1. Leave it to Beaver
   I Love Lucy
2. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
   The Honeymooners

Lucy (Lucille Ball) and Ricky (Desi Arnaz), the show's main characters, were married both on and off-screen. The real-life couple divorced in 1960. "I Love Lucy" ran for 180 episodes, spanning six seasons. During its time on television, it was one of the most popular shows.

1. Full House
   The Honeymooners
2. Seinfeld
   Friends

With a plot line that mostly revolves around six best friends dating each other on and off, it's a miracle "Friends" lasted for 10 seasons and 238 episodes. The main relationship that drives the series is between the characters Ross and Rachel - entire episodes and seasonal themes are spent solely on explaining the baggage between the two -- and why things haven't worked out for them.

1. Seinfeld
   Frasier
2. Roseanne
   Cheers

Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza pitched the idea for "Seinfeld" to NBC network executives as a show about "nothing." A show about boring, everyday life, made possible by the creative use of tag lines, one-liners, punchlines, and utter nonsense.

1. Family Ties
   Arrested Development
2. Frasier
   Two and a Half Men

"Frasier" ran for 11 seasons and is a spin-off the the 11-season-long series "Cheers." Along with Frasier's character, a few other characters' storylines made it into the spin-off: Lilith Sternin - Fraiser's ex-wife - and Frederick, their son.

1. Reba
   Roseanne
2. Home Improvement
   All in the Family

The creator of Archie's character, Norman Lear, intended for audiences to laugh at Archie for his exaggerated ignorance and racism, but instead, they laughed with Archie. What was supposed to be a critique of American culture turned into a symbol for the nation's then "silent majority," struggling (racist) white Americans - Nixon's base supporters.

1. Workaholics
   30 Rock
2. The Office
   Parks and Recreation

Actress, writer, and producer Mindy Kaling's major break camer in 2005 when she started playing Kelly Kapoor's character on "The Office." Her character doesn't consistently star in the show until the third season and is a reoccurring character in the first two. Kelly's character left the show in the eigth season.

1. M*A*S*H
   Hogan's Heroes
2. Band of Brothers
   The Phil Silvers Show

M*A*S*H broke the sitcom mold with its debut in 1972. Previously, the expectation had been for sitcoms to be shot with three cameras, to stick to either funny or serious when it came to tone in a single episode, to return to the same settings again and again (e.g. kitchen and living room), and to take place in the present. M*A*S*H destroyed all these norms and then some.

1. 7th Heaven
   Family Matters
2. Full House
   Family Ties

"Family Ties" ran from 1982 to 1989, with 172 episodes spanning seven seasons. Three of the four children are conservative leaning, with just one who is more interested in simply being a kid.

1. According to Jim
   Two and a Half Men
2. Everybody Loves Raymond
   The King of Queens

Peter Boyle, the actor who plays Frank Barone's character, was super angry and irritated for his audition, which was perfect for Frank's hothead character. Boyle ran into a bunch of problems on his way to the studio, including not being able to get into the studio parking lot, not being able to find a parking space, and going into the wrong building. By the time he made it to the audition, he was totally flustered and "enraged" (his own words).

1. Cuba
   Green Acres
2. Gilligan's Island
   Rhoda

The first season of "Gilligan's Island" was shot and broadcast in black and white film, but the following two seasons were done in color. The black and white episodes were later colorized for syndication.

1. 30 Rock
   Community
2. Taxi
   Will and Grace

"Taxi" earned 18 Emmy Awards and ran for just five seasons, with 114 episodes. The show is centered on the lives of seven taxi cab drivers and their dispatchers. Just one of the seven considers the job his profession. The rest are all just waiting for the next big thing, and viewers wait with them.

1. Glee
   The Dick Van Dyke Show
2. Mister Ed
   Step by Step

"The Dick Van Dyke Show" was the first series to make a television show about the making of a television show. This sparked a new wave of sitcoms, including shows like "30 Rock." At the times of the show's making, in 1961, TV didn't show couples sleeping in bed together, not even married couples. To get around this, there were separate beds for each person.

1. The Addams Family
   The Munsters
2. Gilligan's Island
   Mysterious Ed

The Addams family is a very odd, but loving family who seems not to notice how unconventional they are compared to the "normal" folks who visit their residence. The show's ratings were a bit higher than their competitors, "The Munsters," and it ran for six seasons and 148 episodes.

1. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
   Full House
2. Happy Days
   Leave it to Beaver

The show's popular theme song was written and performed by the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" ran on NBC for 148 episodes, spanning six seasons.

1. The Golden Girls
   Happy Days
2. Growing Pains
   Maude

Henry Winkler played The Fonz's character, who had more lines and plot involvement starting in season 2 as his character gained popularity with viewers. Because of the show's successful 11 seasons, two spin-offs followed: "Laverne and Shirley" and "Mork and Mindy."

