1. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Now, this was a peculiar bird, syndicated straight into your living room. A genuine parody of the daytime serials, yet it played everything with such a straight face, it was often hard to tell where the satire ended and the genuine black-and-white melodrama began. Louise Lasser's wide-eyed, deadpan delivery was a marvel. It truly stretched the limits of what a 'sitcom' could be, experimenting with long-form continuity and a disorienting, almost dreamlike quality that felt utterly unique on the dial.
2. Police Squad!
Oh, the sheer audaciousness of this one! A lightning-fast, gag-a-minute lampoon of every earnest procedural drama that came before it. Leslie Nielsen, straight from 'Airplane!', was in his element, delivering lines so absurd with such conviction. It was so dense with jokes, you'd miss three while laughing at one. Perhaps too clever for its own good in 1982, it proved you could break the fourth wall and still deliver a hell of a show, even if the networks didn't quite get it then.
3. Space: 1999
British sci-fi with a decidedly grand scope, though sometimes the ambition outpaced the budget. The premise alone was captivating: an entire moon ripped from Earth's orbit, hurtling through uncharted space. It gave us stunning visual effects for the era, and while the acting could be a touch stiff, the sheer dramatic weight of humanity adrift was undeniable. Each week felt like a mini-anthology, exploring new alien encounters and philosophical quandaries, often with a moody, atmospheric aesthetic.
4. The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd
A truly refreshing departure from the usual sitcom formula, even if it aired on early cable. Molly Dodd was an introspective, often melancholic character study, following the life of a New York woman navigating divorce and personal growth. No laugh track, thank goodness. It had a quiet, thoughtful rhythm, allowing moments of genuine feeling to breathe. It really showed how 'long-form continuity' could apply to a character's emotional journey, not just a mystery plot, making it feel very modern.
5. Banacek
Part of the iconic 'NBC Mystery Movie' rotation, this was pure 70s cool. George Peppard played Thomas Banacek, a Polish-American insurance investigator who'd solve seemingly impossible thefts. He was witty, urbane, and always had a folksy Polish proverb up his sleeve. Each episode was a wonderfully intricate puzzle, a self-contained anthology of 'how'd they do that?' It's the kind of smart, sophisticated detective work you just don't see enough of anymore, a real polished gem.
6. Kung Fu
A Western unlike any other, merging spiritual philosophy with martial arts. David Carradine's Caine, the wandering Shaolin monk, was a fascinating anti-hero. The show excelled with its evocative flashbacks to Caine's youth, providing a long-form continuity of character development and moral lessons. It was often more about inner peace than outer conflict, a meditative journey across a harsh landscape. This stood out like a beacon among the shoot-em-ups, a truly unique entry in the drama landscape.
7. The White Shadow
This was more than just a basketball show; it was a gritty, honest look at inner-city high school life. Ken Howard's role as the former NBA player coaching a diverse, troubled team was groundbreaking. It tackled social issues with remarkable sensitivity and realism, eschewing easy answers. The serialized nature of the students' lives and struggles gave it a depth that few network dramas achieved, building genuine long-form continuity and emotional investment in its characters.
8. The Fantastic Journey
A wild ride for a brief moment, this show had a premise built for pure adventure. A group of travelers lost in the Bermuda Triangle, hopping between dimensions and encountering all sorts of strange civilizations. It had that quintessential 70s sci-fi aesthetic, a mix of ambitious ideas and charmingly low-budget execution. Each week was a new, self-contained 'anthology' of exploration, a true testament to imaginative storytelling despite its short run. They just don't make them with that kind of earnest wonder anymore.
9. The Rockford Files
James Garner as Jim Rockford was the ultimate working-class private eye. He lived in a trailer, drove a Firebird, and was always trying to avoid a fight. This show perfected the blend of crime drama with a wry, self-deprecating humor. Garner's voiceovers gave it a personal, almost confessional tone, building a believable character through long-form continuity. It was grounded, never glamorous, and each week delivered a satisfying mystery without taking itself too seriously. A masterclass in detective work.
10. Wiseguy
Now here was a show that truly pushed the envelope for network drama. It wasn't just episodic; it was deeply serialized, with arcs that could run for half a season or more, delving into specific organized crime syndicates. Ken Wahl's Vinnie Terranova went undercover, and the psychological toll was palpable. This was long-form continuity taken to a new level, with complex character development and a cinematic feel that was truly ahead of its time. A gritty, intense look at the criminal underworld.
