JuicyTalk
Longevity is something most small-screen series aspire to, and the longest-running TV shows ever have racked up an incredible number of years on the air to hold the claim. Some shows have been running so long that they’re enjoyed by multiple generations of the same family. For any show released in the last year to stand a chance of making the list, it’d have to stay on-air until the 2050s. From children’s shows to daytime television, there are plenty of examples of series that have kept running through the decades, becoming TV icons in their own right.
The question of what is the longest TV show depends largely on which types of shows are included. Many news and sports programs, such as Meet the Press or Monday Night Football, have run for decades. However, they could also go on indefinitely, so they aren’t the same as scripted programs, ranked by the amount of time from their first episode to their last (or the present day, in the case of still-ongoing shows). This year, there are many series that continue to add to their ever-growing number of years on the air, including some approaching seven decades since airing.
40
NCIS – 22+ Years
2023-Present
NCIS
6/10
- Release Date
-
September 23, 2003
- Showrunner
-
Donald P. Bellisario
- Directors
-
Dennis Smith, Terrence O’Hara, Tony Wharmby, James Whitmore Jr., Thomas J. Wright, Michael Zinberg, Arvin Brown, Rocky Carroll, Diana Valentine, Leslie Libman, Tawnia McKiernan, Colin Bucksey, William Webb, Bethany Rooney, Alrick Riley, Jeff Woolnough, Alan J. Levi, Lionel Coleman, Martha Mitchell, Peter Ellis, Michael Weatherly, Edward Ornelas, Stephen Cragg, Tom Wright
- Writers
-
George Schenck, Frank Cardea, Jesse Stern, John C. Kelley, Jennifer Corbett, Christopher Silber, Reed Steiner, Nicole Mirante-Matthews, Jack Bernstein, Scott J. Jarrett, Matthew R. Jarrett, Kimberly-Rose Wolter, Don McGill, Gil Grant, Frank Military, Nell Scovell, Steven Kriozere, Brian Dietzen, Kate Torgovnick May, Jeff Vlaming, Sydney Mitchel, Katie White, Richard C. Arthur, Laurence Walsh
-
Sean Murray
Timothy McGee
-
David McCallum
Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard
In the 1990s, JAG was a very popular military procedural show, and it ended up producing a backdoor pilot for a new show called NCIS. What few could have expected at the time was that NCIS would not only dwarf the show it spun off from but end up as one of the longest-running TV shows of all time. NCIS tells the story of the special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service who deal with crimes involving military personnel. The show became a massive hit thanks to its cast, led by Mark Harmon.
NCIS is among the longest-running scripted live-action TV shows currently airing.
In 2025, NCIS is among the longest-running scripted live-action TV shows currently airing, behind only the two Law & Order series. It took a little while to find its feet, but it was the most-watched show on television for several seasons and spawned a franchise, including series set in New Orleans, Hawai’i, Los Angeles, and most recently, a prequel series that showed how Harmon’s Gibbs got his start with NCIS. While popular, it only received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
39
Curb Your Enthusiasm – 23 Years
1999-2024
Curb Your Enthusiasm
8/10
- Release Date
-
2000 – 2023
- Network
-
HBO Max
- Showrunner
-
Jeff Schaffer
- Directors
-
Robert B. Weide, Larry Charles, David Steinberg, Bryan Gordon, Alec Berg, Andy Ackerman, David Mandel, Barry Gordon, Cheryl Hines, Dean Parisot
As if creating one of the best sitcoms of all time with Seinfeld was not enough, Larry David then decided to make another television classic to follow, this time stepping in front of the camera as well. Curb Your Enthusiasm follows a fictional version of Larry David, with each episode simply following him as he encounters one annoying social situation after another or makes a new enemy with his cranky behavior.
Part of the reason Curb Your Enthusiasm managed to become one of the longest-running shows of all time was because it would take long hiatuses in between seasons. Compared to other long-running shows, Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s 12 seasons and 120 episodes might not seem like a lot. However, the series was able to remain hilarious from beginning to end, with David fully embracing his role as one of the most unlikable protagonists on television.
