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61
Benson

ABC (ended 1986)

Benson, a spin-off of the controversial series, Soap, first aired in September of 1979 on ABC and would run for seven years, outlasting it's parent series. Created by Susan Harris, who would later create The Golden Girls and Empty Nest, Benson centered on Benson DuBois. In Soap, Benson was the butler for the Tate household. Jessica Tate sent Benson to help her widowed cousin, Governor James Gatling. Benson in essence soon began running the household of the Gatling mansion. Other constant characters included, Katie Gatling, the governor's daughter and Gretchen Kraus, the German housekeeper. Marcy Hill was the governor's secretary who was later married. John Taylor was the political aide who was later replaced by Clayton Endicott III. Pete Downey was the press assistant. Later, Benson was appointed state budget director and gained a secretary of his own, Denise who would later marry Pete. In 1986, ABC cancelled the series leaving the series ending on a cliffhanger, who won the election for governor, Benson or Gov Gatling?moreless
62
Maverick

ABC (ended 1962)

Maverick told the story of the Maverick brothers, Bret and Bart, card sharps who lived during the Old West era. The show was originally a straightforward adventure tale, but it evolved when the writers began adding comedy to the scripts. Bret quickly became the television western's first quasi-mercenary, a character who would help the forces of justice but usually only if he stood to profit from doing so. When he resorted to gunfire, he wasn't the West's finest marksman. In fact, he was much more likely to outsmart his opponent or slip out the back door once trouble began. The writers also added a foil for Bret - his brother Bart. Bart was more conservative than the devilish Bret, but just as unlikely to join any fight that could be avoided. The two characters began alternating as leads on the show as they journeyed through small towns with odd names like Oblivion and Apocalypse. Along the way, they associated with fellow card sharps like Dandy Jim Buckley and Gentleman Jack Darby. There was also Samantha Crawford, a lovely female rogue who loved to challenge the Maverick brothers to see who could out-con the other.

All these elements helped make Maverick a television western that stood apart from the crowd. Audiences responded to the mix of traditional Western adventure and good-natured humor, making the show an instant hit. Bret Maverick, in particular, became a hero for many armchair cowboys. As a result, the writers began to play up the comedy elements even more, expanding the storylines to satirize other prime time programming. Maverick lampooned everything from Gunsmoke to Dragnet. The show would also use actors known for other roles, like Edd "Kookie" Byrnes from 77 Sunset Strip, for cameo roles designed to make viewers' heads turn.

Maverick continued to enjoy solid ratings through the end of the 1950's, but hit a snag in 1960 when James Garner left the program over a contract dispute. To replace him, the producers introduced a new Maverick cousin, Beau. Beau had been sent to London for disgracing the family name during the Civil War (by winning a medal). Beau would be played by Roger Moore, who would later move on to greater fame as James Bond. The show also briefly added another brother, Brent, played by Robert Colbert, before finally ending its run in the summer of 1962. Since then, Maverick has continued to be a popular member of the cult television pantheon. Its enduring status as a beloved show led to two short-lived follow-up series, Young Maverick and Bret Maverick. There was also a 1994 movie version of Maverick which featured James Garner alongside Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. The follow-ups proved that the magical Maverick mixture of laughter and tumbleweeds was an enduring, age defying source of great family entertainment.

Aired Sunday nights at 7:30pm on ABC. The final season aired Sunday nights at 6:30pmmoreless
63
Alias Smith and Jones

ABC (ended 1973)

Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry, two successful and popular outlaw cousins in the old West, decide it´s time to go straight. The problem is that the governor just can´t give them amnesty right away, they have to prove that they deserve it. And in the meantime they will still be wanted. Hunting them is everybody, from sheriffs to bounty hunters, to posses and ordinary people. Hannibal Heyes/Joshua Smith is the thinker, the poker player and the optimist, while Kid Curry/Thaddeus Jones is the quick-drawing worrier who sometimes is a bit slow. Together they are Smith and Jones... Other regular characters include "Big Mac" McCreedy, a wealthy ranch owner, who´s feuding with his next door neighbour, senor Armendariz. Harry Briscoe is an agent with Bannerman detective agency, who´s perhaps not the brightest man around. Clementine Hale is a woman with an enormous zest for life. She owns the only picture of Heyes and the Kid and often uses it to get them to get her out of trouble. This show contained both humour and drama, as well as gunplay, poker games, and chases. It is said to be in part inspired by the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), but it owes equally to TV series Maverick. (Peter Duel's appearance in most of the first season's episodes, with the black hat and his hair combed back, looks very similar to James Garner as Maverick.) On New Year's Eve, 1971, Peter Duel died from a gunshot wound to the head. The death was officially ruled suicide. Duel was fighting an alcohol addiction (he had been convicted of DWI), had been drinking that night, and was depressed over his legal problems and the state of his career, feeling that Alias Smith and Jones was hardly his best work. The runaway success of Alias Smith abd Jones led to a grueling schedule for the actors, as cast and crew worked overtime to produce more episodes to keep up with public demand, and this may also have played a part. The role of Hannibal Heyes was filled within only a few hours by Roger Davis, who had originally done the voice-overs in the opening credits, but the show´s popularity sank steadily - as did the interest for Western shows in general, and the series was canceled in January 1973.moreless
64
GCB

ABC

Based on Kim Gatlin's book, Good Christian Bitches, Amanda Vaughn, a newly widowed mom of two, decides to go for a fresh start and moves back to Dallas, only to find that she's the center of gossiping women, plastic surgery and fraud.moreless
65
I Survived a Japanese Game Show

ABC (ended 2009)

Reality goes abroad in this ABC project that sends American contestants overseas to Japan to compete in challenges in a foreign culture. Whoever adapts best to Japanese culture and each episode's challenges wins $250,000.moreless
66
Two Guys and a Girl

ABC (ended 2001)

Originally known as "Two Guys a Girl and a Pizza Place," this half hour comedy follows the friendship of Berg, Pete and Sharon, who met in college and live in the same building.

While working their way through grad-school, Berg and Pete work in Beacon Street Pizza for their witty boss Bill and serve customers like the eccentric Mr. Bauer who tells everyone about great moments in his life, which are actually famous scenes from movies.

The show also follows their love lives, Pete's girlfriend Melissa, a cast regular for the first season, and he later on develops feelings for Sharon.

Sharon seems to have no luck with guys until she meets repair man Johnny, who despite their many fights and up and down relationship end up married.

Berg flits from girl to girl until he meets Ashley, a fellow med-student and notorious ice queen who he dates for about a season. When they break up, he seeks solace in Irene, who lives across the hall, a petite, perky woman obssessed with cats and who stalks Pete.

By the last season, Johnny, Ashley and Irene were as integral to the show as the original two guys and girl, with the final episode, The Internet Show, being about which of the girls was pregnant, a decision that was left up to the viewers vote. They decided that Ashley was pregnant (by Pete), but we never got to see the consequences of this, as the show was cancelled after its fourth season.

Although it never got a chance to wrap things up, it remains a genuinely funny programme, with characters that we care about and whom can make us laugh.moreless
67
Moonlighting

ABC (ended 1989)

When former fashion model Maddie Hayes goes broke and finds that one of her few remaining assets is ownership of the Blue Moon Detective Agency, she is tempted to liquidate it until she meets the quirky employees and gets involved in their even quirkier cases. Moonlighting as a series was plagued by production delays and erratic scheduling. Scheduled episodes were often delayed for weeks and reruns substituted at the last minute. Many in-jokes and short fill-in pieces refer to this and other topical items at the beginning and end of some programs. Episodes 35 - 39 were particularly affected by this, and in their original broadcast contained intros dealing with the slow production pace. ABC Broadcast History March 1985 - February 1989: Tuesdays 9:00 PM April 1989 - May 1989: Sundays 8:00 PMmoreless
68
The Newlywed Game

ABC (ended 1974)

