TV Guide and TV Land have joined up to bring us a five part countdown on the 100 most unexpected moments throughout the history of television. More than slightly skewered to present day viewers (50 of the moments come from 1990-2005) still there’s some interesting stuff here. Each night this week TV Land will count down 20 moments until reaching #1 (last night counted down #100-81). For the schedule and full list of events read on…
So what are the most surprising moments in TV history? Well here’s what the editors of TV guide and TV Land thought as they made their list. All this week the TV Land will count down these events with clips and interviews. I’ve got some issues with the list (way too much recent stuff and too much reality TV nonsense) but I can’t really argue with #1 which still isn’t available on DVD!! The specials run at 10:00/9:00 pm all this week. Check out the list and tell us what you think.
Monday, December 5, 10 p.m. Moments 100-81:
100 – Hogan’s Heroes (9/17/65)
99 – Saturday Night Live – Debbie Downer cracks up (5/1/04)
98 – Battlestar Galactica – First season finale: Boomer shoots Adama (1/24/05)
97 – Roseanne “A Stash from the Past” (10/5/93)
96 – You’re in the Picture/The Jackie Gleason Show (1/27/61)
95 – Family Guy “North by North Quahog” (5/1/05)
94 – 1997 VH1 Fashion Awards – Jim Carrey’s fig leaf (10/28/97)
93 – South Park “It Hits the Fan” (6/20/01)
92 – The Flying Nun (9/7/67)
91 – Sex and the City – Series finale (2/22/04)
90 – Will & Grace “Eat Me” (5/8/03)
89 – MTV Video Music Awards – Courtney Love crashes Madonna’s interview (9/7/05)
88 – Soap – Jessica exorcises the Devil (3/15/79)
87 – 26th Annual Daytime Emmys – Susan Lucci finally wins (5/21/99)
86 – Steambath – Bill Bixby and Valerie Perrine nude (5/4/73)
85 – MTV Video Music Awards – The kiss: Madonna, Britney, and Christina (8/28/03)
84 – The Dating Game “Go Dancing!” (6/1/68)
83 – The Surreal Life – Tammy Faye meets Ron Jeremy (1/11/04)
82 – Match Game “School Riot” (7/8/77)
81 – The Dukes of Hazzard – The switch: new Duke boys Coy and Vance replace Bo and Luke (9/24/82)
Tuesday, December 6, 10 p.m., Moments 80-61:
80 – American Idol “She Bangs” (1/27/04)
79 – 20/20 – Stossel slapped by WWF Champion “Dr. D” (2/21/85)
78 – Saturday Night Live – Lorne Michaels offers $3000 for Beatles reunion
77 – Family Feud – Fred Baedeker (8/9/76)
76 – 1977 Science Fiction Film Awards – William Shatner sings “Rocket Man” (1/21/78)
75 – MTV Video Music Awards – Michael and Lisa Marie kiss (9/8/94)
74 – 2001 Inaugural – Bush dances with Ricky Martin (01/18/01)
73 – Married…With Children – Bundy’s lost nephew appears on milk carton (4/24/94)
72 – Hardball – Zell Miller and Chris Matthews at the Republican National Convention (9/1/04)
71 – Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman – Mary drowns in chicken soup (3/4/76)
70 – Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica “Chicken by the Sea” (8/19/03)
69 – 2000 Democratic National Convention – Al and Tipper Gore (8/17/2000)
68 – The Dick Van Dyke Show – Walnuts (2/6/63)
67 – The Mike Douglas Show – Lennon and Ono (2/16/72)
66 – Felicity – The haircut (10/3/99)
65 – Get Chrisite Love (1/22/74)
64 – The Mary Tyler Moore Show – Phyllis’s brother is gay (1/13/73)
63 – 2005 Masters Tournament – Tiger Woods (4/10/05)
62 – Everybody Loves Raymond – The vagina sculpture (10/22/01)
61 – Dynasty – Moldavia massacre (5/15/85)
Wednesday, December 7, 10 p.m., Moments 60-41:
