NICK AT NITE DEBUTED 40 YEARS AGO! HERE ARE ITS 20 MOST POPULAR SHOWS

PEOPLE

 

Nick at Nite Debuted 40 Years Ago! Here Are Its 20 Most Popular Sitcoms, Some You Can Still Watch Now

By Angela Andaloro  Published on July 2, 2025 03:46PM EDT

 

Nick at Nite is celebrating 40 years of keeping families laughing.

 

The beloved programming block would bring viewers from primetime to late-night with some of the best sitcoms from back in the day. For so many young viewers enjoying the quiet last hours of their day, Nick at Nite introduced them to classic sitcoms from the '50s through the 2010s.

 

Nick at Nite got the opportunity to welcome viewers when Nickelodeon's nighttime programming block, ARTS, gave way to A&E. In less than a year, A&E was successful enough to warrant its own channel. With the network acquiring syndication rights to The Donna Reed Show, they decided to build a first-of-its-kind “classic TV” mini-network around that. Thus, Nick at Nite was born.

 

Here are some of the most popular shows to grace the block in the last four decades.

 

20

of 20

"Dragnet"

Dragnet, Harry Morgan as Officer Bill Gannon, John Lupton as Sgt. Carl Maxwell, Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday

 

Viewers tuned in to check out what Police Detective Sgt. Joe Friday and his team were up to week after week on Dragnet. The police drama took a classic character and brought him into the modern age — at that time, the 1960s — dealing with issues such as racial relations, drug culture and more.

 

19

of 20

"Sanford and Son"

Don Bexley as Bubba Bexley, Whitman Mayo as Grady Wilson, Demond Wilson as Lamont Sanford, Redd Foxx as Fred G. Sanford (front row l-r) Nathaniel Taylor as Rollo Larson, Lynn Hamilton as Donna Harris, LaWanda Page as Aunt Esther

 

The highs and lows of the relationships between fathers and sons were depicted in a realistic, yet entertaining, manner in Sanford and Son. The Norman Lear classic introduced Redd Foxx as Fred Sanford, a grumpy but lovable head of the household living with his son, Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson).

 

18

of 20

"Taxi"

Alex Rieger (Judd Hirsch), Elaine Nardo (Marilu Henner), 'Reverend Jim' Ignatowski (Christopher Lloyd), Louie De Palma (Danny DeVito), Tony Banta (Tony Danza), Simka Gravas (Carol Kane) in "Taxi".

 

Taxi brought together a true cast of New York City characters, sharing their lives in between customers at a cab company unlike any other. The cast, packed with then-rising stars including Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd and Andy Kaufman, delivered laughs in every situation, from relatable to unthinkable.

 

17

of 20

"Gilligan's Island"

Jim Backus as Thurston Howell III, Natalie Schafer as Mrs. Howell, Tina Louise as Ginger Grant, Alan Hale Jr. as the Skipper, and Dawn Wells as Mary Ann Summers; Russell Johnson as the Professor and Bob Denver as Gilligan.

 

A powerful storm derailed a three-hour tour and, in turn, gave us some of television's funniest storylines. The unlikely group met other castaways and figured out how to navigate the unthinkable, introducing audiences to a unique brand of comedy.

 

16

of 20

"The Cosby Show"

 

The Cosby Show illustrated the life of an upper-middle-class Black family living in New York City with kids of all ages, giving viewers then and now people to identify with. Whether it was through sibling struggles, parents teaching their kids big lessons or large family hijinks, the TV family made their mark.

 

15

of 20

"Mad About You"

Mad About You, Helen Hunt as Jamie Stemple Buchman, Paul Reiser as Paul Buchman -

 

Mad About You was one of those shows that makes the ordinary extraordinary, with a hilarious telling of the everyday lives of Paul and Jamie Buchman. The young professionals navigated married life, friendships, family and more while living in New York City.

 

14

of 20

"Bewitched"

AGNES MOOREHEAD;ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY;DICK YORK;ERIN MURPHY BEWITCHED - Cast Gallery - June 3, 1966.

 

Bewitched brought magic from a fringe interest to the captivation of primetime television, introducing Elizabeth Montgomery to the world as Samantha Stephens. The wife and mom with a magical twitch of the nose became a favorite, and their family hijinks are still making viewers laugh today.

 

13

of 20

"All in the Family"

Rob Reiner, Sally Struthers, Carroll O'Connor, (baby as Joey Stivic) and Jean Stapleton in "All in the Family".

 

All in the Family was another Norman Lear masterpiece that tackled serious issues and family relationships, all while making audiences laugh. It showed the intergenerational conflict that can bring differences between family members, something families today are all too familiar with.

 

12

of 20

"Happy Days"

Ron Howard, Marion Ross, Erin Moran, Tom Bosley, Henry Winkler in Happy Days 1980

 

Happy Days also celebrated life in a simpler time, and continues to for audiences today. It followed Richie Cunningham, an honest, naive Wisconsin teen who hung out with his friends at Arnold's diner as they navigated high school and young adulthood. The beloved show was a Nick at Nite staple for more than a decade.

 

11

of 20

"Family Ties"

Michael Gross as Steven Keaton, Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton, Meredith Baxter as Elyse Keaton, Brian Bonsall as Andrew KeatonTina Yothers as Jennifer Keaton, Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton on 'Family Ties'.

