My top non-fiction tv shows (news, talk shows, etc).
by monk_venkman | created - 23 Nov 2011 | updated - 14 Feb 2015 | PublicMy favorite non-fiction and talk tv shows. Talk shows, news shows, sports shows, etc.
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1. The Dick Cavett Show (1968–1988)
TV-G | 90 min | Music, Talk-Show
This particular series combines several "The Dick Cavett Show" on ABC: ABC This Morning/The Dick Cavett Show ABC Daytime March 1968 - January 1969 The Dick Cavett Show ABC Primetime May 1969 - September 1969 The Dick Cavett Show ABC Late Night December 1969 - January 1975 The Dick Cavett Show ABC Late Night September - December 1986
Stars: Dick Cavett, Bobby Rosengarden, Fred Foy, Mort Sahl
Votes: 944
2. 120 Minutes (1991– )
120 min | Music
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to the alternative music genre. Over 2 hours, watch music videos featuring leftfield artists from electronic to alternative rock to hip-hop.
Stars: Matt Pinfield, Jerry Cantrell, Siouxsie Sioux, Kim Gordon
Votes: 95
3. Frontline (1983– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Documentary, News
FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world and American television's top long-form news and current affairs series since 1983
Stars: Will Lyman, Sarah Childress, Priyanka Boghani, Arun Rath
Votes: 2,291
4. The Daily Show (1996– )
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, News, Talk-Show
A comedy news show featuring humorous takes on top stories.
Stars: Jon Stewart, Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, Roy Wood Jr.
Votes: 48,169
5. Reverb (1997–2001)
TV-14 | 50 min | Music
REVERB, the critically-acclaimed weekly HBO music series spotlighting emerging talent, ran for four season (1997-2001). REVERB captured the energy and spontaneity of live music by taking ... See full summary »
Stars: Wilco, Bad Religion, Rocket from the Crypt, Triple Fast Action
Votes: 24
6. Pardon the Interruption (2001– )
30 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
Two former sportswriters discuss the day's top stories of the sports world.
Stars: Michael Wilbon, Tony Reali, Tony Kornheiser, Dan Le Batard
Votes: 2,101
7. Inside the NFL (1977– )
TV-PG | 60 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
Sports Emmy® winning weekly show with the most experienced, articulate and connected analysts in the business. Get expert insight, exclusive commentary and special on and off the field features. Every team. Every game. Every week.
Stars: Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth, Warren Sapp, James Brown
Votes: 415
8. The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)
TV-G | 60 min | Music, Talk-Show
The classic prime time variety show most famous for its vaudeville acts and rock music performances.
Stars: Ed Sullivan, The Ray Bloch Orchestra, Ray Bloch, Johnny Wayne
Votes: 1,558
9. That Was the Week That Was (1963–1985)
30 min | Comedy
An Americanized version of the famous hit British TV show, retaining David Frost from the British cast.
Stars: David Frost, Phyllis Newman, Nancy Ames, Pat Englund
Votes: 116
10. NBC Sunday Night Football (2006– )
Sport
Professional football games (NFL) played on Sunday nights.
Stars: Cris Collinsworth, Al Michaels, Mike Tirico, Michele Tafoya
Votes: 1,257
11. NFL Primetime (2012– )
60 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
Chris Berman (Boomer) and Tom Jackson (TJ) have highlights from all the NFL's game, presented in an exciting and suspenseful fashion. Also features additional material like "Primetime Players".
Stars: Chris Berman, Tom Jackson, Trey Wingo, Steve Young
Votes: 384
12. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967–1993)
60 min | Comedy
The Smothers Brothers host a comedy variety show that became notorious for its topical satirical humor.
Stars: Tom Smothers, Dick Smothers, Pat Paulsen, Peter Cullen
Votes: 1,639
13. NFL Monday Night Football (1970– )
Sport
Coverage of professional football featuring teams from the National Football League airing on Monday nights during the NFL's regular season.