"Once upon a time, there was this nice, family TV game show on CBS called Password, wherein teams of two tried to guess words using just one word. It did very well in the ratings, and was quite educational, too. "Then, one day – July 11, 1966, to be exact – a CBS News special report about Robert McNamara reporting on the Vietnam War pre-empted Password. That didn't make people very happy. So, they turned the station to see what else was on. "Some people saw a game unlike what they had ever seen before. There was this handsome young man asking four newlywed couples questions about their marriages. Sometimes, you saw just the beautiful young ladies; and other times, the good-looking men were on, but they always got back together to talk about their marriages. "Sometimes, the couples kissed each other. Other times, they pouted and made a scene. And sometimes, they shared information that was quite intimate (can you say "intimate," kiddies). "The audience on TV laughed and laughed, and the handsome young host did everything to help make the audience laugh. The people couldn't believe what they were seeing on the TV. But they became curious and decided to watch this new show when it came on the next day ... and the next day ... and the next day ... forgetting all about Password wondering if the newlywed couples would or could live happily ever after." That, in a nutshell, tells the story of the classic game show The Newlywed Game, the tell-all game show where four couples – all married less than two years – answered questions about their relationship to win a prize. The game was played in two rounds, each with two parts (though never referred to as such). In the first part, the wives were secluded off-stage (when the show first aired, the husbands were secluded off-stage) while host Eubanks posed a series of three questions to the husbands – usually multiple choice or fill-in-the blank, sometimes with more than one answer required. After the questions were asked, the wives were brought back onstage to answer the same questions. A correct match earned the newlywed couple 5 points, but the real fun came when there was not a match. Usually, not matching meant an argument, with the spouses each (shall we say) strongly defending their answer. And yes, Eubanks did everything to make the situation worse (often using one spouses words against him/her, or even relaying what the spouse said while the other was off-stage); and of course the audience played right along, loving every moment. In the second round, the husbands were taken to the sound-proof room (when the show first aired, the wives were secluded off stage) while the wives were posed the questions, the fourth being a special 25-point bonus question. Correct matches at this point were worth 10 points (for the first 3 questions). The special 25-point bonus question – usually general enough so as not to cause an argument, unless that too was incorrect – often determined the day's winner. The winner after all the questions were asked (or a tie-breaker was played, if necessary, by the couple predicting their point total) "won a special bonus prize, chosen especially for" them. Usually, this prize was kitchen appliances; rooms of furniture; stereo/TV equipment; things for the game room (such as a pinball machine or a pool table) a boat, motorcycle or trailer; a piano; or a trip (with the requisite luggage and camera thrown in). And yes, couples who wanted a specific prize competed for it on that day's show. Special episodes were frequently dedicated toward expectant couples ("maternity day") and couples who had previously appeared on the show but, even though they didn't win, they had won the audience over (refered to as "Alumni Day"). During the ABC run, during the Christmas season, couples donated their gifts to charity. Thousands of couples let all of their secrets out of the bag during The Newlywed Game's four lives. In addition to the 1966-1974 ABC and 1996-2000 syndicated versions, the most often remembered versions (and most-reran on Game Show Network [GSN]) came with the 1977-1980 (1 Night a week) and 1985-1989 5-Day-a-week syndicated incarnations. The rules for The Newlywed Game were modified for the 1988-1989 season, with host Paul Rodriguez; and again when the series resurfaced as a new entry in the 1996-1997 season, with Gary Kroeger as host. Neither of the "modified" versions sat well with fans (like any version did with some), but the alterations basically involved converting the scoring into dollars and rules to how the questions were asked and how the awards were paid out. Bob Eubanks would return to helm the 1996 version during its second and third seasons (1997-1999), and that along with reverting to the original rules made for a welcome reception from long-time (and new) fans. The only difference was that the grand prize each time was a "second honeymoon" (remember, before, it could also be furniture, electronics or transportation). The 4th and Last Season (1999-2000) is a repeat of the previous season. As one might expect on a show like this, there were countless classic moments during the history of The Newlywed Game. None was more infamous than one such moment that occurred early in the 1977-1980 syndicated run. During a maternity week episode, Eubanks had asked the question, "Where, specifically, is the weeeeeiirdest place that you have ever gotten the urge the make whoopee?" The husband gave a pedestrian reply: "The freeway." His wife's answer was, to put it mildly, not: "Is it (bleep)?" (you fill in the blank, but it made for uproarious laughter). Needless to say, the young woman clearly misunderstood the question.moreless
69
Rodney

ABC (ended 2006)

Standup comedian Rodney Carrington stars as Rodney Hamilton, a down-to-earth guy who, with his own heartland intelligence, speaks the truth.

