# Longest running yet most forgotten (or forgettable) TV Show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064 "2013-03-05T03:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/41 "2013-03-05T19:42:48Z")
I loved **Hunter** when I was a kid, but I had forgotten all about it. **According to Jim** is the definitive answer. When I heard that Arrested Development was cancelled and AtJ was renewed, I knew we were in trouble as a culture. I will also submit **The King of Queens** , for all I know that show might _still_ be running! ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/42 "2013-03-05T19:46:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Hmm. Does anybody nowadays remember _the Ed Sullivan Show_? Only everybody who was born before 1960. šŸ™‚ Iā€™ve got one for ya: _[Lamp Unto My Feet.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamp_Unto_My_Feet)_ 31 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/43 "2013-03-05T19:54:51Z")
> [@Rysler](#): > > I think _Wings_ and _Yes, Dear_ are good examples of this. Wings had its aforementioned cast, and Yes Dear is a solid piece of Greg Garciaā€™s oeuvre. No one cares. I barely care, and Iā€™m a fan. > > There are probably more shows, but why would I be able to remember them? The _Yes, Dear_ couple had a cameo on _Raising Hope_ the other week, Greg Garciaā€™s current show, which has already been linked to the _My Name is Earl_ ā€œuniverseā€ before. I only recognized the guy as the ā€œguy from the cable company adsā€ and his new recurring role on _Justified_, because I never watched _Yes, Dear_. It was only when I was reading the review of the episode at the AVClub site that I found out that they were playing their old Yes, Dear characters. Now I suddenly feel like I need to seek out Yes, Dear reruns because I love the rest of the Garcia-verse. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/44 "2013-03-05T20:03:45Z")
> [@wedgehed](#): > > _Just Shoot Me_ ran for seven seasons & all I can really remember is the ā€œSlow Donnieā€ episode featuring David Cross. To me the most memorable episode was the one where David Spade got offered a threesome (though he was really being pranked). Great wordless scene (to a soundtrack of ā€œSurf Cityā€: ā€œTwo girls for every boyyyā€¦ā€) in which he runs around making elaborate preparations for his date, and every time he explains the circumstance to a male merchantā€“holding up two fingersā€“they suddenly become enthusiastically cooperative. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/45 "2013-03-05T20:25:16Z")
It wasnā€™t so much preparations as it was a list of things one of the women needed to get done before leaving the country the next day. So Dennis had to get her cleaning, her dog groomed, her passport renewed(!), and a bunch of other stuff before that evening. When he finally got it all done, there was a crowd of guys following him, rooting him on. _Wings_ was the show I thought of before even opening the thread. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/46 "2013-03-05T20:26:02Z")
How about ā€œThe Tommy Hunter Showā€? Iā€™m sure someoneā€™s grandma and grandpa must have been watching it for the 27 years it was on (Canadian) TV, but I never met one. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/47 "2013-03-05T20:37:26Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Malcolm in the Middle was never exactly unknown, but it always seemed to be one of those ā€œOh, is that still on?ā€ shows. It lasted quite a whileā€¦ Another show thatā€™s not (AFAIK) in sydnication, and wonā€™t get a full DVD release because of music rights. ---
**Author:** ![bleach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bleach/32/3106_2.png) [@bleach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleach)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/48 "2013-03-05T20:41:04Z")
I submit _Touched by an Angel_. Nine seasons, 211 episodes according to Wikipedia. This may not qualify, but Charlie Roseā€™s PBS show has been on since 1991 and itā€™s still being aired. Likewise _The McLaughlin Group_, which premiered in 1982. BYE BYE! ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/49 "2013-03-05T20:55:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Ok, that has to be the winner. A challenger appears. [Coach](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach_(TV_series)) was on for 9 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/50 "2013-03-05T21:00:03Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It wasnā€™t so much preparations as it was a list of things one of the women needed to get done before leaving the country the next day. So Dennis had to get her cleaning, her dog groomed, her passport renewed(!), and a bunch of other stuff before that evening. When he finally got it all done, there was a crowd of guys following him, rooting him on. Followed by perhaps the best ever use of the ā€œslow clap.