Classic series

Dallas is a favourite of mine. The best soap opera ever aired, with a "happy" family, whose life are changing from episodes to episodes. Of course everybody knows John Ross Ewing's character (Larry Hagman), who taught us through the 14 seasons, that nobody should trust an oil baron. The family faces many troubles and adventures, and it is obvious that it is a must see for those who like family dramas, with a taste of dangers. Rating: 9/10

The classic fantasy/mystery series lived through 5 seasons, almost 140 episodes. Rod Serling's classic stories with great plot twists made me tremble in the bones every time. But who wouldn't find it interesting, that humanity can be led into a darker place, a place beyond the imagination, a place between light and shadow, a fifth dimenison of sound, sight and mind! Became a favourite one, and whoever thinks that it might be boring because it's from 1959: DO NOT. Nearly every episode is fantastic, although there are some boring ones, but the plot twists are always worth waiting! Rating 10/10

The classic sitcom from the 50's. Cannot be explained, how could 4 people, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frayne make such performances through the entire series, through 6 seasons, period which can ruin a show easily, but not this. I Love Lucy is a perfect family show, with the silly but "my hair is not dyed original red" Lucy whose only aim is to get into showbusiness while her husband Ricky Ricardo works as a singer in the Tropicana, and would never let her on the stage (but somehow she always makes it). But what could have been the show without their neighboors, the Mertzes. Personal favourite episode is the Job Switchin' (Season 2 - Episode 1) One day, it will be a pleasure to watch this series again, and hope it won't be forgotten. I Love Lucy became a favourite one. Rating: 10/10

With its 11 seasons, M.A.S.H. is the longest running sitcom I've ever watched yet. The beginnings caused difficulties, couldn't even think about it that the show will be so awesome as it was. M.A.S.H. (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) takes place at the Korean War in the 50's, where the staff has to face different situations. The original M.A.S.H. era only lasted for three seasons, when Mclean Stevenson (Colonel Henry Blake), along with Wayne Rogers (Trapper) left the series. Never thought, that the last 7 seasons without them could be better, but actually it was. Harry Morgan (Colonel Sherman T. Potter) is an amusing actor, and Henry's best replacement. Some find it annoying, that after Alan Alda (Hawkeye) started writing more and more episodes (especially the last one: Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, which is the most watched television show episode of all time in the U.S.) the series got too dramatic. In my opinion it's just perfect, how the laughter and the drama work along together. Though there are disappointments in the show, for example the leaving of the fine actors, such as Gary Burghoff (Radar), who was a significant character through 8 years, and Larry Linville (Frank Burns), who was in the middle of the jokes made by Hawkeye, Trapper and even Mike Farrell's B.J. While the series went through changes, it remained funny, and smart, and the last episode put an end to the Korean war: they could finally go home. Rating: 9/10

A series I never wanted to watch. Never was a fan of sci-fi, and when I was a child I always hated Star Trek. Wrong... wrong... wrong! Fantastic, because the story not only about space and aliens. Historical events, wild west feelings, mysteries, thrilling horroristic ghost appearances, and so on. Of course the goal is always the same: explore new worlds, and defend the United Federation Of Planets with the spaceship: Enterprise along with the crew: Captain James T. Kirk, the half Vulcan half human Mr. Spock, Dr. Mccoy, Scotty, Chekov, Uhura and Sulu. Adventures, actions, and fine show through the entire run: 3 seasons. The only problem with it that it was cancelled after the end of the third season, but the nearly 10 years later the film brought back the legacy, and made Star Trek a history! Rating: 9/10

The mighty family sitcom from the 60's. Unfortunately, I couldn't download the final season, which means that there are still some things to be explored about Andy Taylor and his hometown, Mayberry. But it is obvious that without Don Knotts (Barney Fife), who is Andy's best friend and deputy, the show just got lower and lower, even the episodes about Andy's son Opie (Ron Howard), and Aunt Bee (Francis Bavier) were not so creative or funny to reach the level of the old seasons. The town is definitely silent on ordinary days, but when crime appears, there come Sheriff Andy and Deputy Barney, to save the people with their laughter from their boredom! They give food for prisoners, make them play on guitar, even to sing in chorus. And what more can be funnier, than Barney shooting through his pocket while loading the only bullet he has for his gun? Absolute favourite with special guest appearances, and supporting characters like Otis the drunk (Hal Smith), and Floyd the barber (Howard McNear). The first five seasons are totally worth watching. Rating: 8/10

