It’s always exciting when popular series are renewed for new seasons, although some shows manage to quietly slip under the radar and remain on the air long past the point of their peak relevance. This can be a sign of a loyal fanbase and strong writing, as, although not everybody may be checking out the newest season, there’s obviously enough viewership for networks to greenlight more episodes. This has occurred with clever shows, cult sitcoms, and even family-friendly favorites that have stayed on the air for decades on end.

Some of the animated classics like The Simpsons and omnipresent soap operas like General Hospital feel like they might outlive us all. However, there are lots of lesser-known examples of TV shows that have run well past the point anyone thought they would, and many would be shocked to find out they were still on the air. Whether for better or worse, all of these TV shows have continued, with new episodes being made right up to this day.

10 QI (2003 - Present)

22 Seasons

The game show QI gained a reputation as one of the smartest shows on British television. Its focus on obscure facts, little-known data, and common misconceptions made it truly quite interesting. With Stephen Fry as the original host, along with permanent ist Alan Davies and a rotating cast of celebrity guests, QI stood out as a clever and engaging antidote to all the other crude and dumbed-down series across UK TV. QI first premiered in 2003, although many might not realize that the show has continued to this day, even following the departure of Stephen Fry in 2016.

Instead, QI is now hosted by Sandi Toksvig, who acts as a worthy successor to Fry’s inquisitive and curious nature. Davies has remained on board as a consistent ist, and QI remains an enjoyable series that stands in opposition to the broad and anti-intellectualist attitude of lowest common denominator comedy programming. As a show airing on the public broadcaster channel BBC Two, QI achieves its mission of entertaining and informing in equal measure, and long may it continue for years to come.

9 It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005 - Present)

16 Seasons

The offbeat and outrageous sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been going strong for nearly 20 years now and has run for more seasons than any other American live-action sitcom. As a cult comedy show that’s built up a loyal following, those ionate about television will be well aware of Always Sunny’s continued existence, although more casual viewers might be shocked to hear that it racked up 170 episodes and has been continually renewed every year since 2005.

By leaning into its unique style and allowing the characters to become more deranged with each subsequent season, Always Sunny has stayed interesting all this time. From the slow build-up of Mac realizing the true nature of his sexuality to the eroding lifestyle of the once-devoted priest Rickety Cricket, Always Sunny has managed to maintain its fresh feeling while so many other sitcoms went downhill once their seasons hit double digits. Perhaps Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton’s deep involvement in the writing and production of the series was responsible for keeping the spark alive.

8 Pokémon (1997 - Present)

27 Seasons

While anyone who grew up during the 1990s will be well aware of the cultural phenomenon of Pokémon, they may be shocked to learn that the show never went off the air. What started as an anime adaptation of the Nintendo video game series has ballooned into a massive multimedia franchise complete with spin-off shows, movies, and practically any kind of merchandising a viewer can imagine. While the original episodes saw Ash Ketchum taking part in the Indigo League, he’s since traversed the sprawling world of Pokémon in over 1300 episodes.

Over the course of hundreds of episodes, anime lovers watched Ash go from a bright-eyed ten-year-old kid into a fully fledged Pokémon Master, which was the primary story for the first 25 seasons. However, starting from season 26, protagonists named Liko and Roy were introduced, and the well-established format of the show was shaken up with a new cast. While Ash does return in this revamped series, subtitled Horizons, the book has been closed on his main storyline.

7 Teen Titans Go! (2013 - Present)

8 Seasons

There have been plenty of iconic animated superhero TV shows over the years, as releases like Batman: The Animated Series or Justice League Unlimited have gained widespread acclaim. While these shows have a loyal following, they normally stick around for a season or two and don’t continue for years on end, with one notable exception being Teen Titans Go! This animated series, which tells the story of adolescent versions of heroes like Robin, Raven, and Starfire, has been airing for over a decade and even had a feature film in 2018.

Teen Titans Go! is one of the most accomplished superhero series ever made and although it received critical acclaim in its early seasons, many may not know that it’s still on the air. Teen Titans Go! hasn’t lost any of its unique appeal and continues to boast great characters, strong animation, and engaging storylines. While it’s sometimes easy for long-running shows to get left behind by viewers, those lapsed audience should come back and revisit Teen Titans Go!

6 Angelo Rules (2010 - Present)

5 Seasons

The French animated series Angelo Rules aired on Cartoon Network for English-speaking viewers and has been on the air since 2010. While several years of breaks in between seasons mean many viewers may have thought the show had reached a conclusion, Angelo Rules has continued to make new seasons. Based on the book series Comment Faire Enrager... by Sylvie De Mathuisieulx and Sebastien Diologent, Angelo Rules follows the antics of a schoolkid who is always coming up with schemes and trying to get out of trouble.

