Top Ten Favorite Classic TV Shows of All Time (not necessarily in order of faveness)

• Mickey Mouse Club
The original series redefined children's TV, taking it to a more polished studio-produced level and, after Rick Nelson helped initiate TV's teen pop star phenomenon. Honorable mention: Sesame Street, The Electric Company.

• Bewitched
Sophisticated, charming and sparkling in ways for which is deserves more acclaim, no other series captured fantasy or enchantment like this series or its star, though Jeannie came close in a decidedly more farcical way.

• I Love Lucy
Still the blueprint of all great three-camera, audience TV sitcoms. Worthy inspirations: Laverne & Shirley, The Mothers-in-Law.

• The Flintstones
Hanna-Barbera's first half hour and TV's first prime time animated series with characters you could care about. Derivative of The Honeymooners but takes it to a completely different dimension. Love The Jetsons, too, which predicted more about modern life than Nostradamus.

• H.R. Pufnstuf
Nothing else like it on TV before; nothing else quite came close to its magic since. The ultimate fantasy/musical/vaudeville/comedy extravaganza.

• The Archie Show
If for nothing else than making it possible for Ron Dante and company to hit the number one spot for the year of 1969 with "Sugar, Sugar," this series reignited the venerable comic series and made cartoon pop hotter than it would ever be again.

• The Honeymooners
Every character and almost every life experience Jackie Gleason had rolled into one, an almost operatic comedy/tragedy of circumstances and self-issues as well as Art Carney's ability to make even a single word incredibly funny.

• The Flying Nun
Who hasn't dreamed they could fly? Attention critics and snarkers: get over the first-glance silliness of the premise and see how adroitly a skilled cast, good writing and even some catchy songs made this series soar. A personal favorite from childhood that holds up very well, thank you.

• The Alvin Show
Actor/songwriter Ross Bagdasarian gave three speeded-up voices distinct personalities and, as David Seville, launched a franchise that is still going strong decades after his untimely passing. This series used the style of UPA to redesign the original characters and really set the stage for their media dominance in the ensuing years. I love Rocky & Bullwinkle too, but the music gives the Chipmunks a paw up.

• The Dick Van Dyke Show
A celebration of the sheer joy of life, creativity, possibilities and talent.

I posted this on a Facebook group called the Classic TV Preservation Society.