The most boring TV series of all time?

The FBI.

 

There's an old showbiz expression. Always leave them wanting more.

I watched the show as it first aired. There were the first, formative episodes. Then the show hit its stride. Then you had the deconstructive years where the show satirized itself.

Then it was about Season 12, still less than halfway through the show's still unending run. Then they just started repeating plots unironically. That was my cue to exit.

Maybe the casual viewer, who didn't ever see all of the episodes or doesn't remember them well, they're fine with whatever season they happen to be viewing. I had my fill.

Running the same characters through the same gags decade after decade doesn't remain funny, even if it once was funny.

 

Hoover would not allow the agents on the show to be colorful or to have personal problems like drinking too much or marital issues. Even being obsessed with cases and revenge against criminals was nixed. So the writers simply let the agents be automatons and gave all the good lines and dramatic situations to the guest villains.

 

They had no right to be complaining about the sponsors and "The Monkees"- these shows weren't even on the same network. Probably some stuffed shirt that didn't like the idea of a show featuring young people living on their own & doing their own thing without an "authority figure" around... I don't think these shows even had the same sponsors: I know "The Monkees" was originally sponsored by Kelloggs and Yardley Black Label Aftershave (I'm not sure who sponsored "Family Affair").

But whoever wrote this letter should be happy-Though both shows debuted in 1966, "The Monkees" only lasted two seasons (till 1968) while "Family Affair" ran till 1971.

 

Yep. It was like watching a Jack Webb show that lacked soul3

 

I can't be convinced The Simpsons has run its course and is out of steam. Always good for a laugh. Or a dozen.

 

Call me a crank, but if I hear that everyone agrees on something, I'll go and check that thing out for myself.

 

Both shows debuted the same night and mirrored each other for 58 episodes until March 1968 when The Monkees ended.
Family Affair lasted another 80 episodes over 3 seasons.

Unfounded rumors, apparently.

 

I like Family Affair (though, and I think I've said this already, I completely get why people find it boring), but really: it had overstayed its welcome by the last season if not the one before. The kids were older and no longer cute, but the producers insisted that Buffy still carry around her trademark Mrs Beasley doll to the point where the actor protested.

If it had gone for another season, they probably would've tried adding a Cousin Oliver or new-third-son Ernie to the cast.

 

Maybe add a Carlton the Doorman?

 

I'm a crank because I can't even be bothered to do that.

 

Perhaps the Finnish tv raters thought that “Little House on the Prarie” was a euphemism for doing something nasty.

 

"A little House of Ill Repute"...

 

They are still more than capable of making good episodes but there is just way more bad than good over the last 20+ years. I think the overall quality began to decline with Season 9. The 4 year run from Season 9 to 12 is awful and I never go back to episodes from that time period and trust me I saw those episodes a lot when I was younger.

 

I think I shall add Mad Men to this list too. Only managed to force myself through the 1st Season. Watched the Season 2 premiere but never got round to wanting to continue the series. Somebody convince me otherwise.

 

I'm not as harsh on 9-12 as you are but I do admit that is when I first gave up on the show. And they still are plagued by lazy, stupid episodes (this week with Lisa's braces/robot Marge is a good example-neither me nor my son cracked a smiled for 30 painful minutes)

 

Lisa and braces we did that in Season 4 and it was one of the all-time best Simpsons episodes. I doubt this week's episode touch it in regards to quality.

 

They even did a "didn't you already have braces" bit which I guess was their way of acknowledging even they knew the plot was lame

 

Oh, good self-references. I take it this was not one of the few good episodes they do each season.

 

Never made it through an episode.

About as funny as herpes.

 

Whenever I can't fall back to sleep I put on Ancient Aliens. Once you get by the point that everything is influenced by aliens it's talking heads droning on about nonsense. It really induces the zzz's because you know you are not going to miss anything by nodding off like you might with good documentaries.

 

I recently borrowed the first series of The West Wing from friends who heartily recommended it.

Got through about two & a half episodes before I decided life was too short.

 

Surely that's exactly what Norris was saying.

 

M*A*S*H - so insufferably boring.
Dishonorable mention to MADtv. I realize comedy is subjective, but oofah, this show was just terrible.