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1
Heroes

NBC (ended 2010)

Heroes is a serial saga about people all over the world discovering that they have superpowers and trying to deal with how this change affects their lives. Some of the superheroes who will be introduced to the viewing audience include Peter Petrelli, an almost 30-something male nurse who suspects he might be able to fly, Isaac Mendez, a 28-year-old junkie who has the ability to paint images of the future when he is high, Niki Sanders, a 33-year-old Las Vegas showgirl who begins seeing strange things in mirrors, Hiro Nakamura, a 24-year-old Japanese comic-book geek who literally makes time stand still, D.L. Hawkins, a 31-year-old inmate who can walk through walls, Matt Parkman, a beat cop who can hear other people's thoughts, and Claire Bennet, a 17-year-old cheerleader who defies death at every turn. As the viewing audience is discovering the nature of each hero's powers, the heroes themselves are discovering what having superpowers means to them as well as the larger picture of where their superpowers come from. Tune in each week to see how these heroes are drawn together by their common interest of evading the series' antagonist who wants to harvest their super-DNA for himself. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world! The series will star Greg Grunberg (Alias), Leonard Roberts (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls), and Hayden Panettiere (Ally McBeal, Guiding Light). Tim Kring (Crossing Jordan, Chicago Hope) is the series' creator. The pilot is set to be directed by Dave Semel (American Dreams, Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Beverly Hills, 90210). Heroes will be produced by NBC/Universal/Tailwind.

Summary revised with help from: space-cowboy.moreless
2
Star Trek

NBC (ended 1969)

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

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

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

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

Aside from its three main stars, Star Trek featured a large cast of reoccurring guest stars that includes James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Majel Barrett, and Grace Lee Whitney. Other notable guest stars include Diana Muldaur, Gary Lockwood, Ricardo Montalban, Sally Kellerman, Julie Newmar, Frank Gorshin, John Colicos, Roger C. Carmel, William Campbell, Ted Cassidy, Michael Ansara and Elisha Cook, Jr. Notable writers for the series include Gene Roddenberry, Gene L. Coon, George Clayton Johnson, Jerry Sohl, Jerome Bixby, Robert Bloch, Theodore Sturgeon, Harlan Ellison, David Gerrold, and D.C. Fontana.moreless
3
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

NBC

"In the criminal justice system, sexually based offenses are considered especially heinous. In New York City, the dedicated detectives who investigate these vicious felonies are members of an elite squad known as the Special Victims Unit. These are their stories." This hard-hitting and emotional companion series from NBC's Law & Order franchise chronicles the life and crimes of the elite Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was created by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf. SVU celebrated its 200th episode in April 2008. Although Law & Order: Special Victims Unit carries the brand name Law & Order, the newer program has established a strong unique identity and has proved itself as a hit in its own right. In the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons, the series broke into the Top 20. Mariska Hargitay has won a Golden Globe and Emmy each for her portrayal of Det. Olivia Benson. It also garnered Emmy wins for guest-stars Amanda Plummer, Leslie Caron, and Cynthia Nixon. The past three seasons, SVU has been NBC's highest-rated drama. Additionally, the series' popularity was recognized with the People's Choice Awards, Image Awards, Satellite Awards, and the TV Guide Awards with nominations for Favorite New Series. The drama follows Det. Elliot Stabler, a seasoned veteran of the unit who has seen it all, and his partner, Olivia Benson, whose difficult past is the reason she joined the unit. Overseeing the team is Capt. Donald Cragen. Cragen's tough but supportive approach to the team's complex cases guides the squad through the challenges they face every day. Also featured is Det. John Munch, a transfer from Baltimore's homicide unit, who brings his acerbic wit, conspiracy theories and street-honed investigative skills. Munch is partnered with Det. Odafin Tutuola, whose unique sense of humor and investigative experience make him a formidable match for Munch.

