# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/61 "2001-05-03T03:00:57Z")
How can you say shows like Alf and Small Wonder were terrible? \ I watched too many sitcoms as a little kid… The worst shows, ever? Anything that is refered to as “reality tv” For the life of me I can’t imagine anyone being so much a dullard that that type of show appeals to them. The Real World on MTV was boring, and these new shows are far worse. I was deeply saddened today to read that Survior, The Mole, Temptation Island and Bootcamp will all be back next season. Oh well, maybe they’ll knock Who Wants to Be a Millionaire out of the top ten…due to laziness after watching desirable shows, I’ve seen a handful of episodes, and those have been enough to convince me that my brother and his friend’s idea that they should add a 4th lifeline- kick Regis in the @#$$% would make the game more interesting. I’m the only one who roots for people to lose, right? The lowest amount I’ve seen someone loose at was the $1,000 question, and they used 2 of their lifelines to get that far. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/62 "2001-05-03T04:10:26Z")
> [@](#): > > ## quote: > > Originally posted by Number Six > My vote goes for The Dukes of Hazzard. I hate this show. Hate everything about it. Hate the tone that simultaneously celebrated and insulted the culture it deemed to portray. Hate the stupidity of a show set in what must have been the only county in the rural south with no black people, and in which few of the people speak with a southern accent. > > * * * > > Uh, hate to say it but there are towns in the rural south where you’re hard pressed to find a black person. I went to go visit my in-laws located in a very small Arkansas town last September. After my third day there I noticed that there weren’t any black or brown faces to be found. Needless to say I thought it was a bit odd. I don’t doubt that there are small towns in the rural south with no black people. Hazard was a county. Are there entire counties with no black people? There have been a lot of bland shows listed, and a lot of truly awful, but little watched shows. Small Wonder (saw it) was terrible, but was syndicated junk. Dukes reached an entire other level of badness. Many others I have never heard of. The topic was the worst _popular_ show. I think Dukes is in a class by itself. It is _Robot Monster_ bad. It is _I Spit on Your Grave_ bad. It was awful across the board, and immensely popular. Imagine the scene in _Dead Poets Society_ in which the student is reading the introduction from the poetry book: You can measure the awfulness of a television show by plotting it on a graph. If the badness of the show is represented on the horizontal axis, and its popularity on the vertical, you can determine the exact awfulness by shading the area represented by the two factors. Small Wonder, while truly bad, was little watched, so its total area would be relatively small. Matlock, while popular, was merely bland. The Dukes of Hazard, however would rank high in both popularity and in badness, resulting in a very large area. I cannot be rational about this. There is a difference between _Ishtar_ bad (merely inept) and _The Conqueror_ bad (terrible and offensive). Dukes is clearly in the second camp. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/63 "2001-05-03T04:57:35Z")
There have been at least two guests on Who Wants to be a Millionaire who screwed the pooch on the first question. Oprah or Rosie had both of them on their show in which, after being embarrassed again on national television, were given consolation prizes. Which proves something, I guess. As for bad TV, I have to limit it to shows that I’ve watched, and we’ve gone without a TV for almost five years now, despite two offers to be given a set by relations, who seemed disturbed about our TV-less status. For successful shows, **Dukes** probably takes the cake. **Love Boat** was interesting just to see what former stars showed up (Harvey Korman) and what they looked like. I remember seeing Jan Smithers (Bailey from WKRP) on one episode, and rather regretted it. She did not age well. ::sigh:: ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/64 "2001-05-03T05:09:41Z")
Wasn’t there once an horrible show about, from the title I surmise, a family and its beloved calcified hairball - “Leave It To Bezoar?” ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/65 "2001-05-03T05:15:42Z")
[Disturbing site](http://smallwonder.hispeed.com/SWSeriously/Seriously.html) by someone who takes Small Wonder WAY too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/66 "2001-05-03T05:49:59Z")
“Hello, Larry” actually lasted a season and a half. It came in as a midseason replacement in 1979 and died quietly in the middle of 1980. ---
