Old TV Series: 26 TV Series That Left Their Mark on Television Before the 2000s

old tv series

There is always a segment of people who say that the old TV series are better and of higher quality. Old TV series, on the other hand, host productions that real TV series lovers do not get tired of watching. Today, these cult TV series used to connect millions of people who had nothing else to do at home. In this content, we bring together the most popular old TV series that were broadcast from the 1950s to the end of the 1990s. If you are ready, let ‘s take a closer look at our list of the best old TV series and TV series together.


26) Knight Rider – Black Lightning (1982 – 1986) | IMDb: 6.9

knight rider

  • Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
  • 4 Seasons, 90 Episodes

Knight Rider is one of the series that swept television for a while. Translated into Turkish as Kara Şimşek and we all know this way, the series had its fans even when there was only one channel in our country. Kara Şimşek was broadcast on TRT 1, the only channel of the period in our country. The series tells the story of ex-police detective Michael Knight, who fights crimes with his legendary car called KITT.

In the series, detective Michael, who was shot in the face, is rescued by billionaire Wilton Knight and given a new face with plastic surgery. Having found a new face, name and life for himself, Michael is chasing criminals one by one with his artificial intelligence supercar codenamed KITT.


25) Dallas (1978 – 1991) | IMDb: 7.0

dallas old tv series

  • Genre: Drama, Romance
  • 14 Seasons, 357 Episodes

Dallas is one of the first productions that come to mind when it comes to old TV series. This soap opera, which was broadcast for 13 years, became the most watched television program of its time and entered the Guinness Book of Records. So much so that only one episode of the series was watched by 83 million people. Dallas generally describes the rivalry between the Ewing and Barnes families and the intrigues within these families. Thanks to Dallas, which lasted hundreds of episodes, a generation grew up with the intrigues of these two families.


24) Sex And The City (1998 – 2004) | IMDb: 7.2

Sex And The City

  • Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama
  • 6 Seasons, 94 Episodes

Even though many of the events in the TV series Sex and the City are ” cringe ” to us, this series meant a lot to the people of its era. Adapted from Candace Bushnell’s novel of the same name, the series presents sections from the lives of four career-driven and highly successful New York women.

While one of these women writes articles on male-female relations in the newspaper, another is a lawyer, another is a company owner, and the last one continues her life as an art dealer. Carrie, who is a journalist and writes the column called Sex and the City, appears as our main character who tells the events in the series.


23) 21 Jump Street (1987 – 1991) | IMDb: 7.3

21 jump street serial

  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
  • 5 Seasons, 103 Episodes

21 Jump Street , which took television by storm when Johnny Depp was still small, was the biggest jumping point in Depp’s career. The series, which has been adapted into two movies that are very popular today, focuses on the experiences of a group of policemen who look like teenagers. These policemen, who look quite young, can infiltrate the schools and catch the criminals by observing the drug traffic there thanks to their appearance. The series, which sheds light on the college and high school life of the USA in a realistic and entertaining way, does not neglect to criticize the society on the one hand.


22) Miami Vice (1984 – 1989) | IMDb: 7.5

miami vice old tv series

  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
  • 5 Seasons, 111 Episodes

When we say the old TV series that best reflect the 1980s, many of you will undoubtedly think of Miami Vice . The effects of Miami Vice, which brings a new breath to the world of TV series and movies, can be seen in some productions even today. In the series, which has become a legend with its clothes, music, cars and Miami scenes, we watch the experiences of two police detectives Sonny and Tubbs working in the Miami Organized Crime Bureau.

Sonny and Tubbs, who live a life that will not be understood as cops, have been trying to solve “famous American crimes” for many years. These crimes include drug trafficking, arms trafficking, prostitution murders, porn industry crimes, cult murders and occult events.


21) Adventures of Superman – Adventures of Superman (1952 – 1958) | IMDb: 7.7

adventures of superman

  • Genre: Action, Fantasy, Crime
  • 6 Seasons, 104 Episodes

In addition to superhero movies and TV series made today, old TV shows and movies naturally remain funny. But we can say that the Adventures of Superman series, which gathered a huge fan base in the 1950s, was one of the first loves of superhero lovers. In this way, Adventures of Superman has been the longest-running superhero series during its era and for many years afterwards.

