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List of longest-running scripted American primetime television series

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This is a list of the longest-running scripted prime time television series in the United States, as measured by number of seasons. Only shows that have aired on a major broadcast network for seven or more seasons and at least 100 episodes are included. Those that moved to syndication, a cable network, or a streaming service are noted below.

Series shaded in aqua are in production.
Number of
seasons 		Series Network First
air date 		Last
air date 		Number of
episodes
36 The Simpsons Fox December 17, 1989[1] present 773
26 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit NBC September 20, 1999 present 557
24 Law & Order NBC September 13, 1990 present 507[2]
23 Family Guy Fox April 11, 1999[3] present 425[4]
22 NCIS CBS September 23, 2003 present 471
20 Gunsmoke CBS September 10, 1955 March 31, 1975 635
21 Grey's Anatomy ABC March 27, 2005 present 436
21 American Dad! Fox (2005–2014)
TBS (2014–present)[5] 		May 1, 2005[6] present 368
19 Lassie CBS September 12, 1954 March 21, 1971 591[7]
17 Criminal Minds[8] CBS (2005–2020)
Paramount+ (2022–present) 		September 22, 2005 present 344
15 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CBS October 6, 2000 February 15, 2015 337[9]
15 ER NBC September 19, 1994 April 2, 2009 331
15 Supernatural The WB (2005–2006)
The CW (2006–2020) 		September 13, 2005 November 19, 2020 327
15 The Jack Benny Program CBS (1950–1964)
NBC (1964–1965) 		October 28, 1950[10] April 16, 1965 260
14 The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ABC October 3, 1952 April 23, 1966 435
14 Bonanza NBC September 12, 1959 January 16, 1973 432
14 Dallas CBS April 2, 1978 May 3, 1991 357
14 Knots Landing CBS December 27, 1979 May 13, 1993 344
14 NCIS: Los Angeles CBS September 22, 2009 May 21, 2023 323
14 Blue Bloods CBS September 24, 2010 present 288
15 Bob's Burgers Fox January 9, 2011 present 281
13 King of the Hill Fox January 12, 1997 May 6, 2010 259[11]
12 My Three Sons ABC (1960–1965)
CBS (1965–1972) 		September 29, 1960 April 13, 1972 380 (184 in black-and-white, 196 in color)
12 Hawaii Five-O CBS September 26, 1968 April 26, 1980 281
12 The Big Bang Theory CBS September 24, 2007 May 16, 2019 279
12 Murder, She Wrote CBS September 30, 1984 May 19, 1996 264 (+ 4 TV movies)
12 Two and a Half Men CBS September 22, 2003 February 19, 2015 262
12 NYPD Blue ABC September 21, 1993 March 1, 2005 261
12 Chicago Fire NBC October 10, 2012 present 258
12 Bones Fox September 13, 2005 March 28, 2017 246
11 The Danny Thomas Show[12] ABC (1953–1957)
CBS (1957–1964) 		September 29, 1953 April 27, 1964 343
11 Cheers NBC September 30, 1982 May 20, 1993 275
11 Frasier NBC September 16, 1993 May 13, 2004 264
11 Murphy Brown CBS November 14, 1988 December 20, 2018 260[13]
11 Married... with Children Fox April 5, 1987 June 9, 1997 259
11 M*A*S*H CBS September 17, 1972 February 28, 1983 256
11 Happy Days ABC January 15, 1974 September 24, 1984 255
11 The Jeffersons CBS January 18, 1975 June 25, 1985 253
11 Modern Family ABC September 23, 2009 April 8, 2020 250
11 Will & Grace NBC September 21, 1998 April 23, 2020 246[14]
11 7th Heaven The WB (1996–2006)
The CW (2006–2007) 		August 26, 1996 May 13, 2007 243
11 Chicago P.D. NBC January 8, 2014 present 227
11 The X-Files Fox September 10, 1993 March 21, 2018 218[15]
10 Beverly Hills, 90210 Fox October 4, 1990 May 17, 2000 293
10 Hawaii Five-0 CBS September 20, 2010 April 3, 2020 240
10 Friends NBC September 22, 1994 May 6, 2004 236 (+ 1 special)
10 CSI: Miami CBS September 23, 2002 April 8, 2012 232
10 Roseanne ABC October 18, 1988 May 22, 2018 231[16]
10 The Goldbergs ABC September 24, 2013 May 3, 2023 229
10 JAG NBC (1995–1996)
CBS (1997–2005) 		September 1, 1995 April 29, 2005 227[17]
10 Smallville The WB (2001–2006)
The CW (2006–2011) 		October 16, 2001 May 13, 2011 218
