Special Report

Where You Can Stream the Best Classic Shows Right Now

Once upon a time people could only see their favorite shows on TV — and if they missed them, too bad! They’d have to wait for reruns (or wait for the invention of the VCR). Now, thanks to streaming, the problem is that there’s too much available content to choose from, including shows from overseas and shows from many decades ago.

To help people choose wisely, 24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of the best classic TV shows available to stream right now. The newest shows on the list date back to 1990, the year that saw the debut of classics such as “Law & Order” and “Twin Peaks” in the United States and “Mr. Bean” in the United Kingdom.

By coincidence the No. 1 and No. 2 shows, “The Simpsons” and “Seinfeld,” both debuted in 1989. The oldest show, “I Love Lucy,” goes all the way back to 1951. (Whether through streaming services or on broadcast TV, these are the highest-rated shows you can watch today.)

There’s something here for every taste. There are classic comedies such as “The Andy Griffith Show” and “I Love Lucy” and science fiction such as “The Twilight Zone” and two iterations of “Star Trek.” There’s educational fare too, including “Sesame Street” for kids. The stream is overflowing. (These are the most anticipated shows coming out in July.)

Click here to learn where you can watch the best classic TV shows right now

Methodology

To determine where you can stream the best classic TV shows right now, 24/7 Tempo developed an index based on several measures from IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and the streaming guide Reelgood. The index consists of each movie’s IMDb user rating, the total number of audience votes on IMDb, and the Reelgood rating. Each measure was weighted equally. Only shows that have at least 1,000 IMDb votes, premiered in 1990 or earlier, and are available to stream on major services as of June 2021 were considered. Data was collected June 2021.

Information on debut year, average episode length, and cast came from IMDb. Information on principal streaming services for each series came from Reelgood and Decider, a pop culture website run by the New York Post. Where more than one service streams a series, the ones offering the most seasons or episodes are given. Seasons that have been announced or produced but not yet aired were not included. In the case of shows still running, the number of episodes will change. Note, too, that availability on various platforms changes frequently.

Courtesy of Sagar Video International

Ramayan (1987)
> How much TV: 1 season, 78 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 35 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime
> Starring: Arun Govil, Deepika Chikhalia, Sunil Lahri, Arvind Trivedi

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Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

Bewitched (1964)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 254 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 25 minutes
> Streaming service: Tubi TV (2 seasons), IMDb TV (2 seasons)
> Starring: Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead

Courtesy of Viacom

Roseanne (1988)
> How much TV: 10 seasons, 231 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 21 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video (1 season), Hulu (1 season), Hoopla (4 seasons)
> Starring: Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Michael Fishman

Courtesy of CBS

Magnum, P.I. (1980)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 162 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 48 minutes
> Streaming service: Roku
> Starring: Tom Selleck, John Hillerman, Roger E. Mosley, Larry Manetti

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Courtesy of No Distributor Found

Yes Minister (1980)
> How much TV: 3 seasons, 21 episodes plus 2 specials
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: BritBox
> Starring: Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds, Diana Hoddinott

Courtesy of Granada International

Jeeves and Wooster (1990)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 23 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 55 minutes
> Streaming service: Acorn TV (2 seasons)
> Starring: Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Richard Dixon, Robert Daws

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Courtesy of No Distributor Found

Malgudi Days (1987)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 54 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 24 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video
> Starring: Master Manjunath, Girish Karnad, Vaishali Kasaravalli, Raghuram Sitaram

Courtesy of Public Broadcasting Service

Nova (1974)
> How much TV: 47 seasons, 884 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: PBS
> Starring: Jay O. Sanders, Craig Sechler, Lance Lewman, Will Lyman

Courtesy of Interregional Program Service

The Joy of Painting (1983)
> How much TV: 31 seasons, 403 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu (6 seasons)
> Starring: Bob Ross, Steve Ross, Dana Jester, Peep

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Courtesy of CBS Media Ventures

The Carol Burnett Show (1967)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 279 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: IMDb TV (31 seasons), Tubi TV (30 seasons)
> Starring: Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, the Ernie Flatt Dancers, Harvey Korman

Courtesy of CBS

The Honeymooners (1952)
> How much TV: 1 season, 39 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video
> Starring: Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Joyce Randolph

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Courtesy of Twitch

Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1968)
> How much TV: 31 seasons, 896 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: PBS Kids (Prime Video) (6 seasons)
> Starring: Fred Rogers, Betty Aberlin, David Newell, Joe Negri

Courtesy of Walt Disney Television

DuckTales (1987)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 101 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 23 minutes
> Streaming service: Disney+
> Starring: Alan Young, Russi Taylor, Terence McGovern, Chuck McCann

Courtesy of Group W Productions

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)
> How much TV: 10 seasons, 193 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 23 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video
> Starring: Cam Clarke, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen, Townsend Coleman

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Courtesy of Paramount Television

The Andy Griffith Show (1960)
> How much TV: 8 seasons, 249 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video
> Starring: Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts, Frances Bavier

Courtesy of BBC Video

Blackadder (1983)
> How much TV: 4 seasons, 24 episodes plus 3 specials
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu, Prime Video
> Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Brian Blessed, Elspet Gray, Tim McInnerny