In the middle of real, everyday America, Rodney's life revolves around two things. His family - wife Trina and their two boys, Jack and Bo and his horrible job at a fiberglass plant but he manages to makes time for his longtime friend, Barry, and his man-hungry sister-in-law, Charlie, who often visits the Hamilton house.

There's never time for life to get dull for Rodney. He's not afraid to walk into a department store naked on a dare. Not afraid to take credit for flowers someone else sent his wife. Not afraid to get between his fighting boys. Not afraid to tell his wife he's ready to make standup comedy his career, okay, he's a little afraid of that. One matter they do agree on is the fact that, although they may not have much in the way of material things, they are rich in the love of their family and friends.

In the meantime, aside from raising a healthy, happy family with the only woman he's ever loved, Rodney is going to figure out how to find happiness pursuing his dream while being the best husband and dad he knows how to be.

'Rodney' stars are as follows. Rodney Carrington as Rodney Hamilton, Jennifer Aspen as Trina Hamilton, Amy Pietz as Charlie, Nick Searcy as Barry, Oliver Davis as Jack Hamilton and Matthew Josten as Bo Hamilton.

Ric Swartzlander is the creator and executive producer of the comedy series. David Himelfarb is the executive producer.moreless
70
The Neighbors

ABC

ABC's The Neighbors follows the story of Debbie (Jami Gertz) and Marty Weaver (Lenny Venito) who have recently moved with their three kids to Hidden Hills, a gated community with its own golf course. It's an exclusive New Jersey community that hasn't had a house come on the market in 10 years. They soon discover that the neighbors are ... a little odd. Larry Bird (Simon Templeman) introduces himself as "leader" of this little community with wife, Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Toks Olagundoye), and their two sons, Dick Butkus and Reggie Jackson. It seems everyone in the neighborhood is named after famous athletes. Pretty soon, though, the secret's out, and the Weavers learn that the whole community is made up of aliens from the planet Zabvron. The Zabvronians have been waiting for instructions from back home for the past 10 years and this is their first encounter having humans live amongst them. Although hesitant at first, the Weavers decide the house is a dream come true so they'll stay and help the aliens adapt to life on earth. The Weavers and the aliens soon discover that the struggles of everyday life are intergalactic and they're more alike than different.moreless
71
Webster

ABC (ended 1989)

Welcome to the Webster guide at TV.com. This sitcom was like Diff'rent Strokes in a lot of ways: first, a Black orphan named Webster (Emmanuel Lewis) was adopted by White parents (Alex Karras and Susan Clark); and second, the show's star became a household name. BROADCAST HISTORY 1983-1986: ABC 1986-1989: syndicationmoreless
72
Who's the Boss?

ABC (ended 1992)

Tony is a funny and loveable father and man, with good-looking Italian looks, who tries to be the best possible for his daughter and everybody else.... Angela is a successful and upper-class businesswoman, who tries to be there for her son Jonathan, whenever possible; and who has a hot temper.... Samantha is Tony's wise-cracking street-smart daughter, who has a tendancy to get into hot water.... Jonathan, is Angela's adorable and smart son, who is wise beyond his years.... And Mona, is Angela's man-hungry mother, who will do anything for a night out with a man. ABC Broadcast History September 1984; Thursday 8:30 - 9:00 October 1984 - April 1985; Tuesday 8:30 - 9:00 April 1985 - July 1985; Tuesday 9:00 - 9:30 July 1985 - August 1991; Tuesdays 8:00 - 8:30 August 1991 - September 1991; Tuesday 8:30 - 9:00 September 1991 - January 1992; Saturday 8:00 - 8:30 February 1992 - March 1992; Saturday 8:30 - 9:00 March 1992 - June 1992; Saturday 8:00 - 8:30 June 1992 - July 1992; Wednesday 9:30 - 10:00 July 1992 - September 1992; Thursday 8:00 - 8:30 Syndication Currently airing on Ion television Monday through Thursday nights from 10pm to 11pm EST. Check your local listings.moreless
73
Hope & Faith

ABC (ended 2006)

Hope and Faith is a comedy about what happens when the fast lane collides with the carpool lane. It's about the moments that make you want to hug your sister... and the times you have to resist the urge to kill her.