38
The X-Files – 24 years
1993-2018
The X-Files
8/10
- Release Date
-
1993 – 2017
- Network
-
FOX
- Showrunner
-
Chris Carter
- Directors
-
Chris Carter
- Writers
-
Chris Carter
The X-Files was a phenomenon when it initially aired on Fox. This is because it premiered on Friday nights, usually a death slot for TV shows, and ended up bringing in almost 12 million viewers per episode on that night. Even when Fox moved it to Sunday nights, another tough night for viewership, it continued to bring in over 10 million viewers until its final ninth season in 2001. The series followed Fox Mulder and Dana Scully as two FBI investigators who deal in paranormal cases.
The series is a spin on the idea of the old anthology series like The Twilight Zone but with a running alien conspiracy storyline as its backbone. It was shows like The X-Files that ensured that later series like Supernatural could find success with similar themes. The franchise then extended its run with movies and then had a revival in 2016, where two more seasons were added to the show, with original stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson returning to their roles.
37
Hee Haw – 24 Years
1969-1993
Hee Haw was one of the longest-running variety shows in television history, airing from 1969 through 1993 for a total of 26 seasons. The series was a comedy variety show based around country music with jokes centered around that theme, from the fictional “Kornfield Kounty.” The cast ended up extremely popular in the Midwest especially, with country music superstars Roy Clark and Buck Owens as the main musical hosts. However, the supporting cast was also one that fans fell in love with for different reasons.
Minnie Pearl, with her big hats with the price tag still hanging from them, was a fashion icon.
Minnie Pearl, with her big hats with the price tag still hanging from them, was a fashion icon for many years. Grandpa Jones (Louis Jones) was also a hugely popular character on the show and is actually part of the Country Music Hall of Fame as a banjo player. With recurring sketches (“PFFT! You Was Gone,” “Lulu’s Truck Stop,” “Gloom, Despair, and Agony On Me,” and “The Haystack” among the most memorable), the show still airs in reruns and has been referenced on The Simpsons, The Critic, and more.
36
Arthur – 25 Years
1996-2022
Arthur might be a rather unassuming kids show compared to everything else that is out there, but it maintained strong popularity for decades and is remembered as a classic for many youngsters. The animated series follows the titular character, an aardvark who lives with his mother, father, and little sister while going to school with his colorful group of friends.
In its 25-year run, Arthur was able to expand into TV movies as well as a spinoff series. However, the show always maintained its relatively low-key approach, with a grounded world and stories that were not overly flashy. However, like all good children’s shows, each episode of Arthur sought to teach the young audience something new and even addressed some heavier topics. However, with its charming characters, it always remained a lighthearted good time for the whole family.
35
Family Guy – 26+ Years
1999-Present
Family Guy
8/10
- Release Date
-
January 31, 1999
- Network
-
FOX
- Showrunner
-
Seth MacFarlane
- Directors
-
Peter Shin, Pete Michels, John Holmquist, Greg Colton, Brian Iles, Julius Wu, Joseph Lee, Joe Vaux, Mike Kim, Steve Robertson, Dan Povenmire, James Purdum, Dominic Bianchi, Dominic Polcino, Bob Bowen, Monte Young, Zac Moncrief, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bert Ring, Seth Kearsley, Scott Wood, Chuck Klein, Brian Hogan, Gavin Dell
- Writers
-
Steve Callaghan, Patrick Meighan, Mark Hentemann, Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, Tom Devanney, Alex Carter, Alec Sulkin, Wellesley Wild, Gary Janetti, Andrew Goldberg, Mike Desilets, Anthony Blasucci, Matt Weitzman, Kirker Butler, Damien Fahey, John Viener, Brian Scully, Ted Jessup, Chris Regan, Matt Pabian, Garrett Donovan, Ricky Blitt, Aaron Lee, Julius Sharpe
-
Alex Borstein
Lois Griffin / Tricia Takanawa / Loretta Brown / Barbara Pewterschmidt (voice)
-
The Simpsons remains the longest-running prime time animated TV show in history. While Family Guy is a decade behind that popular series, its run has been no less impressive. That is because Fox actually canceled Family Guy after just three seasons. FOX then sold the three seasons to Cartoon Network, and it became one of the most-watched shows on that network. The box set of the first two seasons ended up as the most-sold DVD TV set of all time, and Fox realized they had made a mistake and brought the show back.
