# 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:** 7
**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 26, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/121 "2009-07-26T00:10:58Z")
I love _Home Movies_, including a scene that starts in the middle of Brendon having dinner with his mom and sister. Brendon’s Mom: Wait, what did you just say? Brendon: “This meat loaf is dry.” Mom: Before that. Brendon: “This is meat loaf?” Mom: Before _that_. Brendon: “This fish is dry.” Kills me every time. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/122 "2009-07-26T02:47:11Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > [The Ropers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ropers) My eyes! Augh, my eyes! ---
**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 26, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/123 "2009-07-26T03:38:28Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > … > 2. Didn’t 3’s Company have a spin-off? If not, then 3’s Company… [Three’s a Crowd](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086816/) SSG Schwartz ---
**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:** [July 26, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/124 "2009-07-26T15:08:03Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Cash for clunkers? 🙂 > I have heard tell that Teletubbies was watched by HS and college kids whilst high or on acid/ecstasy–apparently there is a lot to be gleaned from the show when one is altered in some way. I watched it while on Vicodin after I had my wisdom teeth taken out. I didn’t gain anything from it, but I remain convinced that it was the best thing available on TV at that time of day. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/125 "2009-07-26T15:52:10Z")
Damn, I was gonna mention Heil Honey I’m Home. Although at least that has the novelty thing going for it. Most Haunted, definitely. The Jeremy Kyle Show. Any DIY/home buying garbage. Moomins. Those satanic hippo fuckers haunted my dreams as a kid. My Super Sweet 16, which I believe is used primarily in Al Qaeda recruitment vids. What else we got, I’m usually more hateful than this… ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/126 "2009-07-26T22:17:24Z")
Lost in space. I once cut the antenna wire going to the TV so no one could watch it. Of course I screwed myself, we couldn’t get any other channels either. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/127 "2009-07-28T00:10:56Z")
I vote for: -Friends -Growing Up Gotti -Judge Judy -Jerry Springer -Texas Justice ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/128 "2009-07-28T00:29:16Z")
Reading ‘Andy Williams’ in a post put me in mind of the Big Happy Family Christmas . The King Family; Andy Williams; Kathy Lee Gifford; Dolly Parton. Sadly, they don’t seem to show that kind of thing any more (I would LOVE to see A Jennifer Lopez Family Christmas). All conspicuous consumption, the ‘love’ just flowing like a river, with cornball dialogue and musical interludes, cute kids, everyone singing carols by the fireplace…what celebrities are there left who could pull that kind of thing off any more? ---
**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 28, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/129 "2009-07-28T00:30:33Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > Lost in space. I once cut the antenna wire going to the TV so no one could watch it. Of course I screwed myself, we couldn’t get any other channels either. HA-ha! That’s a Dr. Smith-worthy self-boning. ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/130 "2009-07-28T19:21:55Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Reading ‘Andy Williams’ in a post put me in mind of the Big Happy Family Christmas . The King Family; Andy Williams; Kathy Lee Gifford; Dolly Parton. Sadly, they don’t seem to show that kind of thing any more (I would LOVE to see A Jennifer Lopez Family Christmas). > All conspicuous consumption, the ‘love’ just flowing like a river, with cornball dialogue and musical interludes, cute kids, everyone singing carols by the fireplace…what celebrities are there left who could pull that kind of thing off any more? Steven Colbert? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/131 "2009-07-28T20:21:07Z")
Anything with Keith Olberman in it. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/132 "2009-07-28T21:02:04Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > I couldn’t disagree with you more. A terrificly funny show, and Coach McGuirk, voiced by Brendon Small, is one of the all time greatest tv characters, imho. Home Movies was a great show. The three main kids were wonderfully quirky and funny and Coach McGuirk was awesome. My favorite McGuirk moment was the episode where Brendon and his friends were attending a birthday party for a classmate by the name of Fenton and Coach was there as a chaperon. This kid was one of the nastiest, most obnoxious characters I’ve ever seen and he had his mother wrapped around his finger. He starts verbally abusing the other kids and blaming her for ruining his party, McGuirk’s had enough and ends up going off on him. McGuirk: Shut up Fenton! You shut up and stop your snivelly little whining! And apologize to your Mother and everyone else here! Fenton: What? McGuirk: NOW! Not his funniest moment, but that was when I really started liking McGuirk. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/133 "2009-07-28T22:53:04Z")
The first season of Home Movies was in the Squiggle-vision which is hard to get used to. When they stopped doing that it was easier to enjoy the show itself. I love the show, myself. Oh, Brendon did not do McGuirk, that was H. Jon Benjamin. ---
**Author:** ![Smitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Smitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smitty)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/134 "2009-07-29T14:50:21Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > **Two and a Half Men > Two and a Half Men > Two and a Half Men > Two and a Half Men > Two and a Half Men** I agree 100%. I once caught a glimpse of this show and I swear, I thought it was a parody of bad sitcoms. When I realized that it was actually trying to claim that the material itself was funny in a non-ironic fashion, I was stunned. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/135 "2009-07-29T15:32:39Z")
_Condo_. McClean Stevenson’s post-MASH vehicle. A terrible show! In the interest of full disclosure, I was a TV whore. _Automan_? Loved it! But when we first moved to Canada for a bit, there was a kids’ show called _The Polka Dot Door_. Part-way through an episode, my dad got off the couch, turned off the TV and said to me: “That show is too stupid, even for you.” ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/136 "2009-07-29T16:03:32Z")
Anybody remember **Carter Country**? ---
**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 29, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/137 "2009-07-29T16:14:14Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Anybody remember **Carter Country**? I do! What about “He’s the Mayor”? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/138 "2009-07-29T16:27:29Z")
Anybody watch “Scarred.” Is is a half hour show that shows skate boarders and BMW bikers getting hurt in accidents. For some reason they film themselves getting compound fractures etc. One guy was trying to ride a rail and slipped and landed on his butt crack. He had to have it stitched. I never miss it. It must be the car crash syndrome at work. But you might be able to argue it is not great TV. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/139 "2009-07-29T16:35:59Z")
> [@Icerigger](#): > > Anybody remember **Carter Country**? “Handle it! Handle it!” Dad always said that if they did a movie where Jerry Falwell was a character, the actor playing the Mayor needed to play him. When NBC did the “Jim & Tammy” movie & Woody Harrelson did “The People Vs. Larry Flynt”, guess who played Falwell? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833/140 "2009-07-29T16:39:20Z")
I third the notion that Home Movies was terrific. Maybe we could split this up into crap shows that knew they were crap (late night fodder, syndication etc.) and shows that tried to be decent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-five-worst-television-shows-of-all-time/503833.md?page=8)