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SpoilerTV - TV Spoilers

How many episodes do the oldest series on the air have ?

2 Aug 2011

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I was bored, so I thought I'd look around to find the exact number of episodes of the oldest series currently on the air and then rank them accordingly, just for personal knowledge. Then I decided to post it because maybe I'm not the only one who likes to read this sort of things, if there are some datas fans out here on SpoilerTV.


I thought I wouldn't go lower than approximatively 80 episodes so I restrained myself to 30 shows. I included the name of the show, the channel it is broadcasted on, the number of episodes it has so far, the number of seasons it has so far and the premiere date of the first episode. Then I wrote a series of figures that come up from this information.

Without further ado, here it is :

1. The Simpsons (FOX) : 486 episodes (over 22 seasons starting on December 17th, 1989) + 1 movie.

2. Law & Order - SVU (NBC) : 272 episodes (over 12 seasons, starting on September 20th, 1999).
3. CSI (CBS) : 251 episodes (over 11 seasons, starting on October 6th, 2000).

4. South Park (Comedy Central) : 223 episodes (15 seasons, starting on August 13th, 1997) + 1 movie.
5. CSI - Miami (CBS) : 213 episodes (over 9 seasons, starting on September 23rd, 2002).

6. NCIS (CBS) : 186 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on September 22th, 2003).
7. Two and a Half Men (CBS) : 177 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on September 23rd, 2003).
8. One Tree Hill (CW) : 174 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on September 23rd, 2003).

9. CSI - NY (CBS) : 162 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on September 22nd, 2004).
10. Family Guy (FOX) : 157 episodes (over 9 seasons, starting on January 23rd, 1999) + 4 made for TV movies.
11. Desperate Housewives (ABC) : 157 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on October 3rd, 2004).
12. House (FOX) : 154 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on November 16th, 2004).
13. Grey's Anatomy (ABC) : 148 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on March 27th, 2005).

14. The Office (NBC) : 139 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on March 24th, 2005), including 13 one-hour episodes.
15. Criminal Minds (CBS) : 138 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on September 22nd, 2005).
16. How I Met Your Mother (CBS) : 136 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on September 19th, 2005).
17. Bones (FOX) : 129 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on September 13th, 2005).
18. Supernatural (CW) : 126 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on September 13th, 2005).

19. American Dad (FOX) : 115 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on February 6th, 2005).
20. The Closer (TNT) : 109 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on June 13th, 2005).
21. 30 Rock (NBC) : 103 episodes (over 5 seasons, starting on October 11th, 2006).
22. Futurama (FOX/Comedy Central) : 98 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on March 28th, 1999) + 4 TV movies.
23. Entourage (HBO) : 96 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on July 18th, 2004).

24. Rescue Me (FX) : 93 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on July 21th, 2004).
25. Weeds (Showtime) : 89 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on August 7th, 2005).
26. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) : 87 episodes (over 4 seasons, starting on September 24th, 2007).
27. Gossip Girl (CW) : 87 episodes (over 4 seasons, starting on September 19th, 2007).
28. The Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family) : 85 episodes (over 4 seasons, starting on July 1st, 2008).
29. Curb your Enthusiasm (HBO) : 80 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on October 15th, 2000).
30. Psych (USA) : 79 episodes (over 5 seasons, starting on July 7th, 2006).


For the 7 shows in the list on the air this summer (Rescue Me, Entourage, Curb your Enthusiasm, Futurama, Weeds, TSLOTAT and The Closer), I included all the episodes ordered for these seasons even though some haven't aired yet. For South Park, I added 7 episodes to the current total (the second part of season 15 is coming up this October) and I added 18 episodes to The Closer (episode 7.04 will air tonight, all seasons have 15 episodes but TNT ordered an extra 6 episodes for that one).

Among these 30 shows :

- 5 of these shows have more than 200 episodes.
- 20 of these shows have more than 100 episodes.

- 8 of these shows were created before 2003.
- 17 of these shows were created in 2003, 2004 or 2005.
- 5 of these shows were created after 2005.

- 8 of these shows come from CBS.
- 6 of these shows come from FOX.
- 3 of these shows come from the CW.
- 3 of these shows come from NBC.
- 3 of these shows come from ABC.
- 2 of these shows come from HBO.
- 6 basic cable channels (FX, Comedy Central, USA, TNT, ABC Family) all have 1 show in the list.

