# What are the five worst television shows of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 22, 2009, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833 "2009-07-22T06:15:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/61 "2009-07-22T18:18:56Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Come on now, you gotta admit that **Little Britain** had some fine moments. At least some characters you like? Before they rode the characters into the ground, of course. > > I watched a bunch of **2 Pints of Lager** before I gave up on it. I kept thinking that it was just because I’m an American that I don’t get it. I’m glad that’s not the case… I can honesty say, having watched several full episodes at other people’s houses plus umpteen clips, I haven’t cracked a single smile. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/62 "2009-07-22T18:22:18Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > **According to Jim** > **Turn-on** (and, yes, I did watch it. Every episode. 🙂 ). > **Full House** > **The Pruitts of Southhampton** > **Wipeout** > [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Whoops! > > Coupling (and this includes BOTH British & American versions) > > Good Morning, Miami > > Three’s Company > > Full House Bitches, _please_. That episode where [DJ passes out at the gym](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5qZPe8HuxI) is **classic.** I disagree with a lot of the nominations. The worst shows aren’t the ones that are conspicuously bad (as **Small Wonder** ); those at least afford a bit of campy fun. Instead it the shows that are utterly charmless, joyless, and forgettable, such as: **Millennium Mr. Belvedere Beauty and the Beast Law and Order: SUV** (does anyone really remember an episode of the show, and by “remember” I mean in a way that involves the actual content of the show and not just a vague sense of lurid unease and exploitation?) **South Park** crypto-fascist garbage ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/63 "2009-07-22T18:25:27Z")
Till Death - was that the one with the dad talking to a stuffed animal that came alive and talked back? Yes, that was it. Like the anti-Married With Children with a skanky homely skeleton for a daughter and a total lack of wit or humor. Can I branch out into channels? The Golf Channel? (Not that golf is the worst thing on TV ever, but a whole channel??) ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/64 "2009-07-22T18:39:10Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > The worst for this has to be Teletubbies, though. At least Barney, the Wiggles, and the others actually speak in real, human English. The Teletubbies speak some sort of moronic baby language that has probably retarded the verbal skills of any kid who grew up watching a significant amount of that show. The sun with the baby face is something right out of Stephen King. Pre-verbal kiddies _love_ the damn show, though. My granddaughter would stop whatever she was doing when it came on, just to stare at its horror, mesmerized. Kids have no damn taste, which probably explains why I loved _F Troop_ and _My Mother the Car_. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/65 "2009-07-22T18:44:29Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > NOpe, sorry. If you are going to add kid’s shows, then you need to consider Boohbah - [http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html](http://www.boohbah.com/zone.html) I’ve never seen it but it must be awful because it’s already been mentioned in this thread. I’ll take your word for it. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/66 "2009-07-22T18:50:14Z")
Ditto to **Jackmannii** ’s nomination of the _World’s Dumbest Criminals_, and mostly because of Tonya Harding. The woman’s comments are lame (pun intended). I like to watch dumb criminals too, but we don’t need the D-list celebrity comments (Leif Garrett?) and the repetition of the clips. Another lame guy is whoever does the commentary on the show with the bad drivers. Pompous, humorless voice, and inane commentary. “Here’s one driver who’ll be spending the night in jail!” And again with repetition of the clips. My husband watches _Blind Date_. Anyone seen it? Send a guy and gal on a date. The gal is wired up to the guy’s former girlfriends who suggest questions to ask him. It’s not even embarrassing enough to be watchable. I’m looking forward to _More to Love_, the new Bachelorette-type show with women of normal weight (which is slightly overweight). What do you want to bet they’ll be just as vapid as the skinny girls? Oh, and I love _Two and a Half Men_. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/67 "2009-07-22T18:51:15Z")
_The Paula Poundstone Show._ I believe it was canceled in mid-episode. (Only half kidding). ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/68 "2009-07-22T18:53:46Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Animated 60’s Spider-Man Seconded. I had the displeasure of seeing some of these again recently. They had about five stock sequences of Spidey swinging on his web, and those same five sequences made up about thirty percent of each episode. Cool theme song though. (However, the parody version over the credits at the end of The Simpsons Movie took it to a whole new level.) ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/69 "2009-07-23T03:29:34Z")
