# TV Guide's 60 Best Shows - Which ones have you NOT seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818 "2015-12-08T14:22:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/41 "2015-12-08T20:05:52Z")
I had seen at least one episode of all but 4. Battlestar Galactica says the 2004 version. I saw the complete run of the old-timey version. ---
**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:** [December 8, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/42 "2015-12-08T20:06:12Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > How old would you have to be, without determined searching it out, to have watched a full episode of Your Show of Shows or Ed Sullivan? At least Gunsmoke and Honeymooners were shown occasionally in rerun when I was quite young (I’m 46 now) but those two I’ve only seen occasional clips of. Late 60s. YSOS went off the air the year before I was born, so I’ve only seen episodes via specials and archival footage. But Ed Sullivan was standard Sunday night viewing when I was growing up. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/43 "2015-12-08T20:09:18Z")
Here’s another sorted list after 98 voters. Compare with Post #21. ```auto View Poll Results: TV Guide's 60 Best Shows - Which ones have you NOT seen a complete episode of? The Twilight Zone 3 3.06% Star Trek 4 4.08% Jeopardy! 4 4.08% Cheers 5 5.10% Saturday Night Live 6 6.12% M*A*S*H 8 8.16% The Simpsons 8 8.16% Seinfeld 10 10.20% I Love Lucy 10 10.20% The Cosby Show 10 10.20% 60 Minutes 11 11.22% Late Night/Late Show with David Letterman 12 12.24% Monty Python’s Flying Circus 12 12.24% The Dick Van Dyke Show 13 13.27% Roseanne 13 13.27% The Bob Newhart Show 13 13.27% Taxi 14 14.29% All in the Family 15 15.31% The X-Files 15 15.31% Sesame Street 15 15.31% The Mary Tyler Moore Show 16 16.33% The Andy Griffith Show 16 16.33% The Carol Burnett Show 17 17.35% The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 17 17.35% Friends 21 21.43% The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 21 21.43% Barney Miller 22 22.45% The Honeymooners 23 23.47% Columbo 23 23.47% The Big Bang Theory 25 25.51% The Golden Girls 28 28.57% Law & Order 29 29.59% Masterpiece Theatre 35 35.71% Hill Street Blues 35 35.71% The Waltons 35 35.71% ER 36 36.73% Everybody Love Raymond 38 38.78% Breaking Bad 39 39.80% Dallas 39 39.80% Buffy the Vampire Slayer 41 41.84% Sex and the City 41 41.84% Modern Family 42 42.86% Mad Men 43 43.88% The Oprah Winfrey Show 44 44.90% Gunsmoke 44 44.90% Survivor 44 44.90% NYPD Blue 44 44.90% Lost 45 45.92% Battlestar Galactica (2004) 45 45.92% American Idol 46 46.94% The Sopranos 47 47.96% St. Elsewhere 47 47.96% The Ed Sullivan Show 52 53.06% The West Wing 54 55.10% The Larry Sanders Show 58 59.18% Homicide: Life on the Street 59 60.20% The Wire 63 64.29% The Shield 68 69.39% The Good Wife 77 78.57% Your Show of Shows 82 83.67% Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 98 ``` ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/44 "2015-12-08T20:20:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Late 60s. YSOS went off the air the year before I was born, so I’ve only seen episodes via specials and archival footage. But Ed Sullivan was standard Sunday night viewing when I was growing up. Yeah I shouldn’t have even grouped those together, thinking about it. Ed Sullivan ran 16 years later. YSOS went off the air just over 60 years ago whereas Sullivan was still on '71. Talk shows just don’t get put into syndication. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/45 "2015-12-08T20:22:31Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > Glaring omission. “The Fugitive”. > [@Mixolydian](#): > > I noticed another…“The Prisoner”. > [@terentii](#): > > _ **Combat!** _ > [@terentii](#): > > I would think the original _ **Mission: Impossible** _ deserves a mention too. _ **Sea Hunt** _ and _ **Whirlybirds!** _, whose production values seem very dated today, were also seen as quite innovative back in the '50s. > > Another show I think deserves a mention is _ **Perry Mason** _, which ran as long as _MAS_H\*\*\*. > > Surprised \*\*\*Alfred Hitchcock Presents \*\*\*is missing as well. I guess if this were a list of the top 100 shows, at least some of the above would be on it. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Hard to believe the list includes Dallas and leaves out Perry. Umm…this thread is about which of the listed shows you have seen; it is not about which shows should you think should be on the list. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/46 "2015-12-08T20:25:07Z")
It is interesting that 51 people (so far) have not seen their top-rated show (and I am one of them). mmm ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/47 "2015-12-08T20:34:00Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Umm…this thread is about which of the listed shows you have seen; it is not about which shows should you think should be on the list. > mmm The title of the thread includes “60 best shows” which invites discussion. ---
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/48 "2015-12-08T20:34:58Z")