Stars: Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Howard Cosell, Dan Dierdorf
Votes: 1,565
14. PBS NewsHour (1975– )
TV-G | 60 min | News
PBS newshour is an news show which shows news updates.
Stars: Judy Woodruff, Gwen Ifill, Jim Lehrer, Amna Nawaz
Votes: 507
15. Saturday Night Live (1975– )
TV-14 | 90 min | Comedy, Music
A famous guest host stars in parodies and sketches created by the cast of this witty show.
Stars: The Saturday Night Live Band, Don Pardo, Darrell Hammond, Kenan Thompson
Votes: 52,648
16. The McLaughlin Group (1982– )
30 min | News, Talk-Show
This PBS news/talk-show presents several journalists involved in spirited discussions of topics in current events. The group is led in round-table discussions by John McLaughlin.
Stars: John McLaughlin, Eleanor Clift, Pat Buchanan, Tony Blankley
Votes: 178
17. The Colbert Report (2005–2014)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, News, Talk-Show
Satirical newscaster Stephen Colbert provides humorous commentary on the big issues going on in the United States and the rest of the world, with his larger-than-life ego and overly-patriotic spirit along with him every step of the way.
Stars: Stephen Colbert, Jay Katsir, Jon Stewart, Paul Dinello
Votes: 39,161
18. Key and Peele (2012–2015)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Project sees Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele in front of a live studio audience bantering about a topic weaved between filmed shorts and sketches.
Stars: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Metta World Peace, Brendan Hunt
Votes: 25,742
19. ABC News Nightline (1980– )
30 min | News, Talk-Show
A nightly discussion of one important news event from earlier that day.
Stars: JuJu Chang, Bill Weir, Terry Moran, Byron Pitts
Votes: 359
20. The Rachel Maddow Show (2008– )
TV-PG | 60 min | News, Talk-Show
Daytime Host of the now-defunct Air America Radio's liberal talk show host discusses current events, with an emphasis on politics.
Stars: Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, Ali Velshi, Richard Engel
Votes: 2,514
21. Mad TV (1995–2016)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy
A sketch comedy show based on the seminal Mad Magazine.
Stars: Michael McDonald, Debra Wilson, Aries Spears, Bobby Lee
Votes: 11,902
22. National Geographic Explorer (1985– )
120 min | Documentary, History
A weekly series of short documentary segments funded by the National Geographic Society and done in the style of the National Geographic Specials. In 2003, the show was re-branded National ... See full summary »
Stars: Salvatore Vecchio, Peter Coyote, Lisa Ling, Ryan Duffy
Votes: 313
23. 60 Minutes (1968– )
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary, News
The classic long-running prime time TV investigative news magazine.
Stars: Andrew Rooney, Lesley Stahl, Steve Kroft, Morley Safer
Votes: 4,333
24. SportsCenter (1979– )
60 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
Daily sports news, results, and features.
Stars: Neil Everett, Scott Van Pelt, Elle Duncan, Matt Barrie
Votes: 2,441
25. Around the Horn (2002– )
30 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
Tony Reali hosts a fun, irreverent half hour of discussion and debate on sports-related topics. Reali chooses the topics and gives each of the panelists, sports writers from major ... See full summary »
Stars: Tony Reali, Frank Isola, Elle Duncan, Sarah Spain
Votes: 1,232
26. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (2005–2012)
TV-PG | 60 min | Documentary, Adventure, Reality-TV
Anthony Bourdain, chef, writer, traveler, visits places all around the world sampling various foods.
Stars: Anthony Bourdain, Tom Vitale, Zamir Gotta, Todd Liebler
Votes: 7,879
27. The Kids in the Hall (1988–2021)
TV-14 | 25 min | Comedy
The TV series of the Canadian sketch comedy troupe that, more often than not, puts bizarre, unique, and insane twists in their skits.
Stars: David Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney
Votes: 11,083
28. Globe Trekker (1994– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Documentary, Adventure
The hosts travel to various destinations around the world. As they do, you view their experiences and listen to their critiques along the way.