Cheers is a Boston bar owned by a retired baseball player, and of course lover of women Sam Malone (Ted Danson), and actually, the main set of the whole series. With the mean waitress Carla Tortelli (Rhea Perlman), lover (or at least affair) Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) and bartender Coach Ernie Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto) the life is simple, serving the regulars such as the beer king Norm Peterson (George Wendt), the "here's a well known fact" Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger), and later the psychiatrist Frasier Crane, who became cast member with his talent (looking forward to watch the series: Frasier). Through the 11 seasons, the only significant changes happened, when Nicholas Colasanto passed away, but his replacement Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) get used to his role, audience started to love his character just like me / and also Shelley Long's departure caused the appearance of Rebecca Howe (Kristie Alley). All in all the series is a real fun, the episodes and lines are written greatly. Mostly everything is about laughter, with sometimes spooky stories, but drama or romance can be seen too, especially in the last episode, which was a fantastic ending for a fantastic series). Now I see that Cheers is a real classic and will be remembered for a lot of moments. Rating: 10/10

The series is very simple: it's about a 30's woman, Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore) and her often exciting situations both at home and at work. Personally, I found that the show is not amazing because of Moore's performance itself, although she is not a bad actress, but because of the three guys she is working with at WJM news. There's Lou Grant (Ed Asner), her boss, who is mean and always determined in his job, but inside he is a kind and generous man. Then there's Murray Slaughter (Gavin Macleod) who writes the news for anchorman Ted Baxter (Ted Knight), who is the funniest characters maybe in the whole showbusiness. With them, the tv show is not a simple drama, but a real comedy, and worth to watch. Rating: 8/10

A typical classic sitcom series, and with its five seasons, and nearly 160 episodes, it causes the biggest laughters ever (but never could be better than I Love Lucy). The story is really simple: Robert Petrie (Dick Van Dyke) is a television writer for the Alan Brady Show (Carl Reiner - creator and writer of the series), with Buddy Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam) the joke machine, and the single, but attractive singer Sally Rogers (Rose Marie). The show is often based on ordinary jokes, but it is common to have a storyline (like my favourite, where Rob watches a horror show, scaring everyone with it, but then he actually gets inside this show, just like in 'The Twilight Zone'.) Rob also has a charming wife, Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) whom he gets into interesting situations. Mary Tyler Moore, now playing a housewife was a much more suitable character, than her later Mary Richards in her show, in my opinion. Great stories, great jokes, nothing more to say. Rating: 9/10

Bewitched is an absolute classic fantasy / comedy series from the 60's, and was kinda favourite in that time, due to it's long running, 8 seasons. The main character is Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery), who marries Darrin Stephens (Dick York, later Dick Sargent), and mostly the story revolves around their marriage problems, Darrin's advertising job situations, but maybe the most problematic thing is with Samantha's mother, Endora (Agnes Moorehead), who can't even call Darrin on his name, no wonder, because he is mortal. (Darwin and Derwood were really funny). Hadn't even mentioned the most important fact in the show, Samantha and her family are witches, they can do anything, but Darrin doesn't let Samantha use witchcraft at home, but of course, the series wouldn't be called Bewitched, if this would happen. One of the best moments of Bewitched were Dick York's acting, who had to leave the show at the end of season 5, because of his backpain, then came the second Darrin, never explained. It was a mistake, though the show had a few great moments, it wasn't the same. My favourite guest actor was Paul Lynde, playing the practical joke lover Uncle Arthur, every episode in which he starred was a 25 minute laughter. Rating: 8/10

All In The Family is not only a great show that collected a lot political, religious, daily, war, past etc. issues together, which were not only explained and highlighted in many episodes of the genuine series, but they were even mixed with jokes to be a perfect laughter for a 70's person. But All In The Family managed to make a legacy, being fantastic enough to be an awesome laugh matter in the modern days. With the ordinary 70's worker, racist, war supporter, American minded Archie Bunker (Carroll O' Connor, who was a total different person than his character); and the typical housewife Edith (Jean Stapleton), who loves Archie so much, even making herself a "slave" for that husband, just to get loved by a not really emotional Archie. In the first five seasons (which are the highlights of the series) even their daughter Gloria (Sally Struthers) and her husband Mike "Meathead" Stivic (Rob Reiner) live with them. With the "everything in the world goes wrong" Archie, and the liberal, "Meathead", who's not even paying rent for Archie to live in his house, problems get started. And with the problems, comedy is created, absolutely being my favourite parts in the series. Rating: 9/10