The adult animated series now has 23 seasons and counting and well over 400 episodes. The show follows a dysfunctional family, which includes a talking dog and a diabolical baby intent on one day taking over the world. With rapid-fire pop culture jokes, meta-humor, and slapstick action scenes, the series has remained popular throughout the years and just different enough from similar shows in the same genre to always seem fresh even after such a long run.
34
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – 26+ Years
1999-Present
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Release Date
-
September 20, 1999
- Showrunner
-
Robert Palm, David J. Bruke, Neal Baer, Warren Leight, Rick Eid, Michael S. Chernuchin, David Graziano
- Directors
-
David Platt, Jean de Segonzac, Peter Leto, Alex Chapple
- Writers
-
Dick Wolf
Law & Order: SVU did something amazing with its run on NBC. While there have been spinoffs that proved superior to their predecessors (NCIS and JAG are great examples), what SVU did was impressive. It was a spinoff from the original Law & Order and initially outlasted the original series. When NBC canceled Law & Order, SVU kept going and ended up surpassing the original in total seasons. While NBC brought back the original later and continued it, SVU now has two more seasons than the show it followed.
Mariska Hargitay played the lead through every season.
The main difference between Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order is that the spinoff details mostly sex crimes, whether it is assault, murder, or predatory. Many episodes are influenced by real-life cases, and they are mostly more disturbing thanks to the sexual aspects. However, what made the show so popular was the cast, with Mariska Hargitay as the lead through every season, Christopher Meloni as her partner for the first half, and names like Ice-T and Richard Belzer providing great supporting runs.
33
The Edge Of Night – 28 Years
1956-1984
The soap opera The Edge of Night aired for 28 years and even survived a cancelation by one network to play on for nine more seasons on a rival network. Originally, The Edge of Night aired on CBS and premiered in 1956. The soap premiered alongside As the World Turns and both shows ended up as huge success stories.
The focus was not on romance and love stories but was instead painted as a mystery series, based on the type of stories told in Perry Mason detective novels. It focused on crime stories more than any other soap of its time. The series had some very recognizable faces in its cast over the years, including names like Dixie Carter, Kate Capshaw, Marcia Cross, Scott Glenn, Julianne Moore, Bebe Neuwirth, and John Travolta.
The series was canceled in 1975 when CBS made As the World Turns one hour and considered The Edge of Night to be expendable. ABC wanted a new soap and chose to pick up The Edge of Night and added it to their daily schedule, and it didn’t miss a beat. ABC finally ended the show in 1984.
32
Love Of Life – 29 Years
1951-1980
Love Of Life
- Release Date
-
1951 – 1979
- Writers
-
Don Ettlinger
-
Bonnie Bartlett
Uncredited
-
-
Audrey Peters
Amy Russell
-
Hugh Franklin
Daisy Allen
Created by Roy Winsor (Search for Tomorrow), the daytime soap opera Love of Life was unlike most other soaps on TV. Since American Home Products owned the soap, it aired with American Home Product commercials before and after the show rather than having commercial breaks during the episodes by the network. With that said, it still aired on CBS and lasted for 29 years and 7,315 episodes. The series was a morality tale about two sisters, one good and the other bad, and their relationship.
Christopher Reeve starred in Love of Life as Ben Harper seven years before playing Superman.