Stars: Ian Wright, Justine Shapiro, Megan McCormick, Zay Harding
Votes: 906
29. Morning Joe (2007– )
180 min | News, Talk-Show
Your one-stop shop for all the late-breaking news in our nation and all over the world.
Stars: Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Mike Barnicle
Votes: 1,302
30. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992)
TV-14 | 105 min | Comedy, Talk-Show
Host Johnny Carson performs comedy routines and chats with various celebrities.
Stars: Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon, Doc Severinsen, Skitch Henderson
Votes: 4,234
31. In Living Color (1990–1994)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Music
The Wayans siblings present an African-American focused sketch comedy show.
Stars: Keenen Ivory Wayans, Jim Carrey, Kelly Coffield Park, Terrence Brown
Votes: 12,744
32. The Whitest Kids U'Know (2007–2011)
TV-MA | 15 min | Comedy
A sketch comedy show involving five friends.
Stars: Timmy Williams, Trevor Moore, Sam Brown, Zach Cregger
Votes: 5,605
33. Real Sex (1990–2009)
TV-MA | Documentary
Documentary series that explores sex in the '90s. Each episode has several segments about current trends in sexuality as well as street interviews with common people.
Stars: Susan Block, Barbara Carrellas, Annie Sprinkle, Samantha Jones
Votes: 405
34. Louisiana Cookin' (1982– )
Reality-TV
PBS Cajun cooking show hosted by Justin Wilson.
Star: Justin Wilson
Votes: 82
35. BBC World News America (2007– )
News
Using the resources and reach of BBC News, this nightly news program is tailored to serve American audiences, focusing on international news as well as covering stories from around the United States.
Stars: Laura Trevelyan, Charlotte Laws, Katty Kay, Lyse Doucet
Votes: 76
36. Wide World of Sports (1981– )
90 min | Sport
Provides up to the minute sport news and exclusive sport stories and commentary.
Stars: Ken Sutcliffe, James Brayshaw, Michael Slater, Giaan Rooney
Votes: 32
37. The Price is Right (1972– )
TV-G | 60 min | Family, Game-Show
Contestants compete for prizes and cash, including cars and vacations, in games that test their knowledge of consumer goods pricing.
Stars: Bob Barker, Janice Pennington, Dian Parkinson, Holly Hallstrom
Votes: 4,265
38. The State (1993–2009)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy
Each episode contains 30 minutes of extremely bizarre and funny sketch comedy performed by THE STATE, an 11 member sketch comedy troupe who wrote and starred in various sketches seen throughout the program.
Stars: Kevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Robert Ben Garant, Todd Holoubek
Votes: 3,028
39. Headbangers Ball (1987– )
180 min | Music
A TV series consisting of heavy metal music videos.
Stars: Riki Rachtman, Rob Zombie, Adam Curry, Bruce Dickinson
Votes: 287
40. Larry King Live (1985–2010)
TV-14 | 60 min | News, Talk-Show
Popular and controversial journalist Larry King hosts this CNN call-in talk show.
Stars: Larry King, Bob Woodward, Ryan Seacrest, Bill Maher
Votes: 1,266
41. Washington Journal (1995– )
Talk-Show
Government officials and journalists discuss public policy and news of the day, also fielding calls from viewers with comments and questions. Also featured are interviews with other newsmakers, and coverage of the House of Representatives.
Stars: Greta Brawner, Pedro Echevarria, John McArdle, Susan Swain
Votes: 25
42. Hardcore TV (1992– )
TV-MA | Comedy
8-episode narrative adult comedy series for HBO. Spring '94
Stars: Deborah Magdalena, Dave Konig, Tracy Vilar, Susie Essman
Votes: 95
43. Big Brother (II) (2000– )
TV-MA | 44 min | Reality-TV
Contestants must compete against each other for a chance to win $500,000 in a house wired with cameras and microphones, capturing their every move for a TV and Internet audience.
