爆料TV

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1968-1969

Part detective show, part sci-fi, "" was about a trio of elite agents from the fictional intelligence organization Nemesis who find themselves saddled with supernatural powers after a Himalayan tribe saves them from a plane crash. Once they acquire these powers in the first episode, the group is able to use them to help solve their other cases, often finding that they have a sizable advantage over those seeking to cause harm.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1968-1970

While there were only three seasons of ABC's "It Takes a Thief," this lighthearted spy series was a popular alternative to heavy hitters like "Mission: Impossible" and the James Bond films. Following a master thief turned reluctant government agent, Alexander Mundy (Robert Wagner) jet-sets across the globe with varying female spy counterparts to steal documents and artifacts. "It Takes a Thief" balances classic Hollywood directing and cinematography with quirky hijinks and disguises to create a wholly enjoyable experience for any viewer.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1966-1967

Before there was TikTok, there was Project Tic-Toc, as seen in the classic sci-fi series "The Time Tunnel." Created by the so-called "" Irwin Allen and heavily inspired by the space race, "The Time Tunnel" predicted that the next great frontier for Americans to tackle was that of time itself. Audiences were riveted as scientists Tony Newman and Doug Phillips like the sinking of the Titanic and the attack on Pearl Harbor. The show only lasted for one season before being canceled.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1966-1968

Unapologetically riding on the coattails of The Beatles' fame, the sitcom followed a four-member band as they attempted to make it big. and many other musical hopefuls auditioned for the show, but ultimately, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith, and Davy Jones were cast.

While the TV show was fictional and completely scripted, the band was real and in 1967 in terms of record sales. Despite the competition between the two groups, it's said that copying them and were, in fact, thankful that the group was willing to provide the comedy and pop entertainment fans wanted while leaving the Fab Four free to pursue more serious and experimental work.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1962-1969

Before "The Saint" ever graced television screens, The Saint was the nickname of the popular book character Simon Templar, a gentleman adventurer created by author in the 1920s. Roger brought the character to life for the British series, combining suave mannerisms with strong moral messages (despite Templar working outside the legal system) to create the highly successful action thriller. Moore would later trade Templar's halo for a license to kill, taking over as James Bond in 1973.

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1968-1969

One of Hanna-Barbera's most unique shows, each episode of "" featured 11 different cars driven by a variety of oddball characters, racing around different locations in the United States. Inspired by the movie "The Great Race" and originally conceived as a game show, the series lasted just 17 episodes on CBS, though reruns kept it on the air. Its villain, Dick Dastardly, and his snickering dog, Muttley, proved popular enough to earn their own spinoff, "Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines."

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1966-1968

Fans of the DC Comics superhero have long debated whether this incredibly popular '60s TV adaptation is . Adam West's "Batman" series was campy and silly, with black-and-white morality and tons of celebrity guests. Many of the original comic's diehard fans felt that the series was tonally off and essentially amounted to a parody, while others argued that it embodied the spirit of the '50s and '60s comics and launched the Batman character into .

- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- On air: 1960-1966

Hanna-Barbera Productions struck gold with "The Flintstones," an animated take on "The Honeymooners" set in the Stone Age. Premiering in a prime-time slot, the show remained an evening fixture for its entire original run of six seasons. The show is seen as one of the first cartoons , setting the stage for the later adult animation craze. It would hold the record as the until 1997, when "The Simpsons" eclipsed it.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1968-1970

"Here Come the Brides" was loosely inspired by the real-life , the unmarried women whom Seattle pioneer Asa Mercer recruited from the East Coast in the 1860s. In ABC's comedy-Western version, the three Bolt brothers bring 100 prospective brides to their Seattle logging camp to keep their lumberjacks from leaving. The show made a teen idol out of the late , gave David Soul an early starring role, and even featured a guest spot from Bruce Lee. A second-season move to a Friday night time slot sank its ratings, and ABC canceled it in 1970.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1955-1961

Debuting in September 1955, just days before "Gunsmoke," "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" has been called . Where earlier TV Westerns largely targeted young boys, this ABC series drew on the exploits of the real-life lawman, following Hugh O'Brian's Earp from Kansas to Tombstone, Arizona. Critics quickly embraced the show, which made O'Brian a star and stayed in the Nielsen top 20 until 1960, before a crowded field of adult Westerns pushed it off the air.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1962-1963

Between series of his BBC sketch show, the British comedian starred in another self-titled comedy, "." Showcasing the comic's unique sense of humor, this 19-episode series is an anthology of single-episode sitcoms, with Hill playing a different character in each one. While not nearly as well-known as his variety shows, it rates every bit as highly with IMDb users as his famous Thames Television run.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1957-1963

"The Real McCoys" is best remembered for starting a new wave of rural comedy shows, often referred to as the "," that allowed for others like "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Beverly Hillbillies" to follow. This sitcom explored the inner workings of the McCoy family after they moved from West Virginia to California to take over an inherited ranch, along with their often comedic interactions with their neighbors (usually thanks to the grumpy Grandpa Amos).