This show entertained lots of generation with it's time and place, exposing the 50's in a way children and parents would have loved to live. The series is all about the Cunningham family, and their friends, trying to solve different problems, get into strange situations which need to be lived through via strange ways (just as a typical sitcom, with not typical characters). Richie (Ron Howard - damn that kid can act after all, not just an Opie) is about to live through the young adulthood with his singer friend Potsie (Anson Williams), and the "I still got it" joking machine Ralph (Don Most), always asking for the help of the FONZ (Henry Winkler). Yeah, the Fonz, who is fearless, never wrong, always right, girls love them, he is the best in everything, and surely he is nearly unseen without his leather jacket and motorcycle, a typical gangleader kind, but true in the heart. Audience loved him so much, he had to get a bigger role, that's why he moved closer to the Cunningham family, even being a member of it lately. But after all the sex things, who could forget the awesome dad Howard (Tom Bosley), and mother Marion (Marion Ross), who showed the TV world, that 70's acting can be both comedy like, and of course a bit "frisky" as they said. For me, this was the original, and fantastic series (1-8 seasons), after Ron Howard left being main cast member, the Fonz was in the highlight, but that was not the same, some episodes are quite good, but most of them are just not those happy days... Anyway, this family cannot be forgotten.

Rating: 10/10

With all its exciting, dangerous, and also top secret moments, the original Mission: Impossible gave us 7 seasons which made it one of the longest running spy series in America. It could take ages to write down all episodes' plot, so the best way to watch the whole thing. Every mission briefing is on a tape (secret location), which purpose is to describe the situation to the head of IMF team Jim Phelps (Peter Graves). With his team members Cinnamon Carter (Barbara Bain), Barney Collier (Greg Morris), Rollin Hand (Martin Landau) and Willy Armitage (Peter Lupus) they are ready to do even the impossible. Due to an ungiven salary raise to Martin Landau and Barbara Bain who were married at the time they left the series after the third season, perhaps that ended the golden era of the show, but with Paris (who was played by the late Leonard Nimoy) even the fourth and the fifth seasons guaranteed fun and danger. What else does a spy series need?

Rating: 9/10

The story of a tradition african-american white-collar family, whose life is getting harder and harder by the days. Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (played by the magnificant comedian Bill Cosby) and his wife Clair (Phylicia Rashad) have to raise 5 children, who all have problems in their social, and educational life. The family bares many difficulties, their oldest daughter Sandra (Sabrina Le Beauf) having twins, living in poor condition wiht her husband; Denise (Lisa Bonet), who leaves college just to find her true self - even got fired from the show after her behaviour; the pretty Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), who is affected by most things, a growing up youngster gets affected; the charming little Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam); and the only boy, who was the soul of the series as I think (I just loved his acting from the pilot episode), Theo (Malcolm-Jamal Warner). Cosby's life and style had effects on the show itself, made it a classic, there wasn't a person in America in the 80's, who didn't watch a single episode of it. The last seasons are really disappointing though, but the ending is marvelous, with Theo graduating, perfect ending for a family show. Accusations of Cosby's self life doesn't matter when you watch this tv show, because it's about love, life, and a great laugh for sure.

Rating: 9/10

After the 80's hit Cosby Show another classic, 70's era show got into my way, with totally different thoughts of life. The plot is about two widower, a woman with three daughters Carol (Florence Henderson) and Mike Brady with three sons (Robert Reed), who find love again when they meet each other, and with the "maid", but you can also tell she's a family member Alice (Ann B. Davis) they unite, to create The Brady Bunch, a 10 membered family, which has to face different situations, mostly about the children growing up (like when Greg smokes a cigarette; the little Bobby falls in love and so on). There is nothing much more to say actually, it can be the best family show ever aired, because it's suitable for different generations. Of course at the end of the show, it was really hard for the writers to find great storylines, making actor Robert Reed argue with it, leading to it's cancellation in 1974.

Rating: 8/10

The Avengers was a cultic brit spy series, the first to be aired on an American television, originally showing the plot of a doctor, David Keel (Ian Hendry), whose fiancee has been murdered, and with the aid of a mysterious person John Steed (Patrick Macnee) they were trying to find the murderers (thus came the name Avengers). The first season is nearly completely lost, only some fragments (two episodes) remain, and even Ian Hendry left the show. When it was revived for a second season, the main character became John Steed, and with his charming female partner, Catherine Gale (Honor Blackman) they started solving different kinds of crimes, until the end of the third season, when Honor Blackman left to star in a James Bond film. Then came the golden era of the show, when the beautiful Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) replaced her, and with Steed (with his blade umbrella, shining suit armor, and steel hat) they made its running funny, more real and a bit mysterious, becoming a spy-fi series. After Rigg left at the start of the last season, Tara King (Linda Thorson) couldn't make the show better just worse, even could be seen on Patrick, that the show had come to an end. But the plots are awesome, and with the now late Christopher Lee guest apperances was worth watching.