Stars: Julie Chen Moonves, Clayton Halsey, Phil Proctor, Nicole Franzel
Votes: 11,264
44. Who Do You Think You Are? (2010– )
60 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Celebrities are given the opportunity to research their family trees with surprising and often unexpected results.
Stars: Mocean Melvin, Ken Rogers, Courteney Cox, Julie Bowen
Votes: 1,479
45. Let's Make a Deal (1963–2003)
TV-G | 30 min | Family, Game-Show
Audience contestants picked at random, dressed in ridiculous costumes, try to win cash or prizes by choosing curtain number 1, 2 or 3. Hilarious situations occur, from winning a rotten prize to jackpot.
Stars: Monty Hall, Carol Merrill, Jay Stewart, Wendell Niles
Votes: 502
46. Candid Camera (I) (1960–1975)
30 min | Comedy, Reality-TV
Unsuspecting people are placed in confusing, impossible, embarrassing, ridiculous, and hilarious positions, while their reactions are recorded on a hidden camera.
Stars: Allen Funt, Durward Kirby, Sid Raymond, Dorothy Collins
Votes: 476
47. Politically Incorrect (1993–2002)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, News, Talk-Show
Four guests from the worlds of politics and entertainment join host Bill Maher for a free-wheeling and humorous discussion of current events.
Stars: Bill Maher, Christine O'Donnell, Lisa Ann Walter, Michael McKean
Votes: 1,404
48. Meet the Press (1992–2013)
30 min | News, Talk-Show
A national current affairs interview program which brings together the nation's leaders and the press to discuss pressing news stories.
Stars: Hermione Kitson, Tony Abbott, Peter Charlton, Kathryn Robinson
Votes: 47
49. The Arsenio Hall Show (1989–1994)
60 min | Comedy, Music, Talk-Show
Arsenio Hall hosts this hip, late-night talk show.
Stars: Arsenio Hall, Burton Richardson, Michael Wolff, Sinbad
Votes: 992
50. The Dating Game (1965–1986)
TV-PG | 30 min | Game-Show, Romance
Three out-of-view contestants of the opposite sex are asked prepared questions, snappy answers for which will lead to the selection of one, with the prize being a chaperoned date.
Stars: Jim Lange, Johnny Jacobs, Anna Marlowe, Lee Majors
Votes: 422
51. Anderson Cooper 360° (2003– )
TV-PG | 120 min | News, Talk-Show
A 360° look at the latest news by Anderson Cooper.
Stars: Anderson Cooper, Randi Kaye, Jeffrey Toobin, Gary Tuchman
Votes: 1,108
52. Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993–2009)
TV-14 | 60 min | Comedy, Music, Talk-Show
Conan O'Brien, a Harvard Lampoon alumnus, hosts this late-night comedy/talk-show, which is often silly and whimsical.
Stars: Conan O'Brien, The Max Weinberg 7, Andy Richter, Joel Godard
Votes: 18,931
53. Sandblast (1994–1996)
30 min | Short, Game-Show, Reality-TV
An MTV beach game show with two-person teams competing in events such as freestyle swimming, sand bike races, hose hockey, beach soccer and other games, all dressed in skimpy swimsuits. ... See full summary »
Stars: Kevin James, Alexander Denk, Susan Coolidge, Kari Wuhrer
Votes: 18
54. WCW Saturday Night (1985–2000)
TV-PG | Action, Sport
The top WCW Superstars compete in the ring and give unforgettable interviews, recaps and reviews of the week's action across World Championship Wrestling.
Stars: Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, Mathew Shoemaker, Gene Okerlund
Votes: 234
55. The Factor (1996–2017)
60 min | News, Talk-Show
Fox News Channel news and talk show.
Stars: Bill O'Reilly, Laura Ingraham, Juan Williams, Lis Wiehl
Votes: 4,270
56. Trading Spaces (2000– )
TV-G | 60 min | Reality-TV
Two teams, two days, $1000. This show pits neighbor against neighbor in a race to redecorate a room in each-other's homes. Can a friendship survive this weekend?