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1967-1971

David Dortort, the man behind "Bonanza," was also the creative mind behind this Western drama, which prioritized depicting the gritty realism of life on the titular Arizona ranch over all else. Like many Westerns at the time, "The High Chaparral" follows one family, the Cannons, and their struggles to stay afloat. Where this show differed from many others at the time is that it was unafraid to explore both class conflict and racial conflict, with many subplots devoted to Mexican and Indigenous characters.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1962-1971

There are many of "The Virginian" in existence, including the original 1902 novel written by Owen Wister, four different feature-length films, and a failed pilot, all before the NBC show in 1962. Despite episodes being 90 minutes in length, something unheard of for Westerns at that time, "The Virginian" was massively popular among '60s audiences. James Drury saw great success as the charming titular character and was frequently joined by other impressive co-stars and guest stars, including Doug McClure, Tim Matheson, and Bette Davis.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1965-1969

"" is an hour-long Western drama about the Barkleys, one of the wealthiest ranching families in California's San Joaquin Valley. Matriarch Victoria Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck) leads the family after the death of her husband Tom (which occurs before the series begins), proving that women are just as capable as men of ruling the Wild West and making this series to be led by a female character. The show was canceled in 1969 as the major networks began phasing out Westerns in favor of more modern series.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1957-1965

"Wagon Train" had the honor of being one of the most popular Westerns of its time, and it was the #1 show on TV for the 1961-62 season. Based on the 1950 movie "Wagon Master," "Wagon Train" followed wagon master Seth Adams (Ward Bond) as he led the titular wagon train from Missouri to California. After Bond's death in 1960, audiences were introduced to Chris Hale (John McIntire). Each episode introduced a slew of the train ran into on its travels, some of them so interesting they stole the limelight from the core cast.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1969-1989

British institution Benny Hill's self-titled series was a comedy sketch program filled with smutty jokes, slapstick humor, zany monologues, and cheeky songs. After Hill moved from the BBC to Thames Television in 1969, his show (and its sped-up, "Yakety Sax"-scored chase scenes) became one of Britain's most successful TV exports, airing in nearly 100 countries before being canceled in 1989. "" earned Hill a BAFTA for his writing in 1972, and the series picked up two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Variety Series.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1969-1980

"The Pink Panther Show" is a collection of cartoon shorts featuring either the Pink Panther himself, a cartoon cat with the manners of an English aristocrat, or The Inspector, an animated version of Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau. The pink cat was of the Sellers movies but wound up getting its own series due to its popularity with fans. The show would add in new characters and remove others throughout its long run. "The Pink Panther" film franchise has also continued without Sellers, including a 2006 reboot and its 2009 sequel starring Steve Martin.

- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- On air: 1964-1972

Elizabeth Montgomery starred as nose-twitching witch Samantha Stephens, who marries a mortal named Darrin in ABC's smash hit "." Despite agreeing to become a normal suburban housewife after her marriage, Samantha finds she can't give up her magical powers, which leads to plenty of chaos in the young couple's life.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1955-1968

Long before "Yakety Sax" became his calling card, Benny Hill was honing his sketch comedy on the BBC. His self-titled show and ran for eight series, with Hill writing much of the material, plus all of the music and lyrics. When he jumped to Thames Television in 1969, the BBC was so incensed that it removed his picture from its gallery of stars and wiped the tapes of the last three shows he made for the network.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1969-1974

Set in an integrated high school in Los Angeles, "" was a comedy-drama about a group of dedicated teachers led by Black history teacher Pete Dixon, who taught their students lessons in tolerance, understanding, and acceptance. The show often like drug use, racism, sexism, gun violence, and teenage pregnancy without coming off as preachy or dry. The series took home the Emmy Award for Outstanding New Series in its first season. "Room 222" was created by an early-career James L. Brooks, who would later help bring "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Terms of Endearment," and "The Simpsons" to life.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1958-1961

Lloyd Bridges starred as former Navy frogman turned freelance scuba diver Mike Nelson in "Sea Hunt," a syndicated adventure series that produced 155 episodes over four seasons. Bridges learned to dive for the role and performed most of his own underwater stunts, and the show is credited with to take up scuba diving, an influence that carried on through reruns well into the 1970s. Bridges' young sons, Beau and Jeff, popped up in a handful of episodes.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1969-1971

Originally titled "," this British series about two private detectives was renamed "" in the United States. After detective Marty Hopkirk is killed in a hit-and-run in the first episode, a curse leaves him stranded on Earth, where he continues to assist partner Jeff Randall in solving cases and investigating crimes, despite the fact that Randall is the only one who can see him. The show was rebooted in 2000, but audiences didn't care for the remake nearly as much as the original.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1959-1963

NBC's "Laramie" utilized the high-drama backdrop of Wyoming territory during the late 1800s, the perfect setting for this action-heavy Western. Centered on two brothers trying to keep their family ranch afloat after the death of their father, the show explored themes of grief, post-Civil War tension, and the struggle of the working class. Laramie is a real town in Wyoming, and the show still has a place there: It's one of the stops on the city's "" tour, and star Robert Fuller returned to town for the series' 60th anniversary in 2019.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1958-1964

