# The worst popular television show in history? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 2, 2001, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038 "2001-05-02T03:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mann\_Slaughter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Mann\_Slaughter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mann_Slaughter)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/41 "2001-05-02T18:06:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gadgetgirl \* > \*\*Passions, and yet, I love it. > The acting/writing is so bad it just amazes me sometimes. \*\* Same here! But just think, in 5 years we’ll be here asking if anyone remembers that show with: Adults with jobs they never went to. Kids who never went to school. A TV “day” that could last for MONTHS real-time The tennis star who never played tennis The witch and her talking doll The bubble-headed, hyper Latino teen who ran around spouting “double wedding” to anyone who would listen See for yourself > **[Passions - NBC.com](https://www.nbc.com/passions)** > > The daily soap opera Passions explores the loves, lives and losses of the families of the town of Harmony, which is anything but ordinary. Be careful. It’s so bad, it’s addicting! ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/42 "2001-05-02T18:18:42Z")
I think this topic was done recently, if I’m not mistaken. My answer remains the same, and always will: “Will and Grace.” One tired gay joke after another. Not witty, not original, nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/43 "2001-05-02T21:11:35Z")
Two words: F\*\*\*ing **Alf.** Although, I do concur that **Small Wonder** is in the running, personally, I could not stand the cat jokes, the chick with the braces, the horrible muppet wannabe… and I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, I swear to god Joseph Leiberman (ex-VP candidate) played the dad. In general, I hate any show that has badly staged car chases/jumps/crashes. This goes for the **A-Team, Knight Rider, Viper, Black Scorpion,** etc. You know, when a car launches in the air at a certain angle that would dictate it land on its hood, but the next cut shows it neatly landing on all four wheels, just irritates me. I don’t know why. Maybe some inner desire to see a really bitchin’ car crash. ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/44 "2001-05-02T21:19:29Z")
Full House was a CIA-sponsored mind control and brainwashing experiment. Although the show is now out of production, the government has saved the tapes for future use in torturing spies and prisoners of war. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/45 "2001-05-02T21:49:17Z")
All of you **Alf** -bashers have evidently never seen the worst puppet-alien show on TV: [Aliens in the Family](http://www.jewmich.com/askthe.htm). Even **Small Wonder** has nothing on this show. shudder… ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/46 "2001-05-02T21:50:12Z")
Back in the 80s, on late night independent TV, wedged in between Benny Hill and The 3 Stooges, was the worst show I have ever seen. I think it was called **Prisoner-Cell Block H**. God, what terrible acting. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/47 "2001-05-02T21:50:41Z")
Some of the shows mentioned were bad, but they weren’t particularly popular. “My Mother, the Car” only lasted one season. I do find it hard to believe that someone would think that “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” is painful to watch now. It wasn’t nearly as topical as “Maude” so it wears better. Personally, I can’t stand any of today’s “reality” programming. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/48 "2001-05-02T21:53:47Z")
oops, screwed up my link. Still had a link from an earlier post in my “copy” buffer. Here’s the real link: [Aliens in the Family](http://www.henson.com/television/series/tv_series_aliens.html) ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/49 "2001-05-02T22:42:38Z")
Perhaps it’s not my place to say, not being the OP, but I’m not sure that some of these shows really qualify. As I read it, the topic is not just the worst TV show, but the worst _popular_ TV shows. Thus, **Small Wonder** ought to be excluded from consideration. While it was unquestionably bad, I don’t remember it ever being all that popular. **Out of This World** and **My Secret Identity** would be out for the same reason. One show that ran quite a bit longer than it deserved to, in my mind, is the troubling Bronson Pinchot vehicle, **Perfect Strangers**. You remember. Balki? Cousin Larry? Wacky misadventures that had been done better on dozens of earlier sitcoms? Sure you do. Since the “classic TV” barrier has already been broken with **I Love Lucy** , I suppose I’ll mention that I’ve never been particularly entertained by **The Andy Griffith Show**. I suppose I can’t objectively call it “bad.” It was well made, for what it was. But I don’t find it at all funny, or even gentle and heartwarming. It just strikes me as dull. ---
**Author:** ![donnie\_rotten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71e660/32.png) [@donnie\_rotten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donnie_rotten)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/50 "2001-05-02T23:11:50Z")
Has anyone ever seen the pilot episode of the _Dukes of Hazzard_? It was actually pretty good, and didn’t bear much of a resemblance to the dreck that followed. A birthday party for a car? What happened? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/51 "2001-05-02T23:42:20Z")