Stars: Paige Davis, Hildi Santo Tomas, Frank Bielec, Faber Dewar
Votes: 832
57. BBC News 24 (1997– )
1,440 min | News
The BBC's 24 hour news service, also seen overnight on BBC One.
Stars: Tanya Beckett, Joanna Lumley, Monika Plaha, Sally Eden
Votes: 203
58. Charlie Rose (1991–2017)
60 min | News, Talk-Show
Charlie Rose interviews noteworthy people in fields including politics and government, business and economics, science and technology, media, sports and the arts.
Stars: Charlie Rose, Mark Halperin, Al Hunt, Thomas Friedman
Votes: 1,165
59. The Newlywed Game (1977–1980)
30 min | Game-Show
The basic premise of the perennial game show "The Newlywed Game" has been copied and imitated many times, but this original show proved to be the one fans loved (or hated) the most. The ... See full summary »
Stars: Bob Eubanks, Johnny Jacobs, Tony McClay
Votes: 87
60. Real Time with Bill Maher (2003– )
TV-MA | 60 min | Comedy, News, Talk-Show
Comedian and political satirist Bill Maher discusses topical events with guests from various backgrounds.
Stars: Bill Maher, Andrew Sullivan, Michael Moore, Arianna Huffington
Votes: 14,326
62. The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell (2010– )
Not Rated | 60 min | News, Talk-Show
The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell is political television program hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell and features in-depth political commentary from prominent politicians, journalists and ... See full summary »
Stars: Lawrence O'Donnell, Joy-Ann Reid, Ari Melber, Krystal Ball
Votes: 635
63. American Gladiators (1989–1996)
TV-PG | 60 min | Action, Game-Show, Sport
The teams compete in such events as Power Ball, Assault, The Wall and Hang Tough. The Eliminator round decides the winner of the tournament.
Stars: Mike Adamle, Jim Starr, Raye Hollitt, Larry Thompson
Votes: 3,204
64. The Real World (1992– )
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Reality-TV
A new version of the long-running MTV reality show, which looks to unite people from different backgrounds and find a common ground.
Stars: Janelle Casanave, Alton Williams II, Arissa Hill, Brynn Smith
Votes: 4,280
Just New York, Cali, and San Fran were great. Ok until San Diego 2004. Became unwatchable.
65. Win, Lose or Draw (1987–1990)
30 min | Game-Show
Syndicated show which debuted in the USA in September 1987, and ran until 1989. Two teams of three men and three women competed, one person from a team was given the name of a famous person... See full summary »
Stars: Vicki Lawrence, Bert Convy, Linda Blair, Burt Reynolds
Votes: 347
66. Now with Alex Wagner (2011–2015)
Talk-Show
Stars: Alex Wagner, Joy-Ann Reid, Karen Finney, Luke Russert
Votes: 66
67. The Cycle (2012–2015)
60 min | News
Daily news/opinion shows featuring journalists, commentators, and news makers.
Stars: Krystal Ball, Touré, S.E. Cupp, Steve Kornacki
Votes: 35
68. Road Rules (1995–2007)
TV-14 | 30 min | Adventure, Game-Show, Reality-TV
A diverse group of five to six people in their late teens to mid-20s are chosen to travel together in an RV, completing missions in order to receive a handsome reward. Each season's trip takes place in a different region.
Stars: Adam Larson, Shane Landrum, Susie Meister, Veronica Portillo
Votes: 584
69. Fox Report with Jon Scott (1996– )
60 min | News
National and world news on Fox News Channel.
Stars: Jon Scott, Harris Faulkner, Shepard Smith, Patrick Caddell
Votes: 163
70. The Crocodile Hunter (1996–2004)
TV-G | 60 min | Documentary, Action, Adventure
Steve and wife Terri educate and entertain on the subject of Australia's all too often dangerous wildlife.
