Throughout the history of television, we have had the opportunity to watch so many great TV shows. This type of TV concept became very popular in the early decades of television broadcasting. Various genres and themes have always attracted big auditoriums all over the world.
The fact that one story is divided into many episodes, prolonged and with an uncertain outcome, makes the series especially exciting and addictive for watchers who create a special bond with the characters over time.
Timeless TV Series
Sometimes, we are not even aware of the fact that one story is being broadcast during our whole lifetime. Take The Simpsons, for example. Did you know that this TV series is running for almost 30 years? Even Grey’s Anatomy aired their first season fifteen years ago.
Unnoticed, we grow up with their characters. Many times we identify with their problems and relate to their life stories. In some TV series that run for a long time, we can spot an actual timelapse — passing moments painted on actors’ faces or changes in the scenery through the thirty or forty years.
Five Longest-Running TV Series Ever
Among the series that hold the absolute record in broadcasting, some have lasted for longer than half a century. Such shows have been a favorite pastime for our grandparents, parents and now us. Here are the five longest-running series ever.
5. Sesame Street (49 years old) — So many children through generations have grown with the grouch named Oscar. It is a children’s show that has a mixed cast of adults, child actors, and mapped dolls. The adorable and educational program is the most popular children series ever.
4. Days of Our Lives (53 years old) — The legendary soap opera was aired for the first time on NBS in 1963, and since then has more than 13,200 episodes.
Through decades of shooting and running, the series has been constantly changing its cast. One of the most exciting trivia is the fact that the popular series Friends features the character Joe Tribiani who is actually an actor (Matt le Blanc) that plays in this marathon soap opera.
3. As The World Turns (54 years old) — The CBS series currently holds the third place for the longest airing, but given the fact that it ended in 2010, it can yet be surpassed.
2. General Hospital (55 years old) — This is one of the most popular series in America. At the same time, this is the longest-running series that is still in production. The story is located in a fictional city and an unnamed New York hospital and follows the lives of employees, patients, love and family relations.
1. Guiding Light (57 years old) — Officially the longest-running series lasted from 1952 to 2009. In the late ‘30s, this was a radio show that followed the life of a middle-class family in the small town of Springfield. Later, it moved to the small screens and became a real hit.
