Week of March 16: Most Influential Television Shows

By Sylvia Gurinsky

Last week, CNN came up with its own picks for the most influential programs in television history:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/08/showbiz/tv/influential-tv-shows/index.html

Naturally, YesterTube presents picks as well, broken down by decade:

1930s (Yes, 1930s): The 1939 Columbia-Princton football game was the first televised sporting events - a flickering hint to the importance of sports for the prestige and bottom line of television in the future.

1940s:

-"Meet the Press": On the air since 1947, with political newsmakers of all stripes.
-"Truth or Consequences": The first truly successful televised game show, and one that would survive the quiz-show scandals a decade later.

1950s:

-"The Today Show" - This one agrees with the CNN list.
-"Guiding Light": Went from radio to television, ensuring that soap operas would continue to thrive until O.J. Simpson and the Internet began to kill them.
-"See It Now" - Emphasizing the importance of investigative reporting in television; Edward R. Murrow and company shined for showing Joseph McCarthy as the demagogue he was.
-"The Tonight Show" - Also on the CNN list

1960s:

-"CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite" - Walter Cronkite would become the most trusted anchorman with his coverage of such stories as the moon landings and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It would take him a while to pass the NBC duo of Chet Huntley and David Brinkley in the ratings, but once he did, his popularity as a television newsman was - and remains - unsurpassed. His 1968 commentary calling the Vietnam War a "stalemate" changed that year's presidential race and the debate about the conflict.

-"Laugh-In" - Would change the tone of humor programs and let later comedy-variety shows such as "Saturday Night Live" take more chances.

-"Peyton Place" - Heralded the successful future of prime-time soap operas, including "Dallas," "Dynasty" and "Desperate Housewives."

"I Spy" - Innovative for two reasons: Bill Cosby as the first African-American in a successful starring role and location shooting, which encouraged television production to be moved out of Hollywood - and sometimes away from the American mainland.

"60 Minutes" - On CNN list, but has managed to be profitable AND high-quality.


1970s:

-"All In the Family" - On CNN list

-"An American Family" - Inexplicably not on the CNN list, this 1973 PBS documentary was the trigger for so-called "reality" programs that have chronicled - and often helped to destroy - lives.

-"Roots" - Besides triggering the popularity of the miniseries, "Roots" opened television viewers' eyes to the possibilities of diverse storytelling. Sadly, the commercial networks have since abdicated that promise.

1980s:

-"Hill Street Blues" - On CNN list

-"Cagney and Lacey" - "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" opened the door, but this police show walked right in with its honest portrayal of women's lives.

Looks at all of the programs are available in various forms, including DVD and online.

See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!