Stars: Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin, Wes Mannion, Conan O'Brien
Votes: 3,162
71. Hardball with Chris Matthews (1997–2020)
60 min | News, Talk-Show
Starting on CNBC in 1997 and changing to MSNBC in 1999, Chris Matthews asks the tough questions in gut-renching political and social debates with celebrity and non-celebrity guests.
Stars: Chris Matthews, David Shuster, Pat Buchanan, David Corn
Votes: 699
72. Supermarket Sweep (1990–2003)
TV-G | 30 min | Family, Game-Show
In this game show, contestants answer trivia questions and then compete in a timed race through the supermarket. The team that has the most valuable items in their shopping cart at the end of the race wins.
Stars: David Ruprecht, Johnny Gilbert, Randy West, John Richard Petersen
Votes: 984
73. NewsNation with Tamron Hall (2010– )
60 min | News
Stars: Tamron Hall, Raul A. Reyes, Mark Murray, Craig Melvin
Votes: 29
74. Fox News Sunday (1996– )
60 min | News, Talk-Show
Sunday morning Fox network public affairs TV program has interviews with newsmakers and discussions of current affairs.
Stars: Chris Wallace, Juan Williams, Karl Rove, Brit Hume
Votes: 589
75. Man vs. Wild (2006–2020)
TV-PG | 60 min | Adventure, Reality-TV
Bear Grylls travels the world in search of challenges to his survival skills.
Stars: Bear Grylls, Chris Kratt, Will Ferrell, Joe Rest
Votes: 23,262
76. HGTV Design Star (2006– )
TV-G | Reality-TV
Ten aspiring designers seek to impress home viewers and an expert judging panel with their design expertise, ingenuity, creativity and "it" factor during the reality competition, HGTV Design Star.
Stars: Vern Yip, Clive Pearse, Cynthia Rowley, Martha McCully
Votes: 299
77. His & Hers (2011– )
Sport
Stars: Michael Smith, Jemele Hill, Cassidy Hubbarth, Sarah Spain
Votes: 98
78. Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012– )
TV-PG | 53 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Before the popularity of AncestryDNA, journalist and cultural critic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. divulges the family trees of various celebrities, many times with stunning revelations.
Stars: Henry Louis Gates Jr., CeCe Moore, Anita Hill, Ty Burrell
Votes: 1,632
79. Melissa Harris-Perry (2012–2016)
TV-G | 120 min | Talk-Show
Political talk show.
Stars: Melissa Harris-Perry, Raul A. Reyes, Joy-Ann Reid, Ari Melber
Votes: 256
81. Mike & Mike (2006–2017)
240 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg debate sports.
Stars: Mike Golic, Mike Greenberg, Buster Olney, Adam Schefter
Votes: 842
82. ESPN Friday Night Fights (1998– )
Sport
Stars: Teddy Atlas, Joe Tessitore, Brian Kenny, Dan Rafael
Votes: 55
83. The NBA on TNT (1988– )
300 min | Sport
TNT's weekly coverage of games from the National Basketball Association.
Stars: Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Ernie Johnson
Votes: 471
84. Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (1995– )
TV-PG | 60 min | News, Sport, Talk-Show
A monthly sports magazine that follows what happens on and, more importantly, off the field.
Stars: Bryant Gumbel, Jon Frankel, Bernard Goldberg, Mary Carillo
Votes: 457
85. The Joy of Painting (1983–1994)
TV-G | 25 min | Documentary, Family
In this half-hour program, artist Bob Ross paints a beautiful oil painting on canvas.
Stars: Bob Ross, Steve Ross, Dana Jester, Peep
Votes: 6,131
86. Rehab Addict (2010– )
TV-G | Reality-TV
Nicole Curtis is saving historic houses, one broken-down fireplace at a time. Working in Detroit and Minneapolis, Nicole takes ramshackle homes from the wrecking ball to their original ... See full summary »
Stars: Nicole Curtis, Jason Sanford, Bobby Prothero, LeBron James
Votes: 827
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