1001 TV Shows You Must Watch Before You Die by Rizzoli International Publications

Leave it to Beaver Comedy | USA | 1957–63 Stereotypical ideal of 1950s American suburban life preserved as TV amber

Cast | Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley, Ken Osmond, Robert Stevens, Stanley Fafara, Stephen Talbot, Frank Bank Original broadcaster | CBS, ABC For fans of . . . | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952)

Classic episode The Last Day of School | Season 3, episode 38. The Beaver asks June to pick out a gift for him to give to his teacher Miss Landers. A store mixup leaves him with an uncomfortable decision to make.

Tony Dow (above) and Jerry Mathers (below) in c. 1957.

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Living out their lives in a creepily pristine neighborhood, the fictional Mayfield, the Cleavers embodied the essence of post-war American conformity with their endless cycle of daily meals, firmly embedded middleclass values, crises easily managed within a half hour, and a list of lessons intoned by parents Ward and June (Hugh Beaumont and Barbara Billingsley) and accepted with a nod and “gee whiz” by the boys, Theodore “Beaver” (Jerry Mathers) and older brother Wally (Tony Dow). Created by Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher, who drew on their own children for inspiration and authentic slang, the show recast the father and Beaver roles between the pilot and first episode. The series moved to multiple time slots and ran on two networks, then ended when Mathers left acting for high school. A final retrospective episode designed to bid farewell to the Cleavers—a rarity for sitcoms at the time—aired on June 20, 1963, but the show’s true popularity began in countless reruns over the next two decades. Reality finally crashed completely into the Cleavers’ world when the Beaver came home after separating from his wife in the 1983 TV movie Still the Beaver. That reunion did well enough to launch a 1984–89 revival, The New Leave it to Beaver, although a divorced Beaver raising two sons in his parents’ home with widowed grandma June’s help didn’t click with viewers in quite the same way as the cult classic original. A 1997 feature film adaptation similarly failed to capture audience attention—gee whiz. ATB

Maverick Western | USA | 1957–62 Subversive, satirical Western that turned the genre cliché on its ear

Cast | James Garner, Jack Kelly, Roger Moore, Robert Colbert, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Diane Brewster Original broadcaster | ABC Awards | 1 Emmy For fans of . . . | The Rockford Files (1974)

As opposed to most other Western heroes of the era, Bret Maverick (James Garner) was a charming rogue who preferred playing cards and tricking his way out of danger rather than engaging in gun play . . . not that he couldn’t handle himself when the occasion called for it. Created by Roy Huggins, Maverick was a lighthearted antidote to the grittier world of other TV Westerns. A grueling production schedule, however, meant that Garner couldn’t carry the show himself, so the Maverick family grew to include brother Bart (Jack Kelly). Different crews shot the Garner and Kelly episodes, with occasional crossovers uniting the brothers. As Kelly’s Bart handled more standard action adventure, Garner’s Bret was more of a lovable con artist with an eye on the door. The show relied on source material from the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson and Louis L’Amour, as well as presenting parodies poking fun at the competition. Recurring guest star Ben Gage played variations of Gunsmoke’s Marshal Matt Dillon, most memorably in an episode parodying that show and Have Gun—Will Travel titled Gun-Shy. Huggins left the series after the second season. After the third year, Garner too was gone, and third brother Brent (Robert Colbert) and cousin Beau (Roger Moore) turned up to assist Bart. A 1978 TV movie, The New Maverick, and revival of Garner’s Maverick in 1981–82 kept the character alive, while a 1994 big-screen adaptation featured Mel Gibson as Maverick, with Garner appearing in an intriguing supporting role. ATB

Classic episode Shady Deal at Sunny Acres | Season 2, episode 10. This episode by series creator Roy Huggins (which he believed inspired the first half of The Sting) unites all of the recurring characters in a complex con against an unscrupulous banker

James Garner and Jack Kelly in character as Bret and Bart Maverick .