**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, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/67 "2001-05-03T06:48:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Badtz Maru \* > \*\*[Disturbing site](http://smallwonder.hispeed.com/SWSeriously/Seriously.html) by someone who takes Small Wonder WAY too seriously. \*\* Ah!!! Doomo arigatou! I am so happy!!! 🙂 Naw,just joking. Instresting site though,and yes they took it way WAYYY seiours (though IMHO the guy does bring up intresting points about A.I and family.) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/68 "2001-05-03T17:51:59Z")
And what about the Nanny? Not only did that show last six or seven looooooooooong seasons, but it made Full House look good by comparison. And it seems to be going on forever in syndication! ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/69 "2001-05-03T18:01:13Z")
I say Sha Na Na ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/70 "2001-05-03T18:13:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by imthjckaz \* > [BOr is that Leonard and Squigmond.🙂 \*\* I thought it was Squidward. _::d&r::_ ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/71 "2001-05-03T18:13:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by imthjckaz \* > \*\*Or is that Leonard and Squigmond.🙂 \*\* I thought it was Squidward. _::d&r::_ ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/72 "2001-05-03T18:23:35Z")
Does anyone remember “Love, Sidney?” [http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/9348/love\_sidney.htm](http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/9348/love_sidney.htm) ---
**Author:** ![caircair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@caircair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caircair)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/73 "2001-05-03T18:26:03Z")
BRAVO Slithy! A nice obscure pun, I like it!! I can’t BELIEVE no one’s mentioned the obvious choices of “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Beverly Hillbillies”. (Willing suspension of disbelief indeed!) Currently, my vote goes to “The Weakest Link”, or as I call it “Adults Behaving Badly While Robot-like Host Spews Venom”. I’ll take Millionaire over Link any day!! ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/74 "2001-05-03T18:33:18Z")
Does anyone remember Land of the Lost? It was about a father and his daughter and son and the beginning credits have them on a rafting trip and somehow they end up in the world with dinosaurs, cavepeople, etc. It was so bad it could be called evil. ---
**Author:** ![dodge\_this](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@dodge\_this](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dodge_this)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/75 "2001-05-04T02:09:47Z")
Maybe not THE worst shows, but I never could understand the appeal of Ally McBeal Married With Children Baywatch Melrose Place ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/76 "2001-05-04T04:33:00Z")
I’m surprised by all the mentions of Ally McBeal. Out of curiosity, what _is_ wrong with the show? I watch it every week,and while it’s not the smartest thing on television, I think it’s pretty amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Evnglion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f04885/32.png) [@Evnglion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evnglion)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/77 "2001-05-04T12:06:20Z")
Baywatch sucks :mad: ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/78 "2001-05-04T15:08:18Z")
What? No votes for She’s The Sherrif? ---
**Author:** ![Mambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mambo)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/79 "2001-05-04T16:07:42Z")
ALF, My Robot (the one where the guy builds an eight year old maid-robot), Car 54 Where Are You, That show with Jim J. Bullock, The Facts of Life, Diff’rent Strokes, Full House, Family Matters, Blossom, Moesha, All TGIF, Veronica’s Closet, Grace Under Fire, Roseanne, Mad About You, and The Beverly Hillbillies all tied for second place. THE WORST SHOW OF ALL TIME \*\*\* WHO’S THE BOSS?\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2001, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038/80 "2001-05-04T18:47:58Z")
**Mambo** and I seem to be thinking along similar lines. Worst popular show ever? I consider very nearly every popular sitcom in history a contender. (The exceptions being “M_A_S_H" and…well, "M_A_S_H”.) “Just Shoot Me” sounds like a very tempting invitation. “Grace Under Fire” is depressing. When some alien race eventually receives and decodes “Roseanne”, they will undoubtedly start an interstellar war out of sheer annoyance. I could go on with the list, but what’s the point? They suck. They _all_ suck. They suck worse than 70’s quiz shows and after-school specials combined. Everyone, please stop watching them (no matter how bored you are) so that the studios will stop making them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worst-popular-television-show-in-history/64038.md?page=5)