The 24 Best 1970s TV Shows of All Time

From boundary-pushing sitcoms and cozy family dramas to wisecracking detectives and star-studded variety hours, this lineup gathers the small-screen staples that defined a decade. Which one still reigns supreme?

1. 1
   Fawlty Towers

   John Cleese's savagely funny British sitcom about an inept, irascible seaside hotel owner.
   1000pts
2. 2
   All in the Family

   Norman Lear's groundbreaking sitcom built around bigoted everyman Archie Bunker that redefined what TV comedy could tackle.
   620pts
3. 3
   The Mary Tyler Moore Show

   The landmark workplace sitcom about an independent single woman producing the news in Minneapolis.
   566pts
4. 4
   The Bob Newhart Show

   The understated sitcom starring Bob Newhart as a Chicago psychologist.
   545pts
5. 5
   Saturday Night Live

   The late-night sketch institution that debuted in 1975 and reshaped American comedy.
   490pts
6. 6
   Three's Company

   The farcical roommate comedy built on misunderstandings and physical humor.
   489pts
7. 7
   M*A*S*H

   CBS's genre-blurring Korean War comedy-drama, one of the most acclaimed and widely watched series in television history.
   489pts
8. 8
   Barney Miller

   The witty, low-key sitcom set in a Greenwich Village police squad room.
   489pts
9. 9
   Soap

   The audacious prime-time soap parody that pushed boundaries with satire and cliffhangers.
   424pts
10. 10
    Columbo

    The rumpled-raincoat detective whose 'just one more thing' inverted mysteries made it a beloved crime staple.
    347pts
11. 11
    The Rockford Files

    James Garner's easygoing ex-con private eye anchored one of the decade's best detective dramas.
    347pts
12. 12
    Little House on the Prairie

    The wholesome frontier family drama adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.
    347pts
13. 13
    The Jeffersons

    The long-running All in the Family spin-off following an upwardly mobile Black family 'movin' on up'.
    254pts
14. 14
    Taxi

    The ensemble sitcom set in a New York cab garage, celebrated for its sharp writing and cast.
    254pts
15. 15
    Dallas

    The Ewing-family oil-dynasty saga whose 'Who Shot J.R.?' cliffhanger became a global sensation.
    254pts
16. 16
    WKRP in Cincinnati

    The cult-favorite sitcom set at a struggling rock radio station.
    254pts
17. 17
    The Muppet Show

    Jim Henson's variety show starring Kermit, Miss Piggy and a chaotic troupe of Muppets.
    254pts
18. 18
    Good Times

    The Chicago-projects sitcom that mixed sharp social commentary with J.J.'s 'Dyn-o-mite' catchphrase.
    254pts
19. 19
    The Waltons

    The Depression-era rural family drama known for its warm 'Goodnight, John-Boy' closings.
    254pts
20. 20
    Happy Days

    The nostalgic 1950s-set sitcom that became a cultural phenomenon and launched the Fonz into stardom.
    141pts
21. 21
    Sanford and Son

    Redd Foxx's Watts-set sitcom about a cantankerous junk dealer and his exasperated son.
    141pts
22. 22
    Charlie's Angels

    The glossy crime drama about three female private investigators taking orders from an unseen boss.
    141pts
23. 23
    The Carol Burnett Show

    The Emmy-laden variety and sketch showcase widely regarded as one of the greatest of its kind.
    141pts
24. 24
    Kojak

    Telly Savalas's bald, lollipop-sucking NYPD lieutenant headlined this gritty cop drama.
    141pts