Longest-Running Primetime Shows in History

This elimination competition pairs celebrities with professional dancers who train them to perform pre-determined dance routines. Each pair’s performances are rated by a rotating cast of seasoned and guest celebrity judges.

This political talk show featured a small panel of mostly conservative political columnists and commentators including Pat Buchanan, Mona Charen, and Robert Novak, as well as liberal pundit Al Hunt. Weekly guests included Newt Gingrich, Diane Feinstein, and Bob Dole.

A news reporting segment focusing on the entertainment industry — including film, music, theater, and television — “Showbiz Today” featured simultaneous live broadcasts from hosts in New York City and Los Angeles.

This game show featured celebrity panelists who would ask a contestant yes-or-no questions in order to guess the contestant’s occupation — or identity in the last round, involving a celebrity “mystery guest.”

“NCIS” (an acronym for Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is a military crime procedural that follows the major case response team of special agents who investigate crimes, including murder and terrorism, in the D.C. metro area.

This long-running drama followed the eponymous quick-witted collie and her human companions. The first decade of seasons featured a repetitive plotline in which Lassie’s young owner (Jeff and then Timmy) would find himself in danger only to have the dog inevitably save the day.

Each episode in this documentary series details the life of a notable person in history. Over the years, “Biography” has profiled a variety of characters, from scientists to ,agicians to political revolutionaries.

The success of this elimination-style reality dating show — in which a single man must date and eventually select a potential wife from a pool of eligible women — has led to multiple spin-offs and international editions.

Originally entitled “Moneyline,” “Lou Dobbs Tonight” was a financial news program that offered economic and political commentary. Host Dobbs often welcomed politicians and economists to discuss key issues on the economy.

A rotating cast of political commentators hosted this political segment, interviewing top politicians including House and Senate leaders, defense secretaries, and U.S. ambassadors.

This crime drama series followed a team of NYPD detectives and prosecutors during the investigations of murders and other violent crimes, culminating in the prosecution of the suspects.

A Western drama series that started as a radio show, “Gunsmoke” focuses on U.S. Marshall Matt Dillon as he attempts to keep order in the wild west town of Dodge City, Kansas in the 1870s.

Red Skelton’s comedy variety show featured vaudeville-style song and dance performances, comedic sketches, and guest performers including the Beach Boys and the Supremes.

An elimination reality game show, “The Amazing Race” entices teams of contestants to race around the world meeting a series of challenges until only one team remains. The first team to reach the end of the race wins $1 million.

Based on a Dutch reality show, “Big Brother” puts a group of strangers into isolated shared living quarters, continuously monitored by cameras and microphones. Contestants compete for status and are eliminated weekly as their housemates vote them out.

Hosted by carpenter Norm Abram, this instructional series featured step-by-step construction of a wide variety of wood projects including vanities, garden benches, cupboards, desks, and tables.

This survival elimination competition features contestants who are isolated on an island and must undergo physical and mental challenges and avoid being voted off the island by their fellow contestants.

An animated sitcom for adults, “Family Guy” is based around a suburban family in Rhode Island that includes a conniving toddler with a British accent and adult sense of humor and an intelligent dog who can drive cars and outwit humans.

Although “SpongeBob” is an animated comedy for kids, more adults than children watch the show. It features an underwater cast of anthropomorphic sea creatures including the title character, a sea sponge who works at a fast food restaurant called the Krusty Krab.

The first spinoff of “Law and Order,” “SVU” follows a fictional Special Victims Unit in the NYPD whose focus is investigating sex-related crimes, child and elder abuse, and crimes against people with disabilities.

An offshoot of a radio show called “Major Bowes Amateur Hour,” this was a talent show that allowed audience members to vote on their favorite performers. Singers Frank Sinatra and Gladys Knight, among others, appeared on the show before their careers took off.

“Crossfire” was a political debate show that served to highlight the views of both a liberal and a conservative pundit related to current events in politics, and provide a platform for the two to discuss issues along with guests of opposing views.

This vaudeville-style talent and variety show, originally called “Toast of the Town,” featured performers of all kinds, including comedians, actors, popular singers (including Elvis Presley and The Beatles early in their careers), and even circus performers.

“Nick News with Linda Ellerbee” was a news program designed for children and teens that highlighted current events and socio-political issues while providing a platform for teens from around the U.S. to speak out about the issues.

