It's always exciting when popular series are renewed for new seasons, though some shows manage to quietly slip under the radar and remain on the air long past the point of their peak relevance. This could be a sign of a loyal fan base and strong writing, as while not everyone is checking out the latest season, there's obviously enough viewership for networks to greenlight more episodes. This happened with smart panels, cult series and even family favorites that remained on the air for decades.
Some of the best TV shows of all time have had long runs, like animated classics like The Simpsons and ubiquitous soap operas like General Hospital I feel like they can outlive us all. However, there are many lesser-known examples of TV Shows That Went Past the Point Anyone Thought They Wouldand many would be shocked to discover they were still on the air. Whether for better or worse, all of these TV shows continued, with new episodes being made to this day.
10
IQ (2003 – present)
22 seasons
The panel game show IQ has gained a reputation as one of the smartest programs on British television. Its focus on obscure facts, little-known data, and common misconceptions made it actually quite interesting. With Stephen Fry as the original presenteralong with permanent speaker Alan Davies and a rotating cast of celebrity guests, IQ stood out as a smart, engaging antidote to all the other crude, oversimplified series on UK TV. IQ first premiered in 2003, although many may not realize that the show continues to this day, even after Stephen Fry's departure in 2016.
Instead of, IQ is now hosted by Sandi Toksvig, who serves as a worthy successor to Fry's inquisitive and inquisitive nature. Davies remained on board as a consistent speaker, and IQ remains a fun series that pushes back against the broad, anti-intellectualist attitude of lowest-common-denominator comedy programming. As a program shown on the public channel BBC Two, IQ fulfills its mission of entertaining and informing in equal measure, and may it continue for many years to come.
9
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005 – present)
16 seasons
The eccentric and outrageous comedy It's always sunny in Philadelphia has been going strong for nearly 20 years and has run for more seasons than any other live-action American sitcom. As a cult comedy show that has gained a loyal following, television lovers will be well aware of the Always sunny continued existence, although more casual viewers may be shocked to learn that it has racked up 170 episodes and has been continually renewed every year since 2005.
Drawing on its unique style and allowing the characters to become more disturbed with each subsequent season, Always sunny it has remained interesting all this time. From the slow build-up of Mac realizing the true nature of his sexuality to the draining lifestyle of the once-devoted priest Rickety Cricket, Always sunny managed to maintain its fresh feel while so many other comedies declined once their seasons reached double digits. Perhaps the deep involvement of Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton in writing and producing the series was responsible for keeping the spark alive.
8
Pokémon (1997 – present)
27 seasons
Although anyone who grew up during the 1990s is well aware the cultural phenomenon of Pokémonthey may be shocked to learn that the show never went off the air. What started as an anime adaptation of Nintendo's video game series has turned into a massive multimedia franchise complete with spin-off shows, movies, and just about any type of merchandising a viewer can imagine. Although the original episodes showed Ash Ketchum participating in the Indigo League, he has since traversed the vast world of Pokémon in more than 1300 episodes.
Over the course of hundreds of episodes, anime lovers watched Ash grow from a bright-eyed ten-year-old boy to a full-fledged Pokémon Master, which was the main story of the first 25 seasons. However, from the 26th season onwards, protagonists called Liko and Roy were introduced, and the show's already established format was shaken up with a new cast. As Ash returns in this revamped series, subtitled Horizonsthe book was wrapped up in its main plot.
7
Teen Titans Go! (2013 – present)
8 seasons
There have been many iconic animated superhero TV shows over the years, with releases like Batman: The Animated Series or Justice League Unlimited gained widespread acclaim. While these shows have a loyal following, they typically remain for a season or two and do not continue for years on end, with one notable exception being Teen Titans Go! The animated series, which tells the story of teenage versions of heroes like Robin, Raven and Starfire, has been on air for more than a decade and even had a feature film in 2018.
Teen Titans Go! is one of the most successful superhero series ever made, and while it received critical acclaim for its first few seasons, many may not know it's still on the air. Teen Titans Go! has lost none of its unique appeal and continues to boast great characters, strong animation and engaging stories. While it's sometimes easy for long-running shows to get left behind by viewers, missed audience members should go back and revisit Teen Titans Go!
6
Angelo's Rules (2010–present)
5 seasons
The French animated series Angelo's Rules aired on Cartoon Network for English-speaking viewers and has been airing since 2010. Although several years of gaps between seasons meant that many viewers may have thought the show had come to an end, Angelo's Rules continued to make new seasons. Based on the book series Comment Faire Enrager… by Sylvie De Mathuisieulx and Sébastien Diologent, Angelo's Rules follows the antics of a student who is always coming up with schemes and trying to get out of trouble.
