 to January 1981 it was aired on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 9:30pm

From March to April 1981 it was aired on Mondays from 10:30 to 11:00pmmoreless
30
Last Man Standing

ABC

Tim Allen stars as Mike Baxter, marketing director of an outdoor sporting goods store, fighting for his manhood while constantly being surrounded by women, including his wife and three growing daughters.moreless
31
Taxi

ABC (ended 1983)

Taxi's television history is filled with contradictions. Produced by some of television comedy's most well-regarded talent, the show was canceled by two different networks. Despite winning fourteen Emmy Awards in only five seasons, the program's ratings were rock-bottom for its final seasons. Although it thrives in syndication and is still well-loved by many viewers, Taxi will be best remembered as the ancestral bridge between two of the most successful sit-coms of all time: The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Cheers. In the mid-1970s, MTM Productions had achieved huge success with both popularity and critical appraisal. So it was an unexpected move when four of the company's finest writers and producers, James L. Brooks, Stan Daniels, David Davis, and Ed. Weinberger, jumped off the stable ship of MTM in 1978 to form their own production company, John Charles Walters Company. To launch their new venture, they looked back to an idea that Brooks and Davis had previously considered with MTM: the daily life of a New York City taxi company. From MTM head Grant Tinker they purchased the rights to the newspaper article that had initiated the concept and began producing this new show at Paramount for ABC. They brought a few other MTM veterans along for the ride, including director James Burrows and writer/producers Glen and Les Charles. Although Taxi certainly bore many of the trademark signs of "quality television" as exemplified by MTM, other changes in style and focus distinguished this from an MTM product. After working on the middle-class female-centered worlds of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, and Phyllis for years, the group at John Charles Walters wanted to create a program focusing on blue-collar male experience. MTM programs all had clearly defined settings, but Taxi's creators wanted a show that was firmly rooted in a city's identity--Taxi's situations and mood were distinctly New York. Despite MTM Productions innovations in creating ensemble character comedy, there was always one central star around which the ensemble revolved. In Taxi Judd Hirsch's Alex Reiger was a main character, but his importance seemed secondary to the centrality of the ensemble and the Sunshine Cab Company itself. While The Mary Tyler Moore Show proudly proclaimed that "you're going to make it on your own," the destitute drivers of Taxi were doomed to perpetual failure; the closest any of them came to happiness was Reiger's content acceptance of his lot in life--to be a cabby. Taxi debuted on 12 September 1978, amidst a strong ABC Tuesday night line-up. It followed Three's Company, a wildly-successful example of the type of show MTM "quality" sit-coms reacted against. Taxi used this strong position to end the season ninth in the ratings and garner its first of three straight Emmys for Outstanding Comedy Series. The show's success was due to its excellent writing, Burrows's award-winning directing using his innovative four-camera technique, and its largely unknown but talented cast. Danny DeVito's Louie DePalma soon became one of the most despised men on television--possibly the most unredeemable and worthless louse of a character ever to reside on the small screen. Andy Kaufman's foreign mechanic Latka Gravas provided over-the-top comedy within an ensemble emphasizing subtle character humor. But Kaufman sometimes also brought a demonic edge to the character, an echo of his infamous appearances on Saturday Night Live as a macho wrestler of women and Mighty Mouse lip-syncher. In the second season Christopher Lloyd's Reverend Jim Ignatowski was added to the group as television's first drugged-out '60s burn-out character. But Lloyd's Emmy-winning performance created in Jim more than just a storehouse of fried brain cells; he established a deep, complex humanity that moved far beyond mere caricature. The program launched successful movie careers for DeVito and Lloyd, as well as the fairly-notable television careers of Tony Danza and Marilu Henner; Kaufman's controversial career would certainly have continued had he not died of cancer in 1984. In its third season ABC moved Taxi from beneath Three's Company's protective wing to a more competitive Wednesday night slot; the ratings plummeted and Taxi finished the next two years in 53rd place. ABC canceled the show in early 1982 as part of a larger network push away from "quality" and toward the Aaron Spelling-produced popular fare of Dynasty and The Love Boat. HBO bid for the show, looking for it to become the first ongoing sitcom for the pay channel, but lost out to NBC, which scheduled the series for the 1982-83 season. Ironically, this reunited the show's executive producers with their former boss Tinker, who had taken over NBC. Tinker's reign at NBC was focused, not surprisingly, on "quality" programming which he hoped would attract viewers to the perennially last-place network. Taxi was partnered with a very compatible show on Thursday night--Cheers, created by Taxi veterans Charles, Burrows, and Charles. Although this line-up featured some of the great programs in television history--the comedies were sandwiched by dramas Fame and Hill St. Blues--the ratings were dreadful and Taxi finished the season in 73rd place. NBC was willing to stick by Cheers for another chance, but felt Taxi had run its course and canceled it at the end of the season. Had Taxi been given another year or two, it would have been part of one of the most successful nights on television, featuring The Cosby Show (co-created by Taxi creator Weinberger), Family Ties, Hill St. Blues, L.A. Law, and eventual powerhouse Cheers. Taxi lives on in syndication, but its most significant place in television history is as the middle generation between The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Cheers. It served as a transition between the star-driven middle-class character comedy of MTM programs and the location-centered ensemble comedy inhabited by the losers of Cheers and Taxi. Considered one of the great sit-coms of its era, Taxi stands as a prime example of the constant tension in television programming between standards of "quality" and reliance on high ratings to determine success. --Jason Mittel The Museum of Broadcast Communicationsmoreless
32
The Donna Reed Show