Hope (Faith Ford, One Life to Live), a down-to-earth, happily married mom of three in Columbus, Ohio, had her tidy world up-ended by the arrival of her celebrity sister, Faith (Kelly Ripa,Live with Regis & Kelly, All My Children). Faith was living the high life in Hollywood as a daytime soap opera star until her soap's character, Ashley Storm, was suddenly and unceremoniously killed off on The Sacred and the Sinful by her evil twin. After a year under her roof wreaking occasional havoc, Hope can attest that you can kill the diva off on the daytime drama, but you can't take the drama out of the diva.moreless
74
Eastwick

ABC (ended 2009)

In the rustic suburban village of Eastwick, there live three seemingly ordinary women who possess unique personalities and lead very distinctive lives. Roxanne "Roxie" Torcolleti, an uninhibited artist and a financially-challenged single mom, Kat Gardener, a frustrated wife and an overworked mother of five, and Joanna Frankel, a shy and subdued newspaper reporter, are suddenly brought together thru a strange encounter at the town park. Different they may be from each other, they quickly learn that all of them have one common yearning -- to excite and experience change in their lives. Incidentally, a charismatic yet enigmatic man named Darryl Van Horne (Paul Gross) arrives in town determined to make their wishes come true. With Van Horne's help, Roxie (Rebecca Romijn), Kat (Jaime Ray Newman), and Joanne (Lindsay Price) soon discover their extraordinary talents and harness them to fulfill their innermost desires. As these enchanting women unleash their magical powers, Eastwick, once peaceful and idyllic, is never quite the same. Based on the novel of John Updike and the popular 1987 film adaptation, Eastwick also stars Ashley Benson as Roxie's daughter Mia, Jon Bernthal as Kat's husband Raymond, Johann Urb as Joanna's boss Will, Sara Rue as Roxie's best friend Penny, and Veronica Cartwright as Bun Waverly, the head of the Eastwick Historical Society. Created by Maggie Friedman for the small screen, the ABC dramedy is produced by Warner Bros. Television. Acting as executive producer along with Friedman is David S. Rosenthal.moreless
75
Nanny and the Professor

ABC (ended 1971)

Juliet Mills plays Phoebe Figalily ("Nanny"), a nanny who spreads love and also laughter in this gentle comedy. She comes to help widowed college professor Harold Everett (Richard Long) whose kids have frustrated previous nannys by being troublesome. Now, it's Phoebe's turn to help Harold raise his three kids, Hal, Butch and Prudence. History: Jan-Aug 1970 (ABC) Wednesdays:7:30 - 8:00 Sept '70-Sept '71 (ABC) Fridays-8:00-8:30 Sept '71-Dec '71 (ABC) Mondays-8:00-8:30moreless
76
The Knights of Prosperity

ABC (ended 2007)

In this comedy from ABC, Eugene Gurkin (Donal Logue) spent years dreaming of quitting his graveyard janitorial job and opening a bar. But like a lot of people, he doesn't have enough money to make his dreams come true. So one night after watching an episode of "E! News", Eugene recruits a group of misfits to help him to carry out a plot to rob the plush celebrity apartment inhabited by Mick Jagger. When a team as special as that one is recruited, some funny things can happen.moreless
77
The Commish

ABC (ended 1996)

Tony Scali is the police commissioner in a small town, where solutions to difficult situations often require considerable creativity. Tony's easygoing manner and clever intellect are much more useful to him than weapons or brute force in his fight against crime.moreless
78
The Partridge Family

ABC (ended 1974)

In 1970, the Partridge Family was among the top-selling recording acts, not to mention one of the top-rated TV shows of its time. Either way, it made David Cassidy a successful teen idol until the show's cancellation in 1974.

