1985 saw the first dedicated attempt to bring the “oldies” format from radio to television, and it wasn’t long before Nick at Nite became as popular with adult audiences as Nickelodeon is with kids. Over the years, the vast majority of the brand’s programming has focused on whatever primetime hits were airing 20-30 years prior, and became the first place where many viewers first met iconic characters like Lucy Ricardo, Mr. Ed, Dennis the Menace, and even the Friends cast.
Nick at Nite later launched the spinoff network TV Land, with slightly more focus on creating original content, and other networks have cropped up over the years with a nostalgic TV bent. But the O.G. programming block can never be topped, and we’re celebrating more than 30 of Nick at Nite’s most memorable and timeless offerings.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
After cementing herself as a TV queen in The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore struck lightning once more with her eponymous Emmy-winning classic. Featuring A+ co-stars such as Ed Asner, Valerie Harper, Betty White and more, MTM offers audiences a look at the issues strong women face in the workplace, and how much things haven’t changed all that much in the decades since. And she can still turn the world on with a smile.
The Munsters
Arriving in the post-Universal Classic Monsters era, The Munsters added some Hollywood horror flair to 1960s suburbia, and its legacy as a quintessential sitcom remains intact, thanks to killer performances from stars such as Fred Gwynne, Vyonne De Carlo and Al Lewis. The series, which was most recently reimagined as a 2022 Rob Zombie feature, technically spent more time airing on Nick at Nite than it did airing on CBS during its two-season run. (Which later sparked various specials and TV movies.)
Mork & Mindy
It’s baffling to think that Robin Williams’ on-screen legacy as a comedy icon came largely from playing a sitcom alien on one of television’s loosest spinoffs, the Happy Days-offshoot Mork & Mindy. But so it goes, and we’re all the better for it, with Pam Dawber’s Mindy a splendid foil for Williams’ madcap energy. Nick at Nite helped turn “Nanu nanu” into a catchphrase for wholly new generations.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
While obviously iconic for films such as Psycho, Rear Window and many more, director Alfred Hitchcock brought his talents to the living room with ten seasons of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, which remains one of the best horror TV anthologies. Which is saying something, since many of the stories fell outside the genre. Though the filmmaker helmed less than 20 of the installments, his impact was always felt via hosting appearances, and AHP is one of the relatively rare spooky series to get Nick at Nite love.
The Jeffersons
One of television’s most successful spinoffs, All in the Family’s offshoot The Jeffersons delivered eleven highly watched, expertly acted, guest-filled seasons of Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley’s Weezy and George Jefferson guiding family, friends and viewers through the social wringer on their way to that deluxe apartment in the sky. Thankfully, it was easier to find it on Nick at Nite than during its slot-shifting run on CBS
SCTV
Canadian television was a go-to source in Nickelodeon’s early years, so the all-time great TV sketch comedy series SCTV was a natural fit for Nick at Nite. And it arrived in 1988, at a point of massive popularity in the U.S. for all-star cast members like Catherine O’Hara (Beetlejuice), Martin Short (SNL), Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters), Rick Moranis (Spaceballs) and John Candy (Planes, Trains, and Automobiles). It definitely helped that it was funny as heck, as well.
The Bob Newhart Show
Stand-up genius Bob Newhart first became a sitcom mainstay as Chicago psychologist Bob Hartley in The Bob Newhart Show, as classic a workplace comedy as there can be. (Everybody needs a Carol.) The series, whose pop culture embrace certainly wasn’t hurt by its years on Nick at Nite, is perhaps best known for Bob and Suzanne Pleshette’s Emily later appearing in the series finale of his also beloved follow-up, Newhart.
I Love Lucy
Though her later sitcom The Lucy Show was the first to hit Nick at Nite, her wildly popular first series was a huge addition to the brand, with six seasons of Ball’s ever-enjoyable performances to utilize. Co-starring her hubby Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley, I Love Lucy is the epitome of classic TV, and its influence has held so strongly that the hilarious conveyor belt sequence was re-enacted for both a 2020 episode of Will and Grace and a segment for the A+ 2024 Emmy telecast.
WKRP In Cincinnati
Few TV shows are set in the world of radio, perhaps because few could pull it off as well as WKRP in Cincinnati and faithful squad members such as Venus Flytrap, Dr. Johnny Fever, Les Nessman and more. Never a ratings hit, the comedy hit it big in syndication post-cancellation, inspiring the less memorable New WKRP in Cincinnati spinoff (1991-93), and arriving at Nick at Nite years later. Watch out for those falling turkeys, though.
Car 54, Where Are You?
