Our list of the best shows of the '70s features many of the best shows of all time (here's looking at you, 'Mary Tyler Moore Show,' 'M*A*S*H' and 'Taxi'). Take a gander and let us know if you agree. -- By Kimberly Potts
The Best TV Shows of the 70s
In AOL TV's continuing countdown of the best TV shows of each decade, we're back to break down the 1970s, a decade when the cop dramas were less gritty, the families were close-knit and the sitcoms were sprinkled with serious social commentary.
Our list of the best shows of the '70s features many of the best shows of all time (here's looking at you, 'Mary Tyler Moore Show,' 'M*A*S*H' and 'Taxi'). Take a gander and let us know if you agree. -- By Kimberly Potts
Retna / Getty Images
40. 'Charlie's Angels'
(1976-81)
Dismissed by some critics as "jiggle TV," there's no denying that the 'Angels' made a huge impact on pop culture and made TV superstars (and future Lifetime movie fixtures) of original trio Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. Fawcett's Jill bolted as a regular by season 2, but even a rotating cast couldn't diminish how cool it was to see such well-proportioned babes kicking baddie butt.
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39. 'McMillan & Wife'
(1971-77)
Stewart MacMillan (Rock Hudson) had his hands full as San Francisco police commissioner, but his ditzy wife Sally (Susan Saint James) had a knack for getting them accidentally involved in solving even more crimes in this lighthearted, Nick-and-Nora-ish series. The duo's happy, snappy sleuthing lasted for five seasons, until a contract dispute with Saint James led producers to make Stewart a widower.
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38. 'Laverne & Shirley'
(1976-83)
Milwaukee BFFs Laverne (Penny Marshall) and Shirley (Cindy Williams), who were introduced in an episode of 'Happy Days,' spent five seasons hilariously looking for love and drowning their sorrows in Laverne's milk and Pepsi cocktails, until a setting shift to California left the series in jump-the-shark territory. By the eighth and final season, Shirley married and moved away, leaving Laverne sans a roommate and a worthy comedic partner.
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37. 'Kolchak: The Night Stalker'
(1974-75)
The show debuted on Friday the 13th and aired for one season, but its impact is long-lasting: It helped inspire 'The X-Files,' and its story editor, David Chase, went on to create 'The Sopranos.' 'Kolchak' was groundbreaking for its plotlines, too, which found reporter Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin) following perps others wouldn't, involving werewolves, vampires, zombies and other supernatural types.
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36. 'The Six Million Dollar Man'
(1974-78)
They rebuilt him. They made astronaut Steve Austin (Lee Majors) better, stronger, faster, after he barely survived a crash and was rebuilt with bionic parts. With his new cyborg bod (the novel 'Cyborg' led to the show), Austin went to work for the government, where he befriended Bigfoot, got bionic parts for girlfriend Jamie Sommers and became one of the coolest action figures of all time.
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ABC Photo Archive
35. 'Good Times'
(1974-79)
Comedian Jimmie Walker was the show's breakout as catchphrase-spoutin' J.J. "Dyno-o-mite!" Evans, but 'Good Times,' like other sitcoms from producer Norman Lear, liberally peppered its comedy with heavy doses of heavy topics, like the poverty-stricken Evans family's struggle to keep its head above water and the shocking death of patriarch James, who was killed after finally landing a good job.
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34. 'Night Gallery'
(1970-73)
Rod Serling's 'Twilight Zone' follow-up, another anthology series, began with a pilot that featured one of Oscar winner Joan Crawford's final performances, as well as future Oscar winner Steven Spielberg's directorial debut. The series, which mixed the macabre with dark humor, also featured Serling introducing each segment, from a creepy art gallery where paintings foretold the stories to come.
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33. 'Harry O'
(1973-76)
Harry Orwell (David Janssen) was ahead of his time. Not only did the former Marine and ex-cop-turned-San Diego private eye use public transportation (the first green P.I.?), but his sometime girlfriend was played by a pre-'Charlie's Angels,' pre-that famous poster, Farrah Fawcett. Harry O sadly only lasted two seasons, and was the last regular drama series role for 'Fugitive' star Janssen.
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ABC Photo Archive
32. 'Welcome Back, Kotter'
(1975-79)
Based on star Gabe Kaplan's own past as a remedial student in Brooklyn, 'Kotter' found him playing the titular character, a remedial student who became a teacher and returned to his old high school to teach the unteachables. The show's corny jokes worked as Mr. Kotter's way of bonding with 'Sweathogs' Horshack, Epstein, Washington and Barbarino (John Travolta), whose potential he helped uncover.
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ABC Photo Archive
Reader Comments (11)
Mel at 12:51PM on Jun 22nd 2009
Where are "What's Happening!!" and "Three's Company?" How can you have a list like this and not include those two shows? But absolute crap like MASH makes the list. Please.
taimantisman at 9:14PM on Nov 12th 2009
MASH was far from absolute crap as you defined it, I think your head is to far up someplace that the sun doesn't shine in to
Dan at 6:00PM on Jun 23rd 2009
All in the Family should be #1 and it's about time Soap got some respect and landed in the top ten, it's the most underrated show of all time.
windmill power at 12:45AM on Jul 9th 2009
Happy days for me, not just for the seventies but easily in the top ten of all time. Good old winkler :-)
Ewen Gray at 9:18PM on Aug 6th 2009
loved Sanford and Son and the schemes he got up to.
http://www.rabbithutchandrun.org.uk
Frank at 3:38PM on Aug 31st 2009
How could you omit Rhoda starring Valerie Harper who won numerous Emmies for her role as well as What's Happening! List is full of stinkers.
Herbie J Pilato at 6:11PM on Oct 15th 2009
"Bewitched" was not a "wacky" sitcom. It was a multi-Emmy nominated and winning series that was expertly written (by the likes of Bernard Slade, of Same Time, Next Year fame, and Danny Arnold, of Barney Miller, among many, many other behind the scenes top-notch producers, directors and writers. Not to mention that it featured an A-1 stellar cast including the charming Elizabeth Montgomery, the pristine Agnes Moorehead and the incomparable Maurice Evans. I suggest you do your research more thoroughly before you make such sweeping unstudied statements.
With best "witches,"
Herbie J Pilato
Author
Bewitched Forever (Tapestry, 2004/2001 - Summit, 1997)
and
The Bewitched Book (Dell, 1992)
Among other other classic TV compendiums.
John F.C. Taylor at 8:17AM on Oct 31st 2009
What About Dennis Weaver in McCloud?
Linda at 7:50PM on Nov 3rd 2009
MASH was #1 for me; next, Welcome Back Kotter and Happy Days and of course I wouldn't miss Little House on the Prarie and the Waltons.
Patricia at 1:48AM on Nov 13th 2009
I looked at most of the lists including the list from the 80's and I was wondering. Where is Simon and Simon? I mean I love shows like Magnum P.I. and Murder She Wrote. I am a big fan of both those shows too. I really enjoyed watching Simon and Simon though. Yhat show was one of my favorites and I still like to watch it on DVD. I just think that Simon and Simon is worth mentioning too.