With upwards of four-year gaps in between seasons, it’s not surprising that viewers may have forgotten about Angelo Rules. However, whenever it does return for a new installment, it’s always an exciting return to form as Angelo gets embroiled in more antics and plots with his friends and classmates. As a CGI-animated series with an enjoyable sense of humor that appeals to younger viewers, Angelo Rules is a creative and fun-filled series, and it’s impressive that it’s still going strong after all these years.

5 Cyberchase (2002 - Present)

15 Seasons

The sci-fi children’s animated series Cyberchase has been on the air for over 20 years now, and many may not realize it has had a whopping 15 seasons. Following the adventures of three children named Jackie, Matt, and Inez, who are brought into the digital universe known as Cyberchase to protect it from the villainous Hacker, this series was both educational and exciting. With Christopher Lloyd as Hacker, the mad scientist bent on conquering and creating ultimate chaos in Cyberchase, this show's explanation of scientific issues made it perfect for clever young viewers.

While comedian Gilbert Gottfried voiced the character of Digit for the show’s first 13 seasons, after his tragic death following a long illness in 2022, Cyberchase recast his character with Ron Pardo. As a show aimed at young viewers, those who initially grew up watching Cyberchase would already be fully fledged adults today and would likely be shocked to hear the show has continued making new episodes. However, as an educational series that aims to teach kids about complex topics, this series should be renewed for as long as possible.

4 Futurama (1999 - Present)

9 Seasons

While no one would be surprised to learn that The Simpsons has continued uninterrupted since 1989, another Matt Groening project that’s had a more haphazard airing schedule was Futurama. This sci-fi animated series about a cryogenically frozen delivery driver named Fry who wakes up in the future 1,000 years later was arguably just as good as The Simpsons, yet it was continually canceled. Despite both Fox and Comedy Central pulling the plug on Futurama, it has always returned, with the current incarnation airing on Hulu.

Futurama mimicked The Simpsons' signature animation style and featured a lot of crossover between its writers and producers. With a futuristic setting that allows the show to poke fun at today’s technology and pop culture, Futurama was a series more aimed at sci-fi fans and featured many clever mathematics jokes and references to science, time travel, and complex aspects of quantum physics. While Futurama may not have quite the same level of omnipresent cultural relevance as The Simpsons, it has endured for a quarter of a century with some breaks in between.

3 SpongeBob SquarePants (1999 - Present)

15 Seasons

The absorbent, yellow, and porous sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea, SpongeBob SquarePants, has gained worldwide fame since his Nickelodeon animated series first aired in 1999. Featuring the affable Patrick the Starfish to the eternally grumpy Squidward, SpongeBob SquarePants fast became one of the most popular children’s shows ever made, as its witty sense of humor, optimistic outlook, and outrageous animation meant it appealed to viewers of all ages.

While the legacy of SpongeBob SquarePants has endured, many will be surprised to learn that so has the series itself and that it never went off the air. With 15 seasons and counting, SpongeBob SquarePants has racked up over 300 episodes and boasts spin-off movies, video games, comic books, and even a Broadway stage musical. As a cultural touchstone of Millennials and Generation Z, if things continue on this trajectory, it seems generations to come will still be enjoying the adventures of SpongeBob.

2 Coronation Street (1960 - Present)

12,000+ episodes

The longest-running soap opera of all time, Coronation Street, has been airing since 1960 and has just never stopped. Created by Granada Television and airing on the British channel ITV, Coronation Street tells the story of a tight-knit community in the fictional town of Weatherfield in Greater Manchester, which has featured far more affairs, betrayals, and murders than any small population should feasibly have to endure. With actors who played their roles for decades on end, Coronation Street is a British institution that has endured across the spectrum of modern television’s history.

With strong characters and a lighthearted sense of humor, Coronation Street was known for its kitchen-sink realism and everyday portrayal of working-class communities. Although Coronation Street has lost a lot of the cultural relevance it had back in its heyday, as TV audiences have shifted away from continuous soap opera stories toward more condensed narratives, the fact that this show has remained on the air for over six decades must be commended. With viewers from all over the world, including folk icon Bob Dylan (via Guardian), there’s a chance that Coronation Street could still continue for decades to come.

1 America's Funniest Home Videos (1989 - Present)

35 Seasons

Back in 1989, if viewers wanted to get a quick fix of some funny amateur comedy content, they had to check out America’s Funniest Home Videos. This reality clip show collected videos of unintentional physical comedy, hilarious mishaps, and outrageous pranks and showcased them for viewers watching at home. The show was a massive success as, in the years before the widespread use of the internet, this was the only way audiences could see this type of content.

With the advent of YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, the concept of America’s Funniest Home Videos feels like a relic of the past as it collects viral videos that have already gone out of date by the time they make it to the air. However, America’s Funniest Home Videos never stopped and has now clocked up 35 seasons. While it’s not got nearly the same amount of cultural relevance it had during the 1990s and early 2000s, there must still be plenty of people tuning in to watch America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Source: Guardian