1. Sanford and Son
   The Odd Couple
2. Northern Exposure
   The Bob Newhart Show

"The Bob Newhart Show" ran from 1972 to 1978, airing 142 episodes spanning six seasons. The show was filmed in front of a live audience, and aired on CBS.

1. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
   The Love Boat
2. The Honeymooners
   The Odd Couple

Despite running for just one season, "The Honeymooners" aired a whopping 39 episodes from 1955 to 1966. The show's viewership was high to begin with, but tapered off towards the end of the long season, prompting its cancellation. "The Honeymooners" was the first show to take on the challenge of portraying married couples in a less than ideal light.

1. The Munsters
   The Addams Family
2. Leave it to Beaver
   Freaks and Geeks

"The Munsters" ran at the same time as "The Addams Family" and had slightly less viewership. The family lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane in a made-up California suburb.

1. Family Matters
   Full House
2. Diff'rent Strokes
   Home Improvement

"Family Matters" ran for 215 episodes, spanning nine seasons from 1989 to 1998. The show was purchased from ABC by CBS in 1997. The obnoxious neighbor, Steve Urkel, wasn't an important character in the show until midway through the first season.

1. Leave it to Beaver
   Full House
2. 7th Heaven
   Reba

"Leave it to Beaver" was the first show to write and film from a child's (Beaver's) perspective. It ran for 234 episodes, spanning six seasons and was very popular until its ending.

1. Malcolm in the Middle
   Community
2. The Wonder Years
   Arrested Development

"Arrested Development" ran for three seasons before being taken over by Netflix, which intends to release a 5th season in 2018. A band called Arrested Development sued the show for using its name, and the case was eventually settled out of court.

1. Modern Family
   The Odd Couple
2. Good Times
   One Day at a Time

"The Odd Couple" was adapted from a play of the same name written by Neil Simon. The show ran for 114 episodes, spanning five seasons.

1. The Facts of Life
   Family Matters
2. Diff'rent Strokes
   Sanford and Son

Two of the three child stars died young (30s and 40s), and all three struggled with some combination of legal, financial, and/or drug issues. The only living child star now travels to speak with youth about the dangers of drug abuse.

1. Green Acres
   Northern Exposure
2. Growing Pains
   Step by Step

"Northern Exposure" ran on CBS for 110 episodes, spanning six seasons. At the onset of the series, Dr. Fleishman's culture shock is the main topic. Later on, the townspeople's everyday lives and their culture is explored.

1. Sanford and Son
   Family Matters
2. Diff'rent Strokes
   Good Times

The Sanfords lost their wife and mother, but continue trucking on with money-making schemes and coming up with ways to get by. It was the first popular sitcom about a black family, and it ran for six seasons with 138 episodes.

1. Good Times
   Family Matters
2. Diff'rent Strokes
   Perfect Strangers

"Good Times" aired on CBS for 133 episodes, spanning six seasons. As the seasons went on, the show moved away from its original message, prompting it to lose viewership and ultimately leading to its cancellation.

1. The Real McCoys
   All in the Family
2. Gilligan's Island
   Green Acres

"Green Acres" was canceled by CBS after its sixth season in 1971 as part of the "rural purge," in which networks (especially CBS) canceled most of their shows that appealed to rural audiences in order to place more focus on suburban and urban audiences. It was popular all the way through its sixth season.

1. The Love Boat
   Family Affair
2. The Facts of Life
   Step by Step

"The Facts of Life" ran for 209 episodes, spanning nine seasons, and is a spin-off of "Diff'rent Strokes." The first season wasn't popular, but after some reworking, the show's popularity grew.

1. Growing Pains
   Family Ties
2. Full House
   Step by Step

"Growing Pains" had a spin-off called "Just the Ten of Us" as well as an original movie, "The Growing Pains Movie," which came out in 2000 and featured the original cast.

1. Who's the Boss?
   Hogan Family
2. Perfect Strangers
   Freaks and Geeks

Lindsay's friends are the freaks, and Sam's friends are the geeks. There were a lot of disappointed fans at the show's cancellation, and TV guide listed it as the #1 show that was "Canceled Too Soon."

1. The Patty Duke Show
   The Flying Nun
2. Maude
   The Donna Reed Show

"Maude" is just one of the series that replaced the casualties of the "rural purge," which ended in cancellations of popular shows like "Green Acres." The show was cancelled due to poor ratings and Maude leaving the show.

1. Reba
   Family Affair
2. The Golden Girls
   The Mary Tyler Moore Show

"Reba" ran for 127 episodes, spanning six seasons. It was cancelled as the result of a network merger, but the CW decided to air "Reba" for one more season.

