Pioneers of Television

Explore five classic sitcoms: I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, Make Room for Daddy, The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show. Joyce Randolph offers surprising insights into Jackie Gleason; Marlo Thomas recounts her father Danny; Andy Griffith offers his opinions about what made his show work; and both Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke recount their years on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

This episode uncovers three key sci-fi series: Star Trek, Lost in Space and The Twilight Zone. Includes interviews with both Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner; the full cast of Lost in Space; and a never-before-seen interview with icon Rod Serling. Interviews: Rod Serling, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Bill Mumy, Angela Cartwright.

From George Clooney on ER to Richard Chamberlain on Dr. Kildare, television’s long love affair with doctors and nurses shows no signs of letting up. Cast members including Noah Wyle and Anthony Edwards open up about the secrets of ER; while Howie Mandel, Ed Begley Jr., Norman Lloyd, and Christina Pickles revisit St. Elsewhere. Featuring the final interview with Chad Everett of Medical Center.

Exploring the superhero genre through the television eras: Superman in the 50s; Batman and The Green Hornet (with Bruce Lee) in the 60s; Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk in the 70s, and Greatest American Hero in the 80s. Interviews: Adam West, Burt Ward, Lynda Carter, William Katt, Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, Lou Ferrigno.

The first standup comediennes to appear on television, including legends like Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers. We also look at Lucille Ball’s breakthrough on I Love Lucy, and the sitcom stars that followed including Mary Tyler Moore, Betty White, and Marla Gibbs. Contemporary actresses including Margaret Cho and Tina Fey also share how these trailblazers inspired their own work.

Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Rifleman, Wild Wild West, Maverick, Big Valley and Daniel Boone are among the series profiled in this episode. With interviews from James Garner, Linda Evans, Robert Conrad, Fess Parker, Ed Ames, Peter Graves, Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, Ernest Borgnine, and Adam West, this episode includes both western stars and new celebrities who used Westerns as a launching pad.