# Worst TV show ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2016, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933 "2016-07-14T22:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/42 "2016-07-15T14:46:23Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > The other is a misfire by Lucille Ball in 1986, Life With Lucy, where the 75 year old Ms. Ball tries yet again with her old pal Gale Gordon to make another Lucy series. I vaguely remember seeing an episode or two, but it was kind of embarrassing and really, her best days were behind her. I remember that one. Her goal in that show was to find new talent that came from humble origins and not some package put together by a committee of producers. So they came up with… a banjo player in a red white & blue striped outfit and straw hat. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/43 "2016-07-15T14:52:51Z")
Little House on The Prairie, if that hasn’t been posted yet. And the other one with Michael Landon and his angel sidekick. Bleh! ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/44 "2016-07-15T14:58:26Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Too many to choose really, but what truly stand’s out in my memory for the most despicable of all was **The Swan**. The show’s theme was “Women are worthless unless they look like Barbie.” I remember that show and the premise was horrible. Pretty sure there was one where the mom had the “makeover” and she had a teenaged daughter who looked just like her - can you imagine how the daughter felt. ☹ Worst “comedy” show for me would be “Oops” - where these people survive a nuclear bomb and find each other at a farm. “Under The Dome” started off interesting then got stupid fast. I didn’t even make it through the first season. “Wayward Pines” Season 2 is starting to circle the drain, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/45 "2016-07-15T15:29:51Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > Under the Dome was horrible. I couldn’t turn away from the first season, though, I think because of the cast. I kept thinking that the potential for an uptick was there. The storylines were like Rorschach prints that never coalesced though. If _Under the Dome_ had followed the book and been content with a one time summer mini-series, it would have been fine. Instead they milked and strayed and I gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/46 "2016-07-15T16:51:47Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > M_A_S\*H Worst of all time? No way. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/47 "2016-07-15T18:16:17Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > M_A_S\*H I think you misread the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/48 "2016-07-15T18:29:19Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > That **Munsters** re-boot a couple years back. Appalling. The one with Jerry Eyebrows? ---
**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:** [July 15, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/49 "2016-07-15T18:44:36Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I think you misread the thread title. Any episode dominated by Alan Alda would certainly qualify. This far into the thread, and no one has mentioned the original \*\*\*Battlestar Galactica \*\*\*or _ **Buck Rogers** _? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/50 "2016-07-15T19:09:36Z")
If we’re going to mention Davey and Goliath, then I counter with Bible Man. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/51 "2016-07-15T20:31:59Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Jessica Simpson and her then-husband had a variety show that lasted 1 episode that I know of. I saw it on the TV listings and started to watch it just to see if it was for real. > > It was; I lasted maybe 10 minutes. And if we didn’t learn from that mistake, they tried the same thing with the Osbornes. Same result. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/52 "2016-07-15T20:40:12Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Any episode dominated by Alan Alda would certainly qualify. > > This far into the thread, and no one has mentioned the original \*\*\*Battlestar Galactica \*\*\*or _ **Buck Rogers** _? :eek: Because we’re talking about the _worst_ television has/had to offer, not shows we were disappointed in. The show you are bringing up aren’t even in the same category as most of the programs brought up so far. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/53 "2016-07-15T20:46:12Z")
_Manimal_ _The Chevy Chase Show_ _The PTL Club_ _Pink Lady And Jeff_ _Me And The Chimp_ ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/54 "2016-07-15T21:09:33Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > And if we didn’t learn from that mistake, they tried the same thing with the Osbornes. Same result. _The Osbournes_ ran three seasons, and was the highest-rated MTV program at the time. ---
**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:** [July 15, 2016, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/55 "2016-07-15T21:38:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The show you are bringing up aren’t even in the same category as most of the programs brought up so far. Your opinions obviously differ somewhat from mine. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/56 "2016-07-15T21:45:07Z")
I nominate _Mary_. A short lived (3 episodes) 1978 [variety show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_(1978_TV_series)) hosted by Mary Tyler Moore following the success of her sitcom. Fairly interesting supporting cast. It was awwwfuuuullll. Watched some of the first episode. 15 minutes in they had a bit called “The First Fifteen Minutes of _Mary_.” where they did a nostalgic look back at the show so far. Those 15 minutes were horrible. Showing clips just doubled the pain. The people running it were clueless. E.g., they thought they could get (then unknown) David Letterman and Michael Keaton to do song and dance bits. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/57 "2016-07-15T22:46:38Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > The one with Jerry Eyebrows? The one and only. I only hung around (briefly) for Portia de Rossi’s form-fitting evening-ware. Still didn’t help. ---
**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:** [July 15, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/58 "2016-07-15T23:59:53Z")
I really don’t think that any show that ran for multiple seasons could even be\* in the running\* for worst ever. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2016, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/59 "2016-07-16T00:18:04Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I really don’t think that any show that ran for multiple seasons could even be\* in the running\* for worst ever. I dunno. _Small Wonder_ somehow ran for 4 seasons and almost 100 episodes. Even as a kid, I had no idea why. Maybe not worst ever, but it’s down there, but I’m limitiing it to shows I’ve seen in my lifetime (started watching TV in the 80s). Looking online for a little confirmation, at least [this person seems to agree with me](http://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/worst-tv-shows-of-the-1980s.html/?a=viewall) as far as the 80s are concerned (and it looks like there’s a link to someone else who agrees.) I’ve never heard of any of the other shows on that list, though, except for “She’s The Sheriff,” which I do also recall as being dreadful. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/60 "2016-07-16T00:19:24Z")
I liked Get a Life with Chris Elliot, but most people did not. It ran a season and a half, I think. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933/61 "2016-07-16T00:38:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > _Manimal_ > _The Chevy Chase Show_ > _The PTL Club_ > _Pink Lady And Jeff_ > _Me And The Chimp_ Among shows that I actually watched when they were on, I have to say _Manimal_, _Pink Lady and Jeff_, and a show called _The Lottery_. I was young-- like, junior high school-- when they were on, and knew they were bad, and didn’t understand why they were so somehow attractive. Among shows that were to me, inexplicably popular, but I personally thought just gawdawful, I’d have to say, _Diff’rent Strokes_. Also, Melissa Gilbert can’t fall into a hole deep enough, as far as I’m concerned. ETA: _Full House_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-tv-show-ever/759933.md?page=4)