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15 iconic MeTV shows that premiered in September
Fall into classic TV! September’s here, and so are the classics.
The Everett Collection
The leaves aren’t the only things dropping in September— so are some classic TV premieres! From M*A*S*H to The Waltons, September was a month that made history.
Autumn may bring shorter days, but TV classics are evergreen. These 15 shows prove that September has always been a prime time for premieres. Take a look!
1. Star Trek: The Original Series
Premiere date: September 8, 1966 on NBC.
Number of seasons: 3
Fan-favorite episodes: "Mirror, Mirror," "Balance of Terror," "Space Seed," and "The Trouble with Tribbles."
Fun fact: Star Trek got a second chance thanks in part to Desilu Productions owner Lucille Ball, who advocated for the show at NBC. She’s often called the show’s "Godmother."
2. Gunsmoke
Premiere date: September 10, 1955 on CBS.
Number of seasons: 20
Fan-favorite episodes: "The Cabin," "The Gallows," "Caleb," "Wishbone," and "The Jailer."
Fun fact: Gunsmoke’s James Arness was 6 feet 7 inches tall, making him one of the tallest leading men in classic TV history.
3. Bonanza
Premiere date: September 12, 1959, on NBC.
Number of seasons: 14
Fan-favorite episodes: "Hoss and the Leprechauns," "Mark of Guilt," "The Wish," "Twilight Town," and "Forever."
Fun fact: The character Ben Cartwright ranked No. 2 on TV Guide’s list of the 50 greatest TV dads of all time.
4. Everybody Loves Raymond
Premiere date: September 13, 1996 on CBS.
Number of seasons: 9
Fan-favorite episodes: "She's the One," "Lucky Suit," "The Angry Family," and "Baggage."
Fun fact: Robert Barone’s quirky habit of touching his food to his chin was inspired by Ray Romano’s real-life brother.
5. The Golden Girls
Premiere date: September 14, 1985 on NBC.
Number of seasons: 7
Fan-favorite episodes: "Old Friends," "One Flew Out of the Cuckoo's Nest," "Ladies of the Evening," and "The Way We Met."
Fun fact: The cast ate more than 100 cheesecakes during the show’s seven-year run, with bakeries around the country sending them in.
6. The Waltons
Premiere date: September 14, 1972, on CBS.
Number of seasons: 9
Fan-favorite episodes: "Grandma Comes Home," "The Pony Cart," "The Conflict," "The Burnout," and "The Empty Nest."
Fun fact: Jon Walmsley (Jason) and Eric Scott (Ben) were the only actors to appear in every episode.
7. M*A*S*H
Premiere date: September 17, 1972, on CBS.
Number of seasons: 11
Fan-favorite episodes: "Abyssinia, Henry," "Tuttle," "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen," "Life Time," and "Adam's Ribs."
Fun fact: The dog tags worn by Jamie Farr on the show were his own, from when he served in the military before becoming an actor.
8. Wagon Train
Premiere date: September 18, 1957 on NBC, and then ABC in 1961.
Number of seasons: 8
Fan-favorite episodes: "Herman," "The John Gillman Story," "Weight of Command," "Little Girl Lost," and "The Tom Tuesday Story."
Fun fact: Gene Roddenberry described his original concept for Star Trek (1966) as "Wagon Train to the Stars."
9. Hawaii Five-O
Premiere date: September 20, 1968 on CBS.
Number of seasons: 12
Fan-favorite episodes: "Over Fifty? Steal," "One Big Happy Family," "Hookman," and "Draw Me a Killer."
Fun fact: Jack Lord is the only actor to appear in all 281 episodes of the original Hawaii Five-O.
10. Adam-12
Premiere date: September 21, 1968 on NBC.
Number of seasons: 7
Fan-favorite episodes: "Log 105: Elegy for a Pig," "The Search," "Roll Call," "Trouble in the Bank," and "Suspended."
Fun fact: The dispatcher's voice was that of Shaaron Claridge, a real Los Angeles dispatcher. Jack Webb chose her for the voice-overs to give authenticity to the program.
11. Perry Mason
Premiere date: September 21, 1957 on CBS.
Number of seasons: 9
Fan-favorite episodes: "The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma," "The Case of the Deadly Verdict," "The Case of the Final Fade-Out," and "The Case of the Weary Watchdog."
Fun fact: Raymond Burr originally auditioned for the role of Hamilton Burger, but was chosen for the title role instead.
12. Gilligan's Island
Premiere date: September 26, 1964 on CBS.
Number of seasons: 3
Fan-favorite episodes: "Don't Bug the Mosquitoes," "The Friendly Physician," "The Producer," "Up at Bat," and "Pass the Vegetables, Please."
Fun fact: In season one, the cast drank from real coconut cups, but they were porous and leaked. In later seasons, they switched to ceramic replicas.
13. The Beverly Hillbillies
Premiere date: September 26, 1962 on CBS.
Number of seasons: 9
Fan-favorite episodes: "Granny Learns to Drive," "A Plot for Granny," "Doctor Jed Clampett," "Jed Becomes a Banker," and "The Giant Jackrabbit."
Fun fact: The series rose to No. 1 in ratings within three weeks of its premiere, a feat that remains unmatched in television history. It stayed at No. 1 for two years.
14. The Brady Bunch
Premiere date: September 26, 1969 on ABC.
Number of seasons: 5
Fan-favorite episodes: "The Subject Was Noses," "Hawaii Bound," "Getting Davy Jones," "Amateur Nite," and "Fright Night."
Fun fact: Barry Williams (Greg Brady) did his own surfing in season four's three-part opening episode, in Hawaii.
15. The Rifleman
Premiere date: September 30, 1958 on ABC.
Number of seasons: 5
Fan-favorite episodes: "The Sharpshooter," "Home Ranch," "The Marshal," "The Brother-In-Law," and "The Sister."
Fun fact: The Rifleman was the first network television series to center on a single dad raising a child.