 

Family Ties showcased a family with a lot of love and a lot of differing opinions. Parents Elyse and Steven Keaton where 1960s love children who were now the heads of a suburban family with kids who couldn't be more different from one another. The heartfelt family dynamic still appeals to viewers of all ages.

 

10

of 20

"Three's Company"

Joyce Dewitt, John Ritter, and Suzanne Somers in "Three's Company".

 

Three's Company elevated the ensemble comedy in a way that caught audiences' attention when it first graced screens. Years later, it still holds up as a hilarious take on roommate life.

 

09

of 20

"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"

Karyn Parsons as Hilary Banks, Banks, James Avery as Philip Banks, Tatyana Ali as Ashley Banks (l-r, back) Janet Hubert as Vivian Banks, Will Smith as William 'Will' Smith, Joseph Marcell as Geoffrey, Alfonso Ribeiro as Carlton Banks in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air".

 

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air showed how much love there can be between family, even when they have little else in common. The Bel-AIr Banks family welcomed in West Philly cousin Will with open arms, with each teaching the other about a different way of life. The hilarious family comedy's lens on the issues of the time still holds up decades later.

 

08

of 20

"The Wonder Years"

Paul (Josh Saviano, left), Kevin (Fred Savage), and Winnie (Danica McKellar) in "The Wonder Years".

 

The Wonder Years perfected the formula of the coming-of-age sitcom, following Kevin Arnold's life as he navigated his sometimes competitive friendship with Paul Pfeiffer, his on-again, off-again love for girl-next-door Winnie Cooper and his search for understanding in his family at home. Its entrance to Nick at Nite brought viewers back to a simpler time where kids faced many of the same triumphs and tribulations that they do today.

 

07

of 20

"The Addams Family"

 

Before The Addams Family was a beloved movie franchise, it was an equally delightful and captivating 1960s TV series. The sitcom, celebrating the seriously spooky family living among mere mortals, starred John Astin as Gomez Addams, Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams, Jackie Coogan as Uncle Fester, Ted Cassidy as Lurch and Lisa Loring as Wednesday Addams.

 

06

of 20

"Roseanne"

Roseanne (Roseanne Barr), Becky (Lecy Goranson), Darlene (Sara Gilbert), D.J. (Michael Fishman) and Dan (John Goodman) in "Roseanne".

 

Roseanne Barr spoke the mind of the blue-collar matriarch as the titular character of her sitcom, which also starred John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Michael Fishman and Sara Gilbert and aired on ABC from 1988 to 1997.

 

05

of 20

"Full House"

Danny (Bob Saget), Kimmy (Andrea Barber), D.J. (Candace Cameron), Jesse and Becky (John Stamos and Lori Loughlin, holding twin sons Nicky and Alex, played by twins Blake/Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit), Comet (dog), Joey (Dave Coulier), Michelle (Mary Kate/Ashley Olsen) and Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) in "Full House".

 

Full House introduced a group that was a blend of biological relationships and found family to create a bigger family with love, respect and lots of laughs. The Tanners may have felt cheesy from time to time with the lessons that came with each episode, but in doing so, they also showed perspectives far beyond what most typical sitcoms explored.

 

04

of 20

"The Andy Griffith Show"

Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor, Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle, Ron Howard as Opie Taylor and Don Knotts as Deputy Barney Fife in "The Andy Griffith Show".

 

The Andy Griffith Show introduced something of a new concept in the 1960s: the single-father household. Griffith's Sheriff Andy Taylor looked after son Opie (Ron Howard) while also trying to keep cousin Barney Fife (Don Knotts) contained. The classic sitcom had a home in the Nick at Nite lineup in the early aughts.

 

03

of 20

"The Nanny"

The cast of "The Nanny": Ann Morgan Guilbert (as Yetta Rosenberg), Renée Taylor (as Sylvia Fine), Rachel Chagall (as Val Toriello), Fran Drescher (as Fran Fine); Charles Shaughnessy (as Maxwell Sheffield), Lauren Lane (as C.C. Babcock), Daniel Davis (as Niles), Madeline Zima (as Grace Sheffield), Nicholle Tom (as Margaret 'Maggie' Sheffield), Benjamin Salisbury (as Brighton Sheffield).

 

As Fran Fine, Fran Drescher brought comedy and fashion in a major way with The Nanny. The flashy girl from Flushing charmed viewers just as hard as she charmed the Sheffield family — and everyone in their orbit.

 

02

of 20

"Cheers"

George Wendt as Norm Peterson, Shelley Long as Diane Chambers, Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd, Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Frasier Crane, Ted Danson as Sam Malone, Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli, John Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin in "Cheers".

 

Cheers proved that a bar full of regulars could be more of a family than most. Nick at Nite helped bring new viewers into mix and into the debate on whether Diane or Rebecca were a better match for Sam, all while laughing along with the gang's constant shenanigans.

 

01

of 20

"Friends"

Cast members of NBC's comedy series "Friends." Pictured (l to r): David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Cook, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay. Episode: "The One Where They All Turn Thirthy.".

 

Friends entered the Nick at Nite lineup not too long after the show went off the air in 2004. Less than a decade later, viewers were still eager to see the gang go from mixed-up twentysomethings to thriving in their 30s while trying to figure out love and life. It's remained part of the lineup for more than a decade and introduces new audiences to Ross, Monica, Rachel, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe.