# Top Shows Each Year for TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 18, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206 "2007-07-18T01:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LtnJck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19b73/32.png) [@LtnJck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LtnJck)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206/1 "2007-07-18T01:06:23Z")
Is there any site that lists the Nielsen ranking for TV shows through the years. I have tried to search Google but never get anything useful. I would be looking for a site that lists the Number One show for each year. The top ten shows for each year would be better. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206/2 "2007-07-18T02:37:04Z")
There’s a book by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh: _The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows_ that lists the top shows all the way back to when ratings began. It’s updated every couple of years. Don’t know anything online, though. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206/3 "2007-07-18T02:45:27Z")
1950-2000 can be found [here](http://www.classictvhits.com/tvratings/index.htm) (assuming their information is accurate, they don’t give source that I see). ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206/4 "2007-07-18T02:56:14Z")
That site lists the Top 30 shows of each year. Here are the top each year: 1950 - Texaco Star Theater 1951 - Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts 1952-1954 - I Love Lucy 1955 - The $64,000 Question 1956 - I Love Lucy 1957-1960 - Gunsmoke 1961 - Wagon Train 1962-1963 - The Beverly Hillbillies 1964-1966 - Bonanza 1967 - The Andy Griffith Show 1968-1969 - Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In 1970 - Marcus Welby, M.D. 1971-1975 - All in the Family 1976 - Happy Days 1977-1978 - Laverne & Shirley 1979 - 60 Minutes 1980-1981 - Dallas 1982 - 60 Minutes 1983 - Dallas 1984 - Dynasty 1985-1989 - The Cosby Show 1990 - Cheers 1991-1993 - 60 Minutes 1994 - Seinfeld 1995-1996 - ER 1997 - Seinfeld 1998 - ER 1999 - Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tuesday) - NOTE: Millionaire hold the top three spots that year on different nights. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206/5 "2007-07-18T03:17:52Z")
Darn, I came in here looking for the 2000 winner. Is that information available? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-shows-each-year-for-tv/412206/6 "2007-07-18T03:32:30Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] Darn, I came in here looking for the 2000 winner. Is that information available? [/QUOTE] Wikipedia lists Millionaire. [Here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nielson_ratings#Annual_top-rated_shows)