ABC (ended 1966)

The Donna Reed Show premiered on September 24, 1958, on ABC. The show revolves around housewife, Donna Stone, and her family--husband Alex who is a pediatrician, 14 year-old Mary, and 11 year-old Jeff. The Stone family reside in the midwestern town of Hilldale. Donna was the perfect American housewife and mother. She was always neatly-groomed, lovely, good-natured, thoughtful, and capable. Alex was handsome, well-respected in his profession, usually thoughtful and sometimes ill-tempered. Mary was a typical teenage girl of the time, pretty, popular, and prone to bouts of insecurity now and then. Jeff was the average boy, rambunctious, bright, preferred sports to studies, and a total burden to his sister. The episodes involved the usual family problems and adventures, with Donna usually saving the day in her quiet, capable way. In addition, Alex's career as a pediatrician figured prominently in many episodes, and the president of the AMA had a cameo in one episode, "Quads of Trouble" in season 7 . The show won many awards from various civic, educational, and medical groups due to it's wholesome nature and it's handling of topics like adoption, prescription drug abuse, home safety. In 1963, Shelley Fabares, who played Mary, left the show to pursue a movie career and thus Mary went away to college having up to that point been a student at the local college. To fill the void, Paul Petersen's real-life little sister, Patty Petersen, joined the cast as Trisha, a little girl adopted by the Stones. Also in 1963, Ann McCrea and Bob Crane joined the cast as the Stones next-door neighbors, Midge and Dave Kelsey. Bob Crane remained with the show till 1965 and Ann till 1966. Both Shelley Fabares and Paul Petersen had short but successful recording careers during the run of the show. In January, 1962, Paul sang "She Can't Find Her Keys" in the episode, "For Angie With Love", and "My Dad" in the episode, "My Dad" from October, 1962. February, 1962, Shelley sang "Johnny Angel" in the episode, "Donna's Prima Donna", and "Big Star" in the episode, "Big Star" from November, 1962. The Donna Reed Show was on the air for 8 seasons on ABC. From September, 1958-September, 1959, it aired on Wednesdays at 9pm. Then from October, 1959-January, 1966, it aired on Thursdays at 8pm. And finally, from January, 1966-Spetember, 1966, it aired on Saturdays at 8pm. Donna Reed's husband, Tony Owen, was executive producer of the show, and the show was a "Todon Production", with "Todon" being a combination of the first syllables of their first names--"To" for Tony and "don" for Donna.moreless
33
Doogie Howser, M.D.