60 – The Larry Sanders Show “Everybody loves Larry” (11/13/96)
59 – The Star Wars Holiday Special (11/17/78)
58 – Friends – Ross says the wrong name at his wedding (5/7/98)
57 – Here’s Lucy – Jackie Gleason’s cameo (9/30/68)
56 – The Sopranos “Long Term Parking” (5/23/04)
55 – Jimmy Swaggart Telecast “I have sinned” (2/21/88)
54 – What’s My Line – Frank Sinatra and Mia Farrow (11/27/66)
53 – Cop Rock (9/26/90)
52 – Texas at Cleveland – Jose Canseco’s header (5/36/93)
51 – Dinah! – Tony Clifton (9/19/79)
50 – Password – “Miser” (5/29/62)
49 – I Married Dora Final episode (12/18/87)
48 – Diana Ross – Concert in Central Park (7/21/83)
47 – Morton Downey Jr. Show – Al Sharpton vs. roy Innis (8/30/88)
46 – 1968 Democratic National Convention – Chicago riots (8/29/68)
45 – Late Night with David Letterman “I’ve Got You Babe” (11/13/87)
44 – Buffy the Vampire Slayer “Once More with Feeling” (11/6/01)
43 – MTV Town Hall Meeting “Boxers or briefs?” (4/19/94)
42 – 1992 Vice-President Debate “Who am I? Why am I here?” (10/13/92)
41 – Survivor (7/5/2000)
Thursday, December 8, 10 p.m., Moments 40-21:
40 – The Jerry Lewis Telethon – Martin and Lewis reunion (9/6/1976)
39 – Twin Peaks – The dancing dwarf (4/19/90)
38 – Gimme a Break! – Joey Lawrence in blackface (12/8/84)
37 – The Steve Allen Show – Elvis (7/1/56)
36 – The West Wing – Leo nominated for Vice-President (4/6/05)
35 – MTV Video Music Awards – Diana Ross feels up Lil’ Kim (9/9/99)
34 – 1972 Oscars Brando’s stand-in (3/27/73)
33 – Melrose Place – Kimberly takes off her wig (4/27/94)
32 – 24 – First season finale (5/21/02)
31 – WKRP in Cincinnati “Turkeys Away” (10/30/78)
30 – The Tonight Show – Tomahawk chop (4/29/65)
29 – 1984 Summer Olympics 3000 Meter bump (8/10/84)
28 – Star Trek “The City on the Edge of Forever” 94/6/67)
27 – thirtysomething – Gay couple in bed (11/7/89)
26 – 1968 Democratic National Convention – Chicago Riots (8/28/68)
25 – Law & Order – “Is it because I’m a lesbian?” (1/12/05)
24 – The Late Show with David Letterman – Drew Barrymore’s topless (4/12/95)
23 – Survivor (3/1/01)
22 – 1988 Vice-Presidential Debate – “You’re no Jack Kennedy” (10/5/88)
21 – CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite – Vietnam stalemate (2/27/68)
Friday, December 9, 10 p.m., Moments 20-1:
20 – Saturday Night Live – Barbara Streishand on Coffee Talk (2/22/92)
19 – The Price is Right (9/14/77)
18 – Six Feet Under – Nate dies (7/31/05)
17 – Oakland at Pittsburgh “The Immaculate Reception” (12/23/72)
16 – California vs Stanford – The band takes the field a little too soon (12/20/82)
15 – M*A*S*H – Radar announces the death of Colonel Blake (3/18/75)
14 – The Dick Cavett Show – Gov. Maddox walks off (12/18/70)
13 – 1996 Summer Olympics – Muhammad Ali lights the torch (7/19/96)
12 – ER Helicopter accidents to Romano (9/26/02, 11/20/03)
11 – ABC News Nightline Al Campanis puts foot in mouth (4/6/87)
10 – St. Elsewhere Series finale ending (5/25/88)
9 – 1994 Winter Olympics Tonya Harding’s broken shoelace (2/25/94)
8 – Seinfeld – George’s fiancee dies (5/16/96)
7 – Campaign 2004 – Howard Dean’s ranting (1/19/04)
6 – The “Heidi-Bowl” (11/17/68)
5 – The Smothers Brothers Comdey Hour The Who burns down the house (9/17/67)
4 – Super Bowl XXXVIII – “Wardrobe Malfunction” (2/1/04)
3 – Dallas – Bobby Ewing lives (5/16/86)
2 – WBA Heavyweight Championship – Tyson chews off Holyfield’s ear (6/28/97)
1 – Newhart – Final scene of series finale (5/21/90)