5 Classic TV Shows That Still Hold Up (Even If You're Not A Boomer)

Multi-cam sitcoms—you know, those that dominated network TV, like The Big Bang Theory (2007), and those I grew up watching on Disney Channel, like Wizards of Waverly Place (2007)—wouldn’t exist without I Love Lucy, which did this concept first. Those same shows (and many more) wouldn’t have syndicated runs without I Love Lucy, which held up load-bearing pillars that made sitcoms what they are today. 

Its impact is felt in WandaVision (2021). Wanda’s reliance on I Love Lucy as a coping mechanism speaks to the Lucille Ball-led sitcom’s cultural relevance. Before I knew I Love Lucy, I saw Drake & Josh (2004) Season 4, Episode 7, “I Love Sushi,” pay homage to the iconic candy factory sequence. It’s still compelling to watch Lucy push back against ‘50s gender roles from within them. Not to mention, Ball’s physical comedy remains top-tier, and her chemistry with real-life husband Desi Arnaz makes their characters’ marriage charming to watch years later.

Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone really changed the game for science-fiction storytelling on TV. It's challenging to imagine Black Mirror (2011) and its use of the genre to explore social commentary without The Twilight Zone. Even the way that the show blended science fiction, horror, and fantasy felt ambitious at the time—and still does. But it blended genres so well that it made the show stand out and stand the test of time, which is an impressive feat in itself.

The Twilight Zone, which aired during the Cold War, also addressed audiences' fears and thoughts about the war through its use of genre storytelling. Multiple episodes brought the subject matter into families’ homes in a way that may be more palatable than kitchen-table conversations. The Twilight Zone Season 1, Episode 14, “Third From the Sun,” is one of the best and earliest examples of this, as it dealt with a nuclear apocalypse with a twist. The show really popularized twist endings. So much so, The Good Place’s (2016) big reveal is often compared to The Twilight Zone Season 1, Episode 20, “A Nice Place to Visit.” 

Elizabeth Montgomery’s performance as Samantha in Bewitched is so memorable that a mere twitch of her nose has become iconic. The show itself holds up as a more progressive show than it perhaps intended. Bewitched’s “mixed marriage” metaphor (with Samantha being a witch and Darrin Stephens a human) remains relevant. Also, Samantha being a witch literally makes her more powerful in a traditional ‘60s relationship, which still feels quite subversive. 

Of course, Bewitched loses a bit of its charm in its later seasons when Dick Sargent replaces Dick York as Darrin. Still, the show is enjoyable and influential. Its move to color in Season 3, aligning with the advent of color TVs, reflects as much. Bewitched is also such a great show to return to for fans of Sabrina the Teenage Witch (2006). It’s challenging to imagine Melissa Joan Hart’s Sabrina Spellman without Elizabeth Montgomery’s Samantha Stephens. Also, the show has such a cultural resonance that it returned in Bewitched (2005)—a romantic comedy starring Nicole Kidman and co-written, co-produced, and directed by the legendary Nora Ephron.

Norman Lear created and produced some of the most timely and timeless TV shows in history. His mark on the medium is eternal, and All in the Family is a part of his legacy. The show centered around the patriarch, Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor), an undeniable bigot. It didn’t lean into his cynicism and worldview. Instead, All in the Family both held a mirror up to society and challenged its characters—and, in turn, the audience—to think more openly. 

This show did and continues to spur socially conscious conversations among even the most casual TV watchers. On the show, many of those stemmed from Michael “Meathead” Stivic (Rob Reiner), who was—for all intents and purposes—the show’s lovable moral compass. All in the Family aired with that intention for nine seasons and had spinoffs that also mostly hold up today, including Maude (1972), The Jeffersons (1975), and Gloria (1982). The show’s universe even continued Archie’s story in a continuation series, Archie Bunker’s Palace (1979). 

M*A*S*H is so incredibly ambitious and innovative in its premise alone; the fact that it’s a medical drama and a sitcom combined was a game changer for the medium. It shouldn’t work, but it does for an impressive 11 seasons and 256 episodes. I will never be over the fact that its series finale is one of the most-watched episodes of TV in history, with 105 million viewers. That’s almost mind-boggling when compared to TV ratings now. M*A*S*H aired during the Korean War, while the characters were saving lives during the Vietnam War. That specific timeline meant that the show provided direct commentary on the horrors of war and the humanity of the people who were impacted. It’s also makes M*A*S*H evergreen.

The show is based on the movie, as well as Richard Hooker’s MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors. Of course, some aspects of M*A*S*H haven’t aged well. Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper’s (Wayne Rogers) comments about women, for example, aren’t the best for then or 2026. Still, it’s impossible to ignore its impact on sitcoms and medical dramas alike. The Pitt’s (2025) second season pays homage to the M*A*S*H movie, with the line “Pros from Dover.” M*A*S*H, like the others on this list, is a show that TV fans must watch at some point (at least one episode, if not the whole thing).