Starring The Munsters and Pet Sematary great Fred Gwynne opposite The Phil Silvers Show standout Joe E. Ross, Car 54, Where Are You? is easy to recognize as a sitcom predecessor to Barney Miller and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. (And featured the first on-screen pairing of Gwynne and future Munsters co-star Al Lewis.) Toody and Muldoon remain a riot all on their own, and the show featured other screen faves such as Charlotte Rea and Ossie Davis.
Rhoda
Valerie Harper earned her own spinoff from The Mary Tyler Moore Show for her years of playing outspoken BFF Rhoda Morgenstern, and she went on to earn an Emmy for her work. (Specifically for one of television’s most celebrated wedding episodes, which was viewed by more than 52 million people.) Rhoda is also noteworthy for co-starring Julie Kavner, who became a TV legend in her own right as the voice of Marge Simpson.
Friends
A sitcom whose popularity may outlast all living things, Friends was a ratings phenom for NBC for ten years, making superstars out of its core cast members, including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and the late Matthew Perry. It remains so popular, in fact, that its syndicated stretch on Nick at Nite eclipsed its original network run by years.
The Donna Reed Show
Arguably the poster mom of B&W television, film star Donna Reed fronted her eponymous sitcom for 8 seasons of exceedingly wholesome and family-friendly episodes. Donna and Alex Stone (Carl Betz) were the mythically endearing parents to their ne’er-do-naughty kids Jeff and Mary, portrayed by former Mouseketeer Paul Peterson and singer Shelly Fabares, respectively. Low in stakes and diversity, but high in family values, The Donna Reed Show is peak Nick at Nite.
The Wonder Years
As Dobie Gillis and the Brady kids did previously, The Wonder Years offered Nick at Nite viewers another teen-centric series, and one set in the brand’s familiar era of the 1960s. A classic coming-of-age dramedy fronted in part by fan-favorite lovebirds Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) and Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar), The Wonder Years brought a reflective perspective to issues like school dances, angry parents, and the Vietnam War, and many viewers wished that Alley Mills’ Norma was also their mom.
Looney Tunes
Of everything Nick at Nite has aired over the decades, animated fare ranks among the rarest, but there’s no question why Looney Tunes is among the few exceptions. Though unseen, Mel Blanc and the scores of animators who worked on the plethora of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc. shorts are as talented as on-screen performers. Plus, this was a time when a cartoon show airing at night was mythical to kids.
Taxi
One of TV’s best blue-collar comedies is also one of its most well-cast, as Taxi boasts a lineup featuring Danny DeVito, Andy Kaufman, Tony Danza, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Carol Kane, Jeff Conaway and Christopher Lloyd. Even if the scripts were terrible, that cast could have spun them into gold, so it’s a good thing Taxi featured A+ narratives throughout its five-season run, while also serving up some of Nick at Nite’s more serious and touching sitcom eps.
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Dick Van Dyke Show is one of several classics that became synonymous with Nick at Nite, with endlessly rewatchable repeats airing for nearly ten years. The titular talent is as impeccable as any TV lead, and he was joined by a stellar ensemble comprising Mary Tyler Moore, Maury Amsterdam, Rose Marie, Carl Reiner and more. Without any true stinkers in the bunch, Dick Van Dyke is a timeless treasure, and gets extra points for changing up the ottoman-infused opening credits.
Cheers
Sometimes you want a show where you know everybody’s name, and for so many millions of people, Cheers was that show for eleven hilarious and sometimes touching seasons. The entire cast is legendary, from Ted Danson to Shelley Long to Woody Harrelson to Rhea Perlman, and they were performing some of the best sitcom scripts of any decade. I bet one of the TVs inside the bar is playing Nick at Nite, too.
Bewitched
With just a twitch of her nose, Elizabeth Montgomery’s Samantha Stevens was capable of just about anything, such as keeping the sitcom Bewitched on the air for eight seasons (even though the show recast Darren partway through). Classic ‘60s hijinks and stereotypes abound, and there are few better TV duos on Nick at Nite more enjoyable than Agnes Moorehead and Paul Lynde.
All In The Family
One of Norman Lear’s prize jewels, All in the Family remains a rewatchable classic for all the known, and the head of Carroll O’Connor’s socially out-of-touch Archie Bunker would no doubt be carved into Nick at Nite’s Mt. Rushmore. The sitcom tackled issues that even modern dramas still tiptoe around, and made household names out of Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner.