- 17 of these shows are drama series, and 9 of them are police procedurals (5 of these procedurals are in the top 10).
- 8 of these shows are comedy series (the 2 half-hour dramedies in the list, Weeds and Entourage, are included).
- 5 of these shows are animated series.

- 30 Rock is the only show created less than 5 years ago that already has more than 100 episodes.
- As of March 2012, The Simpsons will be the first scripted series to have more than 500 episodes.

- If we reckon the ratio of episodes per season, to see which series produce the most episodes per season, CSI Miami takes the lead with an average of 23.66 episodes per season, followed by NCIS (23.25 episodes/season), CSI NY (23.14 episodes/season), Criminal Minds (23 episodes/season) and Law & Order SVU (22.81 episodes/season).

- And the other way around, Curb your Enthusiasm comes first (10 episodes/season), then it's Entourage (12 episodes/season), Weeds (12.71 episodes/season), Rescue Me (13.28 episodes/season) and South Park (14.86 episodes/season). That makes sense, because they're cable shows, so here are the 5 network shows in the list which produce the lowest average amount of episodes per season : Futurama with 16.33 episodes/season (I know, season 6 is on Comedy Central now but the first 5 seasons aired on FOX so I include it here), followed by 2 other animated series (Family Guy has an average of 17.44 episodes per season and it's 19.16 episodes/season for American Dad) and 2 NBC sitcoms (The Office with an average of 19.37 episodes per season and 30 Rock with 20.60 episodes/season).
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50 comments:

  1. Bunky Bunk2 August 2011 at 17:14

    These aren't life-changing facts but I thought it was worth posting, I hope some people find it interesting.

    I watch 11 of these 30 shows (Curb your Enthusiasm, TBBT, Rescue Me, Entourage, Futurama, 30 Rock, HIMYM, American Dad, The Office, Family Guy and The Simpsons) and I plan on watching three more (Psych, Weeds and Supernatural). How many do you watch ?

    A year from now, this list could be very different :

    - Rescue Me and Entourage will end in a few weeks, there's only 6 episodes left for either of them.
    - One Tree Hill's ninth and final season (13 episodes) is coming up in January 2012.
    - Season 7 of The Closer is the last one. TNT still has 18 episodes in stock : 5 new episodes will air this month, 7 episodes will air this winter and the final 6 episodes (building up to a spin-off starring Mary McDonnell), with episode 7.21 as a Series Finale, will probably air in summer 2012.
    - You never know with Larry David if this is the last season of Curb your Enthusiasm or not (I hope not !) until a few months after the season finished airing.
    - A few weeks ago, Alec Baldwin said that he thinks 30 Rock will end at season 6.
    - In recent interviews, creators of Desperate Housewives and HIMYM said season 8 might be the last of their shows (Desperate Housewives could end in May 2012 and HIMYM a year later).
    - CSI, Two and a Half Men and The Office are at a crossroad : all these shows will have a new lead actor next season, it could work out well or it could be catastrophic and these shows could end in May 2012, we'll see.
    - House and Law & Order SVU have lost major actors last May (supporting actress Lisa Edelstein and co-star Christopher Meloni), something that wasn't planed by the writers at all since the actors just chose not to renew their contracts. Besides, there were talks that the 8th season of House would only have 18 episodes, the negociations for the renewal took a long time (FOX was trying to reduce the budget), there were rumors that some supporting actors would not appear in several episodes, the ratings of season 7 were going down all season long over the past few months... season 8 feels like the last one to me.

    But in the meantime, new shows would enter the restricted circle of the +80 episodes shows still in production : Castle (82 episodes), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (83), Burn Notice (84), Rules of Engagement (85), Fringe (87), 90210 (90 episodes), Chuck (91, ending), The Mentalist (92), Private Practice (98 episodes). And some shows will reach 200 episodes (NCIS and Two and a Half Men) while some will reach 100 episodes (The Big Bang Theory and Gossip Girl)... there goes the circle of life (or the circle of TV programming anyway).

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  2. klutzy_girl2 August 2011 at 17:15

    Interesting!

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  3. Luke James Farmer2 August 2011 at 17:15

    Would Doctor who count? Or does the 2005 revival count as a new show? (just curious)

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  4. DarkUFO2 August 2011 at 17:16

    Bunky Bunk  Very cool. Thanks so much for taking the time to pull all this together

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sharon Seymour2 August 2011 at 17:17

    Wow, crazy that the Simpsons has had over 480 episodes.

