Week of October 5: Top 100 Television Shows, 100-91

By Sylvia Gurinsky

With this blog post begins a non-consecutive series (meaning when it's possible) of YesterTube's all-time 100 best television shows.

Listings can include series, news programs, sports programs or special events.

This week includes rankings 100 to 91:

100. Entertainment Tonight, syndicated (1981-current): The show was a lot more fun in the pre-O.J. world of tabloidism. But there's no question that the early years of the show improved and expanded coverage of Hollywood. A special gem was Leonard Maltin's movie reviews, which are missed.

99. Candid Camera, CBS and syndicated (various years): "Smile.....You're on Candid Camera" is one of the all-time television  catchphrases. Original host Allen Funt figured out how to do reality television and make it good-natured and fun. Best gag: The talking mailbox.

98. Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, ABC (1999-2002): ABC killed this show with oversaturation, but it captured the country's imagination with the "Phone-a-Friend" and another catchphrase: "Is that your final answer?" The show also made a mega-star out of morning host Regis Philbin.

97. Siskel & Ebert (At the Movies), Syndicated (1986-1999): Other television critics had already appeared on television. But rival Chicago movie critics Gene Siskel (Tribune) and Roger Ebert (Sun-Times) had fun with their friendly battles (and sometimes agreement) over movies. Ebert would continue with Richard Roeper after Siskel's death in 1999, but it was never the same.

96. Kojak, CBS (1973-78): It's the show's early years, under the pen of "Judgment at Nuremberg" scribe Abby Mann and before Telly Savalas' star outshined everything else, that earn "Kojak" this placement. This police series did a fantastic job at capturing the grittiness of 1970s New York.


95. Columbo (NBC and ABC, 1971-2003): From the "NBC Mystery Movie" to occasional films for ABC, never did anyone fit better into an ill-fitting raincoat than Peter Falk did as the extremely polite and deceptive Lt. Columbo. He had his suspect - and viewers - from the very beginning.

94. Night Court (NBC, 1984-92): Probably the most offbeat show on NBC during its glory period of the 1980s, "Night Court" never made for water-cooler conversation with its cast of characters, but was successful nonetheless. Harry Anderson, as Judge Harry Stone, anchored a terrific cast that included Emmy winner John Larroquette as skirt-chasing Assistant District Attorney Dan Fielding.

93. The Golden Girls (NBC, 1984-92): A terrific look at the lives of four women of a certain age with four of the best: Beatrice Arthur, Betty White, Estelle Getty and Rue McClanahan. All four won Emmys, deservedly so.

92. DeGrassi Junior High (PBS, 1987-91): One of PBS' imports from Canada, this show took a better, more honest look at the teen years than just about any U.S. series.

91. The Muppet Show (Syndicated, 1976-81): Rejected by all three major U.S. networks, Jim Henson turned to British ITN with his hilarious series. The result was the most successful syndicated show in broadcast history. Sesame Street's Kermit the Frog and the Jimmy Dean Show's Rowlf the Dog were joined by a collection of great new Muppets that entered the hearts of children and adults alike. It was the show just about every major star of note during the era wanted to be on.

See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!