Even sticking with only having to have seen one episode, still quite a lot for me. (Also I accidentally clicked Everybody Loves Raymond when I shouldn’t’ve) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/49 "2015-12-08T20:37:56Z")
We need a poll of shows we’ve never even heard of. 😉 The Good Wife is one that I’d never ran across before this thread. I guess it never reached syndication. That’s the only reason I’ve seen many shows from the 1990’s. PBS ran St Elsewhere and I got seriously addicted watching 5 nights a week. I seriously burned out on Medical drama shows in the 1970’s and never watched St Elsewhere in the 80’s. Thank goodness for PBS. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/50 "2015-12-08T20:39:29Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The title of the thread includes “60 best shows” which invites discussion. I agree. He doesnt own the thread and should be satisfied people are enjoying it. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/51 "2015-12-08T20:42:27Z")
15, plus some (e.g. _Everybody Loves Raymond_) where I saw just the final episode. Probably the biggest “surprise” is _Modern Family_; I thought about bingewatching it on Amazon Prime, but it’s not available for free there. Then again, I’ll have to see if it is on my cable system’s On Demand service, and if so, which seasons. The only one on the last that I could have not seen as it was on before I was born (and I don’t think it has aired in repeats) was _Your Show of Shows_. I did see the movie _Ten From Your Show of Shows_, but I think that was taken from multiple episodes. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/52 "2015-12-08T20:45:54Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > 15, plus some (e.g. _Everybody Loves Raymond_) where I saw just the final episode. Probably the biggest “surprise” is _Modern Family_; I thought about bingewatching it on Amazon Prime, but it’s not available for free there. Then again, I’ll have to see if it is on my cable system’s On Demand service, and if so, which seasons. > > The only one on the last that I could have not seen as it was on before I was born (and I don’t think it has aired in repeats) was _Your Show of Shows_. I did see the movie _Ten From Your Show of Shows_, but I think that was taken from multiple episodes. Modern family is in syndication. Runs on ABC right after the local 10 pm news. I started watching because I’d get busy and didn’t turn off the tv after the news finished. Pleasantly surprised at how good it is and kept watching most week nights. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/53 "2015-12-08T20:52:55Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > The title of the thread includes “60 best shows” which invites discussion. The title of the thread is pretty clear: > [@](#): > > **TV Guide’s 60 Best Shows - Which ones have you NOT seen?** mmm ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/54 "2015-12-08T20:54:05Z")
My post was pretty clear too. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/55 "2015-12-08T20:54:12Z")
16 of which I’ve never seen one episode and at least three others that I have seen exactly one episode. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/56 "2015-12-08T20:56:15Z")
It’s interesting to identify the show most widely seen that you yourself have not. For me, right now, that’s X-Files. mmm ---
**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:** [December 8, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/57 "2015-12-08T21:07:18Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Cecil Adams and Ed Zotti HATE “The Prisoner.” They hated it 30 years ago, anyway. Maybe they understand it by now. > > [What was the cult TV series “The Prisoner” all about? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/379/what-was-the-cult-tv-series-the-prisoner-all-about) I rewatched The Prisoner on DVD not long ago. The ending doesn’t make any more sense now than it did then. The best thing to do is to just not watch the last two episodes. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/58 "2015-12-08T21:31:29Z")
From my not-watched list, only _Your Show of Shows_ is a complete unknown to me, basically because it predates me. For the rest I can say I saw partial episodes, but couldn’t bear watching to the end. Raymond, I’m talking about you. Some shows are just too awful to waste any more time on: _Dr. Ken_, anybody? (I’m not suggesting that’s a “best show”) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/59 "2015-12-08T21:49:30Z")
I’ve seen some complete episodes of shows I don’t like at all. So I only missed out on about 5 shows of the 60. There are a few complete episodes of Your Show of Shows still around. I’ve seen a few, I think it was either on PBS or at the Museum of Television in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818/60 "2015-12-08T21:57:52Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > The title of the thread is pretty clear. I indicated in my first post which I had never seen. On a forum **by definition** devoted to discussion, I should limit myself to that? :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-guides-60-best-shows-which-ones-have-you-not-seen/739818.md?page=4)