The 6 TV Shows You Wish They'd Bring Back?

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I'm curious, 'cause in my own case, I can think of even more shows that were excellent, and would be FAR better than the dreck on TV now. Anyway, my 6 are:

ROCKFORD FILES - I loved the way James Garner played the role. Not cool, but just sort of average guy private eye, trying not to get shot. Best part was when he would sit in his car and print a little business card to get in someplace. ..nice Firebird too.

HILL STREET BLUES - to me this was the first TV show that attempted to be REAL. Every scene felt like you were in an actual police station. Years later this style is copied all the time.

WONDER YEARS- This seemed like my youth. The dad was always grumpy and the mom was sweet. Kevin fell for Winnie and I could see why. This type of 50's/60's has not been done as well since, imo.

CHEERS- What awesome character development. Some of the best writing on TV, up there with Seinfeld.

TWILIGHT ZONE - introduced so many young actors who went on to stardom. Fascinating, one of kind stories,.... In 50 years, what has even come close?

SOPRANOS- Almost beyond description. Best TV drama in 30+ years. Magnificent cast, almost perfect scripts, I would settle for just a feature film at this point. Paulie Walnuts, alone, made every episode worth watching and re-watching and re-watching.

So, what do you wish they'd bring back?
_____
Bruce
  • Profile picture of the author mediasurgeons
    # 1 - The Sopranos. I think I know what happened in the end but I would of liked a bit more closure for the 100 hours I invested in the characters.

    I'd have to get back to you on the other 5 because the majority of tv shows in the modern day drag on a few seasons too long and you're glad they've finished i.e Lost & Prison Break which were exceptional for 2 seasons.
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  • Profile picture of the author Patrician
    X-Files - Surreal FBI horror capers starring David Duchovny
    Twin Peaks - Surreal, campy, soapy horror - Director David Lynch
    Twilight Zone - Far out stuff - Rod Serling
    The Outer Limits - More Far out stuff
    The Original Perry Mason series
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  • Profile picture of the author aaron_nimocks
    Friends
    2 1/2 Men
    Lost
    Whos Line Is It Anywys
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    • Profile picture of the author Virtualghost
      #1-Sanford and Son
      #2-Beverly Hillbillies
      #3-Munsters
      #4-Cheers
      #5-Columbo
      #6-Taxi
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  • Profile picture of the author HorseStall
    1. Jericho
    2. Firefly
    3. Roswell
    4. Wildfire
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Baker
    Not in any order.

    1. Lost
    2. Angel
    3. Heroes
    4. Friends
    5. Flash Forward
    6. Moonlight
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  • Profile picture of the author OnlineBizFlash
    Sopranos
    Freaks and Geeks
    30 Days
    In Search Of...
    Red Dwarf
    M*A*S*H (although no one could ever duplicate the original cast)
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  • Profile picture of the author jargonbust
    prison break
    myth busters
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  • Profile picture of the author Fazal Mayar
    beavis and butthead? haha
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Out of those above, I like:

    twilight zone....Nice show that usually had a good moral at the end
    Columbo.... Perhaps the ONLY detective series where you could see how it was figured out and it was correct, but not dumbed down. Ellery queen as I recall was silly, and banacheck(sp?) and matlok always had the SAME stupid solution!
    firefly.... An interesting kind of star trek that was dystopian, and had a good moral.
    roswell... A family movie that showed the good and the bad and was somewhat reasonable.
    in search of... A nice educational series trying to prove or find certain info. I even like leonard Nimoy as the host!

    Brucerby,

    They DID have a newer twilight zone and some shows were VERY faithful to the original, and very good.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author mojojuju
      Seinfeld
      Kojak
      The Twilight Zone
      Happy Days
      Three's Company
      Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
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      :)

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      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        I wish they'd bring back this show:

        The Powers That Be (TV Series 1992–1993) - IMDb

        It's "The Powers That Be"

        It had a great cast including David Hyde Pierce who was just hysterical in it.

        Sadly, the show didn't last more than a handful of episodes.

        As for shows that made it that I loved, my feeling is that their time had come
        and the last thing I'd want is to rehash them again. In spite of what you
        might think, it's not going to be the same and if they did last a long time,
        there probably wasn't much left to tell and a return would end up to be
        very disappointing.

        It's one of the reasons why After MASH didn't make it.

        We'd had enough of it.

        The Powers That Be, on the other hand, never got a chance and there
        was so much that could have been done with an absolutely amazing cast.

        Those are the kind of shows I'd like to see come back.

        Other entertaining shows that never got a chance?

        Captain Nice
        Mr Terrific
        Time Tunnel
        The Nine

        Can't think of many others off the top of my head.

        ** EDIT **

        Just one of the many brilliant lines that David Hyde Pierce got

        He plays Theodore

        Theodore: Why do we have to be here?
        Caitlyn: It's our anniversary. Where would you rather be?
        Theodore: Hurdling through a windshield.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    As a big James Garner fan, I'll go with Rockford Files AND Maverick.