Season 13 brought major changes to the squad. Det. Stabler left and was replaced by two new detectives, and Dr. Huang also departed. Det. Nick Amaro brings empathy to his cases while dealing with a stressful home life. Det. Amanda Rollins' dogged persistence and instincts help her close cases, but her secret could derail her career. A varied DA roster introduced Bureau Chief Michael Cutter and brought back ADA Casey Novak with continued support from ADA Alexandra Cabot to bring closure to the intense investigations. NBC Broadcast History:
September 1999 to November 1999 – Mondays at 9:00 p.m.
January 2000 to May 2003 – Fridays at 10:00 p.m.
September 2003 to May 2009 – Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m.
September 2009 to March 2010 – Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.
March 2010 to May 2010 – Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m.
September 2010 to December 2010 – Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.
January 2011 to May 2012 – Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m.
September 2012 to present – Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m.moreless
4
Law & Order

NBC (ended 2010)

Law & Order, the longest running crime series and the second longest-running drama series in the history of American broadcast television, started its 18th season on NBC in the winter of 2008. The brainchild of creator Dick Wolf, Law & Order is the most successful brand in the history of primetime television; the winner of the 1997 Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, it ties Cheers and M*A*S*H for the most consecutive best series nominations (eleven) and the longest-running drama series currently on American television. The series has also turned into one of entertainment's preeminent brands using a distinct ripped from the headlines format, and has spawned the successful spinoffs Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Crime & Punishment, Law & Order: Trial by Jury and Law & Order: Los Angeles. Filmed entirely in and around New York City, this realistic yet fictional drama looks at crime and justice from a dual perspective. Law & Order has been renewed through 2009 and delivers some of the highest ratings on television, ranking fourth for any drama on any network among adults 18-49 for the past four full seasons. Season-to-date, the show remains a top-25 series among adults 18-49, a top-20 series in total viewers and one of the most upscale dramas on television. Law & Order was also television's #5 drama in overall total viewers for the 2003-04 season with an average of 15.9 million viewers. The acclaimed crime drama has chased away more than 20 competing dramas from the Wednesday (10-11 p.m. ET) hour since moving to that time period in 1992-1993. In 2006, after nearly fourteen years of airing at 10:00 PM, the series was moved to 9:00 PM to make room for the new NBC series Heist. After only two weeks, NBC opted to return the show to its 10:00 P.M. timeslot after the show fared poorly at 9:00 P.M.moreless
5
Quantum Leap

NBC (ended 1993)

"Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. He woke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better. His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time, who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. And so Dr. Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong, and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home."moreless
6
Surface

NBC (ended 2006)

Ever wonder what life would be like if a new form of sea life began to appear in locales all over the earth? "Surface" is an expansive drama and undersea adventure that centers on the appearance of mysterious sea creatures in the deep ocean -- and tracks the lives of four characters. They are: Laura Daughtery (Lake Bell, "Boston Legal"), the young oceanographer who discovers the secret; Dr. Aleksander Cirko (Rade Sherbedgia, "Snatch"), the government scientist who tries to keep things under wraps; Rich Connelly (Jay R. Ferguson, "Judging Amy"), the Louisiana insurance salesman who loses his brother in a suspicious diving accident; and Miles Barnett (Carter Jenkins, "CSI: New York"), the young boy who brings one of the creatures ashore. The mystery ensnares a spectrum of people, including naval officers in the South Antarctic Sea, a family in North Carolina, scientists from the Oceanographic Institute in Monterey, and fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico. The seemingly innocent creatures they find are beautiful, and kids may even want to play with them -- but is there something more to them? One thing's for sure – they're full of surprises as viewers embark on this journey to discover what might be lurking in the sea. "'Surface' is entertainment for all ages in the tradition of 'E.T.' and 'Close Encounters,'" said Josh and Jonas Pate, the series' creators and executive producers. "It will have action, suspense, thrills and heart as we track the fantastic into the familiar." The Pates continued: "We'll follow the teenager as he raises the sea monster in a suburban garage. We'll admire the young dedicated oceanographer as she takes unbelievable risks to get to the bottom of the mystery. We'll feel the grief and obsession of the every-man from Louisiana, and answer the questions surrounding the mysterious Dr. Cirko. This series will plumb the depths of suspense." "Something is down there." "Surface" is from NBC Universal Television Studio and was created by Josh and Jonas Pate ("Dragnet"), who also serve as executive producers. NOTE: The original title of the series was Fathom but was changed after it came to light that the rights to the name were owned by another company.moreless
7
ER

NBC (ended 2009)

