Summary

Most TV shows are lucky to get to five seasons , but there are plenty of others that have beenrunning for decadeswith loads of seasons under their belt . In an epoch where dozens of huge studio grow raw idiot box shows all the clock time , and constantly refine and adjust their schedule of programming , even great shows can be canceled after just one time of year . However , there are a act of display that have stand the trial of time and continue to this daylight , on the face of it with no veridical goal in sight .

Several of the series list below have had venial breaks for a duo of years during their run , but every one of them isstill releasing fresh episodes today , with much of the same data format , characters , and concepts still present from their earlier releases . FromGrey ’s Anatomy , toThe Tonight Show , these display have been around long enough to have graduated from gamy school . Some have been on zephyr so long that multiple generations of families have enjoyed the show as it was release more than 50 years apart .

12Grey’s Anatomy - 18 Years

2005 - Present

Grey ’s Anatomy , starring Ellen Pompeo as the show ’s titular lead , has been a raw material on television for the last 18 age . In that time , the medical procedural dramatic play has releasedmore than 400 episodes across 19 seasons , with the show due to release a twentieth time of year in 2024 . During that time , Pompeo has look in every installment , although she late decided to step away from the show and pursue other labor . Grey ’s Anatomyhas also spawned three spin - offsthroughout its term of office and , despite Pompeo ’s departure , there are intimate faces who have been with the show since day one to contain it ahead .

11The Simpsons - 34 Years

1989 - Present

The Simpsonsis one of the longest - running invigorate comedy shows on idiot box , having first debuted in 1989 , but the famous family unit was actually make even originally . Series creator , Matt Groening , produce the characters and lay out them as a exercise set of animated short onThe Tracey Ullman Showas betimes as 1987 . After hit popularity there , the show was then given a spot as a half - minute prime - time show , and the succeeder speak for itself . With 35 seasons presently released , more than 750 episode , andThe Simpsons Movie , which was free in 2007,The Simpsonsdoesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon .

Related : The Simpsons Season 35 eventually accost One Of The Show ’s Biggest Mysteries

10Doctor Who - 60 Years

1963 - 1989, 1996, 2005 - Present

Doctor Whois the longest ongoing scientific discipline fictionshow of all clip . Despite bumps in the road that saw the show halted in 1989 , before an attempted American reboot with a picture give up in 1996 , and finally the show revival in 2005,Doctor Whois potentially the most popular and long-suffering show to ever follow out of the British Isles . of late , the show has undergo a huge shift , plug a deal with Disney+ for more funding , and looking towards the expanding upon of the dealership , but at the core , it ’s a show about an alien operate through time and space with various associate .

The initial run of the show has a total of 695 episode , althoughsome are inconceivable to watch due to the BBC discarding ahead of time tapesof the show . Since the resurgence in 2005 , the show has go on to have another 14 seasons and is now move into another new era with Russell T Davies helming the labor . The show has also led to several twisting - offs and countless official sketches and shorts in other British media . Doctor Whoalso has a prominent official audio adventure production which have many of the former cast playing their official roles , and books , magazines , and comic strips which all tie in to the independent serial .

9Family Guy - 24 Years

1999 - Present

Seth MacFarlane is the creative mastermindbehind the enduring grownup animise sitcom , Family Guy . First bare in 1999 directly after the Super Bowl , the show survive on to pull together pregnant attention and popularity , result in more than400 episode over 22 seasonsavailable today . Family Guyhas also inspired spin - offs , such asThe Cleveland Show , which had four seasons before winding down and the cast return the primary series , and a movie , Stewie Griffin : The Untold Story . The show is have intercourse for its satirical humor and metafiction skits appear in frequent cuts .

8South Park - 26 Years

1997 - Present

Another grownup comedy show with humor frequently bordering on , or span over into offensive isSouth Park . make by Trey Parker and Matt Stone , South Parkhas been commenting on current events and delivering its brand of dark funniness , thanks to the lightning - immobile turnaround clock time for creating episodes . The animation flair allows the creators to publish , andproduce episodes in about a week , then air out the following hebdomad .

relate : The 10 Best South Park Episodes Of All Time , RankedThis have it the unparalleled advantage of being able to bring home the bacon commentary on current event , which can sometimes work against the show with argument around the humor , but , on the whole , has led to more positives than negatives . The show is presently in its 26th time of year , but Paramount has recently hold to a declaration with the creators foranother four season and a staggeringSouth Park14 moviesto be created exclusively for Paramount+ ( viaCBS News ) . Considering the show ’s more than 300 episode , several TV game releases , and other specials , the show is sure to carry on for several more years at least .

7SpongeBob SquarePants - 24 Years

SpongeBob SquarePants is another animate serial , aimed at younger audiences with its bizarre and laughable witticism go around around a living Sea Sponge and his aquatic friends living in the fictional subaquatic biotic community known as Bikini Bottom . Theseries has inspired multiple films , and spin - off showsand is frequently regarded as one of the best kids shows of the last genesis . With more than 300 episodes spanning back to its introduction in 1999 , this show has been watched by multiple generation as they have grow and influenced youthful viewer to a considerable stage ( viaBCS Chronicle ) .

6Casualty - 37 Years

1986 - Present

Casualtyis amedical drama seriesset in the fictional British Holby City Hospital . The show was first aired in 1986 and releases weekly installment detailing the living of medical practitioners , educatee , and patients . The series has releasedmore than 1,300 episodes over its lifetimeand retain to range to this day . It also inspired a twist - off series , Holby City , which ran from 1999 until 2022 .

5Saturday Night Live - 48 Years

1975 - Present

Saturday Night Liveis a live sketch comedy show broadcast out of New York . The show feature a recur core mold , and each week , a celebrity guest legion who performs in the sketch alongside the cast . Created by the legendary Lorne Michaels , the show has been instrumental in launching the careers of dozens of comedians , actors , talk show host , screenwriters , and more . The show first aired in 1975 , and in the almost 50 age since , has hadalmost 1000 sequence across its lifetime .

Related : SNL : The 30 Best Skits Of All Time , Ranked

4Sesame Street - 54 Years

1969 - Present

The educational preschool show which oft features invitee appearance from major celebrity , Sesame Streethas been a basic in American homes since its liberation in 1969 . The show feature a cast of puppets , which for many class have been created and operate by theincredible Jim Henson , and the episodes go around around educational cognitive content for kids . Having hunt for54 years and free more than 4,600 episodes , Sesame Streetcontinues to act upon audience the populace over .

3Days Of Our Lives - 58 Years

1965 - Present

Days of Our Livesis one of the longest - run appearance on American television . From its initial firing in 1965 to 2022 , the show was release almost daily on NBC but has since moved entirely to the Peacock cyclosis platform . Withmore than 14,700 episodes currently released , the show continues to be popular and has been cite and parodied in other popular acculturation , such as the idiot box sitcomFriends .

Cassian in Andor Season 2

Bella Ramsey as Ellie in the Last of us Season 2 Pointing a Gun in the basement of a hospital

Star Wars Stormtrooper

long-running-tv-shows-never-end

The Simpsons run into their doppelgängers on their couch in an open couch gag sequence in The Simpsons

The Doctor, Susan, Ian and the Daleks in Doctor Who.

The Griffin family welcomes Death into their home in Family Guy

Krabs yelling at SpongeBob and Patrick

The cast of Casualty in a promo photo.

Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, John Belushi and other early Saturday Night Live cast members

Once Upon a Sesame Street Christmas

Bo and Hope on Days of Our Lives