With gaps of more than four years between seasons, it's not surprising that viewers have forgotten Angelo's Rules. However, whenever he returns for a new installment, it's always an exciting return to form, as Angelo gets involved in more mischief and conspiracies with his friends and classmates. As a CGI-animated series with a pleasant sense of humor that appeals to younger viewers, Angelo's Rules is a creative and fun series, and it's impressive that it's still going strong after all these years.
5
Cyberchase (2002 – present)
15 seasons
The science fiction children's animated series Cyber ​​hunting has been on the air for over 20 years and many may not realize that it has had an impressive 15 seasons. Following the adventures of three children named Jackie, Matt and Inez, who are brought into the digital universe known as Cyber ​​hunting to protect him from the villain Hacker, this series was educational and exciting. With Christopher Lloyd as Hacker, the mad scientist bent on conquering and creating ultimate chaos in Cyber ​​huntingThis show's explanation of scientific issues made it perfect for smart young viewers.
As a comedian Gilbert Gottfried voiced the character Digit for the first 13 seasons of the seriesfollowing his tragic death after a long illness in 2022, Cyber ​​hunting recast his character with Ron Pardo. As it is a program aimed at young viewers, those who initially grew up watching Cyber ​​hunting They would already be full-fledged adults today and would probably be shocked to learn that the show continued making new episodes. However, as it is an educational series that aims to teach children complex topics, this series should be renewed for as long as possible.
4
Futurama (1999 – Present)
9 seasons
Although no one would be surprised to learn that The Simpsons continued uninterruptedly since 1989, another Matt Groening project that had a more random airing schedule was Futurama. This sci-fi animated series about a cryogenically frozen delivery driver named Fry who wakes up in the future 1,000 years later was arguably just as good. The Simpsonsbut it was continually cancelled. Even though Fox and Comedy Central pulled the plug Futuramahas always returned, with the current incarnation airing on Hulu.
Futurama imitated The Simpsons' unique animation style and featured many crossovers between its writers and producers. With a futuristic setting that allows the show to poke fun at current technology and pop culture, Futurama it was a series more aimed at science fiction fans and featured lots of clever math jokes and references to science, time travel, and complex aspects of quantum physics. While Futurama may not have quite the same level of ubiquitous cultural relevance as The Simpsonsit lasted for a quarter of a century, with some interruptions in between.
3
SpongeBob SquarePants (1999 – Present)
15 seasons
The absorbent, yellow, porous sponge that lives in a pineapple at the bottom of the sea, SpongeBob SquarePantshas gained worldwide fame since its Nickelodeon animated series first aired in 1999. Featuring the affable Patrick the Starfish to the eternally grumpy Squidward, SpongeBob SquarePants quickly became one of the most popular children's shows ever madeas its witty sense of humor, optimistic outlook, and outrageous animation made it appeal to viewers of all ages.
Although the legacy of SpongeBob SquarePants endured, many will be surprised to learn that the series itself also endured and that it never went off the air. With 15 seasons and counting, SpongeBob SquarePants has accumulated more than 300 episodes and has spin-off films, video games, comic books and even a Broadway musical. As a cultural touchstone for Millennials and Gen Z, if things continue on this trajectory, it looks like generations to come will still be enjoying SpongeBob's adventures.
2
Coronation Street (1960 – present)
More than 12,000 episodes
The longest soap opera of all time Coronation Street, It has been on the air since 1960 and has never stopped. Created by Granada Television and shown on the British channel ITV, Coronation Street tells the story of a close-knit community in the fictional town of Weatherfield, Greater Manchester, which has seen far more affairs, betrayals and murders than any small population should bear. With actors who have played their roles for decades on end, Coronation Street is a British institution that has endured across the spectrum of modern television history.
With strong characters and a light-hearted sense of humor, Coronation Street was known for his kitchen sink realism and everyday portrait of working-class communities. Although Coronation Street has lost much of the cultural relevance it had in its heyday, as television audiences moved from continuous soap opera stories to more condensed narratives, the fact that this program has remained on the air for over six decades must be commended. With viewers from around the world, including folk icon Bob Dylan (via Guardian), there is a chance that Coronation Street may continue in the coming decades.
1
America's Funniest Home Videos (1989 – Present)
35 seasons
In 1989, if viewers wanted to get a quick fix from some funny amateur comedy content, they had to check out America's Funniest Home Videos. This reality show collected videos of unintentional physical comedy, hilarious mishaps, and outrageous pranks and showed them to viewers watching at home. The program was a huge success because, in the years before the widespread use of the internet, this was the only way for the public to view this type of content.
With the advent of YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, the concept of America's Funniest Home Videos looks like a relic of the past as it collects viral videos that are already outdated by the time they go live. However, America's Funniest Home Videos It has never stopped and already has 35 seasons. While it doesn't have the same cultural relevance as it did during the 1990s and early 2000s, there should still be plenty of people tuning in to watch America's Funniest Home Videos.
Source: Guardian