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

M*A*S*H

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

1000pts

2

All in the Family

Norman Lear's groundbreaking sitcom built around bigoted everyman Archie Bunker that redefined what TV comedy could tackle.

1000pts

3

Kojak

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

801pts

4

Dallas

The Ewing-family oil-dynasty saga whose 'Who Shot J.R.?' cliffhanger became a global sensation.

767pts

5

Sanford and Son

Redd Foxx's Watts-set sitcom about a cantankerous junk dealer and his exasperated son.

632pts

6

The Rockford Files

James Garner's easygoing ex-con private eye anchored one of the decade's best detective dramas.

632pts

7

Saturday Night Live

The late-night sketch institution that debuted in 1975 and reshaped American comedy.

632pts

8

Barney Miller

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

632pts

9

Soap

The audacious prime-time soap parody that pushed boundaries with satire and cliffhangers.

548pts

10

The Carol Burnett Show

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

548pts

11

The Jeffersons

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

548pts

12

Little House on the Prairie

The wholesome frontier family drama adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.

548pts

13

Happy Days

The nostalgic 1950s-set sitcom that became a cultural phenomenon and launched the Fonz into stardom.

448pts

14

The Bob Newhart Show

The understated sitcom starring Bob Newhart as a Chicago psychologist.

448pts

15

Three's Company

The farcical roommate comedy built on misunderstandings and physical humor.

448pts

16

The Waltons

The Depression-era rural family drama known for its warm 'Goodnight, John-Boy' closings.

329pts

17

The Muppet Show

Jim Henson's variety show starring Kermit, Miss Piggy and a chaotic troupe of Muppets.

329pts

18

Good Times

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

329pts

19

WKRP in Cincinnati

The cult-favorite sitcom set at a struggling rock radio station.

329pts

20

Taxi

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

329pts

21

Fawlty Towers

John Cleese's savagely funny British sitcom about an inept, irascible seaside hotel owner.

329pts

22

Charlie's Angels

The glossy crime drama about three female private investigators taking orders from an unseen boss.

183pts

23

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The landmark workplace sitcom about an independent single woman producing the news in Minneapolis.

183pts

24

Columbo

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

183pts