10 Longest-Running TV Show Franchises

Summary Fans continue to show loyalty to long-running TV series like Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, and Law and Order: SVU with hundreds of episodes.

Animated shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, as well as live sketch comedy show SNL, keep audiences entertained with unique humor.

Doctor Who, spanning over decades, showcases the effectiveness of episodic narrative series in captivating audiences with its time-traveling adventures.

Streaming services seem to have nearly replaced all traditional televisions in most households, but still there are plenty of shows still airing with long and loyal fan bases out of all of them. Dating all the way back to 1963, there are many narrative television series on air that are still going strong.

From animated shows like The Simpsons to dramas like Law and Order, audiences continue to stay true to watching these shows, as well as some in younger generations that grow an appreciation and interest for them in their newer seasons today. These series shaped what TV is today and the future of streaming services, proving how effective and successful episodic narrative series can be. Some have withstood the test of time, running not just for a few seasons, but well over a decade - or even decades.

12 American Dad

2005-Present

American Dad is the most recent on the list, starting in 2005, and is still airing today with 366 episodes so far. American Dad is an animated comedy show that features a family that includes Stan Smith, a CIA agent, his wife Francine, and their children Hayley and Steve. Also living with them is a goldfish named Klaus and an alien named Roger.

This show was very popular upon release and stayed around because of the way it stands out against other animated comedy shows. It follows a family like many others, but its eccentric family, unique humor, and lack of jokes and episodes that revolve around current trends or politics all make it enjoyable to watch for audiences.

11 Grey's Anatomy

2005-Present

Grey's Anatomy is a very popular medical drama that also first aired in 2005. It has 420 episodes so far and is still going strong, having an audience that spans across many generations. Grey's Anatomy follows an ensemble cast of young doctors working at a hospital and chronicles their everyday struggles with patients, their relationships with each other, and of course, the drama that comes with that.

The series has 20 seasons and viewers still have never lost interest in the stories that keep them hooked and ready for the next episode. It stands out against other narrative dramas with an ensemble cast in its theme of the medical field and that it takes place in a hospital. This could definitely be a difficult and unique topic to take on and portray accurately but it does, with the medical community, in particular, being fans of it.

10 NCIS

2003-Present

NCIS is a show that first aired in 2003 and still has a strong following today with 467 episodes and 21 seasons. NCIS stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It is a crime drama with humor here and there, that follows a group of investigators who are led by Special Agent Leory Jethro Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon. The episodes follow the cast as they work together to solve a large variety of cases.

What makes a great series with an ensemble cast is a lot of the time, revolving around the likability of the characters themselves. This way, usually every audience member has a favorite, and each character has a very distinct personality. NCIS does this well in its writing and casting, helping it stand the test of time.

9 Family Guy

1999-Present

Family Guy is another animated television series that is centered around a hilarious family. It was first aired in 1999 and has released 22 seasons with 424 episodes so far. The Griffin family consists of Peter, his wife Lois, and their three kids named Meg, Chris, and Stewie, and their talking dog named Brian.

This majorly popular show stands out with its twisted humor that probably doesn't fly with everyone, but they're bold in their risky jokes, and it makes for some hilarious moments. Its audiences have followed it faithfully since its release and it is still one of the most popular animated shows today.

8 Law and Order: SVU

1999-Present

Law and Order: SVU

Law and Order: SVU was also first aired in 1999 and is still on today with 25 seasons of 551 episodes. SVU stands for Special Victims Unit. This is another crime drama with an ensemble cast of detectives. These are a part of the NYPD (New York Police Department) who investigate crimes of a sexual nature, unlike the original show Law & Order which ultimately dealt with murder cases.

This spinoff being on the same list as the original Law & Order, just attests to its great success and popularity. Audiences stay hooked on drama stories and especially when crime is involved, which only raises the stakes, making this a show that has stuck around for so long.

7 South Park

1997-Present

South Park is another popular animated series with what would be considered offensive humor. It has been airing since 1997 and now has 26 seasons with 328 episodes. It takes place in South Park, Colorado and follows the adventures of four young characters Stan, Kyle, Kenny, and Cartman.

It stands out with episodes surrounding current events of every kind, any current topics/ trends without holding anything back. This of course makes it not a family-friendly show, but that has not slowed down its success and it still has an audience today.

6 Law and Order

1990-Present

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Law and Order is the longest running crime drama on television. It first aired in 1990 and is still majorly popular today with a total of 23 seasons and 456 episodes. As most crime shows do, this one follows an ensemble cast of detectives and prosecutors who work together to solve cases of New York City's serious and often deadly crimes.

This series is a staple on the televisions of many households still today, offering a casual but enthralling watch where audiences partly know what to expect, but each episode has a different theme that keeps them coming back for more night after night.

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4 The Simpsons

1989-Present

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The Simpsons is the most popular and longest running animated series on television that is still on today. The show first aired back in 1989 and now has 35 seasons with 768 episodes so far. This hugely popular comedy also revolves around a nuclear family. This one consists of Homer, his wife Marge, and their children Bart, Lisa, and baby Maggie.

The brightly-colored show plays out like a sitcom, which audiences always enjoy watching. It's unique in its style and iconic in its genre, taking a family sitcom and making it hilariously animated. It also can be watched by most families, making it more widely available to a variety of audiences.

2 Saturday Night Live

1975-Present

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Saturday Night Live is one of the top shows on television, still today. SNL was first aired in 1975 and now has 49 seasons with an impressive 939 episodes so far, and it is still absolutely growing just as strong. The very first cast included actors such as Gilda Radner, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, and more. This is a live sketch comedy show that also highlights current events in a hilarious way, on Saturday nights. It includes a celebrity host for each episode who is involved in sketches, and music performances in between some of them.

The show is highly anticipated after any current event, because SNL has made such a connection to portraying them in a way that makes light of them. There is truly nothing else like this show and especially nothing else who could pull it off so well, and for this long.

1 Doctor Who

1963-1989 & 2005-Present

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Doctor Who is said to be considered the longest running show in television history that is still going today. Doctor Who first aired all the way back in 1963, and went up until 1989. It later returned in 2005, and now is still releasing new episodes. It has a total of 26 seasons and 883 episodes so far and about seven different variations of the Doctor over the years. The Doctor travels the universe and goes back in time using a Tardis, which upon outside glance appears as a British police box. He often travels alongside companions to save lives by going up against his enemies.

This series being around for so long only further proves the structure of a series or television show works incredibly well for audiences who anxiously await the next episodes after a release, whether it be on cable TV or a streaming service online.