Some TV shows have got what it takes to last longer to endure beyond anyone’s expectations. Some opted to retire gracefully, like Seinfeld, while others chose to continue far past their prime. When designating something as “longest-running,” there are numerous factors to consider. We have brought to you a list of Longest Running TV Shows of all time here.
Television longevity cannot be precisely predicted. However, a show that endures for decades can reach millions of viewers not just once but also across generations, which is a sign of a compelling plot and cast of characters.
Which TV series are included in the question of how long the longest depends on those shows. Numerous news and sports shows, including Monday Night Football and Meet the Press, have been broadcast under the same name for decades. They are not the same as scripted programs, ranked by the number of episodes from their debut to their final (or, in the case of still-airing shows, the current day). However, they could also run indefinitely. Numerous television shows this year have added years to their ever-expanding run on the air; some have been running for almost seven decades.
In this article, we’ve listed some longest-running TV shows that are everyone’s favorites. Let’s have a look at them:
1. The Simpsons
The Simpsons is one of the longest-running hit TV shows ever. The show went into syndication, two years after it debuted as a brief sketch on the Tracey Ullman Show in 1987. Even now, after an astounding 34 seasons, it is still in production. Some television shows have ever provided the kind of witty and clever cultural criticism that The Simpsons does. Its writers are frequently credited with foreseeing current events because of how accurate their commentary on them has been.
2. Frasier
Frasier is popular for both its snobby characters and recurring gags. The fact that a comeback is anticipated on Paramount+ by the end of 2022 only serves to exacerbate this. Sadly, though, Martin Crane, who was portrayed by the late John Mahone, will not be part of it. With 264 episodes and 11 seasons on NBC, the show came alarmingly close to eclipsing the duration of its parent series, Cheers.
3. Saturday Night Live
Another one of the longest-running TV shows is Saturday Night Live. The show has changed and evolved with the times. Bringing in new cast talent every few years to keep the show fresh, interesting, and relevant. It is live from New York and features a different host and musical guest for each new episode. Renowned for their celebrity impressions, political commentary, and unique personas. Saturday Night Live continues to be a timeless classic.
4. Sesame Street
The TV show is for children’s entertainment and has great popularity. The show is known as the “longest street in the world” due to its widespread viewership, Big Bird, and Bert & Ernie. It won more than 150 Emmys. It has established the benchmark for kid’s educational programming with its blend of humor, pop culture references, songs, and lessons.
5. M*A*S*H
The popular show, which ran for eleven seasons on CBS. It was a far more successful spinoff of Robert Altman’s beloved war comedy M*A*S*H. It followed Hawkeye and the rest of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as they attempted to survive the Korean War, much like the movie (minus the football). Remarkably, the television show lasted eight years longer than the actual conflict. Its finale, which remains the most watched of any television series (sitcom or not), was even more amazing.
6. Romper Room
For 41 consecutive seasons, this American children’s syndicated show used silly, upbeat music to teach young viewers how to read and create. Bert and Nancy Claster, a producer-announcer couple, created it. The beloved teacher Miss Nancy left the show in 1981, and new puppets were added. The show ran under the new name “Romper Room and Friends” until 1994. The syndicated program also produced locally in places like New York and Los Angeles.
7. One Life to Live
The show telecasted on ABC for 45 seasons between 1968 and 2012. The show’s cast members were Philip Carey, Erika Slezak, Robert S. Woods, Michael Storm, and Robin Strasser. The team was very passionate and hardworking and the show became a hit.
8. Casualty
The popular medical drama Grey’s Anatomy has been airing since 2005. If it continues much past the upcoming season 20, it will rank among the longest-running TV series. That is unprecedented for American medical dramas, but it is nothing in comparison to what happens in the United Kingdom. With more than 1200 weekly episodes, Casualty is the longest-running prime time medical drama on television in the entire globe.
9. Late Night
Late Night was first aired in 1982, and David Letterman hosted the show. The program features comedic interpretations of major news stories, celebrity interviews, sporadic sketches and other artistic segments. David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers have all hosted Late Night over its more than forty-year history. Each host’s tenure is frequently regarded as a separate series in its own right. Letterman on the show gained notoriety and influence for his unconventional humor, which even earned him a Peabody award.