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Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

Law & Order (1990)
> How much TV: 20 seasons, 456 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 45 minutes
> Streaming service: Peacock Premium (8 seasons)
> Starring: Jerry Orbach, Jesse L. Martin, Dennis Farina, S. Epatha Merkerson

Courtesy of Walt Disney Television

The Golden Girls (1985)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 180 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty

Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

MacGyver (1985)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 139 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 48 minutes
> Streaming service: Paramount+
> Starring: Richard Dean Anderson, Dana Elcar, Bruce McGill, Robin Mossley

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Courtesy of CBS

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 268 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 25 minutes
> Streaming service: Peacock
> Starring: Alfred Hitchcock, Harry Tyler, John Williams, Patricia Hitchcock

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Twitch

Sesame Street (1969)
> How much TV: 51 seasons, 4,561 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 55 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max (50 seasons)
> Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

The Wonder Years (1988)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 115 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Fred Savage, Dan Lauria, Daniel Stern, Alley Mills

Courtesy of Fox Network

Married…with Children (1987)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 259 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Ed O’Neill, Christina Applegate, Katey Sagal, Amanda Bearse

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Courtesy of CBS

I Love Lucy (1951)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 181 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu, Paramount+
> Starring: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

Columbo (1971)
> How much TV: 10 seasons, 69 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 100 minutes
> Streaming service: Peacock, IMDb TV
> Starring: Peter Falk, Mike Lally, John Finnegan, Bruce Kirby

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Courtesy of A+E Networks

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (1990)
> How much TV: 24 seasons, 70 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 100 minutes
> Streaming service: BritBox, Acorn TV
> Starring: David Suchet, Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson, Pauline Moran

Courtesy of Lumivision

The Addams Family (1964)
> How much TV: 2 seasons, 64 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Tubi TV, Pluto TV
> Starring: John Astin, Carolyn Jones, Jackie Coogan, Ted Cassidy

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

Quantum Leap (1989)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 97 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 60 minutes
> Streaming service: NBC.com
> Starring: Scott Bakula, Dean Stockwell, Deborah Pratt, Dennis Wolfberg

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Courtesy of CanWest Global Communications

Cheers (1982)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 275 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Paramount+
> Starring: Ted Danson, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
> How much TV: 6 seasons, 148 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: Will Smith, James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana Ali

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Courtesy of CBS

M*A*S*H (1972)
> How much TV: 11 seasons, 256 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit, Jamie Farr

Courtesy of CBS

The Prisoner (1967)
> How much TV: 1 season, 17 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 50 minutes
> Streaming service: Tubi TV
> Starring: Patrick McGoohan, Angelo Muscat, Peter Swanwick, Peter Brace

Courtesy of Shout! Factory

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988)
> How much TV: 12 seasons, 217 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 92 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix, FuboTV, Philo, AMC Premiere (73 episodes each)
> Starring: Joel Hodgson, Michael J. Nelson, Trace Beaulieu, Kevin Murphy

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Courtesy of Syndicated

The Muppet Show (1976)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 120 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Disney+
> Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Dave Goelz

Courtesy of CBS/Fox

Doctor Who (1963)
> How much TV: 26 seasons, 862 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 45 minutes
> Streaming service: HBO Max
> Starring: William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of Creative Products Corporation

Dragon Ball Z (1989)
> How much TV: 9 seasons, 291 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 24 minutes
> Streaming service: Funimation
> Starring: Jôji Yanami, Kyle Hebert, Masako Nozawa, Sean Schemmel

Courtesy of CIC-Taft Home Video

Star Trek: The Original Series (1966)
> How much TV: 3 seasons, 79 episodes plus 2 specials
> Avg. episode length: 50 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Paramount+
> Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols

Courtesy of DeVillier Donegan Enterprizes

Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 45 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 30 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix
> Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle

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Courtesy of ITV - Independent Television

Mr. Bean (1990)
> How much TV: 1 season, 15 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 25 minutes
> Streaming service: Prime Video, Hulu, BritBox
> Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Robin Driscoll, Matilda Ziegler, Matthew Ashforde

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
> How much TV: 7 seasons, 178 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 44 minutes
> Streaming service: Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Paramount+
> Starring: Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

[in-text-ad]

Courtesy of CBS

The Twilight Zone (1959)
> How much TV: 5 seasons, 156 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 51 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu, Paramount+
> Starring: Rod Serling, Robert McCord, Jay Overholts, Vaughn Taylor

Courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment

Twin Peaks (1990)
> How much TV: 3 seasons, 48 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 50 minutes
> Streaming service: Showtime (via Prime Video), Hulu (2 seasons), Paramount+ (2 seasons)
> Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Mädchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

Seinfeld (1989)
> How much TV: 9 seasons, 180 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Hulu
> Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards, Jason Alexander

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox Television

The Simpsons (1989)
> How much TV: 32 seasons, 706 episodes
> Avg. episode length: 22 minutes
> Streaming service: Disney+ (31 seasons), FX (24 seasons)
> Starring: Dan Castellaneta, Nancy Cartwright, Harry Shearer, Julie Kavner

 

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