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  6. Aisling Farrell2 August 2011 at 17:25

    Thanks for this, wouldn't of looked it up myself but it was an interesting read. Never realised that the Simpsons was just 6 months my junior :D

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  7. Luke James Farmer2 August 2011 at 17:26

    I knew it'd been going a while, but that is just crazy...

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  8. Luke James Farmer2 August 2011 at 17:27

    1. The Simpsons (FOX) : 486 episodes (over 22 seasons starting on December 17th, 1989) + 1 movie.

    I'm about 4 months older then them, unbelievable. Is it the longest running show of its type?

    ReplyDelete
  9. darq2 August 2011 at 17:29

    I thought about this the other day actually, but I never took the time to get the numbers. Thank you for doing it !  XD

    I watch 9 or 10..... 2.5Men, CSI, Criminal Minds, HIMYM, Entourage, Rescue Me, Weeds, The Big Bang Theory and Psych....  I did watch Supernatural but don't plan on continuing.

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  10. Matan Bahar2 August 2011 at 17:35

    Thanks, that's interesting. From the shows listed, I only watch Supernatural, Psych and Family Guy. Little tidbit about SPN- Since it was said there'll be 23 episodes in season 7 (The last 2 episodes will be one big finale, from what I understood), it means that if there will be a season 8, it's premiere will be the 150 episode. Dunno about you, but I'm hoping we'll get a renewal this winter just so they can make it there ^^

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  11. Claudia 112 August 2011 at 17:38

    Stargate SG-1 has more than 200 episodes..
    Atlantis has 100 I think... Shouldn't they both be on this list?

    ReplyDelete
  12. DarkUFO2 August 2011 at 17:41

    They are not currently on the air

    ReplyDelete
  13. chestal2 August 2011 at 17:42

    thanks for all this! I'm one person that likes to read this kind of things! :D

    ReplyDelete
  14. Claudia 112 August 2011 at 17:43

    ok missed that part :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. DarkUFO2 August 2011 at 17:45

    Ha :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sarah!2 August 2011 at 17:48

    I was just about to say this!

    ReplyDelete
  17. noone72 August 2011 at 17:51

    Dont forget doctor who and x files :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bernardis2 August 2011 at 17:59

    8. One Tree Hill (CW)
    12. House (FOX)
    13. Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
    17. Bones (FOX)
    18. Supernatural (CW)
    21. 30 Rock (NBC)
    23. Entourage (HBO)
    24. Rescue Me (FX)
    25. Weeds (Showtime)
    30. Psych (USA)

    Bodycount: 10. I feel that's a bit too much... thank god i don't really like procedurals...

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jennifer Ambler2 August 2011 at 18:04

    Thank you!  This is fascinating!!

    I watch NCIS, House, Grey's Anatomy, HIMYM, Bones, The Closer, and 30 Rock.  But none of these is my absolute favorite (that would be Castle and Fringe).  All of these shows are ones that I loved and still watch out of habit, but I feel they have all gotten a little creaky and less awesome and that it might be time for some of them to go.  

    NCIS will run forever (or at least as long as Marc Harmon will do the show) since its a procedural where very little changes from week to week (though it amazes me that there are so many new ways to kill Naval officers)  I wonder if MH ever wants out, would the show work with Tony as team leader?  

    I found House to be the most wonderful amazing refreshing show for its first few seasons.  Now its almost unwatchable.  I can't remember the last time I watched a recent episode twice.  Please let this be the end.   

    Grey's Anatomy is just such a stupid guilty pleasure, I can't even justify it.  As long as there is Christina Yang, I will be tuning in.

    HIMYM is still IMO a really good show, though a bit more uneven.  But I have watched the Glitter episode about 20 times.  I have faith that they have 2 more seasons of good in them, but probably not more.  

    Bones...used to be my favorite through the first 4 seasons.  But these last two were so awful I almost dread watching the show each week.  But my huge investment in these characters and the occasional flash of brilliance keep me coming back.  Please please please let this be the last season.

    The Closer I was actually surprised had that many episodes, since it has such short seasons.  But I guess it adds up.  I still really love the show though, and may even give the spinoff a try.  

    30 Rock needs to end.  Last season was so awful I couldn't believe this was the same show I loved for the first 5 seasons.  

    Here's hoping I am not posting please-let-it-end comments about Fringe and Castle this time next year!

    PS Doctor Who has 87 episodes from the new 2005 series if you count ones that are scheduled to air this year.  

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  20. pinkphoenix19852 August 2011 at 18:04

    thanks for this! This is interesting (esp. about the Simpsons...it has been on the air for so long...)