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A truly successful spin-off from the ABC powerhouse sitcom Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley focused on two guest characters who had appeared on the former show as double dates for Fonzie and Richie Cunningham: the earthy Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall) and her fastidious best friend Shirley Feeney (Cindy Williams), both bottlecappers at the Schlitz brewing company in Milwaukee. Following their antics and those of their neighbors, the rather crazy and slightly creepy greasers Lenny Koslowski and Squiggy Squigman, Laverne & Shirley helped ABC create a onetwo punch on its Tuesday night lineup. At its core, Laverne & Shirley focused on the funniest trials and tribulations of the two young women, who

balanced their dull jobs with their daydreams. Their evenings were spent fending off Lenny and Squiggy, or spending time at the local pizzeria (run by Laverne’s father). Many crossover episodes with the show’s progenitor filled the first several seasons. However, the series was not above its controversies, most notably a mid-series shift in tone and setting from Milwaukee to southern California; later shifts by ABC in the show’s broadcast schedule; and a final season departure of Cindy Williams, ostensibly removing half of the title characters from the narrative. While the show quietly petered out during its eighth season, it nevertheless remained popular in reruns for many years thereafter. XX

286 1970s

(L–R) Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall in the episode Excuse Me, May I Cut In, broadcast in 1976.

Charlie’s Angels Action/Adventure | USA | 1976–81 They’re beautiful, they’re brilliant, and they work for Charlie Cast | David Doyle, Farrah Fawcett, John Forsyth, Kate Jackson, Chery Ladd, Jaclyn Smith Original broadcaster | ABC For fans of . . . | The A Team (1983)

“Once upon a time there were three little girls . . .” went John Forsyth’s introduction to every episode, thus launching the audience into memorable split-screen titles, accompanied by a catchy theme, and a series featuring three beautiful women and plenty of action. Plucked from dull jobs after graduation from the L.A. Police Accademy by mystery millionaire Charlie (Forsyth), Sabrina Duncan (Kate Jackson), Jill Munroe (Farrah Fawcett), and Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith) were recruited as private detectives. Add to the mix screwball comedy and outrageous undercover identities, accents, and outfits and producer Aaron Spelling had a hit on his hands. Yes, there were accusations of sexism, but the Angels were always firmly in control and provided

the series with “something for the dads” but also acted as role models for young girls. The fact that Forsyth never appeared on-screen—only at the end of the telephone in Bosley’s office—added a sense of mystery to the drama. When Fawcett left suddenly, after only one series, a law suit followed, and she was replaced by Chery Ladd playing Jill’s sister, Kris. Shelly Hack and Tanya Roberts were later Angels, but by then the show’s popularity had begun to wain and the ax fell. Two films were made in the 1990s. Despite playing it for laughs, they didn’t stray too far from the show’s formula and were made with love, with John Forsyth voicing Charlie and Jaclyn Smith making a brief return as Kelly in the sequel. DJ

(L–R) Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcett, and Kate Jackson on the set of Charlie’s Angels in 1977.

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The lives of staff in the Emergency Room of Chicago’s County General Hospital became the preoccupation of an international audience, and for many years ER formed the cornerstone of NBC’s Thursday night “Must See TV” schedule. ER endured a long gestation. Michael Crichton wrote the book Five Patients in 1970, based on his experiences as an MD in the late 1960s. In 1974, he wrote a movie screenplay set in an emergency room, but the script remained untouched until Crichton collaborated with Steven Spielberg on a big-screen adaptation of his novel Jurassic Park. Spielberg suggested that ER be filmed as a feature-length TV pilot rather than a movie. NBC bought it and commissioned six episodes.