I think some people are missing the point of the OP. I thought we were trying to identify the WORST television shows, not the ones Dopers don’t like. By that standard, _Full House_ and _Dukes of Hazzard_ should not make the list. Look, I hated Full House as much as the next guy, but it was popular with some demographic or another. It lasted what, 8 years? Sure it was cheesy, but kids watched it every week. I do have to agree that Cop Rock sucked. I hope I am being wooshed by those that say they loved the show. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/70 "2009-07-23T03:49:10Z")
I thank Og that I didn’t watch [Rosie Live](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosie_Live) last year, for its one episode. Did anyone here see it? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/71 "2009-07-23T16:29:12Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > I do have to agree that Cop Rock sucked. I hope I am being wooshed by those that say they loved the show. > > SSG Schwartz Were you not a member of our fighting forces, and known to me as a man of honor, I would have no choice but to slap you with a trout for saying that. [Cop Rock’s creation was proof of the existence of God, and its cancelling evidence that she or he was pissed with us. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/72 "2009-07-23T17:54:15Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I’m kind of surprised no one has mentioned “Queen for a Day”, which often shows up on all-time-worst lists. Contestants were women who described their horrible lives; the audience would vote on the winner, who would then receive prizes. Thanks a lot for reminding me of that abomination. OMFG, it had to be \*\*\*THE \*\*\*worst show of all time . . . and wildly popular for years. I’m sure most of you mercifully never saw it. They might have a woman with terminal cancer, another whose baby died, another whose face was mangled in an accident, another whose kids were all in jail, another whose husband ran off with all their money. They all got to tell their stories and compete, with lots of sobbing, to see who could gain the most sympathy from the audience. The winner had to sit there, still in tears, while she received her crown, ermine cape and scepter; then was treated to a makeover and a private limo for the day, plus maybe an olive-green refrigerator or set of luggage. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/73 "2009-07-23T17:58:49Z")
“Babes.” It was about three obese sisters (Marlene, Darlene and Charlene) who lived together in a NYC apartment. Dolly Parton was one of the show’s producers. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/74 "2009-07-23T19:26:12Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Out of memory error. Went off in 1960 and has not, mercifully, been rerun. Kind of establishes an age threshold here, doesn’t it? 🙂 But for us geezers, it’s still the benchmark of awfulness. And I still refer to it, like when Deal or No Deal (previously mentioned here) starts to wallow in their contestants lives and what they’d like to do with the money (and then they immediately pass on the $100k offer and wind up going home with $10)…I accuse the show of turning into Queen for a Day. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/75 "2009-07-23T21:05:36Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > Bitches, _please_. That episode where [DJ passes out at the gym](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5qZPe8HuxI) is **classic.** Indeed. Right up there with Jesse Spano’s caffeine freak out. Still…I was surprised Full House only got two votes. The hatred for it is strong on this board! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/76 "2009-07-23T21:52:56Z")
Car 54 Where are You? Gilligans Island John and Kate + 8 Fox News Hulk Hogan’s Daughter has a reality Show (Brooke knows Best) The Kardasians ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/77 "2009-07-23T22:01:41Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > They had about five stock sequences of Spidey swinging on his web, and those same five sequences made up about thirty percent of each episode. I still don’t think that quite approaches the number of shots/reuse ratio of the original _Battlestar Galactica_’s Cylon Raider footage. Speaking of which, how can I possibly be the first person to nominate _Galactica 1980_? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/78 "2009-07-23T22:09:23Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Gilligans Island Really? I don’t deny that Gilligan’s Island was stupid beyond measure (a real group of castaways probably would have killed and eaten Gilligan–or at least set him adrift on a raft–halfway through the first season), but a lot of people (including me) have a nostalgic soft spot for it. It did have a certain '70s charm. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/79 "2009-07-23T22:16:13Z")
I challenge anyone to search youTube for _The Half-Hour News Hour_, though I will not be held responsible for the subsequent injuries resulting from your brain trying desperately to break free of your skull and flee in terror. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/80 "2009-07-23T22:57:11Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > PunditLisa: > > The worst for this has to be Teletubbies, though. At least Barney, the Wiggles, and the others actually speak in real, human English. The Teletubbies speak some sort of moronic baby language that has probably retarded the verbal skills of any kid who grew up watching a significant amount of that show. [You might appreciate this.](http://www.worth1000.com/emailthis.asp?entry=545648) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833.md?page=5)