ABC's "20/20" will air a special episode about the greatest television shows of our time, hosted by Barbara Walters, on Saturday, March 9, 2013 (9-11 p.m. ET), according to a March 6, 2013 press release from ABC Television Network. "Best in TV: The Greatest TV Shows of Our Time"is a two hour broadcast from ABC News and People Magazine.
The winners were selected through on online vote by viewers. The show originally aired on Sept. 18, 2012. Honors were presented for Best TV Comedy, Best TV Drama, Best Legal or Cop Show, Favorite TV Mom, Favorite TV Dad, Favorite Reality Show, Best Talk Show Host, Best Non-Human Character, Favorite TV Variety Show and Best TV Show of All Time.
Not surprisingly, "I Love Lucy," starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, was voted the Best TV Show of All Time and the Best TV Comedy. The classic comedy beat out "Seinfeld," "M*A*S*H," "All in the Family" and "Cheers. The program includes interviews with the Desi Arnaz Jr. and Lucie Arnaz, the children of the stars of "I Love Lucy." Keith Thibodeaux, who played Little Ricky, also appears on the show.
"ER" won for Best TV Drama. The other nominees included "The Sopranos," "The Twilight Zone," "West Wing" and "Mad Men." Christina Hendricks, who is in the cast of "Mad Men," appears on the special.
The Best Legal or Cop Show was "Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit." Nominees included "Law & Order," "Colombo," "24," and "Hill Street Blues." "Law & Order: SVU" series star Mariska Hargitay and "Law & Order" series creator Dick Wolf appear on the "20/20" special.
"Dancing with the Stars" was voted the Best Reality Show. Nominees included"American Idol," "Survivor," "The Amazing Race" and "The Deadliest Catch." Television personality Ryan Seacrest, who hosts "American Idol," appears on the special.
Phylicia Rashad, who starred as Claire Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," was named Favorite TV Mom. Finalists in the category included: Florence Henderson as "Carol Brady" in "The Brady Bunch;" Doris Roberts as "Marie Barone" in "Everybody Loves Raymond;" Marion Ross as "Marion Cunningham" in "Happy Days;" and Barbara Billingsley as "June Cleaver" in "Leave it to Beaver." Phylicia Rashad and Florence Henderson are interviewed in the "20/20" special.
The winner of Best TV Host was late night television icon Johnny Carson. Finalists included Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Carol Burnett and David Letterman. Comedian Carol Burnett appears on the "20/20" special.
The winner of Best Non-Human Character was Kermit the Frog of The Muppets. Finalists included Lassie, Spock, Alf and Miss Piggy. Muppets Kermit and Miss Piggy are interviewed on the special.
"Saturday Night Live" was voted the Best Variety Show. Finalists included "The Carol Burnett Show.""American Bandstand," "In Living Color" and "The Ed Sullivan Show." Tina Fey and Lorne Michaels of "Saturday Night Live appear on the special. "The Carol Burnett Show" stars Carol Burnett and Tim Conway also appear.
Actor/director Ron Howard and actor/producer Warren Littlefield also appear on the special.
The nominees were selected by a panel of Emmy Award winning actors, directors and producers, along with several TV journalists. The "all star" panel included luminaries like actors Tim Allen, Valerie Harper (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda) and Jimmy Smits, and producers/directors/creators Stephen Bochco, Mark Burnett, Norman Lear, Warren Littlefield, Chuck Lorre and Shonda Rhimes, among many others. More than one million votes were then cast online by TV fans.
John Green is the executive producer of "Best in TV."
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