ER follows the medical personnel and patients in the emergency room of Chicago's fictional County General Hospital. Created by best-selling author Michael Crichton ("Jurassic Park") and produced by John Wells ("The West Wing"), Christopher Chulack ("Third Watch"), David Zabel ("JAG"), and R. Scott Gemmill ("Jonny Zero"), the Emmy Award-winning series has completed fourteen seasons as one of television's highest-rated dramas. The doctors and nurses of County's ER confront the daily challenges of a busy urban hospital, including overcrowded waiting rooms, staffing shortages, and the impact of life-and-death decisions. While they teach the next generation of doctors, each must tackle the demands of their personal lives, at times unsuccessfully.moreless
8
The West Wing

NBC (ended 2006)

The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the nation's capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humor and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life. The first six seasons focused on the administration of President Josiah 'Jed' Bartlet (Martin Sheen). The seventh and final season transitioned to the 2006 Presidential Election between Democrat Congressman Mathew Vincente Santos of Houston, Texas (Jimmy Smits) and Republican Senator Arnold Vinick of California (Alan Alda). Broadcast History: Seasons 1-6: NBC, Wednesdays, 9:00pm EST Season 7: NBC, Sundays, 8:00pm EST Theme Music: The theme tune is an original composition by W.G. Snuffy Walden. There is a CD available of his work, which includes not only a suite from The West Wing, but also his music from Felicity, Once and Again, & thirtysomething, plus other non-TV compositions. Walden can be contacted at his official website wgsnuffywalden.com. Awards: As of October 24, 2008: The show and its stars have won 26 Primetime Emmys, 1 ADG Award, 2 ALMA Awards, 2 Artios Awards, 2 ASC Awards, 1 Banff Rockie Award, 2 CAS Award, 1 Christopher Award, 2 DGA Awards, 1 Eddie Award, 2 Family Television Awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards, 4 Golden Laurel Awards, 5 Golden Satellite Awards, 3 Humanitas Awards, 2 Imagen Awards, 2 Peabody Awards, 1 Prism Award, 6 SAG Awards, 2 Shine Awards, 4 Television Critics Association Awards, 3 TV Guide Awards, 3 Viewers for Quality Television Awards, 2 WGA Awards and 2 Wilbur Awards. The show has been nominated for a total of 93 Primetime Emmys and holds the record for the most Emmys won in a single season for a single show which is 9 (for its first season). The show also was named 1 of the 10 AFI TV Programs of the Year, received 1 Special Recognition from GLAAD Media Awards and 4 Commendations from the Prism Awards. Syndication: Airs all the time on Bravo (which is also part of the NBC Universal empire) and in some local areas during the "midnight hours." DVD Releases: All seven seasons have been released in all regions. There was complete series box set released in November 2006.moreless
9
Cheers

NBC (ended 1993)

Sam (Ted Danson), a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, owns and runs Cheers, a cozy bar in Boston. Somewhat snobby, beautiful and intelligent Diane (Shelley Long) -- forced to become a waitress when her fiance jilts her -- constantly bickers with Sam. Eventually, they fall in love. Several wacky characters make the bar their home-away-from-home, including sarcastic waitress Carla (Rhea Perlman), beer-loving Norm (George Wendt) and Boston letter carrier Cliff (John Ratzenberger) A few seasons later, Sam sells the bar to buy a boat and sail around the world. But his boat sinks and he returns to bartending. Rebecca (Kirstie Alley), the new (more ambitious) manager, hires him back. They love to hate each other and eventually get together as well. Intro Theme: Making your way in the world today takes everything you got. Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away? Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name, And they're always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see our troubles are all the same. You wanna be where everybody knows your name. You wanna go where people know people are all the same. You wanna go where everybody knows your name. Nielsen Ratings: #75 in the 1982-1983 season #13 in the 1984-1985 season #5 in the 1985-1986 season #3 in the 1986-1987 season #3 in the 1987-1988 season #4 in the 1988-1989 season #3 in the 1989-1990 season #1 in the 1990-1991 season #4 in the 1991-1992 season #9 in the 1992-1993 seasonmoreless
10
Knight Rider

NBC (ended 1986)

The adventures of Michael Knight and his incredible super-car K.I.T.T., Knight Industries 2000. Selected by a dying billionaire, Wilton Knight, Michael now works for the Foundation for Law and Government with the job of rooting out evil that is above the law, with only his trusty car!moreless
11
Parenthood

NBC

Based on the 1989 film of the same name, 'Parenthood' is an hour long comedy-drama produced by Jason Katims and Ron Howard. The show addresses the modern challenges of raising kids in this post-technological world, addressing issues that affect both kids and parents.moreless
12
Freaks and Geeks