At Spielberg’s suggestion, the character of Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies), who takes her own life in the pilot, survived into the series. ER was a hit almost from first transmission, and made stars of its principal cast, including Anthony Edwards as Chief Resident Mark Greene, George Clooney as pediatrician Doug Ross, and Margulies as Hathaway. MW Classic episode Love’s Labor Lost | Season 1, episode 19 In this winner of five Emmy awards, Dr Mark Greene endures a long and emotional night that ends in tragedy as he treats a pregnant woman with serious complications.

424 1990s

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Vestibulum consequat pellentesque quam, sit amet cursus nulla. Maecenas sit amet varius quam. Nam lectus ipsum, fringilla id justo et, blandit lobortis risus. Aliquam eu nulla in lorem accumsan dignissim. Donec maximus finibus condimentum. In laoreet sagittis consectetur. Cras molestie arcu ac ex pharetra feugiat. Fusce et enim commodo, condimentum nisl Classic episode XXXXXX | Season 00, episode 00. Integer quis metus in risus tempus efficitur vel eu tellus. Sed accumsan euismod est, eu interdum nulla pharetra quis. Pellentesque aliquet, nibh. Vestibulum consequat pellentesque quam.

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South Park Animation | USA | 1997–Present Wildly subversive animated series that set a new bar for adult humor on television. Cast | Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, Isaac Hayes, Eliza Schneider, Mona Marshall, April Stewart Original Broadcaster | Comedy Central Awards | 5 Emmys, 1 Peabody Award, 1 CableACE Award, 1 Annie

When college students Trey Parker and Matt Stone created a 1992 construction paper short titled Jesus Vs. Frosty, the crazy cartoon caught the eye of Fox executive Brian Graden, who paid to have another made as a Christmas card. The follow-up, Jesus Vs. Santa (both were later known as The Spirit of Christmas), was one of the first viral Internet videos and led to the development of the South Park television series. The often insane exploits of third (later fourth) graders Stan (based on Parker), Kyle (based on Stone), Kenny (who died in almost every episode for the series’ first five years), and Cartman (the ultimate hateful bigot and opportunist) provided the focus of the show named after their fictional town.

Parker and Stone adapted their crude animation technique–inspired by the work of Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam–so that episodes were animated via computer in the same simple style. South Park built a reputation for daring to go where no other show would ever tread, tackling controversial subject matter on a weekly basis with surprisingly profound Classic episode Imaginationland | Season 11, episode 10, 11 & 12. In this Emmy Award-winning three-part epic later edited together as an uncensored feature film, a portal that leads to a realm of pure imagination is breached, and a terrorist attack

476 The 0000’s

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Cold Feet Comedy | UK | 1997–2003 Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy wins girl back. Cast | James Nesbitt, Helen Baxendale, Hermione Norris, John Thomson, Fay Ripley, Robert Bathurst Original Broadcaster | ITV Awards | Silver Rose, Golden Rose (Rose d’Or Light Entertainment Festival 1997);

The lives of 30-something professionals were poorly represented on UK television in the mid-1990s, but that changed with Cold Feet in 1997. While other shows courted the aspirational 20-somethings, Cold Feet placed working professionals front and centre, focussing initially on the friendships of three couples. Like Friends, it defined a state of being for a crosssection of the audience. Mike Bullen was commissioned by Granada Television to write a one-off play under the Comedy Premiere banner, the result being Cold Feet, depicting the early stages of romance for Adam Williams (James Nesbitt) and Rachel Bradley (Helen Baxendale), whose lives collide in a store parking lot. Adam’s friends Pete

(John Thomson) and Jenny (Fay Ripley) are hoping to start a family, while Rachel’s middle-class friends Karen (Hermione Norris) and David (Robert Bathurst) are considering a second child ¬– and a nanny. Through Adam and Rachel’s blossoming relationship, the three couples become close, enjoying the trials and triumphs of life for modern-day 30-somethings. Cold Feet gained Classic episode XXXXXX | Season 2, episode 5. An episode that showcases the lightness of Cold Feet in amongst darker trials for the trio of couples to overcome. Adam learns he has testicular cancer, leading to reconciliation with an estranged Rachel.