However, soon the soap phased out the bad sister Meg, and it turned into more of a basic soap opera with love stories, tragic deaths, betrayals, and more. The soap had some big names on it, with John Aniston (who went on to bigger fame as Victor Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives), Peggy McCay (who went to Days of Our Lives as Caroline Brady), and the first man to play Superman in a big screen movie, Christopher Reeve. The last episode of Love of Life ended on a cliffhanger, which was never resolved.
31
The Phil Donahue Show – 29 Years
1967-1996
Today, daytime talk shows are often about controversy or celebrity discussions. However, at one time, the daytime talk show hosts took the time to discuss serious issues without over-the-top arguments and fights between the guests. Before shows with hosts like Sally Jessy Raphel and Oprah Winfrey shook things up, The Phil Donahue Show was a staple of daytime television offering a serious look at issues people deal with every day. This is because Donahue was a news reporter who wanted to do something bigger.
He even helped introduce hip-hop culture to the nation on daytime television for the first time
The Phil Donahue Show started airing in 1967 on limited television stations before becoming nationally syndicated in 1970. Donahue focused on one guest or topic for the show’s entire hour and offered the audience a chance to ask questions. He brought an atheist onto the show, a rarity for that era (he was a practicing Catholic), a doctor who talked about body language on TV for the first time, and he even helped introduce hip-hop culture to the nation on daytime television for the first time. After 29 years, he ended his show in 1996.
30
Captain Kangaroo – 29 Years
1955 – 1984
Captain Kangaroo is a children’s television program that began airing in 1955. The series was conceived as an educational and entertaining variety show starring its creator, Bob Keeshan, who played the eponymous character of Captain Kangaroo, as well as several other characters in the show. Keeshan believed that the show’s longevity was due to its respect for its young audience (via Click Americana):
“Captain Kangaroo treats children as intelligent human beings and never talks down to them. He is not afraid to ask them to think. And he believes that they have good taste. He likes people in general and children in particular.”
Captain Kangaroo aired for nearly 30 years, coming to an end in 1984 after over 6,000 episodes. At the time that it came to an end, it was the longest-running TV show aimed at children in the history of television, though other series have since surpassed this record. Even after its ending, the series has enjoyed many reruns over the decades, some of which have even included new content.
29
South Park – 29+ Years
1997-Present
South Park
8/10
- Release Date
-
August 13, 1997
- Showrunner
-
Trey Parker
- Directors
-
Adrien Beard
- Writers
-
David A. Goodman, Nancy M. Pimental, Kenny Hotz, Philip Stark, Dave Weasel, Dan Sterling, Susan Hurwitz Arneson, Trisha Nixon, David R. Goodman, Tim Talbott, Pam Brady, Robert Lopez, Dani Michaeli, Kyle McCulloch, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Kimmel, Jane Bussmann
-
Karri Turner
Liane Cartman / Wendy Testaburger / Mrs. Crabtree (voice)
-
Matt Stone
Kyle Broflovski / Kenny McCormick (voice)
For a series that has drawn so much controversy over the years, it is even more impressive that South Park has stayed on the air for so long. The animated series comes from the minds of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, following a group of young friends living in the titular Colorado town where they get into typical childhood adventures, like playing Warcraft and imagining they are ninjas. They also get pulled into much stranger adventures, like helping Jesus save Santa Claus.
South Park has had several banned episodes over the years, but it is still going strong as its 27th season is confirmed to air in 2025. Right now, the animated series stands at an impressive 27 years on the air, and over 300 episodes have aired. The South Park franchise continues to go strong with video games and movies also still being released.