"77 Sunset Strip" was the first hour-long American television show about private detectives, featuring dual protagonists and former government agents Stuart Bailey (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and Jeff Spencer (Roger Smith). The detectives would take turns serving as the episode lead each week, but the side character Kookie (Edd Byrnes) was the fan favorite, as evidenced by the fact that he reportedly received 10,000 fan letters per week.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1968-1970

Based on the 1947 movie of the same name, "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" follows a young widow who moves with her two children and her faithful housekeeper into a seaside cottage that's haunted by a 19th-century sea captain. While the movie is a romantic fantasy tale, the series, which stars Hope Lange, is a comedy that often plays up its paranormal aspect for laughs. Lange won for her work on the program.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1961-1963

Classic sitcom "" tells the story of two of New York's finest: a short, dim-witted officer named Toody and a tall, intellectual officer named Muldoon. Despite its realistic setting (it was actually filmed at a studio in the Bronx), the show sees Toody and Muldoon encounter mostly comedic scenarios instead of more serious crimes.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1960-1964

A truly unique adventure drama, "Route 66" follows two young men (originally Martin Milner and George Maharis) as they drive around the country in a Corvette seeking to understand themselves and the world a little bit better. What made the show stand apart from the rest of network TV was that it was , with the cast and crew traveling to new towns across the country for its episodes. If the premise of the show sounds familiar, it may be because it bears plenty of similarities to Jack Kerouac's book "On the Road," which the author .

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1959-1963

Fourth wall breaks have become increasingly popular in contemporary media, but many forget that this classic American television show was doing it decades earlier: "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" regularly with the titular character monologuing directly to the camera. That aside, this show is also notable as being one of the first sitcoms to have a teenage protagonist, and as such, the character and the actor, Dwayne Hickman, became nothing short of iconic to young audiences.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1967-1970

"" follows Sgt. Joe Friday and his partner Bill Gannon as they deal with crime all over Los Angeles. Star and director Jack Webb mined the real LAPD for material and was known to pay officers $25 for any real-life story he could use on the show. As a result, the series had a very realistic feel and was even used as training material by police departments. Some critics have pointed to "Dragnet" as the start of pop culture's glorified portrayal of law enforcement since , forever influencing Americans' perceptions of cops.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1968-1975

Despite recent debates about the role of police in society, the police procedural was and continues to be a staple of episodic television. Before there was "Law & Order," there was "Adam-12," a that worked closely with the , using its equipment and sometimes even its cases to normalize and popularize the average cop in the tumultuous society of the late '60s. Led by actors Martin Milner and Kent McCord, "" ran for seven seasons and was unafraid to tackle issues within the police force as well as in society.

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1964-1968

"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." is a popular spy thriller from the '60s produced by MGM Television. What was particularly notable about this show is that one of its protagonists, Illya Kuryakin (David McCallum), was a Russian working alongside American agent Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) at a time when Cold War tensions were at a high. While the series fluctuated from serious drama to more lighthearted shenanigans, fans were consistently impressed by the inventive gadgets and high-tech headquarters used in the show. In 2015, there was a film reboot of "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." starring Armie Hammer, Henry Cavill, and Alicia Vikander, which was a bit .

- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- On air: 1957-1963

"Leave It to Beaver" was an idealistic comedy-drama following Theodore "" Cleaver's home life and school life. Episodes revolved around the various troubles Beaver and his brother Wally found themselves in, including hiding a pet alligator in the bathroom and getting stuck in their picket fence. That alligator episode, "Captain Jack," made a little TV history, too: Censors balked at showing a toilet on screen, and the compromise of showing just the tank made it a . It was never revealed what state Mayfield, the Cleavers' hometown, was in, perhaps making the family universally relatable across the United States.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1959-1961

Nine months before "The Twilight Zone" premiered, ABC's "Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond" was already serving up the uncanny. Each half-hour episode dramatized supposedly true paranormal events, from premonitions to ghostly visitations, introduced by host John Newland, who also . The anthology drew guest stars both established and up-and-coming, including Christopher Lee, Elizabeth Montgomery, William Shatner, and a young Warren Beatty.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1967-1968

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's follow-up to "Thunderbirds," "" is about a group of specialists from an agency called Spectrum who find themselves waging war against an invisible species of alien, the Mysterons, who can co-opt people and objects for their own malicious ends. The series was made using Supermarionation, a technique using electronically controlled marionette puppets, which the Andersons popularized on British television at the time.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1962-1974

A show about a father and son in the business, "" ran for a total of eight seasons on the BBC before branching out into feature films and radio programs. The basis for the American series "," it focuses heavily on the intergenerational differences between an old man set in his ways and a young, more forward-thinking son who has social aspirations.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1959-1963

"The Bullwinkle Show," which began life as "Rocky and His Friends," was a cartoon comedy that utilized characters from an unsold pitch called "The Frostbite Falls Revue." Starring Rocket J. Squirrel and Bullwinkle J. Moose, this show was not designed to push the animation medium forward, instead and timely jokes. While the primary plot followed the titular characters, smaller segments like "Fractured Fairy Tales" and "Peabody's Improbable History" kept viewers on their toes.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1965-1971

