The chicago Tribune has amassed a list of the worst TV shows of all time. Let's put this in context. We're assuming they intended to stick with vintage programs, as virtually every show on the air right now would qualify. In general, the usual suspects are prominent and hard to argue with: My Mother the Car and Pink Lady and Jeff rank prominently in this Hall of Shame. The latter was a variety show NBC debuted in 1980 after an executive traveling in Japan became enamoured with two sexy young female entertainers. They were signed for a weekly series on American TV before anyone realized they couldn't speak a word of English! "Jeff" was a comedian named Jeff Altman who had the unenviable duty of trying to play a foil between the two sexy chicks while clueing audiences in on what the hell they were all talking about. The only quibbles we have with the list are the inclusion of Petticoat Junction which was pretty funny to us. How can you gripe about a show in which every episode showed sexy sisters bathing together in a water tower during the opening credits?
We also are second to none in appreciating the unintended hilarity of wacky TV preacher Ernest Angley, but trying to choose the looniest of these guys is like trying to determine which of The Three Stooges is the dumbest. One would have thought even the most naive people would have stopped forking their hard-earned money over to these clowns after the release of Elmer Gantry - but that was in 1960 and the uniquely (and embarrassing) American fondness for buying salvation from TV preachers remains in good stead. For the entire list of Worst TV Series, click here
