# The best TV shows of the 1970s

Archie Bunker, Hawkeye Pierce, Columbo and Basil Fawlty: the decade's great series, ordered from Looper, SlashFilm, Collider and Ranker's fan vote.

- 1109 votes · 15 items
- Mar 30, 2026 · Jericho Garcia
- https://even.best/en/l/3664/the-best-tv-shows-of-the-1970s

## Top 15

1. **M\*A\*S\*H (1972-1983)** (105 · ▲116 ▼11) — Army doctors in the Korean War; its finale is still the most-watched scripted broadcast in US history.
2. **All in the Family (1971-1979)** (77 · ▲89 ▼12) — Archie Bunker and the social issues of the day.
3. **Columbo (1971-2003)** (75 · ▲80 ▼5) — Peter Falk's raincoat and his last-minute questions.
4. **The Rockford Files (1974-1980)** (70 · ▲76 ▼6) — James Garner as a private eye living in a trailer.
5. **Fawlty Towers (1975-1979)** (65 · ▲74 ▼9) — John Cleese's hotel in Torquay; only twelve episodes.
6. **The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977)** (61 · ▲68 ▼7) — A single woman at a Minneapolis newsroom.
7. **Taxi (1978-1983)** (53 · ▲62 ▼9) — Danny DeVito, Judd Hirsch and Andy Kaufman at a New York cab garage.
8. **The Carol Burnett Show (1967-1978)** (49 · ▲63 ▼14) — Sketch comedy with Tim Conway, Harvey Korman and Vicki Lawrence.
9. **Roots (1977)** (42 · ▲52 ▼10) — The miniseries from Alex Haley's book that gripped America.
10. **Happy Days (1974-1984)** (41 · ▲49 ▼8) — Richie, the Fonz and 1950s Milwaukee.
11. **Saturday Night Live (1975-)** (39 · ▲53 ▼14) — The late-night sketch institution.
12. **The Jeffersons (1975-1985)** (38 · ▲48 ▼10) — The All in the Family spin-off that moved on up.
13. **Three's Company (1977-1984)** (35 · ▲44 ▼9) — John Ritter shares a flat with two women.
14. **The Bob Newhart Show (1972-1978)** (34 · ▲41 ▼7) — Bob Newhart as a Chicago psychologist.
15. **Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969-1974)** (29 · ▲46 ▼17) — The Pythons rewrite sketch comedy.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.