1. The Richard Boone Show
Richard Boone gathered a true repertory company, presenting a fresh, hour-long drama each week, performed live-on-tape. It was theater for the small screen, a showcase for serious acting and powerful storytelling. No flashy sets or big names needed beyond Boone himself; the talent in that ensemble and the sheer dramatic weight carried it all. A masterclass in how to use the medium.
2. N.Y.P.D.
This was a tough, no-nonsense look at police work, shot right on the streets of New York. It felt real, a bit grainy, and certainly wasn't trying to sell you a shiny picture. You saw the grime, the procedural grind, and the toll it took. It broke away from the studio-bound cop shows, giving us a taste of what would come next in terms of realism. Gritty, before that was even a common term.
3. The Ghost & Mrs. Muir
Hope Lange and Edward Mulhare had such a delightful chemistry. This wasn't some silly slapstick ghost story; it was a gentle, charming fantasy with sharp wit. The coastal setting and the premise of a woman and a gruff sea captain's spirit cohabiting made for lovely viewing. It proved that a sitcom could be smart, warm, and a bit wistful without needing laugh tracks to tell you when to smile. Pure class.
4. UFO
Gerry Anderson went live-action, and what a spectacle it was. Those sleek Moonbase designs, the purple wigs, the serious, existential threat of alien invasion. It had a distinct, futuristic look that was ahead of its time, even if some of the effects were a bit stiff. You felt the stakes, the constant tension. It wasn't just spaceships and ray guns; it was a moody, atmospheric vision of the future that stuck with you.
5. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Well, this one was certainly... different. Norman Lear took the daytime soap opera and turned it completely on its head, but with a straight face. The banality, the absurdity, the sheer deadpan delivery of truly bizarre events. It was serialized, sure, but each episode piled on the weirdness. A groundbreaking experiment in dark comedy and social satire that made you wonder if you should laugh or just stare in disbelief. Provocative television.
6. The Paper Chase
Taking a successful film to television is always a gamble, but this one paid off. John Houseman as Professor Kingsfield was just magnificent, bringing that intellectual menace right into your living room. The struggle of law students, the Socratic method, the sheer mental pressure – it made for compelling, smart drama. It treated its audience with respect, assuming they could handle complex ideas and nuanced character studies. A real thinking person's show.
7. Blake's 7
This British sci-fi show was never pretty, and it often looked like it was made on a shoestring, but my word, was it compelling. A band of anti-heroes fighting a totalitarian Federation, with moral ambiguity at every turn. It offered long-form storytelling that kept you hooked, always questioning who was truly good or bad. It proved you didn't need Hollywood budgets to deliver gripping space opera with a serious bite. A cult favorite for a reason.
8. Wiseguy
This show truly changed the game for crime dramas. Instead of a new case each week, we'd follow Vinnie Terranova on deep cover assignments for an entire arc, sometimes for months. It allowed for incredible character development and complex storytelling, diving into the psychology of both the undercover agent and the criminals. Ken Wahl was magnetic. It was sophisticated, serialized television that pulled you in for the long haul. Quite daring for its time.