10 The Blacklist NBC September 23, 2013 July 13, 2023 218
10 Law & Order: Criminal Intent NBC (2001–2007)
USA (2007–2011) 		September 30, 2001 June 26, 2011 195
9 The Beverly Hillbillies CBS September 26, 1962 March 23, 1971 274
9 Perry Mason CBS September 21, 1957 May 22, 1966 271
9 The Virginian[18] NBC September 19, 1962 March 24, 1971 249
9 The Love Boat ABC September 24, 1977[19] May 24, 1986 250
9 The F.B.I. ABC September 19, 1965 April 28, 1974 241
9 The Drew Carey Show ABC September 13, 1995 September 8, 2004 233
9 Falcon Crest CBS December 4, 1981 May 17, 1990 227
9 The Waltons CBS September 14, 1972 June 4, 1981 221
9 Dynasty ABC January 13, 1981 May 11, 1989 220
9 Family Matters ABC (1989–1997)
CBS (1997–1998) 		September 22, 1989 July 17, 1998 215
9 The Middle ABC September 30, 2009 May 22, 2018 215
9 Touched by an Angel CBS September 21, 1994 May 27, 2003 211
9 Everybody Loves Raymond CBS September 13, 1996 May 16, 2005 210
9 One Day at a Time CBS December 16, 1975 May 28, 1984 209
9 How I Met Your Mother CBS September 19, 2005 March 31, 2014 208
9 The King of Queens CBS September 21, 1998 May 14, 2007 207
9 All in the Family CBS January 12, 1971 April 8, 1979 205
9 Little House on the Prairie[20] NBC September 11, 1974 March 21, 1983 204 (+4 specials)
9 24 Fox November 6, 2001 July 14, 2014 192 + 24: Redemption + 12 (24: Live Another Day)[21]
9 Alice CBS August 31, 1976 March 19, 1985 202
9 The Facts of Life NBC August 24, 1979 May 7, 1988 201
9 The Office NBC March 24, 2005 May 16, 2013
9 Coach ABC February 28, 1989 May 14, 1997 200
9 CSI: NY CBS September 22, 2004 February 22, 2013 197
9 Last Man Standing ABC (2011–2017)
Fox (2018–2021) 		October 11, 2011 May 20, 2021 194
9 Night Court NBC January 4, 1984 May 31, 1992 193
9 Matlock NBC (1986–1992)
ABC (1992–1995) 		September 23, 1986 May 7, 1995 193 (+ pilot movie)
9 One Tree Hill The WB (2003–2006)
The CW (2006–2012) 		September 23, 2003 April 4, 2012 187
9 The Flash The CW October 7, 2014 May 24, 2023 184
9 Scrubs NBC (2001–2008)
ABC (2009–2010) 		October 2, 2001 March 17, 2010 182
9 Seinfeld NBC July 5, 1989 May 14, 1998 180
10 Chicago Med NBC November 17, 2015 present 182
8 The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show CBS October 12, 1950 September 15, 1958 291
8 Wagon Train NBC (1957–1962)
ABC (1962–1965) 		September 18, 1957 May 2, 1965 284
8 Dragnet NBC December 16, 1951 August 23, 1959 276
8 The Donna Reed Show ABC September 24, 1958 March 19, 1966 275
8[22] Mama CBS July 1, 1949 July 27, 1956 261[22]
8 Bewitched ABC September 17, 1964 March 25, 1972 254 (74 episodes in black-and-white but later colorized; 180 episodes in color)
8 The Andy Griffith Show CBS October 3, 1960 April 1, 1968 249
8 Rawhide CBS January 9, 1959 December 7, 1965 217
8 Home Improvement ABC September 17, 1991 May 25, 1999 204
8 The Cosby Show NBC September 20, 1984 April 30, 1992 201 (and outtakes special)
8 Walker, Texas Ranger CBS April 21, 1993 May 19, 2001 200
8 That '70s Show Fox August 23, 1998 May 18, 2006 200
8 Ironside NBC September 14, 1967[23] January 16, 1975 199[24]
8 Who's the Boss? ABC September 20, 1984 April 25, 1992 196
8 Mannix CBS September 16, 1967 April 13, 1975 194
8 Full House ABC September 22, 1987 May 23, 1995 192
8 Diff'rent Strokes NBC (1978–1985)
ABC (1985–1986) 		November 3, 1978 May 7, 1986 189
8 Newhart CBS October 25, 1982 May 21, 1990 184
8 According to Jim ABC October 3, 2001 June 2, 2009 182
8 Desperate Housewives ABC October 3, 2004 May 13, 2012 180
8 Barnaby Jones CBS January 28, 1973 April 3, 1980 178
8 Laverne & Shirley ABC January 27, 1976 May 10, 1983 178
8 Diagnosis: Murder CBS October 29, 1993 May 11, 2001 178 (+ pilot and 5 TV movies)
8 Charmed The WB October 7, 1998 May 21, 2006 178
8 House Fox November 16, 2004 May 21, 2012 177
8 Mad About You NBC (1992–1999)
Spectrum (2019) 		September 23, 1992 December 18, 2019 176
8 Black-ish ABC September 24, 2014 April 19, 2022 176