The Partridge Family consisted of Shirley Partridge (keyboards, vocals) and her five kids: Keith (lead vocalist and guitar), Laurie (keyboards, vocals), Danny (bass guitar, vocals), Chris (drums), and Tracy (tambourine). Rounding out the cast was their manager, Reuben Kincaid.

With the exception of Shirley Jones and David Cassidy, none of the actors on the show actually sang or played on the group's records. In fact this was done by professional studio musicians and singers, with the family lip-synching to the tracks on camera. In fact, David Cassidy was originally hired for his looks, but when the producers found out that he could sing they realized that they could use him in the real band.

Many of the episode plots draw upon the comedic relationship between Reuben (Dave Madden) and Danny (Danny Bonaduce). These two were good friends both on and off the set. Other plot devices were Keith's good looks and popularity at school, Laurie's 70's style activism and some of the strange encounters that the family had when on the road in their bus.

The Partridge Family was true wholesome family programming. At the time Shirley Partridge was one of the the first single mother's to be featured on a television show. Originally the scripts called for her to be divorced, but this was changed to describe her as a widow.

Telecast: ABC September 25, 1970 - August 31, 1974 Broadcast History (all ET): Sept. 1970 - Jun. 1973, ABC Friday 8:30 - 9:00 P.M. Jun. 1973 - Aug. 1974, ABC Saturday 8:00 - 8:30 P.M. 96 Episodes In Color On Film.moreless
79
Spin City

ABC (ended 2002)

A talented cast provide a sophisticated ensemble comedy, filmed entirely in New York City. Michael Flaherty (Michael J. Fox, Back To The Future), Deputy Mayor and right-hand man to Mayor Randall Winston (Barry Bostwick, I'll Take Manhattan), expertly keeps his co-workers and City Hall under complete control while his personal life often spins completely out of control. With a staff of wildly diverse characters consisting of a neurotic press secretary, a gay activist in charge of minority affairs, a chauvinist chief of staff, a highly efficient accountant, an idealistic speechwriter and an intrepid Mayor's assistant, it's hard to believe anything gets done. After four successful, and hilarious, years, Michael J. Fox left Spin City. And was replaced by Charlie Sheen who played Charlie Crawford (Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men), the new, charismatic deputy mayor of New York City. The show's final season was simulcast in HDTV. Nielsen Ratings: #17 in 1996-1997 Season #47 in 1997-1998 Season #25 in 1998-1999 Season #33 in 1999-2000 Season #56 in 2000-2001 Season #66 in 2001-2002 Seasonmoreless
80
Dharma & Greg

ABC (ended 2002)

Dharma & Greg was an unusual cross-generational situation comedy created by Chuck Lorre & Dottie Dartland. Dharma Finkelstein-Montgomery (Jenna Elfman) is a free-spirited yoga instructor with an incredible knack for looking on the bright side. Raised by hippie parents, she was taught to shun convention, trust her wildest instincts, and find the joy in everyday life. Her husband, Greg Montgomery (Thomas Gibson), is a conservative, Harvard-educated attorney and the yin to Dharma's yang. Married on their first date, they have remained committed to each other from day one, despite the obstacles presented by the world around them.

Among those obstacles are Dharma's counterculture parents, Abby (Mimi Kennedy) and Larry (Alan Rachins), who recently brought another bohemian bundle of joy - baby Harry - into the world. On the other side, literally, are Greg's uptight, blue-blood parents, Kitty (Susan Sullivan) and Edward (Mitchell Ryan), who've slowly but surely come to accept the fact that their son married outside the country club boundaries.

Executive producer Chuck Lorre made minor television history by taking advantage of the fact that many fans didn't see the show at the time of its broadcast: for those who videotaped the show, each episode's end credits reveal a special message from Lorre on a vanity card. These are currently being added and can be found under the "Notes" section for each episode.moreless
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