Originally called “Road Rules: All Stars,” this reality competition show features contestants who compete in various extreme physical competitions while attempting to avoid being kicked off the show in the inevitable elimination rounds.

Set in small-town Colorado, this animated sitcom for adults centers around a group of school boys and their families and friends while tying in dark humor and satirizing current social and political issues.

Based on a British show of the same name that first aired in 1979, Antiques Roadshow is a traveling program that brings together local antique owners and a panel of experts who appraise the items and discuss their potential significance.

This true crime show dramatized the crimes of wanted fugitives, utilizing actors to replay events as well as real interviews with victims and their families. Audience members were asked to phone in tips that could lead to the arrest of the criminals involved.

This reality crime show followed real police officers and deputies as they apprehended criminals and made arrests for various crimes including prostitution, narcotics distribution, and domestic violence.

Often given credit for pioneering the reality TV genre, “The Real World” placed a group of young adult strangers in a shared home and recorded their daily interactions, highlighting their navigation of sex, drugs, politics, religion, and other issues.

While originally a general news program that sensationalized dramatic news stories, “Dateline” now focuses almost entirely on true crime stories, offering in-depth investigations of criminals and mysteries.

“E! News” is concerned primarily with celebrity gossip and stories from the entertainment industry, including coverage of upcoming films and television shows as well as featured recording artists.

“America’s Funniest Home Videos” broadcasts the home recordings of everyday Americans who have captured a hilarious event on video cameras or smartphones. Common submissions include stunt fails, pets and childrens being clumsy, and pranks on people who are unaware they’re being filmed.

An adult animated sitcom featuring a working-class suburban family, “The Simpsons” satirizes American life, family dynamics, and current events. It is commonly cited as one of the best TV shows in history.

This game show was based on a children’s memory card game. Two contestants would attempt to eliminate matching pairs of cards on a board, to reveal a puzzle that each would then need to solve before the other contestant.

The critically acclaimed “POV” is a showcase for independent documentaries, mostly highlighting stories that utilize a first person focus on a particular social issue.

This documentary series airs stories that highlight significant events or people in American history. Topics have included civil rights, Native American history, technology, biographies, and the environment.

A public affairs show with a conservative slant, “Firing Line” consisted mostly of interviews with a featured guest conducted by conservative host William F. Buckley, followed by questions from a liberal cross-examiner.

“48 Hours” is a documentary news show that originally reported on dramatic events that happened to regular people within a 48-hour time span. In recent years, its focus has shifted primarily to true crime stories.

An investment news show, “Wall Street Week” featured panel discussions and interviews with expert guests who would elaborate on various aspects of the financial markets.

This award-winning documentary series tells in-depth stories about world and historical events, scientific discoveries, and current social and political issues.

An investigative documentary series, “Frontline” explores current affairs in the realms of international issues, environmental disasters, terrorism, domestic sociopolitical topics, criminal justice, and more.

This multiple Emmy award-winning wildlife series focuses on various plants, animals, ecosystems, and scientific explorations of animal behavior, history, and evolution.

“This Old House” is an instructional home improvement show. Originally offering DIY tips for homeowners renovating older houses, but now featuring more luxury homes, with work performed by skilled craftspeople and contractors.

Originally an investigative news report focusing on human interest stories, “20/20” — like many other long-running news shows — has shifted its aim to covering primarily true crime investigations as well as celebrity scandals.

Initially called “Crockett’s Victory Garden,” this instructional home gardening show offers tips and guidance on all aspects of gardening including propagation, greenhouse construction, pruning, and pest control, as well as various other outdoor activities.

A sketch comedy show that has given many now-famous actors and comedians their on-screen start, “Saturday Night Live” features a rotating cast and a celebrity guest host who perform sketches that parody current events, politics, and American life.

This science documentary series explores every aspect of science including historical discoveries, new research, global warming, current health issues, architecture, astronomy, and weather.

A Spanish-language entertainment show, “Sabado Gigante” featured a variety of live performances as well as games, human-interest stories, beauty pageants, dance competitions, comedy sketches, and more.

This reporter-centered news series features investigative journalism and focuses on in-depth interviews, celebrity profiles, current events, and human-interest stories. It is widely renowned as one of the best television news broadcasts ever.