Rating: 9/10

From all of the shows I had watched before, E.R. was the longest running, a wonderful drama full of medical stuffs going through a person's mind, while the situations, the life and death experience always flow through the building, ruling for 15 seasons. E.R. is about emergency doctors in Chicago, getting involved in many hard cases, and although it has many joking / comedy tastes, the drama always above it, with episodes nearly making the people tremble in the bones. The early era had the most exciting and lovable charaters in the show, with Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) who first has to struggle through his pathetic personal life when his wife decides to leave him, thus becoming a much harsher man, but still a great doctor, until the end of the 8th season, where my favourite character dies of a brain cancer (saddest moment in tv history). Then there's Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney), who with his joy in helping kids always decides to act on his own, judging people, even teaching them respect if a child gets hurt, while his love life with head nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) suffers, when she decides to marry another person. Maybe the greatest characters of all is Dr. John Carter (Noah Wyle), who is just a medica in the pilot, but becomes a respected and good doctor at the end of the series, without him, the show could only be a simple drama, but his ways of acting (and of course due to the great writing) he manages to keep the show funny, while he also struggles between being a surgeon, or an emergency doctor, which makes his first day teaching doctor Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) angry of his actions, who also has to suffer from his child's "disease", getting over it through the 8 seasons. However, Carter not only learning the ways of medical things, but also love, when he first kisses Susan Lewis (Sherry Springfield) who has problems with his maniac, drug addicted sister and her baby. As the story goes on through seasons to seasons, characters appear, like the hated, and leg-disorientated Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes), who eventually turns into the head of the E.R., but also fights with herself, when she couldn't define her sexuality, which gets more difficult when her long lost mother appears. Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston) should be also mentioned, who becomes a mother, just when his then husband, Dr. Greene dying, and who's the only person who gets along with Dr. Romano (Paul McCrane), who is rude with everybody, nobody likes this surgeon, but after all he gets what he deserves, little ironic, when in the 9th season, he loses his left arm by coincidentally touching the helicopter's rotor, then in the 10th season a helicopter falls on him... So after all, E.R. is a really exciting series, and there should be many more names listed here, but this is the golden era!

Rating: 9,5/10

Seinfeld could be in any ways one of the most influental and humorous show of the 90's, with it's 4 main characters, whose life collide in every episode, getting involved in the strangest situations, with funny plots. The series about the stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld, playing himself in this sitcom, who with the bald, George Castanza (Jason Alexander), her ex girlfriend Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and the bit retarded Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards) they live through different situations, mostly hanging out in Jerry's apartment and the next door restaurant, but they always have something to struggle about. From waiting in a Chinese restaurant for hours, trying to find the car in a big mall parking lot, to making a contest about sexual desires, the only thing common in these, that they are hilarious. Maybe it is the only show, that should have been renewed for more seasons, but with this ending, it still remains a classic sitcom of the era!

Rating: 10/10

The X-Files must have been one of the best mystery sci-fi shows that ever existed. The cast is almost consists of two people at it's first season, with main characters: Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), who is a true believer of the outer world, and head of the so called FBI facility: The X-Files, where he solves cases which couldn't been solved by anyone else. His "I Want To Believe" phrase comes from the fact that he thinks, his sister was kidnapped by aliens when they were young, and as he's looking for the truth, more and more information is given of her. Mulder is all alone until the FBI chooses an agent, Dr. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who is specified in medical issues, to look after, moreover spy on Mulder. While they're working together, the two get to know each other too well, leading them to work on cases together, even look for the truth together. The show is fantastic as it's main purpose is to leave the people in total lack of knowledge in the question: do aliens exist, or is it just the government which hides everything from us? Assistant director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi) helps them in their investigation, however, the so called Cigarette-Smoking-Man (Willam B. Davis), who is the villain of the show, although it is never mentioned that he does something evilish, always hides the truth from them. It's "Monster Of The Week" episodes are also notable, these don't continue the story line, but introduces specific human beings, with special powers. In its final seasons the story got a bit complicated with the alien conspiracy and super trooper storylines, but the ending was fine for the show. Glad to hear that they will renew the series one month later, because this show really worth watching. Until then, the truth is out there!

