People are now turning to TV shows, TV series and TV programs instead of going out at night or watching movies instead especially during week days. After a toxic and daily work in the office and other scheduled jobs, TV network wars also erupted creating or producing good, expensive and quality TV shows. This is expressed by their creation of more entertaining game shows on TV, realty shows, soap or drama hows and TV series.

Whereas TV Guide released their list of The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. This is a list of American TV series compiled by TV Guide ( billed the list as a perspective of the most “influential” television programs in American history) as a cover story for the week of May 4, 2002. It coincided with an ABC primetime special that aired on May 13, 2002. The list garnered much national attention at the time, as the magazine was simultaneously celebrating five decades on newsstands at the time (complete list was taken in WIKI Pedia).

Here is the entire list:

• greatest of all time M*A*S*H (CBS, 1972–1983)
• 1. Seinfeld (NBC, 1989-1998)
• 2. I Love Lucy (CBS, 1951–1957)
• 3. The Honeymooners (CBS, 1955–1956)
• 4. All in the Family (CBS, 1971–1979)
• 5. The Sopranos (HBO, 1999–2007)
• 6. 60 Minutes (CBS, 1968— )
• 7. The Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 1993— )
• 8. The Simpsons (FOX, 1989— )
• 9. The Andy Griffith Show (CBS, 1960–1968)
• 10. Saturday Night Live (NBC, 1975— )
• 11. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS, 1970–1977)
• 12. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC, 1962–1992)
• 13. The Dick Van Dyke Show (CBS, 1961–1966)
• 14. Hill Street Blues (NBC, 1981–1987)
• 15. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS, 1948–1971)
• 16. The Carol Burnett Show (CBS, 1967–1978)
• 17. The Today Show (NBC, 1952— )
• 18. Cheers (NBC, 1982–1993)
• 19. Thirtysomething (ABC, 1987–1991)
• 20. St. Elsewhere (NBC, 1982–1988)
• 21. Friends (NBC, 1994–2004)
• 22. ER (NBC, 1994—2009 )
• 23. Nightline (ABC, 1980–present {originally premiered as The Iran Crisis—America Held Hostage in 1979})
• 24. Law & Order (NBC, 1990— )
• 26. The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959–1964)
• 27. Sesame Street (PBS, 1969— )
• 28. The Cosby Show (NBC, 1984–1992)
• 29. The Phil Donahue Show (Syndication, 1970–1996)
• 30. Your Show of Shows (NBC, 1950–1954)
• 31. The Defenders (CBS, 1961–1964)
• 32. An American Family (PBS, 1973)
• 33. Playhouse 90 (CBS, 1956–1961)
• 34. Frasier (NBC, 1993–2004)
• 35. Roseanne (ABC, 1988–1997)
• 36. The Fugitive (ABC, 1963–1967)
• 37. The X-Files (Fox, 1993–2002)
• 38. The Larry Sanders Show (HBO, 1992–1998)
• 39. The Rockford Files (NBC, 1974–1980)
• 40. Gunsmoke (CBS, 1955-1975)
• 41. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (The WB/UPN, 1997–2003)
• 42. Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (NBC, 1968–1973)
• 43. Bonanza (NBC, 1959–1973)
• 44. The Bob Newhart Show (CBS, 1972–1978)
• 45. Twin Peaks (ABC, 1990–1991)
• 46. Star Trek: The Next Generation (Syndication, 1987–1994)
• 47. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (ABC, 1959–1964)
• 48. Taxi (ABC/NBC, 1978–1983)
• 49. The Oprah Winfrey Show (Syndication, 1986— )
• 50. Bewitched (ABC, 1964–1972)