Cuban Bandleader Ricky Ricardo would be happy if his wife Lucy would just be a housewife. Instead she tries constantly to perform at the Tropicana where he works, and make life comically frantic in the apartment building they share with landlords Fred and Ethel Mertz, who also happen to be their best friends.
| Season | From | To | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Seasons | |||
| Specials | September 1948 | December 2019 | 648 |
| Season 1 | October 1951 | June 1952 | 35 |
| Season 2 | September 1952 | June 1953 | 31 |
| Season 3 | October 1953 | May 1954 | 31 |
| Season 4 | October 1954 | May 1955 | 30 |
| Season 5 | October 1955 | May 1956 | 26 |
| Season 6 | October 1956 | May 1957 | 27 |
| Season 7 | November 1957 | April 1958 | 5 |
| Season 8 | October 1958 | June 1959 | 5 |
| Season 9 | September 1959 | April 1960 | 3 |
| Unassigned Episodes | 0 |
| Season | From | To | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Seasons | |||
| Specials | February 1956 | April 1990 | 6 |
| Season 1 | October 1951 | June 1952 | 35 |
| Season 2 | September 1952 | June 1953 | 31 |
| Season 4 | October 1954 | May 1955 | 30 |
| Season 9 | September 1959 | April 1960 | 3 |
| Unassigned Episodes | 736 |
| Season | From | To | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 0 | ||
| Unassigned Episodes | 841 |
| Name | Number of Episodes | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Carroll Jr. | 55 | 10/15/1951 - 04/30/1990 | |
| Madelyn Davis | 49 | 10/22/1951 - 04/30/1990 | |
| Jess Oppenheimer | 40 | 10/15/1951 - 04/23/1956 | |
| Bob Schiller | 19 | 02/27/1956 - 05/06/1957 | |
| Bob Weiskopf | 19 | 02/27/1956 - 05/06/1957 | |
| Madelyn Pugh | 7 | 10/15/1951 - 02/27/1956 | |
| Marty Farrell | 1 | 11/01/2001 | |
| Fred A. Rappoport | 1 | 11/01/2001 |
| Name | Number of Episodes | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Daniels | 36 | 10/15/1951 - 09/29/1952 | |
| William Asher | 17 | 09/29/1952 - 05/06/1957 | |
| James V. Kern | 9 | 02/27/1956 - 01/14/1957 | |
| Ralph Levy | 1 | 04/30/1990 | |
| Gary Smith | 1 | 11/01/2001 |
| Name | Number of Episodes | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desi Arnaz Jr. | 4 | 02/14/1993 | |
| Lucie Arnaz | 2 | 02/14/1993 | |
| Joan Rivers | 1 | 10/01/1991 |
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A ranking of the most game-changing, side-splitting, tear-jerking, mind-blowing, world-building, genre-busting programs in television history, from the medium’s inception in the early 20th century through the ever-metastasizing era of Peak TV BY ALAN SEPINWALL
TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick the Greatest American Shows of All Time is a collection of essays written by television critics Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz. It was published in 2016. The main purpose of the book was to provide a canonical list of the top 100 greatest television programs in American history.
Mike Wallace and a vampire slayer? Letterman and Oprah? Andy Griffith and the Sopranos? On one list? What were we thinking? Simply put, the best of the best, from Day 1 to last night: quality, innovation and the ability to stay in our lives year after year after year. A touch of sentiment? Sure, but nostalgia alone couldn’t make the cut (sorry, Beav). And TV-movies, miniseries and specials will have to wait. These are the series we watched regularly — and will watch again. And again.
What's the best TV show of all time? Who knows? This poll is strictly about favorite shows, the programs people in Hollywood hold nearest to their hearts — that remind them of better times or speak to their inner child or inspire their creativity or just help them unwind after a crappy day at the studio — even if one or two of the programs listed here aren't exactly masterpieces of the medium.
From a pioneering variety show from the black-and-white days to two faves on now -- see our No. 1. To see EW's picks of the top 100 all-time greatest TV shows
What makes a great television show? There may be as many types of excellence as there are excellent shows. Series can wow us with how broadly they changed society, from “Seinfeld” redefining American slang to “Mad Men” bearing all the hallmarks of an early-21st-century TV Golden Age to “The Oprah Winfrey Show” making daytime viewers feel part of a special club of millions. Or they can feel like closely held secrets, always ready to welcome curious viewers for the first time, like “The Leftovers” or “Enlightened.” They can bring together insights about a rapidly shifting society with humor that stands the test of time, like the shows created by Norman Lear, who died this month at age 101. And they can dazzle us with spectacle or entrance us with intimate character moments — or, if they’re “The Sopranos,” they can do both.
So many golden ages, so much brilliance from which to choose. In culling from the "60 Greatest" lists we've compiled during our 60th-anniversary year, we shook things up, blending drama, comedy and other genres to salute the shows with the biggest cultural impact and most enduring influence. What will the next 60 years bring? We can't wait to find out.
The “TV 101” list honors classic, trailblazing series and miniseries, as well as current and critically acclaimed programs, from comedies and dramas to variety/talk and children’s programming. At their core, all of these wonderful series began with the words of the writers who created them and were sustained by the writers who joined their staffs or worked on individual episodes. “This list is not only a tribute to great TV, it is a dedication to all writers who devote their hearts and minds to advancing their craft.
IGN and some of our friends have decided the best in the world of TV.
A comprehensive list of all TV series seen and experienced throughout my life from early childhood to the present day. Usually full completion including all seasons, but at least a mandatory minimum of one full season. Will include live action and Western animation/cartoons, but exclude anime, which is on a separate list.
We are what we watch-and over the last half century, we've watched some pretty fabulous TV. From Mary to Jerry, from Tonight to Today, from the sublime (Prime Suspect) to the ridiculous (Gilligan's Island), EW recalls everything you need to know about 100 shows that tell us who we are.
The best shows are the ones that take advantage of the length that movies don't have and use the imagery that novels can't conjure. They can captivate big audiences and change their lives forever.
From time-capsule sitcoms to cutting-edge Peak-TV dramas — the definitive ranking of the game-changing small-screen classics
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