‘Jeopardy!’ and 13 More of the Longest-Running TV Shows Ever

Decades-long runs have made these television shows truly iconic.

By Laura Woods March 5, 2021 Net Worth 101

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It’s always disappointing to get hooked on a new television series, only to have it go off the air after just a few seasons. This isn’t at all uncommon, but some shows have defied the odds in a major way.

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A handful of TV shows have managed to keep going strong for decades. If they haven’t been running your entire life, they’ve certainly been entertaining audiences for a good portion of it. This isn’t an easy task, but a tried-and-true format, combined with a commitment to keeping content fresh, allowed them to master it.

GOBankingRates conducted a study to find out which TV shows have the longest on-air tenure. Some are still running, while others have retired, but they all have a seriously impressive track record.

Keep reading to find out which 14 series made the list.

Last updated: March 5, 2021

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14. ‘The Victory Garden’

Genre: Documentary
Release date: April 16, 1975
End: 2015
Years: 40

A PBS series, “The Victory Garden” offered expert-level gardening tips and recipes.

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13. ‘One Life to Live’

Genre: Drama, Romance
Release date: July 15, 1968
End: 2013
Years: 45

Iconic ABC soap opera “One Life to Live” was set in the fictional town of Llanview, Pennsylvania. Known for its commitment to diversity, the drama centered on four main families — the Mannings, Lords, Cramers and Buchanans.

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12. ‘Saturday Night Live’

Genre: Comedy, Music
Release date: Oct. 11, 1975
End: Present
Years: 46

A sketch comedy show hosted by a famous guest, many cast members of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” have gone on to become some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

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11. ‘Wheel of Fortune’

Genre: Family, Game Show
Release date: Jan. 6, 1975
End: Present
Years: 46

Hosted by Pat Sajak and Vanna White since the early ‘80s, “Wheel of Fortune” is a syndicated game show where contestants guess letters to spell a word, phrase or name.

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10. ‘Nova’

Genre: Documentary
Release date: March 3, 1974
End: Present
Years: 47

A PBS original, “Nova” is composed of science documentaries on a variety of topics, including planet Earth, body and brain and nature.

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9. ‘Jeopardy!’

Genre: Game Show
Release date: March 30, 1964
End: Present (noncontinuous)
Years: 48

The most popular quiz show in the U.S., “Jeopardy!” holds the title for most Emmy Awards won by a game show, with 39 total statuettes. Alex Trebek hosted the series from its syndication debut in 1984 until his death in 2020 — pretaped episodes technically carried his tenure into 2021.

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8. ‘The Young and the Restless’

Genre: Drama, Romance
Release date: March 26, 1973
End: Present
Years: 48

America’s top daytime drama for 28 years, “The Young and the Restless” takes place in the fictional midwestern city of Genoa City. The CBS hit centers on the rivalries, romances and business dealings of the Newman, Abbott, Baldwin and Winters families.

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7. ‘The Price is Right’

Genre: Family, Game Show, Reality
Release date: Sept. 4, 1972
End: Present
Years: 49

Contestants on “The Price is Right” put their knowledge of consumer goods pricing to the test to compete for prizes and cash. Drew Carey took the helm of this hit CBS game show in 2007, which had previously been hosted by Bob Barker since 1972.

Read: These 42 Stars’ Surprising First Jobs

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6. ‘Sesame Street’

Genre: Family, Comedy
Release date: July 21, 1969
End: Present
Years: 52

Originally titled “Song of the Cloud Forest,” the hit series “Sesame Street” is a variety show that provides educational programming to preschool-age kids.

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5. ‘As the World Turns’

Genre: Drama, Romance
Release date: April 2, 1956
End: 2010
Years: 54

Set in Oakdale, Illinois, the CBS soap opera “As the World Turns” followed the never-dull lives of the Hughes and Snyder families.

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4. ‘Days of Our Lives’

Genre: Drama, Romance
Release date: Nov. 8, 1965
End: Present
Years: 56

Set in the fictional Midwestern town of Salem, NBC soap opera “Days of Our lives” follows the tangled lives of the Brady, Horton and DiMeras families.

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3. ‘Guiding Light’

Genre: Drama, Romance
Release date: June 30, 1952
End: 2009
Years: 57

A major win for CBS, “Guiding Light” took place in the fictional Midwestern town of Springfield, largely concentrating on the lives of the Bauer family.

Read: Celebrities Who Are Not as Rich as You Think

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2. ‘General Hospital’

Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
Release date: April 1, 1963
End: Present
Years: 58

Set in the fictional upstate New York town of Port Charles, ABC soap opera “General Hospital” is the network’s longest-running scripted drama and the longest-running American soap opera in production today.

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1. ‘The Open Mind’

Genre: Talk Show
Release date: May 1956
End: Present
Years: 65

A weekly PBS talk show hosted by Alexander Heffner, “The Open Mind” covers a variety of topics, including politics, media, technology, the arts and all aspects of civic life.

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Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates referenced a number of articles on long-running television programs for inspiration. We then used IMDb to find the genre, release date, year of last episode —if applicable — and total number of years run for 14 of the longest-running American television series in history.

News, sports, worship, anthology and local programs were excluded from the final list. Shows are ranked by the total number of years they ran, with number one being the longest-running. All information was gathered on and up to date as of Feb. 16, 2021.

About the Author

Laura Woods

Laura Woods is a freelance writer with more than 10 years of experience. She specializes in a variety of topics, including marketing, personal finance, entertainment and lifestyle.

Her work has been featured on dozens of sites, including HuffPost, CNBC, Business Insider, Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo, Fortune, Inc., Entrepreneur and POPSUGAR. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Robert Morris University.

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