8 Castle ABC March 9, 2009 May 16, 2016 173
8 Three's Company ABC March 15, 1977 September 18, 1984 172
8 L.A. Law NBC October 3, 1986[25] May 19, 1994 172
8 Wings NBC April 19, 1990 May 21, 1997 172
8 Girlfriends UPN (2000–2006)
The CW (2006–2008) 		September 11, 2000 February 11, 2008 172
8 The Vampire Diaries The CW September 10, 2009 March 10, 2017 171
8 Arrow The CW October 6, 2012 January 28, 2020 170
8 Mom CBS September 23, 2013 May 13, 2021 170
8 Barney Miller ABC January 23, 1975 May 20, 1982 170
8 The Practice ABC March 4, 1997 May 16, 2004 168
8 Magnum, P.I. CBS December 11, 1980 May 8, 1988 162
8 Simon & Simon CBS November 24, 1981 January 21, 1989 156
8 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Fox (2013–2018)
NBC (2019–2021) 		September 17, 2013 September 16, 2021 153
8 Perfect Strangers ABC March 25, 1986 August 6, 1993 150
8 Quincy, M.E. NBC October 3, 1976 September 4, 1983 148
7 Melrose Place Fox July 8, 1992 May 24, 1999 226
7 Petticoat Junction CBS September 24, 1963 April 4, 1970 222
7 The Golden Girls NBC September 14, 1985 May 21, 1992 180
7 Star Trek: The Next Generation CBS September 28, 1987 May 23, 1994 178
7 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine CBS January 3, 1993 June 2, 1999 176
7 Family Ties NBC September 22, 1982 May 14, 1989 176 + one film
7 Adam-12 NBC September 21, 1968 May 20, 1975 174
7 Star Trek: Voyager UPN January 16, 1995 May 23, 2001 172
7 Mission: Impossible CBS September 17, 1966 March 30, 1973 171
7 Medical Center CBS September 24, 1969[26] September 6, 1976 170
7 Empty Nest NBC October 8, 1988 April 29, 1995 170
7 Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC September 23, 1969[27] May 4, 1976 170
7 The Mary Tyler Moore Show CBS September 19, 1970 March 19, 1977 168
7 Growing Pains ABC September 24, 1985 April 25, 1992 166
7 Designing Women CBS September 29, 1986 May 24, 1993 163
7 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch ABC (1996–2000)
The WB (2000–2003) 		September 27, 1996 April 24, 2003 163
7 Step by Step ABC (1991–1997)
CBS (1997–1998) 		September 20, 1991 June 26, 1998 160
7 Without a Trace CBS September 26, 2002 May 19, 2009 160
7 Benson ABC September 13, 1979 April 19, 1986 158
7 Boy Meets World ABC September 24, 1993 May 5, 2000 158
7 Cold Case CBS September 28, 2003 May 2, 2010 156
7 The Good Wife CBS September 22, 2009 May 8, 2016 156
7 NCIS: New Orleans CBS September 23, 2014 May 23, 2021 155
7 Once Upon a Time ABC October 23, 2011 May 18, 2018 155
7 The West Wing NBC September 22, 1999 May 14, 2006 154[note 1]
7 Elementary CBS September 27, 2012 August 15, 2019 154
7 Gilmore Girls The WB (2000–2006)
The CW (2006–2007) 		October 5, 2000 May 15, 2007 153
7 Hunter NBC September 18, 1984 April 26, 1991 153
7 Fantasy Island ABC January 28, 1978 May 19, 1984 152, plus 2 TV movies[28]
7 Trapper John, M.D. CBS September 23, 1979 September 4, 1986 151
7 Malcolm in the Middle Fox January 9, 2000 May 14, 2006 151
7 The Mentalist CBS September 23, 2008 February 28, 2015 151
7 Just Shoot Me! NBC March 4, 1997 August 16, 2003 145 (+ 3 episodes aired in syndication)
7 The Dukes of Hazzard CBS January 26, 1979 February 8, 1985 147
7 Hill Street Blues NBC January 15, 1981 May 12, 1987 146
7 New Girl Fox September 20, 2011 May 15, 2018 146
7 Buffy the Vampire Slayer The WB (1997–2001)
UPN (2001–2003) 		March 10, 1997 May 20, 2003 144
7 In the Heat of the Night NBC (1988–1992)
CBS (1992–1994) 		March 6, 1988 May 11, 1994 147 + 4 TV movies
7 S.W.A.T. CBS November 2, 2017 present 145
7 Young Sheldon CBS September 25, 2017 May 16, 2024 141
7 MacGyver ABC September 29, 1985 May 21, 1992 139 + 2 TV films
7 30 Rock NBC October 11, 2006 January 31, 2013 139
7 Riverdale The CW January 26, 2017 August 23, 2023 137
7 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ABC September 24, 2013 August 12, 2020 136
7 Medium NBC (2005–2009)
CBS (2009–2011) 		January 3, 2005 January 21, 2011 130
7 Parks and Recreation NBC April 9, 2009 February 24, 2015 126