ABC (ended 1993)

Doogie Howser showed the coming of age of a teenage genius who was a board-certified surgeon by the time he was 16. At that tender age, Doogie (a childhood nickname for "Douglas") has to balance life with his parents and contemporaries and the demands of a career that's stressful even for adults. He has help and support from understanding parents Katherine and David Howser, the latter also a doctor, co-workers at the hospital who respect him despite his age, best friend Vinnie, and girlfriend Wanda. Doogie Howser, despite having a relatively short four year run, was popular among young adults of the early 1990s. The show catapulted star Neil Patrick Harris to fame.moreless
34
McHale's Navy

ABC (ended 1966)

A Lively, Light-Hearted Romp Through The Pacific Theater Of Operations –

An experienced South Pacific sea dog, by the name of Quinton McHale, was commissioned as a Lieutenant Commander into the U.S. Navy Reserve, at the start of World War II, and made the Skipper of the Torpedo Patrol (PT) Boat #73, stationed at the U.S. Naval Installation on the island of Taratupa, in the Southwest Pacific. Assigned to his command were 6 free-spirited, good-hearted Swabbies who loved to have fun, but who – Though they usually ignored Navy regulations – Did their jobs, and did them well, when duty called. The 73 'Family' included, among others, a con man and amateur Magician, a womanizing hunk, a dedicated Family man, a guitar-picking, moonshine-making Tennessee good ol' boy, and even a deserter from the Japanese Navy, who was an excellent cook. Second in command, was Ensign Charles Parker, a young spit-and-polish, by-the-book Officer from Chagrin Falls Ohio, who was somewhat of a klutz, but who always managed to come out on top of a situation, usually with the help of McHale and The Crew.

McHale and his men were under the command of Base Commander Captain Wallace B. Binghamton (Known as 'Old Leadbottom' to McHale and his men), in whose side, McHale and his Crew were a constant thorn. Most episodes centered around Binghamton's trying to find way to get rid of McHale and his rule-bending 'Pirates' (One would be hard-pressed to see an episode of this series without the military term 'Court Martial' being mentioned, at least once), with McHale and his fun-loving 'Eightballs' scheming to keep Binghamton from doing so, their exemplary performance in battle, more times than not, getting them out troublesome situations.

McHale's Navy was first presented a straight action drama, on ABC's Alcoa Premiere anthology series, in April of 1962. The pilot episode – Entitled Seven Against The Sea – Found enough of an audience that it was converted to a comedy series, which premiered on the ABC Television Network on the evening of Thursday, October 11th 1962, at 9:30 p.m. EST. It got off to somewhat of a slow start, opposite NBC's popular Hazel, but held it's own, and gained a small following. It cracked the top 25 in it's 2nd season ('63/'64), on Tuesday nights, in the 8:30 time-slot, with a strong lead-in from ABC's Combat, landing at #23, with a Nielsen rating of 22.8. But, from that point on, it was all uphill for McHale. In it's 3rd ('64/'65) & 4th ('65/'66) seasons, in a losing battle with CBS's powerhouse Red Skelton Hour, it was soon on it's way out. An attempt to boost it's sagging ratings, by moving McHale, his Crew, and Captain Binghamton to a base in Italy, in it's 4th and final season, proved to do more harm than good, and resulted in the cancellation of the series, in 1966.

The series was popular enough with the public to prompt the production of two full-length theatrical-release motion pictures, during it's run. McHale's Navy, released by Universal Pictures in June of 1964, featured all the regular cast members from the series, and McHale's Navy Joins The Air Force, in July of '65, this one sans Borgnine. Both were 90-minute extended episodes of the series, and mildly popular, at best. A 1997 big-budget movie, based on the series, and with Tom Arnold as McHale, was a total flop. All three are available on VHS or DVD.