10. South Park
South Park can adapt and grow over time is the key to its great success. A week before it airs, an episode is now written, recorded, and animated thanks to technological advancements. Originally, the show presented an innocent viewpoint on a non-innocent world. Because of this, the program is now among the most modern examples of pop culture and political satire.
11. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Show
The original Law & Order premiered, but the spin-off has recently outlasted it in terms of the number of episodes after 9 years. The longest-running live-action TV drama in history is currently SVU. Given the success of its spin-off, Law & Order: Organized Crime, it’s arguably more popular than ever. The comeback of Elliot Stabler played a great role in the success of the show.
12. Family Guy
The show Family Guy got great love and appreciation from its fans. Characters from Family Guy Sorted By Most Likelihood to Win Squid Game. Family Guy’s stories were never really its strong point; instead, it was always about the joke and parody rate, which is why it still runs today, even though the show has been extremely formulaic with uninspired plot lines for quite some time!
13. NCIS
NCIS is one of the few programs that outperform its predecessor in terms of ratings and runtime. To combat naval and marine crimes, the NCIS team is a unique team of many fascinating characters. Group acting, character-driven narratives, and comedic elements all contribute to the success of the show.
14. Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke is also popular as “that old cowboy show that isn’t Bonanza.” The show began in 1952 as a radio series and moved to television in 1955. The program, which was first called “Gun Law,” dealt with themes of violence and drug addiction in a very realistic manner for its time before eventually taking on a more humorous tone. Even so, Gunsmoke was a popular television program that ran for a long time and had excellent episodes in every season.
15. Columbo
Peter Falk plays the title crime-solver in the American detective drama Colombo. Before getting a full series order, the show debuted with two pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, respectively. The show got praises for being the first of its kind because it did away with the mystery element of shows of a similar nature, revealing each killer to the audience at the start of each episode and instead emphasizing how the offender eventually apprehends. The show was able to maintain its format by airing in a monthly 90-minute time slot as part of the NBC Mystery Movie anthology alongside other detective shows.
16. Search For Tomorrow
The popular show, Search For Tomorrow debuted in 1951. The life of Mary Stuart’s character, Joanne Gardner dedicates to 35 seasons of drama. When the show ended, it held the record for the longest run on television, though it has since been eclipsed.
In 1986, Search For Tomorrow came to an end following more than nine thousand episodes and five Daytime Emmy awards. It was the last soap opera to air a live episode in the early 1980s, following the inexplicable disappearance of a pre-recorded show. Several actors who have since gained recognition for other roles, such as Kevin Bacon, Jane Krakowski, Kevin Conroy, and others, made appearances on the show.
17. EastEnders
The British soap opera ‘EastEnders’ debuted in the United Kingdom in 1985. It is a BBC One series. This centered on the locals and their families in a made-up borough located in London’s East End. It started airing 30-minute episodes per week, before moving to five days a week in 2001. After the closing credits, millions of fans went to make a cup of tea, causing electricity spikes. The show was an instant hit, with over 30 million watching the 1986 Christmas Day episode.
18. Days Of Our Lives
Days of Our Lives’ success stemmed not only from its traditional soap opera formula, which draws viewers, but also from the humorous, yet ultimately successful, marketing that the show received from Joey portraying a fictional character in the Friends adaptation. In the real world, ‘Days of Our Lives’ has an incredibly long run, as demonstrated by Susan Sea forth Hayes. He appeared on the show for all seven decades.
19. General Hospital (1963 – Present)
General Hospital is one of the best contemporary soap operas. It is the second-longest-running drama TV program. This has been in continuous production since 1963, behind Coronation Street. It has produced more than 15,000 episodes. The show has won 14 Emmy awards. It has the most Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series ever. It is popular for the great romance between Laura and Luke. The episode of their wedding was one of the highest-rated TV episodes ever. The episode with their wedding made the show reach its heights of popularity in the 1980s.
20. The Edge of Night (1956- 1984)
From 1956 to 1984, this daytime serial aired on CBS and ABC for 28 seasons. Irving Vendig, a writer for the radio series “Perry Mason,” which is credited with inspiring “The Edge of Night,” is the creator of the mystery-crime soap opera.
Krishan Jangir