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  21. darq2 August 2011 at 18:06

    On a prety much unrelated TV note....
    I was thinking of TV series and spin-offs last week when I read about All in the Family. Wow... seriously spin-offs!All in the Family (9 seasons/ 208 episodes) spun-off:     1.Maude (6 seasons/ 41 episodes)                  -Maud spun-off Good Times (6 seasons / 133 episodes)     2. The Jeffersons (11 seasons/ 249 episodes)                   -The Jeffersons spun off Checking In (only 4 episodes before cancellation)     3. Gloria (21 episodes)It also had 2 continuations . (series taking place after All in the Family, but not spin-offs technically)     1. Archie Bunker's Place (4 seasons/97 episodes)     2. 704 Hauser (only 6 episodes before cancellation)So if you add up all its spin-offs and their spin-offs, All in the Family was responsible for:- 37-39 seasons (depending on how you count the very short seasons of 4 and 6 episodes)-759 episodes .That is a lot of TV!!!!

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  22. CyanaT2 August 2011 at 18:39

    Thanks for the list!  Only two shows on this list I consider "appointment TV" - NCIS and Supernatural.

    I also watch Bones, Criminal Minds, and CSI Miami, semi-regularly, but more often in reruns (or online/on demand). I used to watch ( > 3 years ago) House and CSI.

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  23. Lunaticbabe2 August 2011 at 18:58

    Fascinating read. I tend to forget how long I've been following something once it's been a couple of seasons. 

    If I'd been asked I don't think I would have figured CSI Miami for being longer running than Grey's Anatomy. Possibly because it's a procedural and you don't get the same sense of time progressing. And the Simpsons are at 22 seasons??? Wow.

    Thank you for putting this together.

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  24. Sarah2 August 2011 at 19:00

    Thanks :) quite interesting

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  25. Sandi2 August 2011 at 19:32

    Nope it's still the same show, it has characters that were in the Classic series too, like Sarah Jane, The Brig and K9, plus its 50th Anniversary is next year :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. gaelleanne2 August 2011 at 19:47

    Thanks for posting this, I think it's very interesting ! :)
    That must have been long to do ! ^^

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  27. Idahoow2 August 2011 at 21:35

    Interesting :)

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  28. Poppy Yeo2 August 2011 at 22:56

    For only having 5 seasons 30 Rock is pretty darn high on the list.

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  29. Poppy Yeo2 August 2011 at 23:01

    Completely agree on Grey's being a total guilty pleasure, I just cannot stop watching it though I'm way to invested in the crap that goes on it's stupid!

    I stopped watching Bones around season 4 time as well, I don't even plan on giving the new season a try because what happened is so damn ridiculous.

    It's a shame about 30 Rock, it used to be SO awesome.

    (I'm not even going to go into detail with my feelings on House because it makes me want to cry - I just can't believe a show that was my favourite for 5 years could become so...i don't even know!!!! ERRGHHH!!! )

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  30. spartigus3 August 2011 at 00:55

    Thanks for these stats i thought some of the series had more episodes..imagine my surprise lol

    ReplyDelete
  31. jensenfan19783 August 2011 at 01:21

    I've watched some of a few of them.  I've only watched one all the way through and that is Supernatural.  I have watched it through more than once. 

    ReplyDelete
  32. smallville9443 August 2011 at 02:58

    what about smallville with 218 episodes or is this current series not including recently cancelled series

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  33. Terence Ang3 August 2011 at 03:40

    about two thirds of all of this needs to be cancelled!!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Prpleight3 August 2011 at 08:45

    I clicked on this page cause it started with  "I was bored. "  :-)

    I'm wondering if the fact that, once a show gets to a certain point, they want to get to 100 episodes, means anything in this discussion.  It came to mind because 100 is the magic number for syndication (at least it used to be) and that is, supposedly, where the production company makes the real money

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  35. Rama Van Der Garde3 August 2011 at 12:33

    I think Smallville should be included in this. It just ended, but all those shows on the list aired in the last few months, so that means Smallville would be qualified for this..

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  36. lostrocks4ever3 August 2011 at 13:44

    i love how big the gap is between number 1 and 2. simpsons is awesome!!
    i also love that south park is at number 4

    ReplyDelete
  37. superjay_53 August 2011 at 15:39

    Of these 30 shows, I only watch 13 of them. Well actually 12 since I stopped watching One Tree Hill at the end of Season 6. Fans of the show will know why...