Oh, dear. Where do I begin. First, let me nominate any show that was ever included in ABC’s TGIF lineup. That covers about half of everything so far mentioned, and several others that should have been included. I remember _My Secret Identity_. We made up lyrics to the title music: “You’ll never guess My secret identity Unless you watch this show…” Holy hell, I can’t believe I still remember that. Trust me, it was hilarious back when I was 10. Now I have to confess to being a _Duke of Hazzard_ fan. I was deeply in love with that show when I was a kid, and it can still make me pause my channel surfing now and then so I can relive my childhood. And I agree with **donnie** - the pilot episode was waaay different from the rest. In it, the Duke boys hijack a truckful of illegal slot machines that Roscoe was shipping in to start an illegal casino. That’s right - they just steal them. For fun. When Uncle Jesse finds out, he gets upset, but allows the boys to use the machines to raise money for the orphanage. But _then_, the boys skim 10% off the top. So to sum up, the boys steal from both the bad guys and the orphanage. Great stuff. Plus Daisy gets into a string bikini. And they show Hazzard as having actual paved roads. ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/52 "2001-05-02T23:46:44Z")
I love both **3rd Rock** and **That 70’s Show** … both amazingly cliched, but one knows it, the other just makes it funny. I do remember watching **Out of This World** , but that was so long ago I don’t remember anything about the show. It does sound pretty bad. But really, I think most TV shows in the 80’s were just as bad. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/53 "2001-05-02T23:51:21Z")
OK, since **Small Wonder** doesn’t count, I will change my vote to **The Real World**. Mrs. H likes to watch that show but it makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I hate being around idiots. I hate listening to idiots. I hate looking at idiots. In my daily life I have to spend some amount of time interacting with idiots. Why then should I spend even one second of my free time listening to the opinions and musings of a bunch of fucking idiots. Haj ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/54 "2001-05-03T00:39:23Z")
> [@](#): > > Bosom Buddies. But at least it started Tom Hanks’ career. “Bosom Buddies” was fairly good – not great TV, but entertaining and generally fun. The same with “Alf.” I avoided it when it first came out, but reruns showed it was OK. “Alien in the Family” and “Out of this World” were much, much worse. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/55 "2001-05-03T01:08:07Z")
Am I to assume that I’m the only person here who was unfortunate enough to have watched **Punky Brewster**? Ick. As for current shows, I think the absolute worst has to be **Survivor**. The concept is stupid, the ‘castaways’ come across as shallow dolts, the ‘tribe’ thing is asinine, the theme song is grating, and the show generally sucks. But the absolute worst thing is the level of coverage it is given by the media. The local CBS news channel has a special Survivor segment on every single Thursday news broadcast (Early Morning, Noon, 5-5:30 PM, 6-6:30 PM, & 11 PM). It’s a bit more than irritating. ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/56 "2001-05-03T01:12:41Z")
thats right, dragnet and california highway patrol. ---
**Author:** ![donnie\_rotten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71e660/32.png) [@donnie\_rotten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donnie_rotten)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/57 "2001-05-03T01:33:35Z")
Have to agree with **CHiPS**. Bad, bad, baaaaaad… How about **Starsky and Hutch? Silver Spoons? The Tom Green Show**? ---
**Author:** ![Sagasumono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Sagasumono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sagasumono)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/58 "2001-05-03T02:29:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dave Swaney \* > \*\*I now find it pretty funny how much I was into the Dukes of Hazzard (I was 11-13, give me a break!). > > But for sheer, ultra-hardcore badness, I think you have to go for “Small Wonder”, previously mentioned here. At least most of the other shows mentioned had a shred of acting ability or plausibility, but this one had neither. I remember back when I wanted to be a tv/film major, saying that this show was the nightmare of everyone in the business. > > Simply appaling. Those of you haven’t seen it will have to take our word for it. It’s amazing it ever got funded. \*\* Hey! I used to be in love with Vicki! Don’t not make me defend my loves honor! 😃 Yeesh,I wonder what ever happened to her anywhoo. As for it I guess it based on geography or something. Where I was from Small Wodner was pretty popular. Heck I used to watch it religiously (even though it only came on at 1:00 A.M) I swear everytime Vicki wore something besides that Red and White pokadot dress it was like a porno to me…just kidding. 😃 As for bad shows,I gotta say Seinfield and Frasier. Talk about your unfunny. Must see TV I think not! ---
**Author:** ![Sagasumono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Sagasumono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sagasumono)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/59 "2001-05-03T02:38:31Z")
Wow,I didn’t know so many people hated small wonder! I am shocked and appaled!! Possibly the reason it was popular was not because of the Adults who watched it,or even the teens. But the kids like myself. _Strikes up the band_ She’s a Smallllllll Wonder Lovely and bright with soft curls She’s a Smallllll wonder! A girl not like other girls! She’ll e…uh…aw,never mind… _goes off sulking in a corner_ ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/60 "2001-05-03T03:00:34Z")
My vote for worst tv shows are **Hello Larry** with Maclean Stevenson and , even though it was popular, **LaVerne and Shirley** , boy did I hate that show. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, schlemeel, schlmazel…” AAARRRRRGGGGGGG!!! I think I’m gunna spew! WTF was that crap. At least Hello Larry didn’t last a whole season, I think, Laverne and Shirley lasted 6-7 years. And what was with that big L on all her clothes, was she afraid Shirley was gunna borrow a sweater or something. However I do hafta admit I liked Lenny and Squiggy. Or is that Leonard and Squigmond.🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038.md?page=4)