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Otto_Sweet_Heart)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/51 "2013-03-05T21:04:11Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Iā€™d put Walker, Texas Ranger in that category. > > It was on for eight seasons, was apparently a hit show but I donā€™t know anyone who watched it or even noticed when it went away. I watched it and I hated to see it end. ā˜¹ ā˜¹ ā˜¹ > [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > [Coach](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach_(TV_series)) was on for 9 seasons. Family Matters was too. šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ God bless you two always!!! Holly ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/52 "2013-03-05T21:11:33Z")
Damn, thereā€™s a lot more long-running forgettable crap TV than I thought. In a world where it seems like they are eager to cancel a show halfway through the premier episode, Iā€™m surprised there is so much of this. Great submissions everyone! Keep 'em coming šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/53 "2013-03-05T21:13:52Z")
The thing is, I have heard of these shows. In my mind something like _Valerie/The Hogan Family_ which was on for five years and 110 episodes, is barely remembered by anyone (me included) but still ran for half a decade. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/54 "2013-03-05T21:20:43Z")
_Simon & Simon_ ran for 8 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/55 "2013-03-05T21:55:21Z")
I came to say \*According To Jim \*but I gotta sayā€¦I donā€™t remember a single thing about _Yes Dear_. As an avid consumer of pop culture I usually no a little about shows that Iā€™ve never seen but Iā€™m drawing a total blank on _Yes Dear_. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/56 "2013-03-05T22:16:16Z")
I have never heard anyone talk about **The Red Skelton Show** (1951-1971), even though it was rated in Nielsenā€™s Top 15 for 15 of its 20 seasons, including nine seasons in the Top 10. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/57 "2013-03-05T22:38:16Z")
There are plenty of Red Skelton fans and references that I know about, personally. According to Jim is a good choice except that it has that one memorable quality about it (famous brother). Iā€™ve NEVER heard of Yes, Dearā€¦ ever. In my life. I canā€™t believe it was on from 2000-2006ā€¦ my formative years, so to speak. When I was watching a lot of TV. And Iā€™ve never even heard of it! Never broke the top #20 in rankings (even Wings managed that). I donā€™t know anything, literally anything about this show, and itā€™s not even that old. Even though 6 seasons isnā€™t _that_ long, I think this definitely is in the lead right now for most forgettable while longest running. Coach, Drew Carey Show, 7th Heavenā€¦ at least I think a lot of people know about those shows. 7th Heaven was WBā€™s most successful show ever (which isnā€™t saying much if you look at overall ratings, but still). ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/58 "2013-03-05T23:04:12Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Hmm. Does anybody nowadays remember _the Ed Sullivan Show_? (Besides, I guess, as the venue that showed Elvis and The Beatles to a nationwide audience) The show ran for freakinā€™ ever, since the late 1940s until 1971. The fact that everyone watched it (and often wouldnā€™t miss it) were essential to (and knowledge of this taken for granted) in the movie **White Christmas** and the show and movie **Bye, bye Birdie** > > It covered an incredibly broad range of acts, from singers and dancers to plate-spinners (accompanied by Khachaturianā€™s _Sabre Dance_) to actors and comedians and (for the kids) Topo Gigio and the Muppets. Ed was an immovable fixture of Sunday night, as was his immovable face and patented ā€œRight here on this shewā€ delivery. Iā€™ll top that: _The Danny Thomas Show_. Never shown in re-runs in at least 15 years. Yet, Danny Thomas was a big star. Todayā€“forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Otto_Sweet_Heart)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/59 "2013-03-05T23:05:25Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > 7th Heaven was WBā€™s most successful show ever (which isnā€™t saying much if you look at overall ratings, but still). To me, 7th Heaven never should have ended. God bless you always!!! Holly P.S. Thank God for the GMC station. šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064/60 "2013-03-05T23:11:08Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Another show thatā€™s not (AFAIK) in sydnication, and wonā€™t get a full DVD release because of music rights. They show reruns of it on IFC, of all places. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/longest-running-yet-most-forgotten-or-forgettable-tv-show/652064.md?page=4)