Dunno if this has been asked before,however what do you think is televisions best decade?The decade when the best television shows were made?Was it the 1950s,1960s,1970s,1980s? or even 1990s and afterwards?

For me it's the 1960's, with the 50's second and the 70's third.

I think the 1950s,60s and 70s were equally good in different ways.So many good-great televison shows were made during those 3 decades in every genre.--So I guess I can't really answer my own question other than saying the best television shows ever made were produced during the 1950s-70s.

I would have to say in general the 1960's and 70's, but my all time favorite show "The Golden Girls" was made in the 80's, so that is a hard question for me to answer.

I would say:

1. 60s - so imaginative
2. 50s - so clever
3. 80s - so cute
4. 70s - so real

Based on my DVD collection I definitely prefer the TV shows of the 1960's so I will vote for that decade as TV's best.

First would be 60s, second would be 80s, third would be 70s, fourth 90s, fifth 50s, sixth 00s. 60s shows were excellent and very creative.

Most of my favourite tv shows are from the 90's.

Speaking only about dramas, I think they are way better after 2000.

For me it's the 1960's, with the 50's second and the 70's third.


Agree 100%. And its not even close. The 60s had so many great shows, probably more than all of the other decades combined.

For me it's the 1960's, with the 50's second and the 70's third.




Thats exactly how I would vote.

For me,comedy was at its best in the 1950's and especially the 1960's.1970's comedies ,although some (not all)were good, I really wasn't that enthused about(especially the late 1970's-early 1980's,nor was I really enthused about 1980's,1990's and today's comedies).As far as dramas,the 1950's ,1960's and 1970's ,ALL had good dramas,as did the 1980's.

For me it's the 1960's, with the 50's second and the 70's third.

I agree. The 70's third and it was Still Awesome

1970s
1960s

The 70s are probably the best to me (Three's Company, All in the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Mary Tyler Moore, The Brady Bunch, Taxi, Happy Days....)

The 90s are the 2nd best to me (Seinfeld, Home Improvement, Married...with Children, Boy Meets World, Friends, Saved by the Bell....)

I don't really get into that many 60s shows outside of Andy Griffith and My Three Sons. I just prefer more realistic shows. For the 50s, I haven't really seen many outside of Leave it to Beaver, I Love Lucy and a few episodes of Father Knows Best and Danny Thomas.

The sixties, hands down. But there were some golden moments in the fifties,
as well. The seventies weren't bad, either. But every decade since has had
a few outstanding shows (but they're becoming fewer and fewer).

my two favortie were 1980s and 1990s they got some good comdeys like perfect stranger night court the wonder years, and familyties my favoitethen 1990s had fullhouse, family maters ,home inmprovment, and boymeets world. i grew up on them shows.

The 1970s, hands down.

For me it's...............

The 60's
The 70's
The 80's
The 50's

I was born in the 1980s, grew up in the 1990s.

But I admire the effort of shows produced in the 1950s, the fun, zany comedies of the 1960s, and the more surreal shows of the 1970s.

Any entertainment era is best when creative freedom is open and unrestricted. So for creativity, the best IMO was the 1960s. When they started choosing programming via 'targeted research', creativity took a dive. When everything is cookie cutter the same, originality is gone.

I'd say the 90s, but the 80s and the 00s were good as well.

I have to go with '60's and '70's. Although one thing about later decades, sit-com writers tended to pay more attention to continuity, than in earlier.

I would have to say 1980s
as most of tv show out in 80's are most fave. I still love all those and like to entertain myself.

I'm with you there. The 1980's for me. Some of the best shows that I like came from the 1980's.

this is such a difficult question for me to answer because i haven't lived in the 50s, 60s, 70s. only the 80s, 90s and 00s.

my favourite 70s shows were and are the jeffersons, good times, diff'rent strokes, what's happening?

80s shows were the a-team, fame- though i never saw fame when i was young originally, cartoons like thundercats, muppet babies

90s was my favourite decade insofar as sitcoms were concerned, fresh prince of bel air, frasier, caroline in the city, living single were some of my faves

as for 00s, i'm not so into 00s tv so much though i enjoyed 2, 3 sitcoms and ugly betty.

I'm going to say the 80's and 90's. My favorite shows all took place during these decades...

Full House
Growing Pains
Family Ties
And of course, Seinfeld!

Hand Down it was the 1970s for me. Followed by the 1990s. Most of my Favorite shows are form the 1970s and 1990s. I think the 70s was the best TV Decade. Third would have been the 80s. I don't watch or like many of the shows form the 50s and 60s but the 4th best decade for TV for me would be 60s. and the fifth would be the 50s and the worst is 2000s.

Whenever you were 8 years old.

Whenever you were 8 years old.
You don't know how old I am so shut up. And you don't know what I like and what I don't like so shut th hell up before you talk.

You don't know how old I am so shut up. And you don't know what I like and what I don't like so shut th hell up before you talk.

Go back on your meds. :crazy:

Go back on your meds. :crazy:
Idiot. I think Your Mommy is calling for you. Go take Your Nap Twit.

