# What's the worst long-running TV show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 13, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614 "2006-06-13T21:27:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [June 13, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/1 "2006-06-13T21:27:41Z")
I’d say the subject line’s pretty clear. A couple of criteria I’m sure everyone will start ignoring by post 5: 1. By “long-running” I mean lasting four or more seasons. 2. Try to restrict yourself to shows that sucked for more than half their run. F’instance, I think the last three seasons of _The West Wing_ were vomitous trash, but the four Sorkin years outweigh them, so it’s out. Likewise, don’t list _Star Trek: Voyager_ unless you think it blew chunks even before Seven of Nine was introduced . 3. No reality series. They all suck, just in different ways. 😛 My nominations: **Worst long-lasting drama: _Seventh Heaven_.** Oddly enough I liked this show some years back. The mom was cute, the elder daughter was clearly an incipient hottie, and Simon & Ruthie were funny as hell. But as it’s grown older it’s grown duller and preachier and oh-my-god it sucks. The acting couldn’t be more wooden if they replaced Stephen Collins with Treebeard. Jessica Biel has done nothing wiser in her life than running far, far away from it. \*\* Worst long-lasting action-adventure series: _Charmed_ \*\* They regularly show Alyssa Milanoa and Rose McGowan half-naked. Not even that helps. \*\* Wost long-lasting sitcom: _Family Matters_ \*\* Originally planned to be shown exclusively on the television network of Hell. Satan refused; he said the damned souls had already suffered enough. Anybody else? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/2 "2006-06-13T21:31:24Z")
Full House. Absolute dreck and foisted those Olsen twins on the world. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2006, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/3 "2006-06-13T21:32:24Z")
Well, I’ll jump right in with _Star Trek: Voyager_ then. Because it blew chunks from the very first second until the last. Worst Sit-Com: _Everybody Loves Raymond._ No…no they don’t. One-note “performances” and cliches do not a sitcom make. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/4 "2006-06-13T21:33:56Z")
I’d like to nominate **According to Jim** as worst long-running sitcom. Eccch. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/5 "2006-06-13T22:01:53Z")
Arli$$. Robert Wuhl was not funny, it was not funny, and it sucked up precious HBO watching time. (At the time there weren’t 12 HBOs from which to choose). How this ran for 7 seasons is a total mystery to me. ---
**Author:** ![Julius\_Henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@Julius\_Henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Julius_Henry)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/6 "2006-06-13T22:05:51Z")
\*The Beverly Hillbillies \* and _The Love Boat_. I’ll take my prize in cash, please. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/7 "2006-06-13T22:13:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Worst Sit-Com: _Everybody Loves Raymond._ No…no they don’t. One-note “performances” and cliches do not a sitcom make. You took my answer early. I’ll also put in _I Love Lucy_ as a close second. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/8 "2006-06-13T22:13:54Z")
_Gunsmoke_ is the actual longest running TV sho and for the life of me I can’t see how it lasted so long other than it was the favorite show of CBS’ head honcho William Paley. Reruns are on TVLand at 6 AM and they’re terrible. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/9 "2006-06-13T22:25:32Z")
In Australia, we had a sitcom called “Hey Dad” which lasted for 7 seasons, and it was just the most wretched, egregious shite from day 1. "Hey Dad’ is now like a by-word for bad TV here. mm ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/10 "2006-06-13T22:41:04Z")
Nine posts and none one has mentioned **Friends** yet? Wow. Seconding the **Full House** hate. Oh! And **Everybody Loves Raymond**. How did people watch that show? Also, and everyone here is going to hate me for this, **The Simpsons**. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/11 "2006-06-13T22:43:14Z")
Eyewitness News. Actually, any local television news broadcast at all, it doesn’t have the be on the ABC affiliate. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/12 "2006-06-13T22:45:17Z")