The Facts Of Life
One of few TV series in the 1980s to feature an entirely female ensemble (save for smaller roles from Mackenzie Astin and George Clooney), The Facts of Life featured several casting changes over the years, but never fully lost the charms inherent to Eastland Academy. For many, the core squad will always be Mrs. Garrett, Blair, Tootie, Natalie and Jo, and they’ll remain the best friends and housemates a viewer could ever get.
Get Smart
Who needs James Bond when Don Adams’ Maxwell Smart is here to save the day? (Better make that “shave” the day, Chief.) The bumbling secret agent comedy, co-created by Mel Brooks, introduced some all-time great TV spy devices, from the shoe-phone to the Cone of Silence, and inspired several follow-up spinoff series and TV movies, as well as the Steve Carrel theatrical film. Though only the original series made it to Nick at Nite.
The Many Loves Of Dobie Gillis
Without Dwayne Hickman’s audience-addressing sweetheart Dobie Gillis, pop culture may never have produced such fourth wall-breaking classics like Ferris Bueller and High Fidelity. The series oozes 1950s charm and corniness, with Bob Denver’s work-fearing beatnik Maynard in the mix, and gave TV audiences one of the first shows with a teen character front and center.
The Office
Beloved as Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s O.G. The Office is, few shows anywhere can touch the massive popularity of Greg Daniels’ U.S. iteration, thanks to many years of socially hyper-awkward chaos from Steve Carrel’s Michael Scott. Not to mention the oft-adorbs romance between John Krasinski’s Jim and Jenna Fischer’s Pam, and the umpteen other characters involved in the mockumentary.
Family Ties
A capsule of a time when a family’s political differences still made for heartwarming TV, Family Ties was the breakout sitcom for co-stars Michael J. Fox and Justine Bateman, and marked Meredith Baxter’s reign as a sitcom queen (coinciding with her reign as TV movie queen). It was peak ‘80s TV, down to featuring pre-Married with Children appearances from both David Faustino and Christina Applegate.
Welcome Back, Kotter
What’s the best thing about Welcome Back, Kotter? Is it John Travolta’s Sweathog Vinnie? Ron Palillo’s signature Horshack laugh? The way Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs’ Boom-Boom pronounces Mr. Kotter’s name? Maybe it’s Gabe Kaplan’s subtle-in-comparison portrayal of the titular high school teacher. Whatever the reason, watching Welcome Back, Kotter on Nick at Nite was way more fun than actually going to school.
A Different World
With respect to the so-so first season of the Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World entered classic TV territory once Debbie Allen took creative control in Season 2, with a cast led by Dawnn Lewis, Kadeem Hardison, Cree Summer and Jasmine Guy. The sitcom broke ground for dealing with real-world issues without falling back on Very Special Episode tropes, and episodes still felt refreshing upon hitting Nick at Nite in the mid-2000s.
Newhart
Bob Newhart’s second TV sitcom, the fittingly titled Newhart, is like a calmer and quirkier Fawlty Towers, with plenty of kooky fun to be had in the Stratford Inn especially when it involves Larry and his brothers Darryl. With stellar turns from co-stars like Mary Frann, Peter Scolari, Tom Poston and Julia Duffy, the series boasts arguably the most parodied and homage TV finale of all time.
Roseanne
A sitcom that defines the ‘80s and ‘90s as much as blue-collar culture, Roseanne spun out of comedian Roseanne Barr’s stand-up comedy to give audiences the down-but-never-out Conner family. Barr and co-stars John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf (among many others) made self-deprecation an art form, at least until the WTF ninth season. That brassy theme never stops hitting, either.
The Monkees
As America’s flip-side to The Beatles, The Monkees have always been celebrated more for their music than their bumblingly breezy TV show. NBC’s The Monkees put beloved fictional band members Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz into tons of silly situations that earned the show’s first season an Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. It was canceled after two seasons, but enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 1980s thanks to re-airings on MTV and later Nick at Nite.
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch was a decent hit during its initial 1969-74 run, but famously never cracked into TV’s Top 30 in that time, earning its massive popularity largely through syndicated reruns. Nick at Nite picked up the reins later in the ‘90s, making sure to keep that iconic opening sequence and theme in everyone’s brains. Though Nick at Nite did feature limited airings of spinoffs such as The Brady Bunch Hour and The Brady Bunch Kids, there can be only one true classic.
Rowan And Martin's Laugh-In
The first sketch comedy series to cycle through Nick at Nite’s schedule, Laugh-In brought Dan Rowan and Dick Martin’s counter-culture comedy and psychedelic set designs to TV audiences in the last 1980s. Hippies vs. yuppies arguments aside, the show’s quick pacing and stacked cast (including Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin) have kept it a classic all these years later.
