*Remember the factors I mention on the pod: pop culture relevance, critical appeal, collective memory, ratings and commercial success, flow, my own personal experience, longevity, and of course just what I felt like when compiling the list.
*Below, we list the rankings as we revealed them on the podcast. If you want to follow along and not have the list spoiled, please listen first, then come back here!
(Shows listed from 8:00 to 11:00, from start to finish)
10) CBS Monday Night 1979:
White Shadow, MASH, WKRP, Lou Grant.
Honorable mention: CBS Sunday Night (1979, 1980, 1981):
60 Minutes, Archie Bunker's Place, One Day at a Time, Alice, The Jeffersons, Trapper John M.D.
60 Minutes, Archie Bunker's Place, One Day at a Time, Alice, The Jeffersons, Trapper John M.D.
9) NBC Saturday Night (1987, 1988 1989):
227, Amen, Golden Girls, Empty Nest, Hunter
8) ABC Tuesday Night (1978):
Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, Taxi, Starsky & Hutch
Honorable mention: ABC Tuesday Night (1977):
Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, Soap, Family
Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, Taxi, Starsky & Hutch
Honorable mention: ABC Tuesday Night (1977):
Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Three's Company, Soap, Family
7) CBS Thursday Night (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979):
The Waltons, Hawaii Five-0, Barnaby Jones
The Waltons, Hawaii Five-0, Barnaby Jones
6) ABC Saturday Night (1982, 1983):
T.J. Hooker, Love Boat, Fantasy Island
5) CBS Thursday Night (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985):
Magnum P.I., Simon and Simon, Knots Landing
Magnum P.I., Simon and Simon, Knots Landing
4) ABC Friday Night (1971, 1972):
The Brady Bunch; The Partridge Family; Room 222; The Odd Couple; Love, American Style
The Brady Bunch; The Partridge Family; Room 222; The Odd Couple; Love, American Style
3) CBS Friday Night (1979, 1980, 1981):
The Incredible Hulk, The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas
The Incredible Hulk, The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas
Honorable mention: CBS Friday Night (1982, 1983, 1984):
The Dukes of Hazzard, Dallas, Falcon Crest
2) NBC Thursday Night (1984, 1985, 1986):
The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, Hill Street Blues
The Cosby Show, Family Ties, Cheers, Night Court, Hill Street Blues
Honorable mention: NBC Thursday Night (1988, 1989):
The Cosby Show, A Different World, Cheers, Dear John, L.A. Law
1) CBS Saturday Night (1973):
All in the Family, MASH, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, The Carol Burnett Show
Honorable mention: CBS Saturday Night (1972):
All in the Family, Bridget Loves Bernie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Mission Impossible
All in the Family, Bridget Loves Bernie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Mission Impossible
Bonus selections (Some lineups of interest that didn't make the list):
The worst lineup? NBC Friday Night (1983):
Mr. Smith, Jennifer Slept Here, Manimal, For Love and Honor
Click here for our episode talking about NBC's disastrous 1983-84 season!
More honorable mentions:
ABC Monday Night (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983):
That's Incredible, Monday Night Football
That's Incredible, Monday Night Football
CBS Sunday Night (1986-1994):
60 Minutes; Murder, She Wrote; CBS Sunday Night Movie
60 Minutes; Murder, She Wrote; CBS Sunday Night Movie
In case people wonder about the ABC TGIF phenomenon:
ABC Friday Night (1989):
Full House, Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Just the Ten of Us, 20/20
ABC Friday Night (1988):
Perfect Strangers, Full House, Mr. Belvedere, Just the Ten of Us, 20/20
CBS Monday Night (1987):
Frank's Place, Kate and Allie, Newhart, Designing Women, Cagney and Lacey
Frank's Place, Kate and Allie, Newhart, Designing Women, Cagney and Lacey
NBC Wednesday Night (1980):
Real People, Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Quincy
ABC Tuesday Night (1987):
Who's the Boss, Growing Pains, Moonlighting, Thirtysomething
ABC Tuesday Night (1988):
Who's the Boss, Roseanne, Moonlighting, Thirtysomething
Who's the Boss, Roseanne, Moonlighting, Thirtysomething
NBC Friday Night (1974):
Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, Rockford Files, Police Woman
ABC Wednesday Night 1976:
Bionic Woman, Baretta, Charlie's Angels
CBS Monday Night 1974:
Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, Rockford Files, Police Woman
ABC Wednesday Night 1976:
Bionic Woman, Baretta, Charlie's Angels
CBS Monday Night 1974:
Gunsmoke, Maude, Rhoda, Medical Center
CBS Wednesday Night (1973):
Sonny and Cher, Cannon, Kojak
NBC Thursday Night (1972):
NBC Thursday Night (1972):
Flip Wilson Show, Ironside (sometimes Bob Hope), The Dean Martin Show
Please enjoy our video playlist for this episode with promos touting most of the top 10 lineups! We even kick it off with a tribute to...flow? Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!