"" has perhaps the most interesting (and complicated) setting of any comedic series on this list: a German prisoner-of-war camp during WWII. Trapped behind enemy lines, the Allied prisoners, under the leadership of Col. Hogan (Bob Crane), concoct schemes to sabotage the German war effort and collect classified information.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1966-1973

Before he shared top billing with Bugs Bunny, the Road Runner got on CBS starting in 1966. Each half-hour episode opened with one of Wile E. Coyote's doomed pursuits, followed by a Tweety and Sylvester short and a rotating Warner Bros. cartoon featuring the likes of Foghorn Leghorn, Speedy Gonzales, or Pepe Le Pew, many of them making their network TV debuts. CBS folded the show into "The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Hour" in 1968, but ABC brought it back in 1971.

- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- On air: 1964-1966

This mid-'60s sitcom follows the misadventures of as they try to fit in with their human neighbors. Fred Gwynne led the cast as Herman Munster (a Frankenstein's monster type) alongside Yvonne De Carlo, who played his wife Lily (a vampire). Grandpa Munster (another vampire), son Eddie (a werewolf), and niece Marilyn (a human) rounded out the eclectic family. A black-and-white series, "The Munsters" was canceled in 1966 when "Batman," the color adventure series, began , dropping the show's ratings.

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1960-1962

"Danger Man," a British show about a James Bond-esque secret agent named John Drake, wasn't very popular with American audiences in its original half-hour form, in spite of its action sequences and exotic locales, and only a single season aired in the United States. Americans' indifference to the series may be tied to the fact that to become intimate with any woman or to use a gun as a means of killing any of his enemies, robbing the show of the fireworks viewers had come to expect from the genre.

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1948-1971

For 23 years, Sunday nights on CBS belonged to Ed Sullivan, a stiff, famously awkward newspaper columnist who became TV's most powerful star-maker. Originally titled "Toast of the Town," his variety show booked everything from opera singers and comedians to plate spinners and puppets, but it's best remembered for its music: Elvis Presley's hip-swiveling appearances in 1956 and 1957 and, on Feb. 9, 1964, the Beatles' first live U.S. TV performance, which drew .

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1959-1965

Western fans likely associate the "Rawhide" television show with one man: Clint Eastwood. This was the star's first big role as Rowdy Yates, although the show's protagonist was technically trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming), who led a band of cattle drovers. Outside of having an iconic theme song, "Rawhide" was admired for its realistic depictions of working-class struggle and its dedication to depicting the .

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1965-1966

The Andersons' biggest hit, "," also employed Supermarionation to bring its characters to life. In this series, the Tracy family runs International Rescue, an organization whose primary mission is to save human lives. The group uses five super-craft called the Thunderbird machines that can travel through space, sea, air, and on land to aid in their daring rescue missions.

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1964-1965

Hanna-Barbera Productions' "Jonny Quest" is an animated science fiction show that follows a young boy who accompanies his research scientist father around the world, helping him solve various mysteries and defeat adversaries. , the series was canceled after a single season, though it spent years in syndication.

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1969-1973

Rod Serling's follow-up to his series "The Twilight Zone," "" was a horror and science-fiction anthology series, with Serling introducing each story by way of an eerie painting hung in a darkened gallery. The show included original tales mixed with stories written by well-known authors like H.P. Lovecraft and Algernon Blackwood.

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1966-1973

"Mission: Impossible" gets its title from the protagonists' government-sponsored spy group, the Impossible Missions Force, which tackled a wide array of missions, ranging from fighting communists to stopping someone from poisoning Los Angeles' water supply. Outside of inspiring the wildly popular Tom Cruise-led "Mission: Impossible" movie series, this show was best known for having ever seen on TV.

- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- On air: 1969-1970

Since its initial release in 1969, Scooby-Doo and his gang of amateur sleuths have been an integral part of viewers' childhoods, and the franchise is still going strong, with Netflix's live-action series "Scooby-Doo: Origins" set to arrive in 2027. While "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" was primarily a lighthearted kids' show, its inception and plots were heavily influenced by the moral panic of the '60s over increasing violence on and off the screen. This groovy mystery show was from that violence, emphasized by the fact that its scary monsters weren't monsters at all, just humans in disguise.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1957-1962

Dale Robertson starred as , a special agent for the Wells Fargo stagecoach line, in this NBC Western set in the 1870s and 1880s. Hardie was fictional, but the show drew on the life of real Wells Fargo detective Fred J. Dodge, and the agent regularly crossed paths with famous outlaws like Jesse James and Belle Starr. A top-10 hit in its early seasons, the series also gave early guest roles to future stars like Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson, and Leonard Nimoy. For its sixth and final season, it expanded to an hour and switched to color.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1967-1993

"" blazed a trail for today's late-night satirists like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert and helped launch the careers of other well-known comedians like Steve Martin and Rob Reiner. Led by Tom and Dick Smothers, the variety series featured skits, monologues, and performances from major musical acts like The Who. The left-leaning brothers frequently ran into trouble with CBS's censorship department, as they spoke openly on air about their disgust for the Vietnam War, the political establishment, and religion.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1958-1961

Few TV themes have had the staying power of Henry Mancini's driving, brassy score for "Peter Gunn." Created by Blake Edwards, the jazz-soaked detective show starred Craig Stevens as the impeccably dressed private eye, who spent much of his downtime at a nightclub called Mother's, where his girlfriend Edie (Lola Albright) sang. Mancini wrote new music for every episode, and his RCA albums of the show's music . Edwards and Mancini would go on to team up on "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "The Pink Panther."