    Columbo

    SOAP - Cancelled way too soon

    Tonight Show with Johnny Carson

    Police Squad - Great TV show but only lasted 6 episodes. I could never figure out why no one would watch it for free on TV, but when movies were made from it, people would pay enough to make them some of them most popular comedy movies of all time.

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  • Profile picture of the author tentimes
    Quantum leap

    This was a great idea for a show and I haven't seen any other show use this premise yet.
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    • Profile picture of the author scott william
      X-Files
      Prison Break
      Twilight Zone
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  • Profile picture of the author bogdanf
    Arrested Development
    Better off Ted
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Alf

      I don't know what was so funny - but that show always made me laugh.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    Although this show is only shown once per week on Saturday at 10PM eastern time on the Discovery channel, I wish they can air the show every night.

    The show is called American Chopper. This show is just awesome and I have watched it for years since they started.

    This is the best show on TV, even David Latterman said it.

    Tal
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  • Profile picture of the author Sunfyre7896
    24, Smallville (Almost done in a few weeks), Lost, Caprica, Battlestar Galactica, and John Doe.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sunfyre7896
    I know it's six, but as I was reading some of yours I found another that gets honorable mention, runner-up, asterisk. Quantum freaking Leap. That show was the (expletive) when I was a kid.
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  • Profile picture of the author 22SunnySideUp
    The Sopranos (best show ever)
    MASH (oh I miss thee so)
    & for some strange reason Smurfs.
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  • Profile picture of the author pianopro
    Quantum leap was the SICKEST when I was a kid!!! Best show ever. Can't believe they never revived this show!
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  • Profile picture of the author hireava
    Bewitched and Popeye.. <3
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
    To Kurt: I agree, the "Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" was the best of all time.

    To Seasoned: I'd vote for Columbo too, don't know how I forgot that one.
    _____
    Bruce
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    • Profile picture of the author marketingcoach
      Banned
      Hunter
      Airwolf
      Magnum PI
      MacGyver
      Hart to Hart
      Tales of The Unexpected
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  • Profile picture of the author dayafterstore
    The Unit and Everybody Hates Chris. It seems that half of the shows that I watch nowadays are syndicated, and they're no longer producing new episodes of them...
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  • Profile picture of the author abdul786
    X-Files ~ True Suspense and Amazing Investigators.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Twilight Zone
    Caroline in the City
    Dick Van Dyke
    Monty Python
    Carol Burnett and Friends
    And a whole bunch of classic cartoons...

    Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, Popeye, Woody Woodpecker, Elmer Fudd, Mr. Magoo, Yosemite Sam, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Snagglepuss, Top Cat, Felix the Cat, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author DLH
    It's really getting sad how quickly the networks are cutting shows.. They don't give them much of a chance anymore.. I've been a long time Stargate fan, SG-U made it 1 1/2 seasons only before than cancelled it (they are finishing off season 2).

    SG-U (even though it's still has 7 episodes left)
    Stargate Atlantis (this one still had plenty of room to grow)
    Terminator: Chronicles of Sarah Connor (I can't believe they canned this one!)
    Kidnapped (another great one, they finished it off via web!?!)
    24 (got me why, they did a great job the last season)

    There's been a few shows over the past few years that the networks just don't give a chance (or a few million people following it just isn't enough in their books)..

    Lots of other great ones listed so far.

    David
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    Wings
    Quantum Leap
    Seinfield/Friends/Married with Children (Got to combine these to keep it to 6)
    Beverly Hillbillies/The Andy Griffith Show/All in the Family (ditto)
    Night Heat
    Bugs Bunny/Road Runner/Sylvester classic cartoons

    Honorable Mentions:
    Happy Days
    Sanford & Son
    Columbo
    Hart to Hart
    Star Trek (original only please)
    Gomer Pyle, USMC
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  • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
    --Ultraman
    --Get Smart
    --All In the Family
    --Cosmos (with a dynamic host like the late Carl Sagan)
    --Monty Python's Flying Circus
    --What Will They Think Of Next?
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  • Profile picture of the author TheHappy4
    Would love to have these back.

    1. You Can't Do That On Television

    2. David The Knome

    3. Hey Dude

    4. Salute Your Shorts

    5. C.O.P.S. (the cartoon)

    6. Ducktales
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  • Profile picture of the author Chris Worner
    1. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

    Chris
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  • Profile picture of the author Joshua Gonzalez
    I'd definitely sanction the return of Firefly!!

    Some others:
    Thundercats
    He-Man (mainly to prove that Man-At-Arms was called Man-At-Arms)
    Monty Python (of course)
    Ren and Stimpy
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Sol
    1. Seinfeld
    2. Friends
    3. 2 1/2 Men
    4. How to Make it in America

    That's it for now
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    Alex Sol, Full time online marketer since 2007
    The Extra Paycheck Blog | Extra Paycheck Podcast
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  • Profile picture of the author John Rogers
    Jericho
    X-Files
    Night Stalker
    Blackadder
    Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (Ralph Bakshi 1980s)
    The Mighty Heroes (Ralph Bakshi 1960s)
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  • Profile picture of the author Jun Balona
    They should bring back Married: With Children and Three's Company
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