The Paley Center for Media and "Survivor" host Jeff Probst counted down the top 30 biggest shockers in prime-time TV history on Wednesday night in the CBS special “TV's Greatest Surprises.”
Some of the shows' stars and producers talked about the surprising events, including Tina Fey on "Saturday Night Live," Larry Hagman on "Dallas," Jeff Probst on “Survivor’s” Johnny Fairplay, Arsenio Hall on Clinton’s saxophone moment and Tom Bergeron on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Other stars chimed in about events they enjoyed watching, including Donald Trump on “The Twilight Zone” and Whoopi Goldberg on “I Love Lucy.”
According to Probst, viewers voted for these 30 surprises; not making the cut were moments including Scully announcing her pregnancy on “X-Files”; Bradford getting fired on “The Apprentice”; the island disappearing on “Lost” (the first flash-forward was a bigger surprise, to me); finding out Big’s real name is John on “Sex and the City”; and discovering Leland is possessed by Bob on “Twin Peaks.”
Top 30 greatest surprises from the past 60 years of television:
30. Kris Allen beats Adam Lambert on “American Idol” Season 9, leaving Simon Cowell seated and speechless
29. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on “Saturday Night Live”
28. Newhart finale is a dream from The Bob Newhart Show
27. Ellen DeGeneres’ character comes out as gay on “Ellen”
26. Bobby James Ewing comes back to “Dallas,” with the producers saying the previous season was just a dream
25. Susan dies on “Seinfeld”
24. Lucy and Italian lady fight while crushing grapes on “I Love Lucy”
23. The “All in the Family” premiere
22. “The Twilight Zone” surgeries twist episode
21. John Doe mystery patient on “Grey’s Anatomy” turns out to be George
20. Chandler and Monica’s surprise relationship on “Friends”
19. Baby mixup between Petrie and Peters on “The Dick Van Dyke Show”
18. Retired Johnny Carson almost reads top 10 list on “Late Show with David Letterman,” but walks away as crowd continues cheering
17. Col. Blake’s plane is shot down on “M*A*S*H”
16. Jonny Fairplay lies about his “dead” grandmother on “Survivor: Pearl Islands”
15. Michael hits Meredith with his car on “The Office”
14. Sam reveals his hairpiece on “Cheers”
13. Janice shoots Richie after he hits her on “The Sopranos”
12. Joseph curses out and physically challenges Chef Ramsay on “Hell’s Kitchen” Season 6
11. Omar is shot by a 12-year-old boy on “The Wire”
10. Future President Clinton plays saxophone on “The Arsenio Hall Show”
9. Marie drives car through the wall on “Everybody Loves Raymond”
8. Burning helicopter kills Dr. Romano on “ER”
7. Pregnant Texan Jessica Robinson wins the first million on “Deal or No Deal”
6. Rosalind Shays falls down elevator shaft on “L.A. Law”
5. John Carpenter uses Lifeline to call his father and announce he’s about to win the million on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”
4. Mark Harmon’s secret service agent is killed in a convenience store robbery on “The West Wing”
3. Marie Osmond faints on live TV after the Samba on “Dancing with the Stars”
2. Agent Todd is shot in the head after taking a bullet for Gibbs on “NCIS”
1. Sept. 13, 2004 on “The Oprah Winfrey Show”: Oprah gives all 276 audience members a car. Value? Over $7 million
Comments
I know that a lot of people are going to be making comments about what should have been on the list, but I have to point out something: The Grey's Anatomy scene was a shocking moment-- back in 1997 when ER did it after Dr. Dennis Gant (Omar Epps) fell in front of the El train. This wasn't a surprise-- it was a retread.
what about madonna showing up on saturday night live when mike meyers is doing his "buttah" routine???? sourly missed...
They missed the boat by overlooking the scene in season 1 of Boston Public where Harry Senate (Nicky Katt) was introduced to his classroom of uncontrollable punks, and to get their attention, he fires a gun several times into the floor as they all get on the ground in terror. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing!
Jack's first "flashforward"
we have to go baaaaack!!
LOST
What about Er's Carter and Lucy getting stabbed? That still gets me when I see the re-runs, just like Henry Blakes death still gets me.
There are sooo many "Lost moments I won't even bother listing them. And what about Tara getting killed on BTVS! Another example of one of best shows ever made being marginalized again,
Um, how could Alias when Sydney wakes up after 3 years and Vaughn is married. Greatest twist ever.
The Friends moment wasn't really a surprise because it pretty much seemed inevitable.
Were they only taking moments off series? Otherwise how could Geraldo opening Capone's vault to find ... nothing not be on the list?
Henry Blake's death on M*A*S*H* should have been ranked much higher. To rank it behind moments on Survivor, Hell's Kitchen, and Deal or No Deal is ridiculous and shows that (even though it was a list comprised by a public vote) that this list holds no value.
I agree on the LOST one. Jack's flashfoward to end the season was intense. I got goosebumps just thinking about it. Another one that could have been added was when Michael shot Anna Lucia and Libby...then himself! I'll never forget my emotions and expression when I saw both of those episodes. I've never felt like that again or ever. It was truely the greatest show ever.
Rita found in the bloody tub in "Dexter"...
This is a terrible list. Many of the items are only there because they happened in the last couple of years, and will be forgotten in another couple. Whenever you see an "all-time" list that mainly consists of things from the past few years, watch out.
And many weren't surprises. Bill Clinton playing the sax? Nixon used to play the piano on TV; was that also a surprise?
Half are from the last ten years.. and that's not a surprise, just a pity.
There are a few decent ones - Col Blake's death, Johnny's appearance on Letterman, Kris Allen winning - but most of these don't belong, and many were not surprises (Millions watched the Ellen coming out episode because they knew exactly what was going to happen. Me, I always thought that that something had to be surprising to be a surprise, but I guess not).
The oprah one was stupid. I thought ER helicopter and the LA law elevator thing were the best there.
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