Decades and decades of seasons

What are DOOL, GH, or SNL? Exploring some emblems of American TV

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DOOL, GH, SNL. Some shows have been running for so long that we know them by their initials. Some have been watched by multiple generations while retaining their legendary hosts or stars over the decades. From fictional daytime dramas to animated families and revolutionary reality shows, let’s explore the productions that have remained uninterruptedly in our living rooms and continue to make history!

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General Hospital holds the Guinness World Record as the longest-running American soap opera in production. Very few fictional shows in the history of television have printed script after script for as many decades. GH premiered in April 1963, which means it has already been running for 61 years.

This daytime soap opera set in the imaginary Port Charles, New York, was created by the husband-and-wife duo Frank and Doris Hursley. The ABC show famously featured the actress Rachel Ames playing Audrey March Hardy for 43 years. The show reached its peak popularity in the 80s, and in 1981, it had 30 million viewers for super-couple Luke and Laura’s wedding, the highest-rated hour in American soap opera history.

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"Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives." The beloved melodrama was created by the married couple Ted and Betty Corday in 1965, which means it has been running for over 58 years. NBC broadcasted it until 2022, when it moved to its subsidiary platform, Peacock. Situated in the fictional Salem, Illinois, the show rotates around the Brady and Horton families.

Throughout the years, it has pushed boundaries by featuring a same-sex wedding or evil-possession storylines. It was also famously parodied and quoted on the NBC sitcom Friends, which welcomed many guest stars from the soap opera in several episodes.

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This CBS game show first aired in 1972, over 52 years ago. But even then, it was a revival of the old 1956–1965 show of the same name. It is officially the longest-running game show in the US, with over 9,000 episodes behind.

For 35 years, it was hosted by Bob Barker, who was replaced by Drew Carey in 2007. Many special guests appeared in the show, from Buzz Aldrin showcasing a replica spacesuit to Jack Black competing in the game, as well as Aaron Paul, who was a hyped contestant before he became famous for his role in Breaking Bad.

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Y&R was born thanks to the power couple William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, who also created its sister show, The Bold and the Beautiful. Both shows featured crossovers of many characters. Some actors saw their careers jumpstarted by The Young and the Restless, like Eva Longoria, David Michael Hasselhoff, and Paul Walker.

The CBS show first aired in 1973, 51 years ago. Jeanne Cooper famously played the matriarch Katherine Chancellor, and her 40-year tenure on the show is one of the longest in the genre. The show’s iconic song, "Nadia’s Theme", has become an emblem of the soap opera. It was composed by Henry Mancini, also responsible for the brilliant "Pink Panther" theme.

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NBC Saturday Night was the original name when the gem comedy show first aired in 1975. Created and run to this day by Lorne Michaels, the show’s comedy sketches have been parodying contemporary American culture and politics for almost 5 decades.

Each weekly episode features one celebrity guest star as well as a musician or band for the great musical number, who then participate alongside the stationed cast in the week’s sketches. Over its course, the show notably became a platform for introducing endless comedic talents, such as Bill Murray, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Billy Crystal, and Eddie Murphy.

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After 34 years, Fox’s gem show holds several records, like the longest-running American animated series. Matt Groening created the characters of this dysfunctional family after his own, and what started as an odd pilot evolved into an internationally celebrated prime-time show.

It has achieved many strange accolades over the years, from welcoming over 900 stars as guests, including Paul McCartney and Stephen Hawking, to having the original word "D’Oh!" registered by the Oxford English Dictionary, and even gaining a reputation for predicting the future with its storylines.

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Long before YouTube was even a concept, Bob Saget was already hosting America's Funniest Home Videos. Although the conductor has varied over its 700 episodes, it is one of the longest-running reality TV shows in the US, after 34 years.

The show was based on a popular Japanese program with the same concept: Viewers would send funny videos recorded at home, and the host would present them with family-friendly jokes. Since the 80s, this show has understood the hook in user-generated content that would one day flood social media, such as silly footage of pets, funny bloopers, and cute babies.

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Even though it was a spin-off of the 1990 Law & Order, the police drama with Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson eventually became the bigger and longer-running hit. The live-action series has received over 100 award nominations since its release in 1999.

Special Victims Unit is known for having featured impressive guest stars like Sarah Paulson, Robin Williams, and Sharon Stone. Fans were sad to see Christopher Meloni's departure in 2011, whose character, Elliot Stabler, was just as iconic as Detective Benson.

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Another famous animated series on American TV, Family Guy has been running for over 25 years. Seth MacFarlane’s adult show about the quirky Griffins family was launched on January 31, 1999, right after that year’s Super Bowl. The show’s characteristic sense of humor is based on its rapid-fire cutaway gags.

Although the show was canceled once in 2000 and again in 2002, it was the viewers’ fanaticism and the surge of DVD purchases that convinced Fox to continue its production, and as of 2024, new seasons are still being released.

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There was a reality TV boom in the early 2000s, and Survivor is in large part to blame for that. Launched in the year 2000, the show derived from the Swedish version Expedition Robinson, which had been running since 1997.

Hosted by Jeff Probst, Survivor became famous for exploring not just the survival skills of its contestants, but also the group psychology of people challenged by the strain of decision-making under stress. During its first eleven seasons, Survivor was one of the most-watched shows in the country: 51 million people turned on their TVs to watch the first season’s finale.

You’ve been lied to!

Truth or myth: Does garlic really keep mosquitoes away?

Image: National Cancer Institute

You’ve surely heard that staying out in the cold will give you a cold, right? But is that true? And what about cracking your knuckles? Is that habit really so harmful? Science may have medicine’s back, but it’s not free from myths and misconceptions. Regardless of where they come from, we all believe some things to be true… but aren’t!

Today, we’re putting six common medical myths to the test. Place your bets before you get to the next section; some might surprise you, others might make you laugh, but all will set the record straight once and for all!

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Many people worry that using a microwave to heat or cook food zaps away the nutrients, making meals less healthy.

Why? Since microwaves use electromagnetic waves, some believe they might be harmful, similar to radiation exposure. Others think traditional cooking methods like boiling or steaming are better at preserving nutrients.

So, what do you think? Is your microwave secretly robbing your food of its goodness?

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Good news: your microwave is not ruining your food! In fact, microwaving can help preserve nutrients better than many other cooking methods.

Nutrient loss mainly depends on temperature, cooking time, and how much water is used. Since microwaves cook food quickly and with minimal water, they actually retain more vitamins than boiling or frying.

And as for radiation? Microwaves use safe, non-ionizing radiation, nothing like nuclear energy. You’re safe to go!

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Your parents or grandparents may have warned you never to go to bed with wet hair or you’d wake up with the sniffles. (Why does everything end the same way?) The idea seems reasonable, being cold and damp does feel like a recipe for illness, right? But can a little leftover shower moisture really put you out of commission? What’s your answer?

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This is also a myth! While sleeping with wet hair might be uncomfortable, it won’t actually give you a cold. Colds are caused by viruses, which you can only catch from other people, not from chilly air or damp pillows.

However, wet hair can make your pillow damp, which could create a breeding ground for bacteria and fungus. Needless to say, you might wake up needing more than just a gentle brush. But as for catching a cold? No virus, no problem!

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Some people believe that fruit and veggie skins are dirty, hard to digest, or even unhealthy. Are you one of them?

Others think peeling removes pesticides and makes produce safer to eat, and that kind of makes sense. So much so that grocery store produce sections are full of pre-peeled options, reinforcing the idea that skinless is better. But what if you’re actually throwing away some of the best parts?

Image: Sharon Pittaway

Peeling produce removes fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, which are often most concentrated in the skin. For example, an unpeeled apple contains up to 300% more vitamin K and 140% more vitamin A than a peeled one.

Potato skins are loaded with vitamin C, and citrus peels contain powerful antioxidants. Instead of peeling, make sure you wash your produce thoroughly to remove dirt and pesticides. Your bod—and your taste buds—will thank you!

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For years, people have warned against cracking their knuckles, claiming it could lead to painful arthritis later in life.

The noise it makes reinforces the idea that something is breaking in there, don’t you think? Many parents, and countless teachers, scold knuckle-crackers, fearing they’ll regret it when they’re older. But does this everyday habit really put you on the fast track to arthritis? Place your bets before you keep reading!

Image: Scheich Méshaël Zāhedd

Despite the dramatic popping sound, cracking your knuckles doesn’t cause arthritis. So where does that sound come from? It’s actually gas bubbles in the joint fluid bursting, not bones rubbing together.

Multiple studies have found no link between knuckle cracking and joint problems. However, if you experience pain or swelling, that could signal an underlying issue, and you should see a doctor. And of course… stop that pop!

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If you ever had breakouts as a teenager, chances are someone told you to lay off the chocolate, right? That’s because many people believe that chocolate, especially the sugary or oily kind, triggers pimples and skin problems.

With so many acne products marketed toward diet-conscious consumers, it’s easy to assume that sweets are to blame. But how bad is chocolate, really?

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There’s no solid scientific proof that eating chocolate directly causes acne. Acne is mainly caused by hormones, genetics, and skin bacteria, not specific foods.

That said, diets high in sugar and processed foods can contribute to inflammation, which may worsen breakouts. So if you think chocolate affects your skin, try switching to dark chocolate, which contains less sugar and more antioxidants.

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Have you ever been told to eat some garlic to naturally repel all those mosquitoes eating you alive? Where does this belief come from?

The idea likely stems from the fact that garlic’s sulfur compounds can seep through your pores, supposedly making you less appealing to bugs. It’s a popular home remedy, but does it really work?

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Unfortunately, there’s no scientific proof that eating garlic repels mosquitoes. We’re heartbroken too, don’t worry!

A 2005 study found no difference in mosquito bites between people who ate garlic and those who didn’t. Instead, mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, sweat, body heat, and certain scents. If you want to keep them away, use repellent, wear long sleeves, and eliminate standing water. Garlic plays no part here!