The TV landscape has always been brutal, and in the age of streaming, the situation has gotten even worse, with multiple projects getting canceled after a single season. Even for the lucky showrunners, the chance of being allowed to steer their projects past the ten-season mark is usually very minimal.
In an industry where longevity is hard to achieve, it’s remarkable that any shows have lasted more than 20 seasons. Some have done this by always relying on working formulas, while others have constantly switched up the format, maintaining the appeal and preventing things from getting stale.
10 Law & Order: SVU (1999 – Present)
24 Seasons
The most popular police procedurals tend to have longer runs. So it's no surprise that Law & Order: SVU has been on the screens for so long. The first spinoff of the Law & Order franchise is not only its most successful one but has also surpassed the parent show's quality.
Law & Order: SVU’s key pillar is its protagonist, Captain Olivia Benson, who often delights fans by fighting chauvinism and by making sure every sexual offender gets punished. Thanks to Mariska Hargitay’s commitment to the role, the series has had some level of consistency compared to Law & Order, which has changed its cast numerous times.
9 Gunsmoke (1955 – 1975)
20 Seasons
Gunsmoke might never have succeeded today as the show relied on traditional family themes and was full of conservative characters. The general appetite for Westerns has significantly subsided in recent decades, too. By airing in the ‘50s and ‘60s, it attracted plenty of eyeballs since this was the golden age of its genre.
Despite not having much variety when it comes to its setting, Gunsmoke has incredible cinematography compared to other shows of its time. Its protagonist, the Dodge City U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon, isn’t overpowered either. There are often moments when he gets outsmarted by criminals and has to rely on his sidekicks, Festus Haggen, Quint Asper, and Chester. Most importantly, the storylines and performances are rock-solid.
8 The Simpsons (1989 – Present)
34 Seasons
The Simpsons is widely thought of as one of the sitcoms that went off the rails, but the series is still very watchable, thanks to its proactive characters, appropriate pop culture references, and parodies. The show’s use of a floating timeline has also prevented it from going or having to change the fan favorites.
Since its inception, The Simpsons has had the cleverest plots, too, hence the reason it’s even credited with predicting a couple of real-life events. Additionally, its exploration of family and social dynamics tends to be spot-on. Because of this, most viewers can always learn a thing or two from the characters' choices.
7 Top Gear (2002 – Present)
33 Seasons
Top Gear’s golden years ended in 2015 after the departure of the iconic trio of Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond. Still, the BBC offering remains the most recommendable car-related project for staunch gearheads. From incredible shots of picturesque landscapes around the globe to the detailed explanation of automobile functionality, the series impresses in multiple ways.
Humor is also another reason why it trumps other car shows. The in-studio and car review segments incorporate plenty of tongue-in-cheek jokes, making the reality gem palatable to casual viewers. On top of that, the wildest Top Gear adventures around the globe are all packed with moments that leave fans both emotional and inspired.
6 NCIS (2003 – Present)
20 Seasons
NCIS offers something different from other procedurals by focusing on the Naval Criminal Investigative Service rather than a police precinct in a specific city. As a result, there are numerous military-related storylines, which translates to blockbuster-like action that is often lacking in shows like Blue Bloods or Chicago P.D.
Away from that, the pacing and dialogue are incredible, which includes a moral lesson or two. And even though there has been a high turnover of the cast, the replacements are always the best, so the series never feels like it’s lacking essential personnel in a specific department.
5 Survivor (2000 – Present)
44 Seasons
There have been debates regarding which show, between Survivor and The Amazing Race, is better. The former is arguably more entertaining because it blends social interactions and creative challenges. Conversely, the latter is mainly about the creativity and grit of the teams only.
In Survivor, the importance of teamwork is heavily emphasized, and viewers learn a thing or two through the triumphs and mistakes of some of the contestants. The dialogue is usually much more interesting, too: individuals such as Coach and Sandra have attained legendary status for making some of the weirdest remarks.
4 South Park (1997 – Present)
26 Seasons
South Park has multiple characters worth investing in, whether the mischievous Stan Marsh or the wise Kyle Broflovski. The animated series is also known for its heavy use of surreal and dark humor. Understandably, some might find it surprising that so many people keep tuning in watch.
Its controversial nature has somehow turned out to be its greatest strength. Many South Park episodes went too far, but instead of ruining things, they only added to the show’s appeal and attracted more viewers. As such, it has often gotten a pass while covering topics that would otherwise cause outrage if they were discussed elsewhere.
3 Dancing With The Stars (2005 – Present)
31 Seasons
There are currently numerous dancing competition shows to pick from in the TV landscapes but Dancing With The Stars is unrivaled, not only because of the skill level on display but also because famous faces are a significant part of the proceedings. This gives viewers a greater incentive to watch.
Throughout its run, the reality series has avoided monotony by switching sections of the format and introducing minor new rules. In addition, the frequent use of celebrity guest judges creates a variety of opinions since permanent judges of such TV offerings tend to get predictable.
2 Family Guy (1999 – Present)
21 Seasons
Initially seen as an imitation of The Simpsons, Family Guy distinguished itself by including plenty of hilarious cutaway gags and sprinkling in controversial jokes. Like South Park, it always gets away with the kind of content it airs because it’s known to be a satirical sitcom.
While the jokes can be singled out as the reason why Family Guy has been consistently good over the years, it’s evident that the project wouldn’t have worked if it didn’t have the strong characters that it does. Stewie is the weirdest baby ever seen, while Brian is the coolest animated dog since Scooby-Doo. As for Lois, she isn’t the dream wife, but she is unapologetic about that.
1 The Bachelor (2002 – Present)
27 Seasons
Few TV projects have birthed as many spinoffs as The Bachelor, so the ABC hit deserves plenty of credit as an influence. Since the idea of finding love is something that many people are keen on, the demand for the series has remained strong, with viewers ever keen on finding out who will be the chosen one.
With competition for love comes maliciousness, so there have been several villains in each season, all of which have helped spice up the proceedings. And while many reality shows are highly dramatized, The Bachelor and its spinoffs are more real than fake, as many former contestants got married and are still together.