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Monty Python’s Flying Circus Comedy | UK | 1969–74 And now for something completely different

Cast | Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland Original broadcaster | BBC Awards | 2 Baftas For fans of . . . | The Goodies (1970), The Fast Show (1994)

Classic episode Full Frontal Nudity | Season 1, episode 8. Written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman, and performed by Cleese and Michael Palin, this episode’s Dead Parrot sketch (originally about a faulty toaster) became Python’s greatest hit. Cleese in Season 2’s The Ministry of Silly Walks sketch. (Clockwise from top right) Cleese, Palin, Jones, Idle, and Chapman.

160 The 1960s

Much like William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill, and Groucho Marx, the Monty Python team have left an indelible mark on our use of language. Phrases such as, “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition,” “Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more,” and, “It is an ex-parrot” have become so commonplace that it’s possible to use them without being aware of their origins. Their sketch show, comprising forty-five halfhour episodes over four seasons, veered wildly from erudite philosophical discussions to men in drag wrestling in mud. The characters vented frustrations with authority, pomposity, and conformity. Sketches were interrupted if they had run their course (often by an army colonel complaining they were “silly”), while animated sequences by Terry Gilliam expanded on the show’s surrealism. (Seen on-screen less often than his colleagues, Gilliam—the team’s sole American— nonetheless played a central role as Cardinal Fang in the oft-quoted Spanish Inquisition sketch.) The writer-performers, now known as “the Pythons,” became a global phenomenon with stage shows, albums, and hit movies such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) and Life of Brian (1979). Individually, they’ve enriched our culture with children’s books, riotous comedies, travel documentaries, and cinematic fantasies. But it was as a collective that they etched themselves into legend. “You can start any Monty Python routine and people finish it for you,” observed Robin Williams. “Everyone knows it like shorthand.” JS

M*A*S*H Comedy/Drama | USA | 1972–83 Groundbreaking comedy that lasted three times longer than the war in which it’s set

Cast | Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, Harry Morgan, David Ogden Stiers, Mike Farrell, Jamie Farr Original broadcaster | CBS Awards | 14 Emmys For fans of . . . | House (2004), Scrubs (2001)

Classic episode Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen | Season 11, episode 16. Directed and cowritten by star Alan Alda, this beat Dallas’ “Who Done It” to become the single most-watched TV episode in U.S. history. Alan Alda (seated) with his longest-standing co-stars. Jamie Farr as Maxwell Q. Klinger in trademark women’s clothing.

On February 28, 1983, 106 million Americans watched the final episode of M*A*S*H (twice as many as tuned in for the Friends finale). Rather than the usual half-hour, it ran for two and a half hours—the New York Sanitation Department reported a leap in water usage as millions rushed to the bathroom at the end. The ridiculous and comic were always peripheral to a series that won awards as a comedy, but was propelled by the underlying grim reality of war. The first episode was broadcast in 1972, when the Vietnam conflict was uppermost in the minds of the U.S. public. The tales of committed army doctors in the Korean War were simply frames upon which larger issues were laid. The conceit worked brilliantly, and brought enduring success. In the final five of its eleven seasons, the writing grew ever more serious. Alan Alda—who played Hawkeye—was largely responsible for this, and the shows he produced are notable for an often somber undertone. Nonetheless, M*A*S*H—spawned by Robert Altman’s 1970 movie of the same name, an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital—had memorably comic moments. Corporal Klinger organizing the wounded in a chiffon dress is an enduring image, as are Hawkeye’s ongoing attempts to get the girl. (In the movie, and Richard Hooker’s source novel, Hawkeye was married throughout the war.) But the image most viewers recall is the final shot of that final episode: the melancholy view as a helicopter pulls away and we see “goodbye” spelled out on the ground. PH

Vampires were in vogue thanks to Twilight, but in 2010 another arm of the undead rose from the grave. Zombies, long the poor relations of sexier spooks, had been staggering toward the mainstream since Danny Boyle’s movie 28 Days Later (2002), but The Walking Dead proved the stiff-limbed legions’ tipping point. Based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman, launched in 2003, it opened with a sequence whose ancestry stretched back through 28 Days… to The Day Of The Triffids: a man—in this case, small-town sheriff Rick Grimes—awakes in hospital to find Something Very Bad Indeed has happened while he slumbered. The first season details the struggles of Grimes and his companions against the flesh-hungry hordes.

