TV Tonight: The 50 Greatest TV Icons

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 07:30:22 PST

We've been debating the merits of the 50 greatest TV icons list compiled by TV Land and Entertainment Weekly. Tonight, we'll get to see many of the icons in action when the 50 Greatest TV Icons special premieres on TV Land.

The show includes clips of some of the iconic performances and interviews with stars about what makes an icon. I'm curious to hear how some of the honorees ended up on the list, and I also can't wait to hear them talking about each other (one preview shows Kermit praising Lassie for paving the way for TV animals, for example). In addition, Entertainment Weekly has released its take on the list, complete with recommendations for checking out each icon's work on DVD.

The special premieres at 8 p.m., but check your local listings to be sure. In the meantime, to watch a couple of clips explaining why Jon Stewart made the list - he's No. 41 - just

Who are the Top TV Icons of All Time?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 05:30:00 PST

What names come to mind when I say the words "television icon"? Dick Clark? Mary Tyler Moore? Kermit the Frog?

Those three - and 97 others - have made the list of the 100 greatest TV icons of all time, as declared by Entertainment Weekly and TV Land. The top 50 will be counted down in a TV Land special that premieres this Friday.

At first glance, the list - especially the top 10 or 15 - looks pretty good. I can't argue with Johnny Carson getting the No. 1 spot, and I'm pleased that the top 10 is almost perfectly balanced between the genders: five men, four women, and one cartoon (Homer Simpson).

But there are a few curiosities. John Stamos hits the list at No. 90, but Bob Saget doesn't rate a mention despite his years as both Danny Tanner and the host of America's Funniest Home Videos? No Big Bird or other Sesame Street characters? No Star Trek faces, not even Leonard Nimoy or LaVar Burton (whom, I'd argue, deserves a spot for Reading Rainbow alone)? It also seems like a bit of a cop-out to lump the casts of In Living Color and the original Saturday Night Live together while limiting themselves to one cast member from Melrose Place, Friends, and Beverly Hills, 90210. And I wonder how Miss Piggy feels about being passed over for Kermie.

Which icons do you think deserve spots on the list - and which of these choices would you kick off to make room for yours? The full list is over here, and you can see the top 50 if you

read more 50. Larry Hagman 49. Calista Flockhart 48. Jimmy Smits 47. Simon Cowell 46. Lassie 45. Sarah Michelle Gellar 44. Susan Lucci 43. Flip Wilson 42. James Gandolfini 41. Jon Stewart 40. Sally Field 39. Jennifer Aniston 38. Bea Arthur 37. George Clooney 36. Diahann Carroll 35. Michael J. Fox 34. Bob Barker 33. Ellen DeGeneres 32. Henry Winkler 31. Sarah Jessica Parker 30. Alan Alda 29. John Ritter 28. Howard Cosell 27. Regis Philbin 26. Farrah Fawcett 25. Heather Locklear 24. Michael Landon 23. Barbara Walters 22. Milton Berle 21. Kermit 20. Carroll O'Connor 19. Andy Griffith 18. William Shatner 17. Bob Newhart 16. David Letterman 15. "Not Ready for Primetime Players" 14. Ed Sullivan 13. Jackie Gleason 12. Dick Van Dyke 11. Roseanne 10. Dick Clark 9. Homer Simpson 8. Jerry Seinfeld 7. Mary Tyler Moore 6. Carol Burnett 5. Walter Cronkite 4. Bill Cosby 3. Oprah Winfrey 2. Lucille Ball 1. Johnny Carson Source and Source