In honor of America's 250th this weekend everyone is reflecting on what it's like to be an American.... and apparently what TV shows define the American Experience. These shows helped shape pop culture, reflected everyday American life, and defined generations of viewers.
In chronological order....
1. "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1948 to 1971)
2. "I Love Lucy" (1951 to 1957)
3. "The Tonight Show" (1954 to present)
4. "Star Trek" (1966 to 1969)
5. "Jeopardy!" (1964 to present)
6. "Sesame Street" (1969 to present)
7. "M*A*S*H" (1972 to 1983)
8. "Little House on the Prairie" (1974 to 1983)
9. "Happy Days" (1974 to 1984)
10. "Saturday Night Live" (1975 to present)
11. "Cheers" (1982 to 1993)
12. "The Cosby Show" (1984 to 1992)
13. "Seinfeld" (1989 to 1998)
14. "The Simpsons" (1989 to present)
15. "Jerry Springer" (1991 to 2018)
16. "Friends" (1994 to 2004)
17. "American Idol" (2002 to 2016, 2018 to present)
18. "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" (2007 to 2021)
19. "The Walking Dead" (2010 to 2022)
20. "The Pitt" (2025 to present) The medical emmy winner is the newest addition to the list