Rating: 10/10

Little House on the Prairie was a perfect family drama from the 70's, which was loosely based on a series of books by publisher Laura Ingalls Wilder, who's played by Melissa Gilbert on the tv adaptation. The series at first was mostly written and directed by then Bonanza star Michael Landon, who's in the role of the head of the family, playing the always hard working father Charles Ingalls, living with his wife Caroline Ingalls (Karen Grassle) and with her three daughters, one of them being Laura, the other Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson), and Carrie (Sidney Greenbush). The series was set in a little town called Walnut Grove, where everyone knows everybody, and always ready to help, if you're having a problem. There are many notable characters such as Dr. Hiram Baker (Kevin Hagen), the reverend Alden (Dabbs Greer), the owners of the store Nels Oleson (Richard Bull) who's wife Harriet (Scottie MacGregor) could be the main antagonist, she's the complete opposite of everybody who lives there, mean and only thinks about degrading people because they have less money than her. And who could forget Mr. Edwards (Victor French), who was the best friend of the Ingalls family, taking part in many difficult situations the Ingalls family went through. Through the nine seasons we can see how Laure grows up, firstly starting the school, meeting new kids, even the mean ones like the Oleson's children Nellie (Alison Arngrim) and Willie (Jonathan Gilbert) who both became normal adults when the show was close to it's ending. Little House on the Prairie often has depressive episodes among the happy ones, like when Mary gets blind, or later when a girl called Sylvia gets raped by a clown masked man, and so on. The family also expands when at a trip to another town Charles brings home an infant Albert (Matthew Labyorteaux), and later he also adopts two children, so at the Ingalls family's home, boredom and good living are never an option. As Laura reaches the sixteenth age, she becomes a teacher, and finally she marries Almanzo Wilder (Dean Butler), but they also have to face many difficulties in life, like when Almanzo gets partially paralyzed. Although it's hard to get through the many many episodes of Little House, it must have been a great experience for children and adult at that time, to live through the television what the Ingalls family went through, thus making this a classic family drama!

Rating: 8/10

Quantum Leap was a perfect sci-fi series in the late 80's, where the story revolves around a project with the same name, which is about time travelling. Unfortunately, when Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) steps into the Quantum Leap accelerator, something goes wrong, and he finds himself trapped in the past, leaping into another person's body every time, striving to put right what once went wrong. He gets aid from his own time, an observer from the project Al Calavicci (Dean Stockwell), who appears in a form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear (well, except the little innocent children, and the mentally ill). Sam has only one aim, to get home, so he helps other people to do as Ziggy, their computer says (often being wrong). The series contain many historic events and famous people such as Stephen King, Elvis Presley and so on. According to the theory, Sam can only leap within his own lifetime, but rarely, he travels back in time, like in an episode which take place at the American Civil War in 1862. Then there's an episode, where Sam gets a chance to save Al's marriage (he was in the Navy, missing in action, her wife thought he had died, and remarried, before he got home), but because of their major rule, they can't change their own history. However, the series final revealed what was the purpose of the whole project: to tell Al's then wife that he's coming home, changing history for the better. So Beth never remarried... Al and she got 4 children... and Dr. Sam Beckett never went home! Perfect ending for a perfect show!

Rating: 10/10

Get Smart could be a typical spy series from the 60's, which was kinda favoured among writers, and even audiences in those years, we just have to think about The Avengers, or the more famous Mission: Impossible. But this series is a parody of everything that can happen in such situations, with main character Agent 86, Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) who works at CONTROL, a secret organisation to fight with evil, only known as KAOS agents, led by the fearful Siegfried (Bernie Kopell) and his not too bright helping hand Starker (King Moody). Smart is accompanied by a beautiful female agent, who in later seasons becomes his wife, only known as Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon). But what could CONTROl (and the series) be without a leader, or simply called Chief (Edward Platt). As all episode emerges from the bottom to reach funnier and funnier moments, nearly all of them has a unique way to become special, even with running gags like the cone of silence, which never works. So Get Smart shows the life of an idiot in a sitcom, which hell worth watching, if you're ready to have some fun by watching Agent 86 ruining the whole life of others!