    1. The Simpsons (FOX) : 486 episodes (over 22 seasons starting on December 17th, 1989) + 1 movie.

    3. CSI (CBS) : 251 episodes (over 11 seasons, starting on October 6th, 2000).
    4. South Park (Comedy Central) : 223 episodes (15 seasons, starting on August 13th, 1997).
    5. CSI - Miami (CBS) : 213 episodes (over 9 seasons, starting on September 23rd, 2002).

    8. One Tree Hill (CW) : 174 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on September 23rd, 2003).
    9. CSI - NY (CBS) : 162 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on September 22nd, 2004).
    10. Family Guy (FOX) : 157 episodes (over 9 seasons, starting on January 23rd, 1999) + 4 made for TV movies.
    11. Desperate Housewives (ABC) : 157 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on October 3rd, 2004).
    12. House (FOX) : 154 episodes (over 7 seasons, starting on November 16th, 2004).

    18. Supernatural (CW) : 126 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on September 13th, 2005).
    19. American Dad (FOX) : 115 episodes (over 6 seasons, starting on February 6th, 2005).

    23. Entourage (HBO) : 96 episodes (over 8 seasons, starting on July 18th, 2004).

    26. The Big Bang Theory (CBS) : 87 episodes (over 4 seasons, starting on September 24th, 2007).

    ReplyDelete
  38. Kayleigh R. DeGolier3 August 2011 at 19:37

    It's a testament to how much of a waste of time I find tv to be in that I've only ever watched one of these shows all the way through (Supernatural) and the only other show on the list I've ever seen is South Park which i stopped watching a long time ago.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Dahne3 August 2011 at 21:32

    Thanks so much for compiling this data.  It was very interesting.  I only watch 5 of these shows on a semi-regular to regular basis.  I guess that's why my shows always seem to be getting cancelled.  

    I'd love to see Supernatural hit their 200th episode but that's quite a ways down the pike.  Adding an extra episode this year is a good sign though.

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  40. Dahne3 August 2011 at 21:34

    That would be cool.  Let's hope ratings rise so that we are assured of an 8th season.

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  41. Dahne3 August 2011 at 21:37

    Only shows that will be airing in the fall or currently showing new episodes.

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  42. Dahne3 August 2011 at 21:38

    The new magic number for syndication seems to be 88 but 100 gets you a better deal.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Jordan Johnson3 August 2011 at 22:16

    Did South Park not have a movie??

    ReplyDelete
  44. smkemper3 August 2011 at 22:45

    Thank you for this amazing work. Here is my answer...

    I’ve seen all the episodes of CSI and HOUSE and I have the DVD Box sets.

    I regularly watch Law & Order – SVU and Desperate
    Housewives.

    I occasionally watch The
    Simpsons, CSI – Miami, CSI – NY, Criminal Minds, Bones, The
    Closer.

    Among the 30 shows,
    there are a few I can’t watch, and a few I don’t want to watch because I didn’t
    like the first episodes I saw : Grey's Anatomy, Supernatural, NCIS.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Stephen6 August 2011 at 08:02

    Let's not forget the writers strike back in 06-07 that affects the totals fir network produced shows  - the lost of anywhere from 6 to 10 episodes depending on the series 

    ReplyDelete
  46. Goreth Hermogenes6 August 2011 at 16:59

    E.R. had 15 seasons and 331 episodes .......

    ReplyDelete
  47. Goreth Hermogenes6 August 2011 at 17:01

    E.R. had 15 seasons and 331 episodes  :P

    ReplyDelete
  48. chestal7 August 2011 at 12:42

    oh, and I forgot to say I watch: CSI, CSI:Miami, NCIS, CSI:NY, Desperate Housewives,House, Criminal Minds, HIMYM, Bones, SPN, TBBT, Gossip Girl and Psych! lol 13 of them! :P

    ReplyDelete
  49. Glenda Bowers8 August 2011 at 04:43

    Out of the 30, I have seen an episode here or there of some shows, but the ones I have never seen any episodes would be, One Tree Hill, The Office, 30 Rock, Entourage, Gossip Girl, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Psych. So 8/30 I haven't watched yet, and out of the 8 I'd watch 3 One Tree Hill, Gossip Girl and Psych.

    And out of the 30 I own 4 on DVD.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Glenda Bowers8 August 2011 at 10:52

    Just noticed Army Wives wasn't included it's going into it's 6th season.

    ReplyDelete

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