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1955-1963

The creation of "Cheyenne" marked the into the world of television production. Warner Bros. made sure the show lived up to its standards, with a popular leading man (Clint Walker), big-budget fight sequences, and an hour-long runtime. The title refers to the protagonist Cheyenne Bodie, who, in the tumultuous period following the American Civil War, aimlessly crosses the country looking for work.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1958-1961

Before he was the King of Cool, Steve McQueen was bounty hunter Josh Randall in CBS's "Wanted: Dead or Alive." The character , "Trackdown," in 1958, and the spinoff made McQueen a household name. Randall's signature weapon was the "Mare's Leg," a sawed-off Winchester rifle that was actually a few years too new for the show's setting. Mary Tyler Moore and DeForest Kelley were among the series' guest stars, and in 1987, Rutger Hauer starred in a film sequel as Josh's descendant, Nick Randall.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1959-1963

The film noir genre often evokes images of black-and-white feature films, femme fatales, and crime drama. It's not often associated with television, which makes "The Untouchables" stand out that much more as one of the most successful noir-style TV shows ever made. of Prohibition agent Eliot Ness, played by Robert Stack, each episode takes audiences back to the era of bootleggers and gangsters, including the infamous Al Capone, played by Neville Brand.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1967-1968

Pitched by creator Larry Cohen as "," "The Invaders" brought a science fiction approach to the format. It took inspiration from the film "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and followed architect David Vincent, who witnessed a UFO and decided to cross the country in search of concrete proof of alien life. Plotlines for "The Invaders" were a response to the and heavily influenced by Vietnam War-era anxiety, evidenced by episodes often depicting aliens infiltrating the cornerstones of society, such as church and school.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1957-1962

The Western genre was particularly popular in '50s and '60s television, making it increasingly difficult to do something different within the genre. Thankfully, "Maverick" stepped up to the plate. While the traditional cowboy protagonist was always first to the fight and quick on the draw, Bret Maverick (James Garner) preferred to con his way out of conflict and, if that failed, rely on his wits. Audiences were enamored with "Maverick," and the show quickly became so successful that it even beat "The Ed Sullivan Show" in the ratings.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1967-1973

like "Sesame Street," "," and "Monty Python's Flying Circus," "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" popularized the rapid-fire vignette style many series would adopt. The comedy show was originally concocted as a one-time special but was so successful that NBC gave it its own regular time slot. Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin both worked as series regulars on the show at the beginning of their careers.

- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- On air: 1964-1966

"The Addams Family," a sitcom about a macabre family and their unique lifestyle, was based on a series of cartoons Charles Addams drew for The New Yorker. The real Mr. Addams had very little to do with the creation of the series , but he gave it his seal of approval.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1968-1977

Comedy duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise struck gold with their third foray into television, "," which ran, in color, on BBC Two before moving to BBC One. The variety sketch show became a foundational part of British television, with its 1977 Christmas special, the duo's last for the BBC, drawing a reported 28 million viewers. Like many other shows of its type, "Morecambe & Wise" frequently had celebrity guest stars like Elton John and Peter Cushing.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1958-1962

Set in Laramie, Wyoming (the same territory as "Laramie," also on this list), Warner Bros.' "" starred John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop and Peter Brown as his young deputy, Johnny McKay. The ABC Western played it straight in its first season, but the arrival of Peggie Castle as Lily Merrill, owner of the Birdcage Saloon and Troop's love interest, brought more romance and comedy. Over four seasons and 156 episodes, the show drew guest stars like Lee Van Cleef, DeForest Kelley, and Sammy Davis Jr., and even crossed over with fellow Warner Bros. Westerns "Maverick" and "Sugarfoot."

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1965-1974

Contemporary audiences might primarily associate Dean Martin with his Christmas classics, but older audiences remember him as an entertainment mogul. Part of the famous Rat Pack that included greats like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., Martin started hosting a weekly variety show on NBC when he wasn't filming movies or performing in Las Vegas. This show was a clear precursor to the late-night talk shows of today, thanks to Martin's trademark improv and unrehearsed but suave air.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1951-1971

For two decades, clown prince Red Skelton brought his gallery of characters (including the hobo Freddie the Freeloader and country bumpkin Clem Kadiddlehopper) into American living rooms. His variety series in its first season, then jumped from NBC to CBS, where it thrived through the '60s, before returning to NBC for one final season in 1970-71. Every episode ended with Skelton's trademark sign-off: "Good night, and may God bless."