NBC (ended 2000)

The universal experience of teenagehood as lived by the regular old freaks and geeks in a Michigan high school, circa 1980, is the subject of this wistful comedy-drama executive-produced by Emmy-winner Judd Apatow and series creator Paul Feig. Revolving around the lives of freak and geek siblings Lindsay and Sam Weir (Linda Cardellini, John Daley), the show includes the everyday fears, humiliations and little triumphs of adolescents past, present and, no doubt, future,too. For sophomore Lindsay, life is getting difficult. Jolted by the death of her grandmother, she dons her dad's old Army jacket and fights the one-girl battle of McKinley High. The allure of being a champion "mathlete" is losing its appeal, and her goals of college and career feel somehow irrelevant. She's alienated. Luckily, though, she's not really alone. Drifting away from her studious friends, she finds herself increasingly drawn to others like her, the "freaks" who ' refuse to accept the status quo. Among them are Daniel (James Franco), a friendly but also a dangerous guy who seems to like Lindsay, as does his bud Nick (Jason Segel), who dreams of stardom as a rock-and-roll drummer a la Led Zeppelin's Jon Bonham. Then there's Ken (Seth Rogen), an acerbic rebel, and Kim (Busy Philipps), a tough girl who doesn't go easy on Lindsay. Meanwhile, Lindsay's freshman brother Sam navigates high school like a mouse in a maze. Threatened at every turn, and attracted to an unattainable cheerleader, Sam faces his own set of obstacles. But he has good friends. Sure, they're "geeks," but so is Sam. There's Neal (Samm Levine), a wise-acre, sci-fi loving geek, and bespectacled Bill (Martin Starr), a classic looking nerd who's unfortunately not as brainy as he appears. On the homefront, Lindsay and Sam suffer through the good intentions of their overbearing mom (Becky Ann Baker) and their hardwired dad Joe Flaherty), who turns every teen issue into a matter of life and death. Unfortunately the show was canceled after only 12 episodes had aired, this was due to the poor ratings obtained. A fan-led campaign caused NBC to broadcast three more episodes in July 2000, but these would not be seen until September of that year when the cable channel Fox Family aired them in syndication.moreless
13
The A-Team

NBC (ended 1987)

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire: THE A-TEAM." ========================== Broadcast History NBC---Jan. 1983---Sunday 10:00-11:00 NBC---Feb. 1983-Aug. 1986---Tuesday 8:00-9:00 NBC---Aug. 1986-Dec. 1986---Friday 8:00-9:00 NBC---Dec. 1986---Tuesday 8:00-9:00 NBC---May 1987-Jun. 1987---Sunday 7:00-8:00 ===================== Theme by: Mike Post & Pete Carpenter ========================moreless
14
Columbo

NBC (ended 2003)

Many criminals made the mistake of underestimating Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide investigator with a crumpled trench-coat and a beat-up car, who certainly acted as an incompetent bumbler. But he was so polite to every suspect, and he talked so much about his wife (who we never got to see on any episode, but who many believe later had her own show, starring Kate Mulgrew, later of Star Trek: Voyager fame) that he lulled even the shrewdest murderer into a false sense of security. And although the audience had witnessed the murder in the beginning of each episode, it was still a surprise to see what mistakes the killers had made during the seemingly perfect murder. Peter Falk carried the old trench-coat for 7 seasons of 90 and 120 minute movies on NBC, before the series ended. But over a decade later, Falk agreed to revive the character on ABC for an additional 2 seasons with a subsequent string of TV-movies with the loveable detective once again using his calling-card false good-byes: "Oh, there´s just one more thing..." (A note on the running time of the episode: During the first 7 seasons, 18 episodes were 120 minutes long, while the other 27 episodes were 90 minutes long. The episodes after that were all 120 minutes long. In the episode guide, I have only marked out the 90 minute-episodes.)moreless
15
The Event

NBC (ended 2011)

The President is prepared to release a group of detainees who have been held in U.S. custody since World War II. However, on the day that he prepares to make the announcement, unknown conspirators force a pilot to hijack a plane and crash it at the President's compound. However, when the plane disappears in mid-air, the mystery begins. Struggling to resolve the matter is the pilot's son-in-law, computer programmer Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) investigates the conspiracy, which has abducted his fiancée, Leila Buchanan (Sarah Roemer). Meanwhile, President Elias Martinez (Blair Underwood) realizes that some of the detainees' people escaped capture, and are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the release of the others, including their leader, Sophia (Laura Innes). He must deal with threats within and without, as the conspirators seek to ensure the detainees are never released, while the free detainees and their leader, Thomas (Clifton Collins, Jr.), use their advanced technology to force the President to yield to their demands.moreless
16
seaQuest DSV