The series was broadcast in black and white in the first two seasons and in color in the next four seasons. The series, which has managed to tell the adventures of Clark Kent in dozens of episodes, is also very popular with its practical effects.


20) ER – Emergency Service (1994 – 2009) | IMDb: 7.7

old foreign serials

  • Genre: Drama, Romance
  • 15 Seasons, 309 Episodes

The series that grew a generation is one of the biggest productions of the US television industry, which has received worldwide attention. Adapted as Doctors in our country, ER has been localized in many other countries of the world and broke rating records.

ER was created when the famous writer Michael Crichton, who is also the author of Jurassic Park, scripted his experiences during his student years. We are very familiar with the operation of the series thanks to the Doctors series. Over the course of hundreds of episodes, we follow the lives and intrigues of a series of doctors and nurses working in the emergency room.


19) Cheers (1982 – 1993) | IMDb: 7.9

series of cheers

  • Genre: Comedy, Drama
  • 11 Seasons, 275 Episodes

In How I Met Your Mother , Friends, Seinfeld and many more series, we see that there is a cafe/bar where our characters hang out all the time. But long before these series, Cheers , which was about people coming together in a bar environment, was locking millions on the screen.

Set in a bar called Cheers in Boston, the series tells us the stories of all kinds of people who come to the bar. Many famous names such as Woody Harrelson, Ted Danson and Kelsey Grammer appear in the series. The continuation of Cheers, which continued for 11 seasons, Frazier series also lasted 11 seasons.


18) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990 – 1996) | IMDb: 7.9

the fresh prince of bel air

  • Genre: Comedy
  • 6 Seasons, 148 Episodes

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The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring Will Smith, became one of the most popular sitcoms of the period. As you can imagine, Will Smith plays himself in the series, which focuses on Will Smith’s experiences before he became an actor. Fresh Prince in the title of the series is none other than Will Smith’s nickname when he was a rap artist.

Growing up on the slums of Philadelphia, Will is sent by his mother to live with his aunt just before he gets down the path of crime. Will’s aunt lives in a mansion in California’s ultra-luxury Bel-Air neighborhood. Entering a whole new world, Will struggles to keep up with the environment.


17) The Golden Girls – Golden Girls (1985 – 1992) | IMDb: 8.0

the golden girls

  • Genre: Comedy, Drama
  • 7 Seasons, 180 Episodes

There was The Golden Girls before Sex and the City was on the screen, but in a slightly different way… The Golden Girls basically tells the story of four old women living together in their Miami home. Many remakes of the series, for which all four lead roles received Emmy awards, were also shot.


16) Married with Children – Married with Children (1987 – 1997) | IMDb: 8.0

married with children

  • Genre: Comedy
  • 11 Seasons, 259 Episodes

Married with Children , which criticizes the American family structure in a very entertaining way, is one of the most popular old TV series. The series, which was adapted in our country with the same name, tells the lives of a low-class family living in Chicago. The father of the family, Al, is a failed shoe salesman.

Our mother, Peg, is a lazy and cynical housewife. The children of the house also have very opposite characters. Daughter of the house Kelly is an extroverted, highly social silly blonde type, while her brother Bud is an intelligent but socially unsuccessful teenager.


15) Quantum Leap (1989 – 1993) | IMDb: 8.1

quantum leap old tv series

  • Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure
  • 5 Seasons, 97 Episodes

The conspiracy theory that the US government is involved in time travel is still being talked about today. Quantum Leap , on the other hand, manages to create a very entertaining work by taking these theories into the center. In the series, the government is launching a time travel project called Quantum Leap.

The head of this project, Dr. Sam Beckett is unfortunately stuck in the past. Sam Beckett, who constantly jumps into the bodies of other living things, not only helps these creatures, but also looks for ways to return to his own time zone.


14) Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 – 2003) | IMDb: 8.2

buffy the vampire slayer

  • Genre: Action, Fantasy, Drama
  • 7 Seasons, 144 Episodes

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is perhaps one of the most well-known old TV series. Buffy, the famous fantasy youth series of the 90s, can be said to be the ancestor of vampire TV series. In the series, we watch the young girl named Buffy Summers fight against the forces of evil.

Chosen by fate, Buffy answers this call and becomes a “vampire hunter”. This summoning gives him powers such as physical strength, agility, rapid recovery, and foresight. On the one hand, Buffy continues her normal life, on the other hand, she hunts terrifying vampires.


13) Farscape (1999 – 2003) | IMDb: 8.2

farscape old tv series

  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
  • 4 Seasons, 88 Episodes

Farscape , the biggest sci-fi series of the 90s, also carries an intense Star Wars atmosphere. Farscape, which does not look for Star Wars with its character designs, also touches on many space travel theorems. John, an astronaut in the series, tries to bring the space travel project called Farscape to life.

In this way, people will be able to make long distance space travels in a short time. But a wormhole created during the experiment teleports John to another galaxy with different civilizations. Here, taking shelter on an alien ship, John embarks on fantastic adventures.


12) All In The Family (1971 – 1979) | IMDb: 8.3

all in the family

  • Genre: Comedy, Drama
  • 9 Seasons, 205 Episodes

All In the Family is considered one of the best television series in US history. The series was bringing topics that had not been discussed on television before, within the framework of a sitcom. Archie, a working family man in the series, sweetly discusses the important topics of the day with his family when he returns home from work. Sex, racism, homosexuality and similar topics, which were almost taboo on television before, were talked a lot in the All In the Family series.


11) Doctor Who (1963 – 1989) | IMDb: 8.4

doctor who 1963

  • Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Drama
  • 26 Seasons, 694 Episodes

Doctor Who , which has been on the screen for 58 years, has 862 episodes as of now. The first series of the series, which started in 1963, lasted until 1989. The series, which started again in 2005, still continues today.

The longest-running production of our old TV series list, Doctor Who tells the adventures of the Time Lord, an extraterrestrial creature. Known as the “Doctor” in the world, these creatures look just like human beings and explore every corner of space and time by traveling through time.


10) Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987 – 1994) | IMDb: 8.6

star trek the next generation

  • Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery
  • 7 Seasons, 178 Episodes

Although Stark Trek first started in 1966, the first series of the series did not last very long. Star Trek: The Next Generation, which comes after the first series, is still the most popular Star Trek series.

Set almost 100 years after the first series, the new crew embarks on unprecedented adventures aboard a new USS Enterprise ship. The series stars many stars, including Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes.


9) The Simpsons (1989 – Present) | IMDb: 8.6

the simpsons

  • Genre: Animation, Comedy
  • 33 Seasons, 711 Episodes

Another veteran production of our old TV series list is The Simpsons . The series, which has been on the air for decades, is one of the most popular animations of the social criticism and comedy genre. The Simpsons, which has come to the fore with its accurate determinations and prophetic future predictions from time to time, does not seem to say goodbye to the screens for a long time.


8) The X-Files – The X-Files (1993 – 2018) | IMDb: 8.6

ththe x files old tv series

  • Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure
  • 11 Seasons, 218 Episodes

One of the biggest conspiracy theories about the US government is Area 51 and talks with aliens. The X-Files , on the other hand, is a series that includes supernatural events by taking these theories at the center. In the series, the FBI opens a new bureau to investigate the supernatural.

Fox Mulder, who is very curious about these issues, works in this unit. Dana Scully, who is given to Fox, is prejudiced against these events at first. But a few unraveling events and the looming mystery leave Dana and Fox in the middle of supernatural events and government conspiracies at a depth they never expected.


7) Oz (1997 – 2003) | IMDb: 8.7

oz old tv series

  • Genre: Crime, Drama
  • 6 Seasons, 56 Episodes

Oz handled the drama behind bars before shows like Prison Break and Orange is the New Black . The series, which takes place in a prison known as OZ for short, is one of the productions that conveys life behind bars to television in the most realistic and striking way.