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1964-1967

"" is a war drama that chronicles the 918th Bomb Group of the U.S. Eighth Air Force as it flies daylight bombing missions over Europe under varying leadership. The series is based on the 1949 movie of the same name. When lead Robert Lansing was written out early in the series, TV Guide reportedly it had gotten since John F. Kennedy's assassination.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1955-1992

With an impressively long run on CBS, "Captain Kangaroo" captured young and older audiences alike with a tender exploration of can have in their grandchildren's lives. Following the grandfatherly Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan), each episode explored his interactions with human friends like Mr. Green Jeans and puppet friends like Bunny Rabbit and Mr. Moose, while the Captain spoke directly to his child audience through the screen. This heartwarming educational show won three Peabody Awards and six Emmy Awards.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1963-1967

"The Fugitive" film from 1993 starred Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones, but the movie was a remake of this classic ABC TV drama. "The Fugitive" spanned four seasons, following David Janssen's Dr. Richard Kimble as he escapes custody to prove he was falsely convicted of murdering his wife, who was actually killed by a mysterious one-armed man. This show prioritized a gripping narrative and creative risks, which paid off when its two-part series finale .

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1966-1971

Described as a gothic soap opera and as "daytime television's first continuing suspense drama" by ABC, "Dark Shadows" was certainly unlike any daytime show that came before it. Created by horror legend Dan Curtis, of "Trilogy of Terror" and "The Night Stalker" fame, Curtis had and subsequently pitched. The show was set in Collinsport, Maine, and followed the Collins family as they encountered all sorts of supernatural forces, including ghosts, witches, werewolves, and, most famously, the vampire Barnabas Collins.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1965-1969

Despite its title, "The Wild Wild West" was no average Western TV show, more akin to a mashup of a Western, spy thriller, and science fiction than anything else. The plot is relatively simple, following two Secret Service agents, gadget whiz Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) and sharpshooter James West (Robert Conrad), who were tasked by President Ulysses S. Grant to help defend America from assorted villains. Some consider this show to be , thanks to its wide variety of mad scientists, anachronistic gadgets, and insane evildoers.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1968-1977

revolved around a volunteer Home Guard platoon made up of men too old or otherwise ineligible for regular military service in a coastal English town during WWII. Eighty episodes of the series were made during its nine-season run, along with a radio edition, a stage show, and two feature films. Today, the series is still recognized as one of Britain's most popular sitcoms.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1955-1975

"Gunsmoke" has the honor of being the longest-running Western in TV history, with a total of 20 seasons, and was among the first Westerns to prioritize realism. Starting its life as a popular radio show, " with James Arness starring as Matt Dillon, the good-hearted but serious marshal of Dodge City, Kansas. While there was comic relief, mostly courtesy of the side character Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), the show tackled controversial topics like child abuse and prostitution.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1963-1965

"There is nothing wrong with your television set," proclaimed "The Outer Limits'" iconic opening sequence. ABC's science fiction anthology show featured a new self-contained and often chilling story in each episode, with a rotating roster of writers, directors, and actors (including Leonard Nimoy, Robert Duvall, and William Shatner). Despite often being considered a knockoff of "The Twilight Zone," "The Outer Limits" has a dedicated fanbase and enjoyed a successful reboot in the '90s.

- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- On air: 1969-present

The only show on our list that is still producing new episodes in its original run, " for more than 55 years. Created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, the program has featured Jim Henson's Muppets across more than 4,500 episodes. Regularly featuring celebrity guest stars, the series has won more than 200 Emmy Awards, the most of any show in television history.

- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- On air: 1958-1963

"Naked City" is police procedural on this list, as the show mixed the standard procedural with an anthology format, with each episode focusing on different characters and areas within New York City. Based on the 1948 film "The Naked City," the television adaptation borrowed its documentary-inspired style and primary characters for 30-minute episodes. Despite critical success, "Naked City" was canceled in 1959 before being reimagined in 1960 as an hour-long series.

- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- On air: 1964-1967

Agent John Drake of "Danger Man" fame returned to TV in "," the hour-long revival of the spy's adventures. With longer episodes, "Secret Agent" allowed for more character development than the original "Danger Man," but star Patrick McGoohan still insisted that his alter ego hold a higher moral standard (no guns, no women) than his fictional contemporaries.

- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- On air: 1960-1962

Yet another anthology series, "" was hosted by horror icon Boris Karloff. The hour-long episodes featured various tales of Gothic horror, crime, and suspense. The show was canceled after just two seasons, but its macabre episodes have since earned it a devoted cult following.

- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- On air: 1965-1970

A comedic spin on the popular secret agent tale, "" is part spy adventure, part comedy. It follows a bumbling agent named Maxwell Smart and his far more capable partner, Agent 99, as they undertake missions for the top-secret counterintelligence agency CONTROL. Don Adams and Barbara Feldon starred in the show, which was created by comedy legends Mel Brooks and Buck Henry.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- On air: 1968-1988

Erudite and quick-witted, Dick Cavett was the thinking person's talk show host, coaxing candid conversations out of guests ranging from John Lennon to Katharine Hepburn. His ABC show's most famous night came on Aug. 19, 1969, the day after Woodstock ended, when crowded onto his set to talk about the festival (and play a few songs). Cavett went on to host versions of the show on ABC, PBS, and cable into the late 1980s.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- On air: 1954-1997

Walt Disney's long-running anthology series went by many names (it debuted as "Disneyland" on ABC in 1954), but its defining moment came on Sept. 24, 1961, when it moved to NBC as "." Walt pushed for the switch so his cartoons, nature films, and theme park previews could be broadcast in color, which in turn helped NBC parent company RCA sell color TV sets. The premiere also introduced a new character, the eccentric professor Ludwig Von Drake, and Walt himself remained the show's host until his death in 1966.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- On air: 1958-1963

Interestingly, of "The Rifleman" was originally written as a script for a different Western series, "Gunsmoke," but after several name changes and backstory edits, it served as an excellent standalone narrative. Widowed rancher Lucas McCain, played by Chuck Connors, helped to keep the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico, safe while raising his young son, Mark. Despite the elder McCain's proficiency with the titular weapon, the show made a point to emphasize and to avoid using guns in conflict whenever possible.

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- On air: 1961-1969

Not to be confused with Marvel's team of superheroes, "The Avengers" was a British spy thriller spanning six seasons over eight years. Created by Sydney Newman, the TV executive who also helped create "Doctor Who," the show was built around Ian Hendry, who played the protagonist, Dr. David Keel, as he tracked down his fianc茅e's murderer. Over the show's run, however, the lineup was after Hendry's departure, eventually featuring John Steed (Patrick Macnee) alongside partners Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) and Emma Peel (Diana Rigg).

- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- On air: 1957-1966

"Perry Mason" exists in , including movies, reboots, radio shows, and comics. However, the defense attorney's first iteration comes from the Erle Stanley Gardner book series, of which there are over 80 books. Arguably the most iconic version is the CBS television show, which drew many of its plots from Gardner's books. Perry Mason was played by Raymond Burr, who had previously been typecast as a bad guy in Hollywood. He beat the odds and won audiences over as the unflappable lawyer.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1967-1967

The last major BBC drama serial to be produced in black-and-white, "" details the fortunes and dramas of the Forsyte family from the end of the Victorian era through the interwar years. The show primarily focuses on the fates of Soames and Jolyon, two wealthy cousins who choose remarkably different paths in life. It proved a phenomenon in Britain and abroad, with reportedly emptying pubs and prompting churches to reschedule evening services on Sundays, when the show aired.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1962-1967

Television's longest-running World War II drama, "" followed an American infantry squad as it battled its way across Europe from D-Day forward. Praised for its realism and the way it handled the struggle of retaining one's humanity in the midst of such horror, the show played more like a collection of movies than individual episodes. This was in large part thanks to the fact that episodes alternated between two protagonists, Lt. Gil Hanley (Rick Jason) and Sgt. Chip Saunders (Vic Morrow), which allowed the series to focus on a single story at a time rather than divide its attention.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1957-1963

Where "Gunsmoke" strove for Western realism, "Have Gun - Will Travel" of the Wild West. Paladin (Richard Boone), who took his name from the knights of Charlemagne's court, was the show's protagonist. A highly educated expert shot, he traveled around the country hiring out his services, often in response to newspaper ads. Paladin's moral compass is less clear than other Western heroes', as he is no lawman and often helps others for a fee, which gives him a layer of depth and creates conflicts that were unusual for the time.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1967-1968

Hailed as , "The Prisoner" is a British television series that blends the spy thriller, psychological drama, and science fiction genres. When a secret agent abruptly resigns, he wakes up to find himself trapped in a "Truman Show"-esque town known only as the Village, where he's constantly prodded for information by its mysterious overseers. of alienation, surveillance, government mistrust, and individuality were frequently explored, making the show as relevant today as it was back then.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1960-1968

One of the most wholesome shows to ever hit the airwaves, "The Andy Griffith Show" was of "The Danny Thomas Show" in which Griffith guest-starred. The episode ("Danny Meets Andy Griffith") was so well-received that CBS decided to turn the storyline, about a small-town widower sheriff and his young son, into its own sitcom. Set in the fictional town of Mayberry, North Carolina, it would end up running for eight seasons, bringing home (five of them for Don Knotts) and ending while still at the top of the Nielsen ratings.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1963-1989

In the science fiction classic "," a centuries-old Time Lord, accompanied by various companions, travels across time and space in a ship disguised as a police box, battling the evil forces that threaten humanity. Holding the title of the longest-running science fiction series on television, "Doctor Who" has had multiple casts and iterations of the Doctor, thanks to its handy concept of regeneration. The original run of the series due to low ratings and stiff competition from other networks.