Rating: 9/10

Hill Street Blues in the 80's was one of the first drama series, which developed an episode to episode storyline, making them relate to each other, creating a story which is continuous. It revolves around the Hill Street Station, found in a ghetto like precinct with the same name, describing the worklife of the police officers, including their social and personal life and feelings. We could say, that there are many main characters in the show, including the captain Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti) who mostly has problems leading the station while there are gang wars all around the town and the situations are disturbing even inside, within the officers, and getting used to the fact, that he can't see his son frequently, although his ex-wife Fay (Barbara Bosson) often comes for advice, even in the most silly scenes, making his romance with lawyer Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel) quite difficult. Then there's Bobby Hill (Michael Warren) and his partner Andrew Renko (Charles Haid), who nearly got killed in the first episode, after an almost fatal shot, thus connecting the two with a line, which resolves all over the show, they are doing everything together, facing real life while patrolling the town. Other officers who wander the city are the sex addicted J.D. LaRue (Kiel Martin) and his partner Neal Washington (Taurean Blacque); and the tough girl officer, then sergeant Lucy Bates (Betty Thomas) with her partner Joe Coffey (Ed Marinaro). Then there's Sergeant Mick Belker (Bruce Weitz), the undercover cop, who's famous for his way of arresting people with biting, but inside he is an emotional man, trying to find love, which he eventually does; Lieutenant Henry Goldblume (Joe Spano) who is mostly called to deal and talk with criminals, or people who are attempting suicide, meanwhile he falls apart inside after the divorce with his wife, and the death of his girlfriend; Lieutenant Ray Calletano (René Enríquez) the hispanic police man, who's only purpose is to become captain, which he achieves for a while, though not at Hill Street Station, but has to face the fact, that he can't be a perfect leader like Furillo; Lieutenant Howard Hunter (James Sikking) who only wants to arrest the criminals no matter what it costs, even suggesting war machines to be driven on the streets, making him one of the funniest and weirdest character, which is proved in the seventh season, when he eats from the flesh of another man just to survive 2 weeks under destroyed construction. Also worth to mention Sergeant Phil Esterhaus (Michael Conrad) who appeared in the highlight of the series in the first four seasons, leading the role calls, listing the items to the officers, while his only aim is to have children. Sadly, Michael Conrad died from cancer on the set, but his last wish was fulfilled: in the series he died from a heart attack, which was caused by having sex. The series is a great cop drama, with many funny moments, however, there are some episodes which are really dumb, not even worth to remember. All in all, Hill Street Blues had many thoughtful moments, absolutely a classic!

Rating: 8/10

Gilligan's Island was a popular sitcom in the 60's, which developed one of the finest and most humorous character in the U.S., Gilligan (Bob Denver) who was the so called clown of the series. Gilligan's Island had a really great script, 7 people aboard the ship S.S. Minnow at Hawaii, and then start to sail, until they reach a storm and they get shipwrecked on an isle. These seven people have to face different situations, mostly looking for ways to get back to civilization, or meeting with other men or women who somehow reach the island, but oddly, even if these special guests are rescued, our stars never. Among Gilligan there are six more people on the island: The Skipper (Alan Hale Jr.); the millionaire couple Thurston Howell III (Jim Backus) and his wife Lovey (Natalie Schafer); the movie star Ginger Grant (Tina Louise); the Professor (Russell Johnson) and Mary Ann (Dawn Wells). There were some broadcasted episodes, which were rather silly then funny, or not making any sense at all, but mostly it was full of awesome moments, absolutely worth to be called a classic series. Three movie was also made with mostly all original characters (Tina Louise left after the series was cancelled - I didn't mind, her character was not that interesting anyway, and her acting isn't special too). In one, they actually get rescued, but they always end up on the island after all. Sadly, none of the original male members are alive today, only the two woman stars, Wells and Louise survived. Still, it has a big legacy after 50 years, they could be definitely proud of it!

Rating: 8/10

Family Ties was a series in the 80's, started in the new sitcom era, when shows like Cheers and The Cosby Show were running. Originally, this show meant to describe the life of a hippy, peace loving parents of the Keaton family, but as it progressed, the kids, especially Alex (who was played by Michael J. Fox, famous for his later role in Back To The Future) got much more recognition, and became a star. His Republican view of politics, and the love for money made Family Ties a classic in his own time, with many political issues in it, just like All In The Family did in the 70's. But of course without those parents, Steven Keaton (Michael Gross), who was not just a great actor all in all, but made every moment funny when he appeared on screen, and Elyse (Meredith Baxter), who's voice gave the show sometimes a really beautiful atmosphere, like when she sang In My Life from The Beatles closer to the ending. But let's not forget the dumb little sister of Alex, Mallory (Justine Bateman) and her even dumber junk artist boyfriend Nick Moore (Scott Valentine), they just delighted the life of this family. Their youngest sister was Jennifer (Tina Yothers) who was highlighted in episodes mostly about problems and love life of a teenager. The Keaton's had another child from the fifth season, Andy (Brian Bonsall) who was not just the cute face of the show, but Alex tried to create his own replica of him, sometimes even telling things Andy himself doesn't even understand. This was the way the show went on and on, with many guest stars, who later became fine actors/actresses, like their uncle Ned (Tom Hanks) or Alex's girlfriends Ellen (played by Tracy Pollan, who later became Fox's wife) and Lauren (Courteney Cox). Family Ties can easily be considered as a great family sitcom, definitely worth watching.