1. Days Go By
   Full House
2. Step by Step
   One Day at a Time

"One Day at a Time" ran for 209 episodes, spanning nine seasons. The show is applauded for depicting the advances of women by the 1970s

1. The Simpsons
   Hey Arnold
2. Dennis the Menace
   Mister Ed

Thus far, "The Simpsons" has aired 618 episodes, spanning 28 seasons. Homer Simpson, the head of the household, works for a nuclear power plant and lives with his family in an undisclosed state in a city called Springfield.

1. Family Matters
   Perfect Strangers
2. Step by Step
   The Odd Couple

"Perfect Strangers" ran for eight seasons with 150 episodes. It was never a very popular show, but it had a consistent fan base which kept it going. "Family Matters" is a spin-off of "Perfect Strangers."

1. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
   Family Affair
2. Mister Ed
   The Wonder Years

"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" ran for 435 episodes over 14 seasons. The Nelson family convinced ABC to sign a 10-year contract for their show, which would be paid out regardless of how many seasons ran.

1. McHale's Navy
   Ensign O'Toole
2. The Phil Silvers Show
   Get Smart

"The Phil Silver's Show" ran for 144 episodes, spanning four seasons and was canceled due to the high cost of producing the show. The sergeant spends most of his time ordering his underlings to do his work for him.

1. Gilligan's Island
   The Honeymooners
2. Charlie's Angels
   The Love Boat

"The Love Boat" ran for 250 episodes, spanning nine seasons. Humor and romance are the driving forces behind the show's plot line. It received good ratings for most seasons, but started declining towards the end, leading to its cancellation.

1. Rhonda
   Step by Step
2. The Jeffersons
   Happy Days

A spin-off of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Rhoda" ran for 110 episodes, spanning five seasons. The show was canceled in its fifth season, and the last four episodes weren't aired until later in the year.

1. Family Matters
   Step by Step
2. Phyllis
   Good Times

"Step by Step" ran for 160 episodes, spanning seven seasons. It was canceled after six seasons by ABC because of low ratings, and CBS purchased the rights. They aired a 7th season, but the rating just kept dropping, so the show was canceled again.

1. My Favorite Martian
   Freaks and Geeks
2. Back to the Future
   Hello World

"My Favorite Martian" ran for 107 episodes, spanning three seasons. When out in public, Tim introduced his other-worldly roommate as his Uncle Martin.

1. Roseanne
   Family Affair
2. Arrested Development
   Community

"Family Affair" ran for 138 episodes, spanning five seasons. The series won several Emmy Awards in comedy.

1. The Larry Sanders Show
   Curb your Enthusiasm
2. The Cosby Show
   The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" ran for 147 episodes, spanning four seasons. It was the first major TV series to feature a teen as the main character.

1. Bachelor Father
   Leave it to Beaver
2. Dennis the Menace
   Cheers

"Dennis the Menace" ran for 146 episodes, spanning four seasons before it was canceled due to decreasing ratings and Jay North, the actor who played Dennis, aging out of the character. The show is based on the comic strip of the same name by Hank Ketcham.

1. Bewitched
   The Flying Nun
2. Love on a Rooftop
   I Dream of Jeannie

"The Flying Nun" is based on the book, "The Fifteenth Pelican," by Tere Rios, and it was created specifically for Sally Field - her previous show was canceled, but producers for ABC wanted her on air.

1. The Donna Reed Show
   The Mary Tyler Moore Show
2. Roseanne
   I love Lucy

"The Donna Reed Show" aired for 275 episodes, spanning eight seasons, and was the first sitcom about a family that centered on the woman's life/perspective and depicted her as having feelings and emotions. The series ended after eight seasons because Reed was no longer interested and neither were viewers.

1. The Simpsons
   The Cosby Show
2. The Danny Thomas Show
   The Dick Van Dyke Show

During its first three seasons, the show was named "Make Room for Daddy," but was renamed after his wife left the show. Without a mother figure on the show, the ratings declined, so he remarried after the fourth season and eventually retired from the series in 1964.

1. Mister Ed
   The Beverly Hillbillies
2. The Real McCoys
   My Three Sons

"Mister Ed" ran for 143 episodes over six seasons. The show never gives an explanation why the horse, Mister Ed, can talk. And Ed only talks to Wilbur, which often ends up making Wilbur look like a fool talking to a horse.

1. Queen of Sheba
   Reba
2. Roseanne
   The Patty Duke Show

"The Patty Duke Show" was canceled by producers when Patty Duke refused to move with the show to Los Angeles. It aired for 104 episodes over three seasons, and there is an additional un-aired pilot.

1. The Wonder Years
   Full House
2. Gilmore Girls
   Opposite Sex

"The Wonder Years" earned an Emmy Award after airing for just six episodes. The show ran for 115 episodes over six seasons and was canceled due to a number of factors, including low ratings, increased production costs, and disagreements between executives and producers.