Rank  Decade  Program  Description 1 1960s News Item After Apollo 11 landed on the moon, astronaut Neil Armstrong proclaims “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. 2 2000s News Item Live coverage of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001. 3 1960s The Ed Sullivan Show The Beatles performance. 4 1970s Roots “Part I” Premiere episode where we see the newborn Kunta Kinte being held aloft by his father, an image of freedom and possibility. 5 1960s News Item Walter Cronkite announces the death of President John F. Kennedy. 6 1960s News Item Martin Luther King, Jr. delivers his iconic “I have a dream” speech at the March on Washington. 7 1960s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood “Episode 1065” Mister Rogers (Fred Rogers) invites Officer Clemmons (Francois Clemmons) to share a wading pool on a hot day. 8 1980s M*A*S*H “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” B.J. (Mike Farrell) gives Hawkeye (Alan Alda) a ride to his chopper, saying he left a note this time. As the helicopter takes off, Hawkeye sees the word “goodbye” spelled out with rocks. 9 1980s MTV First music video airs, “Video Killed the Radio Star,” by The Buggles 10 1970s Saturday Night Live Premiere, hosted by George Carlin. 11 1950s The Ed Sullivan Show Elvis performance. 12 1980s News Item CNN covers the Space Shuttle Challenger launch and subsequent explosion live. 13 1990s Ellen “The Puppy Episode” Ellen (Ellen Degeneres) tells Susan (Laura Dern) she’s gay, inadvertently broadcasting the announcement over the airport’s public address system. 14 1960s A Charlie Brown Christmas Linus tells Charlie Brown the true meaning of Christmas. 15 1970s The Carol Burnett Show Episode 10.8: Starlett (Carol Burnett) makes a dress out of the curtains (and curtain rod) of her plantation, Terra, in the sketch “Went with the Wind! 16 1990s News Item Live coverage across every network of the slow-speed car chase of O.J. Simpson and his white Ford Bronco. 17 1950s I Love Lucy “Lucy Does a TV Commercial” Lucy (Lucille Ball) becomes intoxicated while rehearsing for a television commercial by downing spoonfuls of Vitameatavegamin, an alcohol-laced vitamin elixir. 18 1960s News Item First Kennedy-Nixon Presidential debate. 19 1970s All in the Family “Sammy’s Visit” While picking up a briefcase he left in Archie’s (Carroll O’Connor) car, Sammy Davis, Jr. kisses Archie on the cheek just as a picture is being taken. 20 2020s News Item Release of the video of George Floyd’s murder. 21 1980s Dallas “A House Divided” J.R. (Larry Hagman) steps into his outer office to pour himself a drink. He steps outside his door to investigate a noise and is gunned down by an unknown assailant. 22 1970s The Mary Tyler Moore Show “Chuckles Bites the Dust” After admonishing her friends to treat the death of Chuckles more somberly, Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) begins to giggle uncontrollably during the funeral. 23 2020s News Item Live coverage of Congress counting electoral votes captures the January 6 insurrection. 24 1970s M*A*S*H “Abyssinia, Henry” Radar (Gary Burghoff) enters the operating room to announce that Colonel Blake’s plane was shot down, and there were no survivors. 25 1960s Sesame Street “Gordon Introduces Sally to Sesame Street” Premiere episode where Gordon (Matt Robinson) welcomes a girl named Sally to Sesame Street. 26 1990s Newhart “The Last Newhart” Series finale where Bob awakens Emily to tell her about the strange dream he just had where he was an innkeeper in a small Vermont town. 27 1990s Seinfeld “The Soup Nazi” Elaine gets rejected from the soup kitchen when she offends the “Soup Nazi. 28 2000s News Item President-Elect Obama’s Election Night speech in which he proclaimed “Change has come to America.” 29 1960s 60 Minutes Debut episode hosted by Mike Wallace and Harry Reasoner, featured coverage of the Nixon and Humphrey presidential campaigns. 30 1950s I Love Lucy “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” Lucy (Lucille Ball) gives birth to Little Ricky. 31 2000s Breaking Bad “Pilot” Walter (Bryan Cranston), fleeing from sirens, drives his RV into a ditch. He stumbles out in his underwear and records a video message to his family. 32 1970s All in the Family “Meet the Bunkers” Premiere episode where Mike (Rob Reiner) and Gloria (Sally Struthers) plan a surprise party to celebrate Archie (Carroll O’Connor) and Edith’s (Jean Stapleton) 22nd anniversary. 33 2020s Academy Awards – 2022 Will Smith slaps Chris Rock. 34 1990s News Item Release of video recorded by George Holiday of four police officers beating Rodney King. 35 1970s Schoolhouse Rock! “Conjunction Junction” Animated short explaining the main function of conjunctions. 36 2000s The Sopranos “Made In America” The Sopranos meet at a diner and sit down together. The bell of the diner door rings, and as Tony (James Gandolfini) looks up, the screen cuts to black. 37 1980s Live Aid Multi-venue benefit concert raising money for relief of the famine in Ethiopia. 38 1990s News Item News coverage of the O.J. Simpson trial verdict. 39 1980s The Simpsons “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” Premiere episode in which Bart and Homer get Santa’s Little Helper for Christmas. 