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20. The “Checkers” Speech (1952)
No president would find his undoing as painstakingly documented by television as Richard Nixon, but early in his national political career, the “idiot box” saved his skin. He was campaigning as Dwight D. Eisenhower’s running mate in 1952 when word of a secret fund (sound familiar?) began circulating, with allegations that the donations of rich donors — presumably contributed with the understanding that they would be repaid in White House favors down the line — were allowing Nixon to live beyond -
21. Lucy Goes to the Candy Factory (1952)
I Love Lucy was, in many ways, one of television’s most innovative shows: fronted by an interracial couple, shot on film rather than kinescope (which is why it’s so well preserved), done in a “three-camera” setup that became the sitcom norm. But it was easy to hide all that innovation behind the show’s naked entertainment value. Fans will fight forevermore over Lucy’s finest hour, but this one leans towards the second-season premiere, “Job Switching” (airing September 14, 1952), in which Lucy an -
23. The End of The Fugitive (1967)
For four years and 120 episodes, audiences were riveted by The Fugitive, one of television’s first serialized dramas. Each episode had its own self-contained story, but all were part of the overarching narrative of wrongfully convicted Dr. Richard Kimble’s hunt for the “one-armed man” who had murdered his wife. And on August 29, 1967, in an episode titled “The Judgment,” Dr. Kimble — and Lt. Philip Gerard, the man tracking him — came face to face with Fred Johnson, the one-armed man, in a dramat -
19. Sammy Davis Jr. Visits All in the Family (1972)
It’s hard to fully grasp exactly how combustible Norman Lear’s All in the Family was when it first aired, starting in 1971. Never before had a popular sitcom addressed the issues of the day with such unblinking nerve and wit — and with the country in the midst of upheavals and controversies regarding feminism, religion, civil rights, homosexuality, and war, there was plenty for the show to tackle. Nobody was a bigger fan than Sammy Davis Jr., who badgered Lear for months to give him a guest shot -
24. “Do You Believe in Miracles?” (1980)
Few types of programming captured the magic and energy of live television like sports, which found fans across the world glued to their sets, yelling at their screens, and shaking their friends in excitement. And one of the greatest TV sports moments ever came on February 22, 1980, when the ragtag underdog US Olympic hockey team faced the heavily favored Soviet team at Lake Placid, New York. The Soviets had dominated Olympic play from 1956 to 1976, but the never-say-die spirit of the American sq -
22. J.R. Gets Shot on Dallas (1980)
The primetime CBS soap Dallas was chugging along, taking up a nice perch in the Nielsen Top 10 — doing so well, in fact, that the suits at CBS asked the show’s producers to come up with two more episodes beyond the “Jock’s Trial” two-parter that was to close its third season. Desperate, the show’s writers decided to have patriarch J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman) shot in the new season finale, by an unknown assailant to be revealed when the show returned for the fall. By the time the show finally came. -
25. The Wedding of Charles and Diana (1981)
Granted, we may laugh at their silly monarchy, but we sure do love a good royal wedding. The modern phenomenon of these affairs as Must-See TV began on July 29, 1981, when Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles at St. Paul’s Cathedral in an opulent spectacle of a ceremony, viewed by nearly three-quarters of a billion people. It was a lavish introduction for “the People’s Princess”; 16 years later, people around the world would again turn to their televisions, this time to mourn her death. -
15. M*A*S*H: “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” (1983)
“Goodbye, Farwell, and Amen,” the final episode of the long-running Korean War series (11 years — eight more than the war itself) was an epic: It ran 135 minutes, considerably longer than not only an average episode (30 minutes) but most feature films. It was appropriate, though, as “Goodbye” had the depth, nuance, and pathos of a very good movie; it dealt, as the show’s best episodes had, with the genuine psychological horrors of war, but with grace, wit, and emotion. And viewership was astonis -
17. The Rescue of Baby Jessica (1987)
Every once in a while, a single story captivates the entire television audience, and becomes a shared experience. Such was the story of Jessica McClure, an 18-month-old playing in the back yard of her aunt’s home in Midland, Texas, who took a tumble down a 22-foot well on October 14 and became the center of the most riveting program on television. Within hours, the still-young 24-hour news network CNN was broadcasting “Baby Jessica’s” plight to the nation. Her eventual emergence from the well tw -
18. Johnny Carson’s Final Tonight Show (1992)
In the pre-cable days, when all three of the networks went to test patterns after the evening news, The Tonight Show was quite literally the only game in town, and though others would attempt to challenge him,Johnny Carson remained the undisputed king of late night. But in 1992, after 30 years on the job, Johnny decided it was time to step down. The months-long run-up to his final program was a parade of stars, with everyone in Hollywood stopping in for one more chat with Johnny. -
16. Muhammad Ali Lights the Olympic Torch (1996)
Muhammad Ali’s personal charisma, challenging politics, and unmatched athletic skill had rendered him one of television’s most prolific and, ultimately, beloved figures. From his victory at the 1960 Olympics through his celebrated verbal sparring with Howard Cosell to his 1975 “Thrilla in Manilla” bout (which helped establish the upstart cable company HBO), Ali always meant ratings. But his appearance at the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta was kept a secret until the mome