Rating: 8/10

When I started Bonanza, I was already aware of the fact that it will be the longest series I have ever bumped into with its 430 episodes, but still, after three months the challenge is accomplished with many soothing memories from the show. Bonanza all in all is a 1959 western series, which (along with Gunsmoke) had many influences on later western shows. Bonanza was also the first western series (could the first show ever) which had its all seasons broadcasted in colour. The main storyline is about the Cartwright family, who own a big ranch next to Virginia City called the Ponderosa, which they run and defend through the run, also helping the surrounding communities with their own problems. The head of the family is a three times widower, Ben Cartwright (Lorne Greene), who may be strict with his sons, but in heart is a wise man, and he's character is well known in town also. His oldest son is Adam Cartwright (Pernell Roberts) who left the show after 6 seasons, because he thought the scripts were foolish, thus it led to his departure when the series have just began to rise to its fame. The second son is Eric Cartwright, but everyone remembers him as Hoss (Dan Blocker), whose muscular fat body, but warmth heart appealed to the audience. Unfortunately Blocker was written out from the show's last season due to his untimely death, made the whole atmosphere of the show darker. The last and youngest son is Little Joe Cartwright (Michael Landon) who in his younger days gets into lot of troubles, but later becomes just as wise as his father. The show had many resemblance with Little House On The Prairie. Michael Landon wrote many scripts for Bonanza in later seasons, which were rewritten, or reused in his more popular 1800's show about the Ingalls family. Sometimes it got boring, but mostly you could see, that Landon is not just a great actor, but also writer, this made him one of the finest directors. Though Bonanza was much longer than one person can bare, it was fun, so I think, it was worth my time. Let's go on with more exciting dramas and sitcoms.

Rating: 8/10

After a lot of hours had been spent on a western drama, another sitcom arrived on my list, waiting to be watched. Of course from the movie and Fox TV remakes everyone knows a little about the spooky Addams Family, who are not an ordinary family for the outer world, but in reality they are warm hearted, and think that the way they're leading their lives is the way everyone does. The original tv adaptation's pilot of the drawn cartoon was aired in 1964. With parents Gomez Addams (John Astin), Morticia Frump Addams (Carolyn Jones) the days are unordinary, so her Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), Gomez' grandmother, simply called Grandmama Addams (Marie Blake), the tall, scary looking, always grunting butler Lurch (Ted Cassidy) who even becomes a fan of teens in a classic episode. And of course there are the Addams children, Wednesday (Lisa Loring) and Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax). It's a typical sitcom with not so typical stories, but all in all I can understand why it was cancelled after 2 seasons. Even though the characters are lovable, the series itself has poor scripts in many many episodes. There are a few which will make you laugh hard, but that was not enough in the 60's, when many sitcoms were broadcasted, like the rival series: The Munsters.

Rating: 8/10

It was difficult to start the classic 60's animated series, The Flintstones, as in my country the dubbed version is far more different than the original one (the main characters are talking mostly in rhythms). The whole series is set in a town called Bedrock in the modern stone age, with cars, planes, radios, electricity, household gadgets and so on, created with methods and resources mostly available in that time, it made the show kinda interesting. The main stars of the show are the Flintstones family and their neighbours, the Rubbles. Fred Flintstone (Alan Reed), a typical male character from the modern era depicted in a stone age era. Always late from work, from home, goes bowling in his free time instead of taking his housewife Wilma (Jean Vander Pyl) to dinners or concerts. Barney Rubble (Mel Blanc) is his closest friend, a little dumb, but always warm hearted, as he always helps him out of trouble, even when his wife Betty (Bea Benaderet in the first 4 seasons). In the first two seasons the Flintstones and the Rubbles mostly got angry and had enough of each other, which affected the friendship of Fred and Barney, always leading into a happy ending, but later the adventures of the two together became the main segment of the storylines. I'm absolute sure that most of the episodes were funny, the comedy always appears in the show, but sometimes the scripts are bit boring. Though there are some really fine moments - like when Fred and Barney spend a night together in a "haunted house" just to inherit some money from Fred's late uncle, or when the Stephens family from the popular 60's show "Bewitched" moves to the neighbourhood, with both Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York guest starring. Clearly a classic animated series for family and children fun tv time.

Rating: 8/10

The Honeymooners was originated from a 50's series hosted by Jackie Gleason, with many stories from the sketch reappearing, and finally it was broadcasted as a full-length series on CBS. The main characters are two couples, and we can call Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) star of the show, who works as a bus driver, trying to struggle through an ordinary life in a poor quality house in Brooklyn with his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows). Ralph is short tempered, often threatens his wife that "one of these days he's gonna fly him to the Moon", but actually, Ralph loves his wife really much, often gets jealous, and though mostly he acts like he doesn't care about his neighbours, the Nortons, when Ed (Art Carney) gets into trouble, Ralph seems to help him find a solution. Ed's wife Trixie (Joyce Randolph) is a bit more strict than the other housewife, so the sewer worker Ed is not such a big mouthed guy like Ralph, which usually leads him into really problematic situations. The classic 39 episodes are really funny, all of them are worth watching, and it is clear that these actors / actresses really could make a comedy act even in the 50's. The Honeymooners due to it's poor ratings, when the last episode was produced, was cancelled. However, it remained in syndication from 1957, and then it became the iconic tv show now the whole world knows about. And yes, it is also clear that "The Flintstones" was based upon this show, the characters are just like mirror images, but that just highlights the fact The Honeymooners is and will remain a classic sitcom.