40 1950s The Twilight Zone “Time Enough at Last” After a nuclear catastrophe, loner Harry Bemis (Burgess Meredith) is left with all the time in the world to read his beloved books, only to shatter his glasses, leaving him virtually blind. 41 1980s CNN After an introduction by Ted Turner, David Walker and Lois Hart anchor CNN’s first newscast. 42 2000s Six Feet Under “Everyone’s Waiting” In flash-forwards, we see milestone events in the main characters’ lives, and ultimately their deaths. 43 1970s Maude “Maude’s Dilemma” Maude (Bea Arthur) and Walter (Bill Macy) admit that neither one of them particularly wants a child and that abortion is the right choice at this stage of their lives. 44 2000s American Idol “American Idol Season 1 Finale” Kelly Clarkson wins the first season of American Idol. 45 1970s Roots “Part II” Kunta Kinte (Levar Burton) is whipped repeatedly while being asked his name, with the whipping only ceasing when he capitulates and names himself Toby. 46 1950s Merry Melodies “What’s Opera, Doc?” Elmer Fudd (as Siegfried) tearfully carries off the seemingly dead Bugs Bunny (as Brunhilde) to Valhalla. 47 1980s The Golden Girls “The Engagement” Premiere episode in which Dorothy’s (Bea Arthur) mother, Sophia (Estelle Getty), unexpectedly moves in with her and her roommates Rose (Betty White) and Blanche (Rue McClanahan). 48 1980s MTV Debut of “Thriller” video, from Michael Jackson. 49 2000s The Oprah Winfrey Show Oprah gives everyone in her audience a car. 50 1960s Star Trek “Plato’s Stepchildren” Kirk (William Shatner) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) kiss. 51 2010s Game of Thrones “The Rains of Castamere” At Robb’s (Richard Madden) wedding, Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) reveals chain mail under Bolton’s (Michael McElhatton) clothes just as Robb’s wife is murdered, Robb is shot with arrows, and his men’s throats are cut. 52 1970s The Mary Tyler Moore Show “The Last Show” The group gathers in the newsroom to say goodbye to each other, culminating in a group hug that shuffles en masse toward a box of tissues. After everyone else exits, Mary (Mary Tyler Moore) smiles before turning off the lights and closing the door. 53 1950s The Twilight Zone “Where is Everybody?” Premiere episode featuring a man seemingly all alone in a small town. 54 1980s Sesame Street “Farewell, Mr. Hooper” Big Bird’s friends have to remind him that Mr. Hooper has died, and must explain what death is. 55 1980s The Day After Television Movie: Aware that he is dying from radiation exposure after a nuclear war, Dr. Oakes (Jason Robards) returns to bombed-out Kansas City. He finds squatters there who offer him food, as he collapses and weeps. 56 2020s The Last of Us “Long, Long Time” Bill (Nick Offerman) places a lethal dose of sleeping tablets in Frank’s (Murray Bartlett) wine and reveals he poisoned his own drink as well. 57 1950s The Nat King Cole Show Premiere episode featuring The Boataneers and Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra. 58 1990s News Item Worldwide live television broadcast of Princess Diana’s funeral. 59 1950s News Item Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. 60 2000s Lost “Pilot, Part 1” Following a horrific plane crash, 48 survivors find themselves on an uncharted tropical island full of secrets. 61 2000s Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show Justin Timberlake accidentally pulls off part of Janet Jackson’s costume, exposing her right breast. 62 1980s General Hospital Episode 1.4757: Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis) get married. 63 1990s News Item News coverage of the Los Angeles riots, following the verdict in the beating of Rodney King. 64 2010s Game of Thrones “Winter is Coming” Premiere episode opens with men of the Night’s Watch encountering a White Walker. 65 1990s Super Bowl XXV Pregame Whitney Houston performs the “Star Spangled Banner. 66 1960s The French Chef Premiere episode where Julia Child makes boeuf bourguignon. 67 1990s The Real World Premiere introduces Julie, an aspiring dancer, to her new roommates, six twentysomethings with diverse backgrounds. 68 2000s Friends “The Last One” The six friends all leave their keys to the apartment on the kitchen counter and decide to go for one last cup of coffee together, to which Chandler (Matthew Perry) quips “Where? 69 1960s Julia “Mama’s Man” Premiere episode introducing widowed single mother Julia Baker (Diahann Carroll). 70 1990s Will & Grace “Pilot” Will (Eric McCormack) puts their friendship at risk when he tells Grace (Debra Messing) she’s making a mistake getting married. 71 1950s Peter Pan Peter Pan (Mary Martin) teaches the Darling children how to fly. 72 1940s Meet the Press First episode featuring guest James Farley, former Postmaster General and Democratic National Committee Chairman. 73 1990s Cheers “One for the Road” Series finale where Sam (Ted Danson) looks around the empty bar at the end and says “I’m the luckiest son of a bitch on earth. 74 1950s Walt Disney’s Disneyland “The Disneyland Story” Premiere episode in which Walt Disney gives a preview of his upcoming park called Disneyland. 75 1990s The Tonight Show S30.E120: Bette Midler sings “One More for My Baby” to say farewell to Johnny Carson.