In the series, neo-Nazis, criminal African-Americans, motor gangs, Sicilian mafia members and criminals from many ethnic backgrounds and social circles come together in Oz prison. It is worth noting that the series, which was also broadcast in our country for a while, contains scenes of extreme violence.


6) Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969 – 1974) | IMDb: 8.8

monty python's flying circus

  • Genre: Comedy
  • 4 Seasons, 45 Episodes

You may have heard the name Monty Python before. Monty Python became famous for the comedy show Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which they made on the BBC for a while. Subsequently, the group produced several comedy films, also under the Monty Python title. These films, on the other hand, shaped a period in comedy and parody genres.

The Flying Circus, which aired weekly on the BBC, had no specific format. In this program, 6 talented comedy writers and actors were animating their sketches.


5) Twin Peaks – Twin Peaks (1990 – 1991) | IMDb: 8.8

twin peaks series

  • Genre: Crime, Mystery, Drama
  • 2 Seasons, 30 Episodes

Twin Peaks is a mystery series that is legendary even though it only lasted a year. In the series created by David Lynch, we are watching a very mysterious murder story. In the town of Twin Peaks, a young girl named Laura Palmer is murdered. FBI agent Dale Cooper, who comes to town to solve the murder, finds himself in the middle of unexpected events. Because Twin Peaks, which seems like a small and quiet town, has a very dark face behind this mask.

Twin Peaks was discontinued at the end of its first year due to the Gulf War. David Lynch made a sequel to the series. Alongside the movie, the third season of Twin Peaks was filmed in 2017. This new season takes place 25 years after the original series.


4) Friends (1994 – 2004) | IMDb: 8.8

friends

  • Genre: Comedy, Romance
  • 10 Seasons, 237 Episodes

If there is a star name among the old TV series, it is undoubtedly Friends . There are a lot of people who don’t like Friends as much as they do. Still, Friends is arguably one of the most influential series that has left its mark on television history.

Friends, which revolutionized the sitcom genre, lasted 10 years and 10 seasons. The series is about the experiences of a group of New York friends, such as Seinfeld, whom it was inspired by. A 10-year adventure begins when Rachel, who escapes from her wedding and settles in the house of her childhood friend Monica, joins this group of friends.


3) Seinfeld (1989 – 1998) | IMDb: 8.8

seinfeld old tv series

  • Genre: Comedy
  • 9 Seasons, 180 Episodes

Seinfeld , which inspired many sitcom series, especially Friends, is one of the series that divides sitcom lovers into two. Although Seinfeld and Friends fans are hostile to each other, these two series actually have a lot in common. Seinfeld, which can be considered an older and darker humor version of Friends, brings the daily lives of a group of New York friends to the screens.


2) The Twilight Zone – The Twilight Zone (1959 – 1964) | IMDb: 9.0

the twilight zone

  • Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Drama
  • 5 Seasons, 156 Episodes

The Twilight Zone still manages to make a name for itself, even though it has been 62 years since its publication date. The Twilight Zone , which has become a term over time, represents a dimension between light and dark. Rod Serling presents the program, which runs in anthology format.

In each episode of the series, strange and difficult to explain events that different people fall into are handled. People were experiencing these events in the Twilight Zone. These experiences came to be described in the series and later as “transitioning into the Twilight Zone”.


1) The Sopranos (1999 – 2007) | IMDb: 9.2

the sopranos

    • Genre: Crime, Drama
    • 6 Seasons, 86 Episodes

The last guest of our old TV series list is The Sopranos . Bringing the Godfather series to television, The Sopranos conveys the skies of the Italian mafia to us in a funny way. Of course, the series also criticizes the social structure of the USA and the events of the mafia.

In the series, we witness the experiences of Tony Soprano, a small-scale mafia leader. As a family man, Tony’s troubled life encourages him to see a psychologist like no mob leader has done before. While witnessing Tony’s troubled life, we also watch the experiences of the Soprano family.


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