NBC (ended 1996)

In the year 2018, mankind is colonizing the oceans and exploiting their resources, establishing small undersea farming, mining, and manufacturing communities. But with the newfound potential comes old-fashioned conflict and the United Earth Oceans Organization (U.E.O.) assigns the submarine, seaQuest, DSV, led by Captain Nathan Bridger to keep the underwater peace and generally patrol the planet's final frontier. Amongst the crew is a teenage genius, Lucas Wolenczak, and Darwin, the intelligent dolphin, who thanks to Lucas's inventions can understand human speech and whose speech can be translated in to English.

In the show's third season, the crew was thrust forward ten years prompting the show's title to change to seaQuest, 2032. A new captain, Oliver Hudson was at the helm as Captain Nathan Bridger retired.

FILMING LOCATION:

seaQuest was filmed on location in Los Angeles, California, USA for the first season and in Orlando, Florida, USA for the second and third seasons.moreless
17
Crossing Jordan

NBC (ended 2007)

The Boston Medical Examiners office brings us Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh, who is fearless, smart and sexy. Dr. Garret Macy is Chief Medical Examiner and it is his job to keep Dr. Cavanaugh in check. With her methods a little on the unorthodox side her relationship with Detective Woody Hoyt is constantly being tested. It is not just Medical Examiners and Detectives we also have grief counselor Lily Lebowski, criminologist Nigel Townsend, and forensic entomologist "Bug". This dynamic team takes us though the crime solving process and keeps us guessing.

Broadcast History: September 24, 2001 - May 5, 2003 Monday, 9:00 (CST) NBC March 7, 2004 - May 7, 2006 Sunday, 9:00 (CST) NBC January 14, 2007 - February 25, 2007 Sunday, 9:00 (CST) NBC March 7, 2007 - May 16, 2007 Wednesday, 8:00 (CST) NBCmoreless
18
Miami Vice

NBC (ended 1989)

Miami Vice was one of the most innovative and powerful TV series of all time. Focusing on the Miami Metro-Dade Police "Vice" Department and it's continued battle against the illicit drug, prostitution, and firearms crime underworld of the city of Miami. It used fashion, color, and a varied musical selection in order to accentuate and amplify the emotional undercurrent of the drama it portrayed.moreless
19
Journeyman

NBC (ended 2007)

Kevin McKidd (Rome) stars as Dan Vassar in this new series from NBC that aired in 2007. Dan is happily married with a son. It seems like he has everything going for him. Dan ends up traveling into the past. He changes people's lives, sometimes for the better, but sometimes not. During his travels he meets up with Livia Beale, he was engaged to her when she died in a plane crash. Knowing the future he has a chance to save her but how will that change his own future?moreless
20
Days of our Lives

NBC

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of our Lives...

For over forty years, those words, spoken by the late Macdonald Carey, have introduced and underscored one of daytime drama's rare mainstays. NBC's Days of our Lives, will celebrate its 48th anniversary on November 8, 2013. It first premiered as a half-hour drama in 1965 and expanded to an hour ten years later. Today, it remains a consistent favorite among viewers of daytime television serials. It is the powerhouse of NBC's soap opera lineup and demonstrates its staying power in television history.

In its lifetime years, Days of our Lives has garnered numerous Emmy Awards, Soap Opera Digest Awards and People's Choice Awards. The show's success derives from its consistent commitment to excellence in writing and storytelling, supported by an ensemble of performers, and an uncanny knack for anticipating viewer interests. From demonic possessions and baby switches to exciting teen stories and love triangles, Days of our Lives remains a perennial favorite among viewers of all ages.

Filmed in Burbank, California, Days of our Lives is set in the fictitious midwestern town of Salem. The core families are the Hortons and the Bradys, and the multi-layered storylines involve elements of romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama. Original cast member Frances Reid continues to star as Alice Horton.

Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television. Executive producer, Ken Corday, is following in the tradition of his parents, Betty and Ted Corday, who co-created Days of our Lives and helmed the series for many years.moreless
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