Rating: 9/10

Nearly a year and a half after I had watched Cheers, I started to view its spin-off series, Frasier, which is obviously about the character Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), who left Boston to change his bar attending life to a more sophisticated one, so he moved into his hometown Seattle and became a radio psychiatrist, giving advices to all of the people out there, and mostly not the normal ones. A character should be mentioned right here, his producer Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), who is also Frasier's best friend among those few ones. Life could be easy for such a person, but Frasier has to face many issues, when his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce) brings horrific news to him: there father, now a retired cop after a gunshot wound in the hip Martin (John Mahoney) needs to be taken care of, so he moves in with Frasier, and with Martin comes Eddie the annoying dog. Martin also needs a physiotherapist, so they hire the English Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves) who also lives in the house. Getting into many situations at work, at Café Nervosa, and of course at home, the series is a really awesome situation comedy in it's own way, winning more than 30 Emmy Awards. I would highlight the secret crush which Niles felt for Daphne for over 7 seasons, but finally they got together and married of course, that was actually a really great story line I was waiting for. But many many episodes are hilarious, and I can see why the show Frasier is considered as a classic.

Rating: 9/10

Since my childhood was full of watching Columbo with family, I've already known about the funny, determined lieutenant, who always wears his brown jacket and drives his old automobile, Columbo (Peter Falk). The series has a unique way of describing murder crime stories to audiences. Rather than the usual who done it way, we always (or nearly always) know the identity of the murderer, and the half an hour tv show is about how Columbo cathes the killer, usually with a method of manipulating the criminal. Columbo sometimes faces characteristics he admires in a murderer, and so he begins to like the personality of the other, but still law is law, and he needs to take care of his job. With quite many amazing stories it's easy for one to like the tv show, but if you're into television you will absolutely favour the actors / actresses who play the role of the murderer. Jack Cassidy; Patrick McGoohan; Dick Van Dyke; Leonard Nimoy; Johnny Cash; George Wendt, Vera Miles, just to mention some. It is always nice to bring back old memories, and with this series, I could achieve it very well.

Rating: 9/10

I was waiting for this anthology series, hosted by the Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. Nearly every episode is about crime, and mostly murder, in which the killer always gets what he or she deserves in the end - or at least that's what Hitchcock states at the ending of every episode. It's a fact, that this is a classic show, because of the host himself, and it also gave many chances to actors or actresses in its own time, but let's face it... after watching the original 7 seasons (not counting the Alfred Hitchcock Hour), I should say that I've watched much more interesting and exciting series before. Not that it was a bad series, not at all, it had some amazing episodes like the one with glass eye, and the man who suffered a breakdown after a car accident. However, most episodes are about the same sketch - murder - hiding / suffering from what the person had done - and the often said line "crime does not pay" (the killer always gets caught). So while Alfred Hitchcock's hit show from the 50's could have been an outstanding tv performance in that time, watching it from episode to episode in the 21st century is just a simple crime drama.

Rating: 8/10

Batman was a popular series in the 60's. Inspired by the 40's comics, it was meant to be more of a sitcom than a drama. The caped crusaders, Batman (Adam West) and Robin (Burt Ward) protect Gotham city from their arch villains, criminals who want to make the citizens' life a hell. Nobody knows that their alter-egos, the millionaire Bruce Wayne and his young ward Dick Grayson are the "Dynamic Duo", only the butler Alfred (Alan Napier) who answers the batphone whenever there's trouble, and Commisioner Gordon (Neil Hamilton) seeks for their help. The villains include the laugh full Joker (Cesar Romero); the deadly and cunning Penguin (Burgess Meredith); the charming Catwoman (Julie Newmar) and the almighty funny Ridler (Frank Gorshin), whose aim are to terrorize the city, and get rid of the Dynamic Duo once and for all. While in the first two seasons every episode ended as a cliffhanger, to tease spectators to watch the channel the next night, its third season only aired weekly. Mostly every episode contained some hilarious gags, or just hilarious effects, like when Batman fights with a rubber shark; Batman and Joker is surfing or when Robin trips in a death trap, and a queen bee tries to attack him. While the first two seasons can be considered as a great sitcom, the third one is a bit lame, and shows nothing new, only these funny but mostly not serious gags. Still it has some fine moments, so this Batman adaptation is totally a classic.

Rating: 8/10