> [@Clockwork And Candy](#): > > Nine posts and none one has mentioned **Friends** yet? Pardon me? FRIENDS? Did you NOT NOTICE THE THREE HOT CHICKS? Much is forgiven with hot chicks. > [@](#): > > Oh! And **Everybody Loves Raymond**. How did people watch that show? Also, and everyone here is going to hate me for this, **The Simpsons**. Re EVR: Debra was quite comely. Re simpons: you’re clearly unwell. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/13 "2006-06-13T22:46:44Z")
How did **Seinfeld** escape mid-season cancellation?! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/14 "2006-06-13T22:48:44Z")
Seinfeld ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/15 "2006-06-13T22:55:46Z")
> [@Skald the Rhymer](#): > > Pardon me? FRIENDS? Did you NOT NOTICE THE THREE HOT CHICKS? > > Much is forgiven with hot chicks. Courtney Cox Arquette, hot? Yeah, _no_. Jennifer Aniston-- have you seen the womans ears? What the hell is wrong with her ears?! Lisa Kudrow was the only one who is remotely attractive. The guys on that show were ugly sin too. Matt LeBlanc? Gag. > [@](#): > > Re simpons: you’re clearly unwell. 🆒 Look, I’m sorry but the show just isn’t funny. It has how many people writing for it, twelve? You know that something is very wrong when there are SO many people working on it and at best it comes of as mediocre. I’m not saying that I’ve never enjoyed an episode of the show-- It’s just time to end it. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/16 "2006-06-13T23:05:33Z")
**BrainGlutton** and **Peter Morris** :Oh, come on. Even if you strongly dislike, even hate, “Seinfeld” (my wife perversely falls in the former category), how can you possibly, seriously nominate it for the worst? “Saved by the Bell,” “The Facts of Life,” “Eight is Enough,” “One Day at a Time,” and on and on, are so much worse on their best days than “Seinfeld” was on its worst, that I can’t understand how you could make such an assertion. ---
**Author:** ![Mouse\_Maven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@Mouse\_Maven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mouse_Maven)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/17 "2006-06-13T23:08:38Z")
> [@Clockwork And Candy](#): > > Nine posts and none one has mentioned **Friends** yet? Wow. Seconding the **Full House** hate. > > Oh! And **Everybody Loves Raymond**. How did people watch that show? Also, and everyone here is going to hate me for this, **The Simpsons**. You’re not alone. I hate these shows with an unhealthy passion. **Simpsons** was OK for a while, but it just sank deeper and deeper into territory usually covered by Jerry Springer. I hated **Seinfeld** the way fish hate air - it chokes the life out of a person. Why did people like this? I nominate **Los Vegas**. Nikki Cox buggs the hell out of me. She has a name better suited for a porn star and it looks like the tendons in her neck are struggling to hold her tits up. Gah! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/18 "2006-06-13T23:11:13Z")
> [@kelly5078](#): > > **BrainGlutton** and **Peter Morris** :Oh, come on. Even if you strongly dislike, even hate, “Seinfeld” (my wife perversely falls in the former category), how can you possibly, seriously nominate it for the worst? “Saved by the Bell,” “The Facts of Life,” “Eight is Enough,” “One Day at a Time,” and on and on, are so much worse on their best days than “Seinfeld” was on its worst, that I can’t understand how you could make such an assertion. Yeah, I’ll nominate Seinfeld, too. 😛 Seriously, who wants to watch the selfish antics of totally self absorbed cretins? Not I. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2006, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/19 "2006-06-13T23:25:33Z")
> [@kelly5078](#): > > …“The Facts of Life,”… OH, NO YOU DIDN’T! \<:mad:\> ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/20 "2006-06-14T00:12:44Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > I’d like to nominate **According to Jim** as worst long-running sitcom. Eccch. I stumbled on to this a couple minutes ago. First of all, that’s supposed to be comedy? However, looking at Belushi it’s clear that this is one of the few series with an undead person as “leading man”. -Joe [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614.md?page=2)