28
The Daily Show – 29+ Years
1996-Present
The Daily Show
- Release Date
-
July 22, 1996
- Directors
-
Chuck O’Neil
- Writers
-
Allison Silverman, Charlie Grandy, Hallie Haglund, Sam Means, Wyatt Cenac, Scott Jacobson, Rob Kutner, Rich Blomquist, Jonathan Bines, Elliott Kalan, Aaron Bergeron, Tom Johnson, john oliver, Jason Reich, Eric Drysdale, Daniel J. Goor, Chris Regan, Travon Free, Rachel Axler
-
-
Self – Contributor ‘Out at the Movies’
-
Michael Showalter
Self – Contributor ‘God Stuff’
-
It is interesting to note that, during its early years, The Daily Show could have easily become a short-lived comedy news show that was largely forgotten. However, few shows have reinvented themselves so successfully, giving it a new life and launching a whole new legacy. The Daily Show was originally hosted by Craig Kilborn and was a parody of serious news shows. However, the series truly gained its acclaimed reputation once Jon Stewart took over as host.
Stewart oversaw the show becoming a much sharper and politically engaged series that was also one of the funniest shows on television. It became a place where people would come to actually get their news with Stewart offering smart and critical observations about all sides of the argument. While Stewart left big shoes to fill when he departed the show in 2015, Trevor Noah proved to be an excellent replacement. Following Noah’s departure, the show operated without a set host for several years with Stewart returning in 2024.
27
WWE Monday Night Raw – 32+ Years
1993 – Present
One of the longest-running prime-time episodic television shows in television history is WWE Monday Night Raw. Before this, wrestling was mostly on Saturdays, with a few minor shows during the week (such as Tuesday Night Titans, a talk show). However, in 1993, Vince McMahon set out to change things when he launched a prime-time wrestling show on USA Network with Monday Night Raw. That first episode had names like Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker on it, and the promotion never looked back.
In 2025, Raw moves to Netflix.
Things changed over the years. The show was pre-taped, but WWE ended up making it a live show, which it remains to this day. There were two network changes, as WWE moved the show to TNN in 2000, but then moved back to USA Network in 1993. However, there is another change coming that will change WWE Monday Night Raw forever. In 2025, Raw moves to Netflix, making it the first live weekly wrestling show from a major promotion to stream on a streaming service.
26
The Late Show – 32+ Years
1993 – Present
The Late Show
- Showrunner
-
Christopher Andrew Licht
- Directors
-
Jake Plunkett, Jim Hoskinson, Ballard C. Boyd
- Writers
-
Emmy Blotnick, Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Stephen Colbert
David Letterman was supposed to replace Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, but when NBC passed him up and chose Jay Leno, Letterman chose to leave the network and signed with CBS. They then created his own television show to compete with The Tonight Show and the late-night talk show wars began. Taking place in the Ed Sullivan Theater, Late Show began in 1993 and Letterman added several things to make things different from Leno’s show, including several recurring sketches like “To Ten Lost” and more.
David Letterman & Stephen Colbert are the only two hosts of Late Night in its 31+ years.
In 2014, Letterman announced his retirement, with his final episode coming in 2015. Things didn’t slow down, as there was a transition after this before Stephen Colbert finally took over in September 2015, and he has been the host of the show ever since. It regularly finishes the year as the most-watched late-night talk show, beating out The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and Colbert won a Peabody Award with several Primetime Emmy nominations as well.
25
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – 33 Years
1968-2001
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
- Release Date
-
February 19, 1968
- Directors
-
Bob Walsh, David F. Chen, Bill Moates, Paul Lally, Sam Silberman, Hugh Martin
- Writers
-
Fred Rogers, Betty Seamans
There is one man who saved the public access television network PBS from government cuts many years ago. Fred Rogers went before Congress and made an impassioned speech that convinced them of the importance of PBS and shows like his own Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. The series had Mister Rogers talking directly to the audience in many cases and teaching kids the difference between right and wrong. It was easily one of the best and most pure educational kids’ shows in history.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood aired from 1968 to 2001, starting on NET and spending 30 years on PBS. Rogers was 72 when the show ended in 2001, and he passed away two years later. In 2012, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood started as an animated spinoff, but it only has a connection to the original series and was not a continuation of the beloved educational kids series. In all, Mister Rogers Neighborhood had 31 seasons and an impressive 912 episodes.
