Longest-Running U.S. Sitcoms Quiz

Hm, The Simpsons... imo they kind of deserve their place for all their previous episodes, but since 1-3 seasons the quality and originality of the episodes is decreasing intensely :(

how could they not deserve their place? Even if the show was terrible, and it's never been terrible, they still have a commanding lead over everybody else in terms of the number of episodes produced. Quite an accomplishment, especially given that it's an animated show.

We tend to remember the good things and forget the bad, boring things. Then we compare the new episodes with the idealized pictures we have in our head.

I don't know. I'm not a huge fan. Sister's husband is and he still watches and loves the show. I never watched it regularly but every time I see an episode it's at least fairly funny. Never terrible. Same with Futurama. I'm surprised that one's not on here.

140 episodes, just 19 short

Simpsons doesn't have the edge and relevance that it once had, but, it's still never been as bad as, say... 2 1/2 Men, or The Big Bang Theory, or other laugh-track shows that are like them.

My favorite episodes are in the Season 4-6 range. After Homer became the main focus of the show but before a lot of the behind the scenes bickering forced some of the best writers/directors out. But, like kalbahamut said, it's never been terrible. I'm a HUGE Simpsons fan!

I'm a pretty hardcore Simpsons fan, and you are definitely the first person I've ever heard suggest that Seasons 1-3 are the best. It's a largely settled question that Seasons 3-9 are the prime years, and if you're the kind of fan who really gets into it (which, admittedly, I am), the first "great" episode is generally agreed to be "Homer at the Bat" from Season 3 (when Mr. Burns hires the ringers for the company softball team), and the end of the Golden Age was "the Principal and the Pauper" (when we discover, bizarrely, that Principal Skinner is not really Principal Skinner). Nonetheless, I think people are too hard on everything post-Season 9. There were some down years, but it's still reliably funny and clever, and it's still better than most comedy currently on TV.

Agreed. The ones I usually hear are seasons 2-8, though 9 and 1 still have some pretty great moments. Anyone who thinks they were better in season one than 4, 5 or 8 isn't paying attention.

I love the Simpsons, but season 1 was downright bad. "Primitive" is the most accurate term for it. They're still churning out great episodes, but the high point was probably in around season 8.

South Park peaked around the same time. Season 1 was brilliant. Seasons 3-6 were brillianter. But seasons 7-11 or so were simply some of the best stuff that's ever been on TV. They still do good work sometimes and I know there are people who think it's better than ever but last season was probably the weakest in the show's history IMO.

I sort of wish they had ended the show with the poignant and bittersweet two-parter "You're Getting Old" and "Assburgers"... which felt so much like an ending that many fans after watching it thought that the show was over and Matt & Trey had decided to pull the plug without warning us. They could have gone out while they were still near the top of their game back then. In the five years since they've only made 6 or 7 brilliant episodes and it often feels like they're just phoning it in.

I think it's just really hard to think of them with only the dates. The slightest clue would trigger 80% of these with me (like a single character name) but it's tough with a blank slate.

Try this one. http://www.jetpunk.com/user-quizzes/114622/old-sitcoms-by-lead-character

No, it just means that much tv has rotted your mind. But take heart--there will always be more soma.

Awesome quiz! I'm kind of kicking myself for forgetting the Beverly Hillbillies, M*A*S*H, and That 70's Show... I only got 28. And just an idea, but if you make it to be the longest running NORTH American sitcoms, The Red Green Show (300 episodes, 1990-2005) could also be included!

I LOVE Red Green, but I'm not sure it's a "sitcom". More like a themed sketch comedy show.

I typed in 'The Danny Thomas Show' several times, not believing that it wasn't on the list. After I finished the quiz I went and looked it up. If 11 seasons and 351 episodes over 11 years (1953-1964) doesn't make the grade there's something wrong here! I remembered afterward that it was also known as 'Make Room for Daddy' but I don't see that on the list either.

no Taxi?

That surprises me.

I know, for some reason I thought it was on longer than five years. Looking it up, though, it apparently only had 114 episodes.

I tried running through the gamut of show from ABC's "TGIF" line up. I'm shocked how few of them made this list.

The Flintstones is a sitcom???

I got all of the animated ones first. Those are easiest.

It had canned laughter.

Spongebob should be on here, it had 178 episodes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpongeBob_SquarePants

Are children's shows considered "sitcoms"? I don't think so.

The Flintstones?

The Flintstones were a prime-time show, and deliberately designed to appeal to adult audiences. I grew up watching it in the 70s as an after-school show, so I thought for a long time that it was a kids show, but it really is suitable to consider it a sitcom.

The Flintstones was on prime time. Though I like Spongebob. It's got a lot of jokes in it that surely go over the head of the average child.

Number of episodes has no correlation whatsoever to quality of viewing experience. Some of these were just AWFUL.

Never heard of "Girlfriends" and it was on the air in this century (2000-2008). Was it on some obscure channel or something?

I had heard of it but had to look it up. Played on UPN and CW, aimed at African-American audiences.

You ought to change the thumbnail to one of dan castellaneta

He's not exactly recognisable to the average person.

So?

If not him, at least do Harry Shearer from This Is Spinal Tap. Real life version or Simpsons version doesn't matter.

I remember what a landmark it was (even in the UK) for the 200th episodes of M*A*S*H, Cheers, The Simpsons and Frasier. What? They made more than 200 of King of Queens?!

Gunsmoke definitely should be on here.

Gunsmoke wasn't a sitcom.

I missed Ozzie and Harriet because I tried to use an ampersand...

"Loading results"....let the facepalming begin! Gargh!

Its always sunny in philedelphia???? they're on season 10 right now

But only 114 episodes per Wikipedia.

They only have a small number of episodes per season compared to most American shows.

I think it's time to update this quiz. Some of the shows that are still running would be further up the list now and Two and a Half Men has since been cancelled.

This is picky, but Frasier ran from 1993-2004, not 1994-2005.

"Sabrina" should work for "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch".

I was really disappointed with only getting 21, but somehow still beat 73.7%???

Not enough time.

Like a lot of people before me, I missed a lot of shows that I knew and have watched. Also, for 'Mary Tyler Moore', I wrote 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' and it wasn't accepted, but this is the correct full title. Maybe this can be changed?

Not many quizzes where you can miss 31 and still get full points.

When I watched The Bob Cummings Show in the early '60s it was called "Love That Bob" but it was the same show.

I was very shocked that ER and Grey's Anatomy did not make the list.

So I missed Seinfeld...

The Middle has now cracked its way onto this list.

Only 158 episodes

Part of me is pleased I don't know this much about TV.

Was hoping to score with 'Alf', 'Third rock from the sun' and 'Saved by the bell' but apparently they never made it into that high a number of episodes... #ninetiesteenager

Friends might be the worst show on TV...so overrated

I'll never forget walking the streets of Killarney in 2007 while on my honeymoon. It was about 3 o'clock and the high school let out as we were walking by.Nothing like hundreds of teenagers speaking with an Irish accent and then hearing someone say "How you doing" in a Joey Tribiani voice that Matt LeBlanc would have a hard time telling from his.

I never cared for the show and I'd agree that it's overrated, and I've never once quoted it, but it's far from the worst.

The Middle ended at 215 and still isn't on the list. With all the reboots, its going to be an ugly update.

Also what about Donna Reed, Burns and Gracie. Both well over 200 and Burns and Gracie was definitely a sitcom.

Big Bang Theory aired it's last episode