Lately, it's been tough to catch McHale's Navy on TV. Programming Managers don't seem to realize just how many loyal fans the show still has, and just how many new fans the show would doubtless make, were more people allowed to experience it. However – McHale fans, rejoice! – Shout! Factory came to the rescue, and began releasing McHale's Navy, on DVD, in boxed sets, beginning on March 20th, 2007, with Season 1. Season 2 was released on September 11th, 2007, Season 3, on March 18th, 2008, and Season 4, on November 18th, '08.

With a highly talented cast including Academy Award® winner Ernest Borgnine, comic genius Tim Conway, the one-of-a-kind comic talent of Joe Flynn, and a solid supporting cast, McHale's Navy was – And is – TV comedy at it's very finest.moreless
35
Care Bears

ABC (ended 1988)

The Care Bears keep watch over the earth to keep bad feelings at bay. Whenever a kid is feeling down, they are there to help bring a smile to the child's face. They live in a city in the sky, named Care-A-Lot. They hold meetings in the Hall of Caring to discuss important matters. Their cousins live in the Forest of Feelings. The Care Bear Cousins' leader is Braveheart Lion. Each bear and cousin has a special power, related to the symbol on its tummy. When they unite, they can use the Care Bear Stare to beam good energy at their enemies, such as No Heart, Professor Cold Heart, Shrieky, and Beastly. The bears have two modes of transportation, Cloudmobiles and Rainbow Rollers, which they fly down to earth on whenever there is trouble. They are alerted to problems by the Care-O-Meter. The Care Bears Family combined old episodes of Care Bears with new ones.moreless
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Coach

ABC (ended 1997)

Coach airs on the USA network; reruns also air in syndication. Check Local Listings Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better) #18 in the 1989- 1990 Season
#18 in the 1990- 1991 Season
#10 in the 1991- 1992 Season
#6 in the 1992- 1993 Season
#6 in the 1993- 1994 Season
#15 in the 1995- 1996 Season
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Perfect Strangers

ABC (ended 1993)

A slapstick "buddy comedy" that explored the wonderment of a newly arrived immigrant at the ways of America- "The Land of the Whopper." Balki was a young shepherd from the Mediterranean island of Mypos, who showed up unexpectedly at the Chicago apartment of his distant cousin, bachelor Larry. Balki's wide-eyed, fun-loving manner, his nutty Myposian customs, and his tendency to take everything Americans told him quite literally, promised considerable disruption to Larry's organized life, but Larry took him in. After all, getting started as a shepherd in Chicago was not going to be easy.moreless
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Welcome Back, Kotter

ABC (ended 1979)

Gabe Kotter, formerly a Sweathog, returns to James Buchanan High as a teacher and is assigned the remedial class to which he once belonged. Mr. Kotter is an involved and caring teacher, which one would have to be in dealing with a certain four students in his class, who end up in trouble on a regular basis -- lady's man Vinnie Barbarino, the always cool Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington, the tough Juan (Luis Pedro Phillipo de Huevos) Epstein, and the sheepish Arnold Dingfelder Horshack. Welcome Back, Kotter was based on Gabe Kaplan's own high school experiences with redmedial education and a teacher who cared dearly for her students. Changes on the show. Gabe Kaplan left the series in the third season. He hadn't expected the show to run as long as it had. Kotter was made Vice-Principal, and thus was seen considerably less. John Travolta, of course, found his own place as a celebrity, leaving the show around the same time Gabe Kaplan did (returning every so often as a "special guest star"). The replacement for Barbarino was Beau, who didn't help things much. By now the show had essentially lost its two biggest stars. Theme song. "Welcome Back" by John Sebastian: opening credits Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out. Welcome back to that same old place that you laughed about. Well, the names have all changed since you hung around. But those dreams have remained and they've turned around. Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (who'd have thought they'd lead ya) Back here where we need ya (back here where we need ya)? Yeah, we tease him a lot 'cause we've got him on the spot, welcome back. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. end credits The second verse of the full song plays partially over the end credits. It goes as thus: Welcome back, we always could spot a friend. Welcome back, and I smile when I think how you must have been. And I know what a scene you were learnin' in. Was there something that made you come back again? And what could ever lead ya (what could ever lead ya) Back here where we need ya (back here where we need ya)? Yeah, we tease him a lot 'cause we've got him on the spot, welcome back. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. Catchphrases. Welcome Back, Kotter was a breeding ground for memorable catch phrases. If you have one that's been overlooked, feel free to contact the editor. Gabe Kotter: "Hey, Julie, wanna hear a joke?" (or similar dialogue) Vinnie Barbarino: "What? Where?" "I'm so confused!" "Ooookay, fine." "I said a ba-ba-ba-ba-Barbarino..." Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington: "Hi there." "I don't happen to have it...handy." Juan Epstein: "Signed, Epstein's mother." Arnold Horshack: "Ooh! Ooh, ooh!" "Hello. How are ya? I'm Arnold Horshack." "Very impressive, Mr. Kotter!" "Be brave, little soldier." (or "buckaroo") ...and a very distinctive laugh. DVD? Welcome Back, Kotter has yet to be released properly on either video or dvd. Be sure to visit TVShowsonDVD to vote for Welcome Back, Kotter on dvd (you will have to register for free in order to vote).moreless
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Three's Company

