And the Greatest TV Show of All-Time is…

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Corporal Thomas Francis Prendergast (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on March 25, 27, 29 and April 5, 1899. His citation reads:

For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battle while with the Eighth Army Corps, 25, 27, 29 March, and 5 April 1899.

Private Joseph R. Prentice (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on December 31, 1862, at Stone River, Tennessee. His citation reads:

Voluntarily rescued the body of his commanding officer, who had fallen mortally wounded. He brought off the field his mortally wounded leader under direct and constant rifle fire.

Lieutenant Arthur Murray Preston (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 16, 1944, in Wasile Bay, Halmahera Island. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commander, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 33, while effecting the rescue of a Navy pilot shot down in Wasile Bay, Halmahera Island, less than 200 yards from a strongly defended Japanese dock and supply area, 16 September 1944. Volunteering for a perilous mission unsuccessfully attempted by the pilot's squadron mates and a PBY plane, Lt. Comdr. (then Lieutenant) Preston led PT-489 and PT-363 through 60 miles of restricted, heavily mined waters. Twice turned back while running the gauntlet of fire from powerful coastal defense guns guarding the 11-mile strait at the entrance to the bay, he was again turned back by furious fire in the immediate area of the downed airman. Aided by an aircraft smokescreen, he finally succeeded in reaching his objective and, under vicious fire delivered at 150-yard range, took the pilot aboard and cleared the area, sinking a small hostile cargo vessel with 40-mm. fire during retirement. Increasingly vulnerable when covering aircraft were forced to leave because of insufficient fuel, Lt. Comdr. Preston raced PT boats 489 and 363 at high speed for 20 minutes through shell-splashed water and across minefields to safety. Under continuous fire for 2l/2 hours, Lt. Comdr. Preston successfully achieved a mission considered suicidal in its tremendous hazards, and brought his boats through without personnel casualties and with but superficial damage from shrapnel. His exceptional daring and great personal valor enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.


We’ve made it to the end of another May Countdown!!!! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. Remember that these lists are just for fun and are not meant to be the final word (when you see them on other sites… the lists you see on here are the final word). I’m not sure what I’ll be counting down next May. I’m kicking some ideas around in my head (Top 449 Insults, Put-Downs & Taunts I’ve Used on Sonny or maybe the Top 873 Fashion Mistakes Found in the Family Pictures From My Youth… these are just some working titles). Of course, we are always open to suggestions (even if we might not use them). And don't worry, Mom, I'm not really going to do a list of insults I've used on Sonny.


The I’m just sayin… Top 747 TV Shows of All-Time


Below we will have the rank, show, and years that the show ran (and sometimes any notes/thoughts I might have).


10   Saturday Night Live   1975-present   This did for comedy what SportsCenter did for sports. Everytime it looked like this show was over, they'd change the cast a little (or a lot) and bounce right back. A lot of funny people have passed through this show.

9   The Golden Girls   1985-1992   I could watch this show every day. Four main characters and I loved them all. Susie thinks that one of the women on this show is like one of my Labor Day Aunts (I won't say which one).

8   NCIS   2003-present   The spinoff of J*A*G… Gibbs, Tony, Abby, Ducky and the rest of the gang have been solving crimes since 2003 and I've been with them the whole time. The end of Season 2 showed that this was the kind of show that wasn't afraid to take out a main character.

7   The Andy Griffith Show   1960-1968   The people who were in this show are some of the greatest of all time. Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Ron Howard… This is the kind of show that makes you long for the simpler good ol' days.

6   Gunsmoke   1955-1975   What started as a radio show went on to be a great TV show with a 20 year run. Set in Dodge City, Kansas, this show gave us characters like US Marshall Matt Dillon, Miss Kitty and Doc Adams. In the 20 year run, the show had 635 episodes (Law & Order, which also ran for 20 seasons, only had 456 episodes). Consider this... Thirty Westerns came and went during the show's 20 year run and Gunsmoke was the last one standing.

5   The Cosby Show   1984-1992   I know of one person who doesn't like this show… So, you figure in 2013 the population estimate in the USA was 316,128,839 which means roughly 1 in 316,128,839 people in this country don't like this show. Rebecca doesn't like it. That's it. That's the list.

4   Happy Days   1974-1984   Another show with Ron Howard, but this one includes the great Henry Winkler as the cool Arthur Fonzarelli.

3   North and South Book I & II (TV Miniseries)   1985, 1986   The music, the setting, the acting… All of it is perfect in this miniseries that focuses on the relationship between bestfriends (one from the South and one from the north) and their families before and during the Civil War…

2   The Sopranos   1999-2007   Think The Godfather, in a TV series format… (if you aren't sure, that's a huge compliment)

1   M*A*S*H   1972-1983   This is the #1 show of all time. Watch it and you'll agree (or at least you should). The finale, was (and I think still is) the most watched telivision episode of all time with 105.9 million viewers, 60.2% of households watched it giving it a 77% share. (The second highest was Cheers with 84.4 million viewers).