# 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:** 6
**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:** [June 15, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/101 "2006-06-15T16:37:01Z")
Local news. \*\*Any \*\* local news, **anywhere**. I stopped watching it last year, and I know more about what’s going on in the world now than I did then. All I’m missing now are endless stories about each channel’s reality shows, and endless sightings of Jesus’s and Mary’s faces in breakfast foods. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/102 "2006-06-15T17:07:50Z")
[QUOTE=BobLibDem] I thought of that eppy too, but that show had some distinct phases. It started decently enough, about a struggling black family. Pretty groundbreaking stuff. But it unfortunately devolved into a caricature of itself and those episodes that seem to exist to set up the Dyn-O-Mite line were about as bad as TV gets. In its later years it got serious again and stopped revolving around Jimmy Walker. For me, the Jimmy Walker era was about the worst schlock I’ve ever seen. [/QUOTE] That disqualifies it from this thread, though. Just like “The Cosby Show,” which someone suggested; yes, it became terrible, but the first few years were reasonably funny. Even one season of quality pretty much nixes a show when you’re putting it up against truly dreadful, soul-destroying dreck like “Full House” or “According to Jim.” ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/103 "2006-06-15T17:44:32Z")
_Good Times_ also addressed substance abuse by a teen and did it well. It also adressed (or was this The Jeffersons?) the hiring of black women over black men to meet quotas(not sure if that was actually common practice at the time, but I do remember the episode–pretty sure it was GT). Really, the late 70’s crap is Theatre compared to the sheit on today. I can’t even watch network TV now–who cares who survived or got found? I don’t. I agree with whoever upthread re soaps. They are all the pits of any acting (well, infomercials give them a close run…). Hey, does anyone even remember any of the fantasies on FI? I cannot recall even one–what does that say about the fantasies? (or me?). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/104 "2006-06-15T18:00:45Z")
Well, the first thing I thought of was Saturday Night Live. They’re at, what , 30 seasons now? And I think more than half of it has sucked. Hell, I think that more than half of any given episode sucked. Sure there was some really strong stuff early on, and some great moments in probably every season since then, but the bad, IMHO, heavily outweighs the good. I’ll throw my support behind _Raymond_ as well. But really **panache45** nailed it. Some local news broadcasts have been running for decades, and they invariably are low-budget, lame, boring, dreck factories. thwartme ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/105 "2006-06-15T19:35:43Z")
[QUOTE=kurahee] \*\*NOTHING \*\* beats **Full House**. Not even “Mama’s Family” I have so much hatred for the PTB that kept creating the dreck that was \*\* Fulll House\*\*. The cast sucked, the writing was bad, the characters wooden. Who watched this shit? Who was the target audience? I’ve never met anyone that would admit to liking **Full House** , yet it was on for what, 8 years? [/QUOTE] You’ve never met me, but I can watch it. It’s drivel, but it’s cute and I get a chuckle or two. It’s something I watched when I was young, and it’s something I can watch with my daughter. Saw an early episode recently where long-haired Jesse was passionately making out with the girl that plays Alotta Vagina in Austin Powers. He was doing so in front of the kids, and none of the adults seemed to care. Weird. The early episodes were hardcore man! ---
**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:** [June 16, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/106 "2006-06-16T01:50:44Z")
I would like to nominate Married With Children. I tried to watch it a few times. That was a few times too much. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/107 "2006-06-16T04:17:21Z")
[QUOTE=Dooku] 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. [/QUOTE] I completely agree! ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/108 "2006-06-16T15:50:24Z")
[QUOTE=racer72] I would like to nominate Married With Children. I tried to watch it a few times. That was a few times too much. [/QUOTE] I would call MWC one of your more realistic sitcoms. The slutty daughter, the sexually frustrated son, one person in the marriage wanting more sex than the other, the father hating his job. Yeah they were crude & rude but that was the point. It’s not Shakespeare, but it’s good entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/109 "2006-06-16T16:01:45Z")
I have a soft spot for _Married With Children_ because it was my son’s favourite TV show for years. When a friend took him to LA (as company for his own son) they happened to meet David Faustino who apparently was a really nice guy. He arranged for photos of himself with the boys and took them on a tour of the studio he was filming at. It was a horrible show though. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/110 "2006-06-16T17:00:38Z")
Does _Quincy_ count? It was a great medical-detective show for roughly the first half of its run. The latter half, every episode had to make a preachy point about some social issue. I generally found myself in agreement for the point, but it made for crappy storytelling; selling your birthright for a plot of message always does. ---
**Author:** ![Boggette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@Boggette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boggette)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/111 "2006-06-16T17:23:20Z")
[QUOTE=The New and Improved Superman …“Mork & Mindy”…[/QUOTE] Now, dems fightin’ words. Nobody disses Mork! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/112 "2006-06-17T00:00:06Z")
[QUOTE=racer72] I would like to nominate Married With Children. I tried to watch it a few times. That was a few times too much. [/QUOTE] I happen to think that Married With Children is quite brilliant, and it was always amusing to me to see how well it played out internationally. When I lived in Hungary, a Hungarian dubbed version of the show was quite popular and a lot of British friends of mine claimed it as their favorite American sitcom. I can’t say I’ve ever been really into it, but it’s hardly dreck. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/113 "2006-06-17T00:16:38Z")
I’m going to get all international and suggest Are You Being Served? Every Springer-type show pandering to our worst instincts. Any and all “reality” shows. ---
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/114 "2006-06-17T15:30:54Z")
I’m going with the OP and voting for 7th Heaven. Terrible terrible terrible, from the very beginning, with all their cutesy “everybody has the same problem this week” plots. This beats out all half-hour shows (including Full House) since 7th-H is one hour. Twice the pain. Damn all you various women who controlled the TV during that timeslot. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/115 "2006-06-17T16:03:59Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] I happen to think that Married With Children is quite brilliant, and it was always amusing to me to see how well it played out internationally. When I lived in Hungary, a Hungarian dubbed version of the show was quite popular and a lot of British friends of mine claimed it as their favorite American sitcom. I can’t say I’ve ever been really into it, but it’s hardly dreck. [/QUOTE] Especially the early and middle episodes. The later ones got (even) more cartoonish, but the early ones are a sort of frank satire about modern family life or lack thereof. With a nice bit of boobage thrown in. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/116 "2006-06-17T16:13:41Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] (bolding mine) Foolish mortal! :mad: Obviously Valerie, poorly written though it may have been, belongs not in this list, as it co-starred the great and glorious Jason Bateman! Oz has spoken! 🆒 [/QUOTE] I like Jason Bateman too, but that’s like saying _Baywatch_ wasn’t garbage because it co-starred Pamela Anderson’s tits. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/117 "2006-06-17T16:45:32Z")
Sit coms=man stupid woman smart and stable-man somehow makes the money.-then we insult peoiple for half an hour-ha ha ha fair game fat people,stupid ,unpopular geeks the ugly. Trot out a few beautiful teenieboppers sucess is assured. Cosby , Raymond ,Friends etc they are interchangable crap. ---
**Author:** ![bzydeco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@bzydeco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bzydeco)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/118 "2006-06-18T23:18:15Z")
My first and probably only post, HEE HAW Thank you and goodnight ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/119 "2006-06-19T00:37:49Z")
Have you all forgotten those eight words that were an absolute guarantee of crap? “Tonight, on a very special episode of _Blossom_. . .” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614/120 "2006-06-19T13:23:02Z")
I’ve watched a couple of reruns of The Parkers. The show is not only unfunny, the only stereotype missing is someone in blackface! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-long-running-tv-show/360614.md?page=7)