Worst TV Show that lasted more than One Season.

[jwk1979]

This topic may have been covered before but I am curious what do you consider to be the worse TV show to ever air. I know historically that most TV critics consider "My Mother the Car" to be the worse TV series ever to air, but since it only aired for one season (iirc 1965-66), I never saw the show so I would be hard pressed to say it was the worse TV show ever. And it is hard to say that a TV series that lasted only a few episodes should be the worse show ever, so for this discussion, we will limit it the worse shows that were on the air for at least two seasons or more.

My nominee for worse show that aired for two season or more is "Alice". The acting was bad, the scripts even worse and I found ALL the characters to be amoung the most annoying ever on TV. Why was Mel such an obnoxious loud mouth? Why did all the men in Phoenix find Flo irresistable and sexy? How did Vera make it on her own being so naive? Why was Philip such a smart-ass at such a young age? Why was a lounge singer like Alice working in a White-Trash dump like Mel's Diner? How could such annoying show with even more annoying characters last as long as it did on CBS? I don't ever recall it being shown in syndication during it run on CBS or after it's run ended.

 

[azumanga]

I don't ever recall ["Alice"] being shown in syndication during it run on CBS or after it's run ended.

"Alice" did have a daytime stint on CBS with repeats around 1981 or so. Also, it was syndicated for several years after its run on CBS ended. Most recently, it was part of "i"'s lineup briefly, after its conversion from Pax.

 

[jwk1979]

I don't ever recall ["Alice"] being shown in syndication during it run on CBS or after it's run ended.

"Alice" did have a daytime stint on CBS with repeats around 1981 or so. Also, it was syndicated for several years after its run on CBS ended. Most recently, it was part of "i"'s lineup briefly, after its conversion from Pax.

I saw that on Wikipedia that it did run in synidcation on WTBS and on several stations around the country, including in my hometown and where I reside now, but I just don't recall these stations ever running the show. It must have been on during the day when I was at school and at work.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

My nominee for worse show that aired for two season or more is "Alice". The acting was bad, the scripts even worse and I found ALL the characters to be amoung the most annoying ever on TV. Why was Mel such an obnoxious loud mouth? Why did all the men in Phoenix find Flo irresistable and sexy? How did Vera make it on her own being so naive? Why was Philip such a smart-ass at such a young age? Why was a lounge singer like Alice working in a White-Trash dump like Mel's Diner? How could such annoying show with even more annoying characters last as long as it did on CBS? I don't ever recall it being shown in syndication during it run on CBS or after it's run ended.

You really would have to watch the movie drama "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974, Ellen Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson and Diane Ladd), which is a pretty good movie. In short, recently-widowed Alice packs up her son to move to Monterrey, CA but their car breaks down in Phoenix and they decide to stay. As a kid, I loved the show (mostly because it reminded me of my life at the time: Life with a single mother who works in a restaurant).

 

[ShawnHill1]

I don't ever recall ["Alice"] being shown in syndication during it run on CBS or after it's run ended.

"Alice" did have a daytime stint on CBS with repeats around 1981 or so. Also, it was syndicated for several years after its run on CBS ended. Most recently, it was part of "i"'s lineup briefly, after its conversion from Pax.

I saw that on Wikipedia that it did run in synidcation on WTBS and on several stations around the country, including in my hometown and where I reside now, but I just don't recall these stations ever running the show. It must have been on during the day when I was at school and at work.

"Alice" also ran on WGN-TV when it entered off-net syndication...in fact, quite a few old CBS shows from that era ran in reruns on WGN: One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Archie Bunker's Place (which was/is on a different syndication contract than All in the Family, which in Chicago ran initially on WFLD), WKRP in Cincinnati, and one or two others I can't think of off the top of my head.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Small Wonder would get my vote

 

[bpatrick]

Two words: JERRY SPRINGER!

 

[71dude]

The acting was bad, the scripts even worse and I found ALL the characters to be among the most annoying ever on TV.

That would be Just the 10 of Us. Even though Mr. Belvedere always ends up on these worst-show lists, it was Shakespeare compared to this dung pile which came after it. And don't tell me how hot the girls were - get a magazine.