- IMDb user rating: 8.4
- On air: 1966-1969

While originally known simply as "Star Trek," this series is now known to fans as "Star Trek: The Original Series" to distinguish it from the many additions that followed. Gene Roddenberry's inspiration for this show stemmed in part from his , with the obvious difference being that the action was set in space. Outside of its futuristic science fiction plots, "Star Trek" was also advanced in its diversity, featuring both African American actress Nichelle Nichols and Japanese American actor George Takei.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1950-1965

"The Jack Benny Program" was meta-television at its finest, with host Jack playing a fictional version of himself and often breaking the fourth wall. The first season in 1950 had a mere four episodes, but by the '60s, the program was churning out 30-plus episodes per season. While the episodes largely consisted of various comedic skits, the show is also noteworthy for Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who, as Benny's valet, was one of the most prominent Black performers on television at the time.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1950-1967

Before "Family Feud" and "Jeopardy!," there was CBS's "What's My Line?" The format of the show was simple: A panel of celebrities had to guess the (typically offbeat) occupations of contestants using yes-or-no questions. Hosted by veteran newsman John Charles Daly, "What's My Line?" ran for 17 seasons and picked up three Emmy Awards during its run.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1962-1992

"The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" established the late-night talk show genre that is so ubiquitous today. Despite his affable on-screen presence, that Carson was a private person who often didn't socialize with the celebrities he interviewed. Regardless of any behind-the-scenes distance, the show was a runaway success, earning and taking home six trophies during its 30 years on the air.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1962-1965

A continuation of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," "" is an anthology series that expanded its predecessor's format to an hour, with each episode delivering a stand-alone tale of drama, mystery, or suspense. Many of these stories are about murders and often contain twist endings. Fans especially remember the series' sequences, in which Hitchcock addresses the camera directly while the show's theme song, "Funeral March of a Marionette," plays in the background.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1968-1978

Following the success of "The Bugs Bunny Show" and "The Road Runner Show," Warner Bros. rolled out the red carpet for "," a longer program featuring seven cartoons interspersed with linking sequences between the characters. Each episode opens with the theme song "This Is It," which plays while the characters, from Bugs Bunny and Road Runner to Wile E. Coyote and Elmer Fudd, march across the screen.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1961-1966

Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore led the all-star cast of "," a sitcom about the work and home life of a TV writer and family man. Airing for five seasons, the series, one of the few filmed in front of a live audience at the time, took home . The show remains popular with TV lovers, thanks in large part to a strategic choice by the writing team to keep '60s-era references and slang out of its scripts, a decision that keeps the material feeling fresh.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1955-1962

Alfred Hitchcock was at the height of his powers in the late 1950s and early '60s, with classics like "Vertigo," "North by Northwest," and "Psycho." His 30-minute anthology series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" saw the director introduce stories of high-stakes drama, thrillers, and mysteries, bringing the feeling of Hitchcock's cinema into the home. over the show's seven seasons, a deep bench of directors (and writers like Roald Dahl and Ray Bradbury) helped maintain his standard of quality.

- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- On air: 1960-1975

Each episode of "" featured three separate cartoon segments and several members of the Warner Bros. cartoon cast, including Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, the Tasmanian Devil, and Tweety Bird. The series was originally part of ABC's prime-time lineup, but after two seasons it moved to Saturday mornings, where Bugs would remain a fixture for decades.

- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- On air: 1960-1972

There are few comedy acts that have had the same level of cultural impact as the Three Stooges. Filming with Columbia Pictures between 1934 and 1959, the Stooges (most famously Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Jerome "Curly" Howard) used physical comedy in conjunction with heightened characterizations to pull off their timeless gags. Packaged for TV in the late '50s, those shorts introduced the trio to a whole new generation, and "The Three Stooges Show" continues to be a classic thanks to syndication and merchandising.

- IMDb user rating: 8.7
- On air: 1967-1978

"The Carol Burnett Show" was one of the and remains one of the most critically acclaimed variety shows of all time. Known for sketches like "The Family" and "Went with the Wind!" as well as characters like the Charwoman, the series had a relatively small cast (Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner, and later Tim Conway were the main regulars). However, during the 11 seasons it spent on air, nearly , from Ronald Reagan to Robin Williams to Lucille Ball, made a guest appearance.

- IMDb user rating: 8.8
- On air: 1968-2001

One of the most beloved television programs of all time, "" was a half-hour show for preschoolers that explored educational and emotional themes. The series is perhaps best remembered for the frank, honest, and age-appropriate manner in which Fred Rogers dealt with the trickier parts of life, such as anger, divorce, and war. The show was so timeless and impactful that it has lived on for decades through reruns and streaming, and it inspired an Emmy-winning modern-day spinoff, "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood."

- IMDb user rating: 8.8
- On air: 1969-1974

Called "," "Monty Python's Flying Circus" is known for its absurd sketches, innuendo-laden jokes, and risqu茅 humor. Despite the show nearly being canceled early on (BBC1 controller Paul Fox believed that it went "over the edge of what was acceptable"), the series ran for four successful seasons before the troupe decided to call it quits. Stars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Terry Gilliam, along with director Ian MacNaughton, were the creative minds behind the landmark program.

- IMDb user rating: 9.0
- On air: 1959-1964

Fans of horror, science fiction, and well-written television will all agree that "The Twilight Zone" is one of the most well-crafted and thought-provoking shows ever created. The brainchild of Rod Serling, each episode of this anthology series delivered a different narrative, from alternate American histories to otherworldly morality tales. At the time of its release, "The Twilight Zone" was a wholly unique television experience that many have tried to replicate in its wake, but nothing will ever beat the original.

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