Thereafter, it becomes clear that “the walking dead” are as much the squabbling survivors as the zombies. Contributors to the show’s success include Andrew Lincoln—formerly of the BBC’s This Life—as Grimes, Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont, and Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd. Rotting flesh aside, it’s the best white knuckle ride on TV today. BM Classic episode Pretty Much Dead Already | Season 2, episode 7. In the explosive and devastating conclusion to an arc that informs much of the second season, we learn the fate of a missing child. “It’s good to know people didn’t see it coming,” said Robert Kirkman.

842 The 2000s

From Season 1, a tragic icon known to fans as Bicycle Girl.

HBO executives knew which buttons to press when they asked Terence Winter if he could conjure a show from Nelson Johnson’s book Boardwalk Empire, about twentieth-century corruption in Atlantic City. “By the way,” they told him, “Martin Scorsese is attached to this.” Given that Winter had been executive producer on The Sopranos—effectively a six-season homage to Scorcese—it was an offer he couldn’t refuse. “Without even reading the book,” he told Fresh Air, “I said, ‘Yes, there’s a TV series in this, and I’m going to find it.’“ The result was a period piece about gangsters, politicians and federal agents during Prohibition. At its heart was crooked treasurer Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, based on Enoch L. Johnson, a corrupt political boss of

the era. Winter wrote the role with Steve Buscemi in mind, apparently keen to avoid creating another Tony Soprano-style lead (ironically, the real-life Johnson bore more resemblance to James Gandolfini than Buscemi). With Scorsese helming the $18-million pilot episode, the series could hardly fail. Acclaim and innumerable award nominations duly ensued. BM Classic episode Two Imposters | Season 3, episode 11. With Margaret and the kids gone, things don’t look good for Nucky. Gyp wants Nucky “on his knees or on a slab.” Nucky turns to Chalky for help—but will he protect him?

Steve Buscemi, like Terence Winter, was a Sopranos veteran.

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Captain Kirk. Mr. Spock. Dr. McCoy. The U.S.S. Enterprise. It’s hard to imagine a time in which these icons, these symbols of pop culture, were not present in our psyche. But, in 1966, Star Trek was anything but universal. Created by TV writer Gene Roddenberry (Have Gun— Will Travel, The Lieutenant), Star Trek was envisioned as a “Wagon Train to the Stars.” It met resistance from networks, financial and technical obstacles, and even refusal by NBC to broadcast its first pilot (starring Jeffrey Hunter). Granted a rare second shot with a new pilot starring William Shatner, Star Trek headed into history . . . but only after a fight. The blend of philosophy, humor, and heroics earned it a loyal audience, but not a vast one. It faced cancellation threats at the end of each of its three seasons, the third proving fatal. The adventures of the Enterprise seemed to be at an end. But then the legacy began. Syndication propelled it into more homes than ever. An animated series launched in 1973, and a mooted live-action revival in the 1970s—Star Trek: Phase II—instead led to twelve blockbuster movies, and spin-offs The Next Generation (1987), Deep Space Nine (1993), and Voyager (1995). Today, the world remains captivated by the show’s mission, “To boldly go where no man has gone before.” As star Leonard Nimoy remarked, “I thought it could have a long future. It is set in the future, so it wouldn’t outdate itself very quickly.” SL The Enterprise, after which the first space shuttle was named.

128 The 1960s