 

[wbhist]

If one were to base this thread on what was in Bart Andrews and Brad Dunning's 1980 book The Worst TV Shows Ever, there were quite a few shows in that book that qualified: Hogan's Heroes (6 seasons), Hee Haw (11 years as of the publication of the book; continued to 1992), Gilligan's Island (3 years), Three's Company (3 years as of the writing of that book), Miss America Pageants (from 1954 to just a few years ago; it even had a section on the controversial 1979 firing of longtime host Bert Parks), The Newlywed Game (8 years on ABC daytime and a few more years in syndication), Supermarket Sweep (the original 1965-67 ABC version - whose producer was David Susskind!!!), and Queen for a Day (on TV from 1955 to 1964).

 

[Bob1370]

Two shows with a similar level of intelligence...WWE Raw and the Glenn Beck show...

 

[fortmill]

Two shows with a similar level of intelligence...WWE Raw and the Glenn Beck show...

Good one!!!!

 

[Joey1986]

Small Wonder would get my vote

In the words of Bonnie Brindle, Harriet's mom, "No na na no no no!"

 

[Mark Giardina]

I cast my vote for "Life with Jim" staring Jim Belushi. :

 

[Mark Giardina]

Two shows with a similar level of intelligence...WWE Raw and the Glenn Beck show...

Hey leave wrestling alone! ;D

 

[therealjm12]

I have to say, anything produced by Aaron Spelling.

 

[FreddyE1977]

The acting was bad, the scripts even worse and I found ALL the characters to be among the most annoying ever on TV.

That would be Just the 10 of Us. Even though Mr. Belvedere always ends up on these worst-show lists, it was Shakespeare compared to this dung pile which came after it. And don't tell me how hot the girls were - get a magazine.

although I must say that episode of Mr. Belvedere where Bob Uecker gets in trouble for giving that editorial about the National Anthem is an all-time classic!

Worst part of that show was the teenage girl who was constantly whining in every episode because she couldn't have sex.
After awhile you just wanted to scream "Alright, already, just get it over with!" at your TV set!

 

[BobSacamano]

I know I'm gonna get flamed, but I'll nominate
"Three's Company"..everything about that show, the lighting, the writing, the off-key theme song, seemed cheesy & low-buget..

 

[bpatrick]

If one were to base this thread on what was in Bart Andrews and Brad Dunning's 1980 book The Worst TV Shows Ever, there were quite a few shows in that book that qualified: Hogan's Heroes (6 seasons), Hee Haw (11 years as of the publication of the book; continued to 1992), Gilligan's Island (3 years), Three's Company (3 years as of the writing of that book), Miss America Pageants (from 1954 to just a few years ago; it even had a section on the controversial 1979 firing of longtime host Bert Parks), The Newlywed Game (8 years on ABC daytime and a few more years in syndication), Supermarket Sweep (the original 1965-67 ABC version - whose producer was David Susskind!!!), and Queen for a Day (on TV from 1955 to 1964).

Kevin Allman, in "TV Turkeys," also mentions "Hogan's Heroes," "Hee Haw," "The Newlywed Game," and "Queen For A Day."
Add to that "The Flying Nun," "Knight Rider," "Hello, Larry," "That's Incredible!," "Hot Seat" (Wally George), "Meeting Of Minds"
(don't understand this one; I learned a lot about historical figures from it), "The Dating Game," "The Gong Show," "The $1.98
Beauty Show," and "Let's Make A Deal."

 

[hubcity]

Two words: JERRY SPRINGER!

I put that alongside the Chuck Barris gameshows that basically show how people have no problem completely embarrassing themselves if television is involved.

Or, to quote Mr. Springer from an interview, "if you ever get a call from my producer asking if you'd like to be on TV..." (he then continued in a pained stage whisper) "say no!"

 

[wbhist]

"Meeting Of Minds" (don't understand this one; I learned a lot about historical figures from it)

It seems Allman didn't like either Steve Allen or Jayne Meadows, and his enmity seeped through his judgment of the program (though I've no way to either prove or disprove this scenario).