24
The Simpsons – 35+ Years
1989 – Present
The Simpsons
9/10
- Release Date
-
December 17, 1989
- Network
-
FOX
- Showrunner
-
Al Jean
- Directors
-
David Silverman, Jim Reardon, Mark Kirkland
- Writers
-
Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, Sam Simon
It’s no surprise The Simpsons is one of the longest-running shows on air. This animated family has marched through the decades unabated and gave multiple generations a reason to laugh. The Simpsons began on The Tracey Ullman Show as a series of short sketches in 1987, before entering syndication as a full-fledged series in ’89 and becoming one of the longest-running TV shows in the world for the realm of animation.
Over the nearly three and a half decades the series has run for, there have been six American presidencies and multiple generations of pop culture and politics — all of them lambasted poignantly by the original cast.
It can’t be overstated the cultural impact The Simpsons has had over its 34 years.
It can’t be overstated the cultural impact The Simpsons has had over its 34 years. First, the talk of high school kids enveloped in Bartmania, the show soon branched out to adults who appreciated its sarcastic humor and mature storylines. The show inspired future animated franchises like Family Guy and South Park, both of which have enjoyed very long runs. The early seasons of The Simpsons have enjoyed a new life online in the forms of a library of familiar GIFs. And, with over thirty seasons in the can, The Simpsons shows no signs of stopping.
23
Columbo – 35 Years
1968 – 2003
Columbo is an American detective drama starring Peter Falk as the titular crime-solver. The series first aired a pair of pilot episodes in 1968 and 1971, respectively, before finally receiving a full-series order. The show was hailed as a first of its kind for ditching the mystery portion of similar shows, showing the audience each killer at the beginning of the episode and instead focusing on how the perpetrator is then caught.
The series aired in a 90-minute time slot monthly as part of the NBC Mystery Movie anthology along with other detective series, allowing it to keep its format fresh. After enjoying several decades on the air, Columbo stopped premiering new episodes on a regular basis in 1990. Over the next thirteen years, the series would instead air longer television specials in place of typical episodes. Because of its unusual and at times sporadic airing habits, Columbo has only 69 episodes despite being one of the longest-running TV shows in the detective genre in history.
22
Search For Tomorrow – 35 Years
1951 – 1986
Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera that began its run in 1951. The series followed the life of Joanne Gardner, who was portrayed by Mary Stuart throughout all thirty-five seasons of the long-running drama. The series was the longest-running TV show at the time of its cancelation, although it has since been surpassed.
Related
10 Surprising Actors Who Got Their Start On Soap Operas
Many soap opera actors stick with the genre for their entire careers, but from Tommy Lee Jones to Michael B, Jordan, some became huge movie stars.
Search For Tomorrow came to an end in 1986 after over 9,000 episodes and five Daytime Emmy wins. In the early 80s, it became the last soap opera to broadcast an episode live after a pre-recorded program mysteriously went missing. The show also featured several appearances from actors who have since become well-known for other works, including Kevin Bacon, Jane Krakowski, Kevin Conroy, and more.
21
Another World – 35 Years
1964 – 1999
Another World was one of the early casualties of the downfall of daytime soap operas in the United States. The soap aired on NBC starting in 1964 and remained on the air for 8,891 episodes before it ended in 1999. What made this soap different was that it didn’t focus on domestic life but on differences between families in different social classes. The series was NBC’s highest-rated soap opera for 15 years and was the first soap to expand past 30 minutes and even launch its own spinoffs, becoming one of the longest-running TV shows of its era.
The soap was important as it was one of the first ones to talk about abortion when the subject was considered taboo, but that’s not the only noteworthy point about Another World. It also was the first soap to have a crossover event with another soap, Guiding Light, which was received incredibly well by viewers at the time. Notable actors on the show include Scott Bakula, Christine Baranski, Marcia Cross, and Morgan Freeman.