The 1970's
The 1960's
The 1980's
The 1950's
The 1990's
The 2000's

1) 70s
2) 60s
3) 50s
4) 80s

I haven't really liked original TV much since the 80s. The 90s DID have some great drama and sci-fi shows, but in general I haven't laughed at anything original for about 20 years.

Idiot. I think Your Mommy is calling for you. Go take Your Nap Twit.


Exactly what did I say that warranted your attack? That people's favorite decade would be whenever they were 8 years old? How is that an insult to you or are you just stupid?

Exactly what did I say that warranted your attack? That people's favorite decade would be whenever they were 8 years old? How is that an insult to you or are you just stupid?
You started Attacking and Insulting First.

^ Sigh.

He wasn't insulting anyone. He was saying that "the best decade of television" for ALL of us is probably whenever we were eight years old, implying that in hindsight everything seems like it was wonderful when you were eight and you base your future perceptions on the way you felt at that time. Not just you, but everyone. When I was eight I didn't have a care in the world and everything just SEEMED brighter, bigger and better.

It's a good point. We all have to be mindful of the way nostalgia blinds us a bit.

^ Sigh.

He wasn't insulting anyone. He was saying that "the best decade of television" for ALL of us is probably whenever we were eight years old, implying that in hindsight everything seems like it was wonderful when you were eight and you base your future perceptions on the way you felt at that time. Not just you, but everyone. When I was eight I didn't have a care in the world and everything just SEEMED brighter, bigger and better.

It's a good point. We all have to be mindful of the way nostalgia blinds us a bit.
That's pretty much right. IMO the best shows were in the 70's and next best were the 60's. Alot of that has to do with the fact I grew up with those shows. The 60's tv shows were syndicated during the day so it's like I grew up with them too. Nothing today can ever duplicate those days.

That's pretty much right. IMO the best shows were in the 70's and next best were the 60's. Alot of that has to do with the fact I grew up with those shows. The 60's tv shows were syndicated during the day so it's like I grew up with them too. Nothing today can ever duplicate those days.

Yep, same here. AITF and MTM and MASH and Bob Newhart in original runs, with Gilligan's Island, Bewitched, The Munsters, etc. on in the afternoon in syndicated reruns when I came home from school. I can still remember my friends and I making sure we made it home from shooting hoops in the playground at school in time for "Batman" which came on at 5!

Really the best of both worlds. What do kids have now? "Two and A Half Men" in original runs, with Oprah and Maury Povich on in the afternoon. Have mercy on them.

They probably watch whatever is on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Which maybe isn't that much better.

They probably watch whatever is on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Which maybe isn't that much better.

Those channels do have some good stuff for kids, but not as much as they used to. I can only imagine how little exercise I would have gotten if there were ENTIRE NETWORKS geared toward my age demo when I was young! :lol:

They probably watch whatever is on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Which maybe isn't that much better.

the 90s had great cartoons and shows on those channels. but since then, they've gone downhill.

I'd have to say the 60s of course! Mostly cause of the
monkees!! And some of the 90s too I miss shows like are
you afarid of the dark! And a few shows that are too long
of a list to list!

^ Sigh.

He wasn't insulting anyone. He was saying that "the best decade of television" for ALL of us is probably whenever we were eight years old, implying that in hindsight everything seems like it was wonderful when you were eight and you base your future perceptions on the way you felt at that time. Not just you, but everyone. When I was eight I didn't have a care in the world and everything just SEEMED brighter, bigger and better.

It's a good point. We all have to be mindful of the way nostalgia blinds us a bit.


Some people need things explained for them in great detail for them to get what you are trying to say. Obviously, this person is one of them. Sheesh.

Some people need things explained for them in great detail for them to get what you are trying to say. Obviously, this person is one of them. Sheesh.

Yep, sorry to say.

Happy 1000th post by the way. :)

Each decade up to 2000 had some great TV shows.

The 1950s had I Love Lucy And The Honeymooners
The 1960s had The Dick Van Dyke Show And The Beverly Hillbillies
The 1970s had All In The Family And Sanford And Son
The 1980s had Cheers And The Cosby Show
The 1990s had Seinfeld And Frasier

See, each decade up to 2000 all had some decent programming.

P.S.- The 2000s had some great TV shows like Everybody Hates Chris And Curb Your Enthusiasm

1st- The 1980s
2nd- The 1990s
3rd- The 1960s & The 1970s(tied)

1st - The 50's, 60's, and 70's (tied)

2nd - The 90's

3rd - The 80's

1970s

The Mary Tyler Moore Show, What's Happening!, All In the Family, Sanford and Son, etc..

Medical Center, Emergency!, Chips, The Rockford Files, etc....

The 90s are a close second

Overall the 60s were the best. If just considering sitcoms I think the 90s edge out the 60s. Spurred on by the success of Seinfeld, the 90s turned into an amazing decade for sitcoms. I still find it hard to believe that quality actually came back to TV, but it did. But then it was gone again.

'60s

The 70s.

The 80s

1990s