7 Cagney & Lacey CBS March 25, 1982[29] May 16, 1988 125 (+ pilot and 4 TV movies)
7 The Good Doctor ABC September 25, 2017 May 21, 2024 126
7 Scandal ABC April 5, 2012 April 19, 2018 124
7 Homicide: Life on the Street NBC January 31, 1993 May 21, 1999 122
7 Legends of Tomorrow The CW January 21, 2016 March 2, 2022 110
7 Cheyenne ABC September 20, 1955[30] December 17, 1962 108
7 9-1-1 Fox (2018–2023)
ABC (2024–present) 		January 3, 2018 present 112
7 Station 19 ABC March 22, 2018 May 30, 2024 105
7 Rules of Engagement CBS February 5, 2007 May 20, 2013 100
7 The 100 The CW March 19, 2014 September 30, 2020 100

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ This includes the special episodes "Documentary Special" and "Isaac and Ishmael", but not the 2020 special "A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote" (primarily a restaging of "Hartsfield's Landing").

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Simpsons aired a sneak peek on December 17, 1989.
  2. ^ Law & Order ended its original run in 2010, and was revived in 2022.
  3. ^ Family Guy aired a sneak peek on January 31, 1999.
  4. ^ Family Guy has two episodes that did not originally air on Fox. "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" originally aired on Adult Swim and "Partial Terms of Endearment" originally aired in the UK. Family Guy ended its original run in 2002 and was revived by Fox in 2005.
  5. ^ American Dad! moved to TBS in 2014 for additional seasons.
  6. ^ American Dad! aired a sneak peek on February 6, 2005.
  7. ^ Lassie ran for a total of 20 seasons and 591 episodes. The final two seasons aired in syndication.
  8. ^ Also known as Criminal Minds: Evolution (2022–present)
  9. ^ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation officially ended its run with Immortality on September 27, 2015. The TV movie is considered the two-episode 16th season, bringing the episode total to 337.
  10. ^ The Jack Benny Program began with a pilot episode on May 8, 1949.
  11. ^ Four more episodes of King of the Hill aired after its official final broadcast, bringing the total to 259.
  12. ^ For its first three seasons, The Danny Thomas Show aired as Make Room for Daddy.
  13. ^ Murphy Brown ended its original run in 1998 and came back for one more season in 2018.
  14. ^ "'Will & Grace' to Return to NBC for New Season". January 18, 2017.
  15. ^ In 2016, The X-Files ended its original run in 2002 and returned in 2016 for two more seasons.
  16. ^ Roseanne ended its original run in 1997 and returned to television in 2018 for a single season. The revived show later continued as The Conners for the rest of the season and onward as its own program.
  17. ^ The episode "Skeleton Crew" did not originally air on NBC.
  18. ^ In its final season, the title of The Virginian was changed to The Men from Shiloh.
  19. ^ The Love Boat had two pilot movies that aired on September 18, 1976 and January 21, 1977.
  20. ^ In its final season, the title of Little House on the Prairie was changed to Little House: A New Beginning.
  21. ^ In 2014, 24 returned to television with another 12-episode series 24: Live Another Day.
  22. ^ a b An additional season of Mama aired on Sunday afternoons, bringing the episode total to 283.
  23. ^ Ironside began with the pilot movie A Man Called Ironside on March 28, 1967.
  24. ^ Ironside had three additional episodes after its official final broadcast.
  25. ^ L.A. Law began with a two-hour pilot on September 15, 1986.
  26. ^ Medical Center began with the pilot movie U.M.C. on April 17, 1969.
  27. ^ Marcus Welby, M.D. began with a pilot movie on March 26, 1969.
  28. ^ Fantasy Island had two premiere movies that aired on January 14, 1977 and January 20, 1978.
  29. ^ Cagney & Lacey began with a pilot movie on October 8, 1981.
  30. ^ Cheyenne began as a rotating element of Warner Bros. Presents.
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