subject: What Are And Where You Can Find The Longest Running Shows On Tv [print this page] Some television shows do not survive a single season and vanish from the airways forever. Others manage not only to survive season after season but decade after decade, becoming the longest running shows on television. These long running TV shows run the gamut of genres and formats, from news magazines to late night comedy shows and from cartoons to legal dramas.
Long Running Comedies
Long running television comedies include sketch comedy shows as well as late night talk-shows. There are also several cartoons thrown in for good measure:
Saturday Night Live- SNL, a live sketch comedy show that airs every Saturday on NBC, has been on the air since 1975. The show has seen many changes in its 35+ year history, including a revolving door of cast members and ups and downs in quality. You will also find re-runs of the show on a number of channels including VH1.
The Simpsons - The first episode of The Simpsons aired in 1989. In 2012, it is in its 21st season and is scheduled to continue for at least another two seasons. New episodes air on Sundays on Fox. Re-runs air throughout the week as well.
The Tonight Show - The Tonight Show got its start in 1954, with host Johnny Carson. It was then hosted by Jay Leno, briefly by Conan O'Brien and once again by Jay Leno. The show began its run as a variety show but now is more of a talk show, with Leno interviewing guests each night. It airs weeknights on NBC.
Other Shows
A number of other television programs have had impressive runs. Most early morning news shows have been running for decades. For example, The Today Show, which airs weekdays on NBC, began in 1954. Good Morning America, its competitor over on ABC, has been airing on weekday mornings since 1975. Other long running shows that are not comedies include:
60 Minutes - Since 1968, this news magazine has aired on Sunday evenings on CBS and is known as the longest running primetime show.
Law and Order - The original series of Law and Order ended in 2010, after a 20 season run, but there are still a number of spin-offs airing, including Law and Order: SVU, as well as a British version of the show. The show runs in syndication on TNT and other local affliliate channels and it originally airs on NBC.
The longest running shows appeal to viewers throughout time. For example, 60 Minutes and the morning news programs keep people up-to-date, and do not lose their appeal. However, other long running TV shows are able to evolve over the years, adapting to the changing times so they continue to be fresh while other shows become stale and fade away.