ABC (ended 1984)

After two unsuccessful pilots, Three's Company was finally picked up by ABC in January 1977 for a first season of six episodes. After the show began to air in March, ratings were high and it became one of the highest-rated midseason show of its time. The show had a simple premise - Jack Tripper (John Ritter, a student at a local cooking college, wanted to move in with two girls, Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt) and Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers). The only problem - the building's landlord, Mr. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell), who lives in the apartment below with his wife, Mrs. Helen Roper (Audra Lindley). In order for him to stay, he would have to pretend to be gay The series quickly gained a pop culture status, while maintaining the high ratings, being one of the top rated shows during its third and fourth seasons. The end of the third season saw the exit of Mr. and Mrs. Roper, who moved to a new townhouse community for The Ropers, the show's first spinoff. In came a new, and much different landlord, Mr. Furley (Don Knotts).

During the hiatus before the fifth season, Suzanne Somers asked for a raise from $30,000 to $125,000 per episode. The producers refused, and Suzanne began to lie so she could be absent from work. Because ratings began to decline with lovable Chrissy's absence, the producers created a new character, Cindy Snow (Jennilee Harrison), who played Chrissy's cousin for the remainder of the season. At the same time, Suzanne Somers would tape short tag scenes for the end of the episode the day before the taping. She was fired by the end of the year.

Starting off fresh during the sixth season, the producers decided to have Cindy go off to UCLA to study to become a veterinarian. So, Jack and Janet needed a new roommate. Along came Terri Alden (Priscilla Barnes), the smarter and beautiful blond who was a nurse at the local hospital. She would remain on the show for the next (and final) three years.

Ratings began to fall during the eighth season (as they normally do), and the producers had made the decision to end the show, and create a spinoff, Three's A Crowd.

Theme Song: Come and knock on our door ...
We've been waiting for you ...
Where the kisses are hers and hers and his,
Three's company, too. Come and dance on on our floor...
Take a step that is new ...
We've a lovable space that needs your face,
Three's company, too. You'll see that life is a ball again, laughter is calling for you ...
Down at our rendez-vous,
Three's company, too!
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Mr. Sunshine

ABC (ended 2011)

Matthew Perry stars as Ben Donovan, the self-involved manager of a second-rate San Diego sports arena who begins to re-evaluate his life on his 40th birthday. Working alongside him is his boss and arena owner, Crystal-attractive, powerful and highly erratic; Alice-the cute, tomboyish marketing director and Ben's friend with benefits; Alonzo-a former basketball player, handsome and unbelievably happy; Ben's assistant, Heather-pretty, sweet, but terrifying because she once lit a boyfriend on fire; Crystal's son, Roman-sweet-faced, clueless and Ben's newest employee; and a hapless operations crew whom Ben refers to collectively as the "Steves."moreless
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