"Laverne & Shirley" debuts 1976

The Happy Days spin-off, Laverne & Shirley, aired its first episode January 27, 1976.  It starred Penny Marshall as Laverne DeFazio and Cindy Williams and Shirley Feeney, two working class girls, making it through the latter part of the 1950s in Milwaukee. In the last three seasons, they move to Burbank, California in 1965 when they are replaced by automatic bottle cappers. 

The show ran for 8 seasons, ending in 1983, racking up numerous awards nominations.  Although Marshall and Williams had many fights during filming, Cindy Williams stated later that they still remained good friends.  

"The A Team" premieres 1983

The A-Team, an action television show about a group of Vietnam vets that are on the lam, premiered January 23, 1983.  Over its five seasons, it had plenty of car chases, car crashes, explosions, and shoot-outs for any action buff.  The first episode, Mexican Slayride, starred George Peppard as Hannibal Smith, Dwight Shultz as Murdock, and Mr. T as B.A. Baracus.  Tim Dunigan appeared as Templeton "Faceman" Peck, but was replaced by Dirk Benedict.  

It was nominated for three Primetime Emmy awards for sound editing or sound mixing.

The show was never loved by critics but audiences loved it and made it a huge success.

"The Muppet Show" premieres 1977

Jim Henson's multi-award winning variety show The Muppet Show premiered April 23, 1977.  It gained in popularity, but Jim Henson wanted to end the show on a high note.  The last season had the highest Nielsen ratings ever.  

It won four Primetime Emmy awards including one for Rita Moreno for her guest appearance.  

Kermit the Frog and Waldorf appeared in all 120 episodes.

"Keeping Up Appearances" debuts 1990

Keeping Up Appearances, a British comedy about an annoying social climber Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "bouquet") aired its first episode October 29, 1990.  It ran for 5 seasons until Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth) decided to leave the show.

She tried to be a socialite, but her sister Daisy (played by Judy Cornwell) and brother-in-law Onslow were adorably white trash.  Another sister Rose was always going into or coming out of a relationship.  Her sister Violet, which was rarely seen until the final season, was the envy of Hyacinth.  Violet had a Mercedes, sauna and room for a pony.  

She terrorized her husband Richard (played by Clive Swift), her next-door neighbors Elizabeth and Emmet, and the vicar and his wife.  

It's still one of the funniest television shows ever.

"Warehouse 13" premieres 2009

Warehouse 13, a SyFy Channel original, aired its first episode July 7, 2009.  Super-sexy Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly starred as Secret Service agents who are re-assigned to South Dakota to Warehouse 13.  There they find a covert building that houses many supernatural objects or "artifacts" as they are called.  They are sent on many adventures to retrieve more artifacts as they can possess immense powers.  Saul Rubinek and CCH Pounder also starred.

Jonathan Frid first appearance as Barnabas Collins in "Dark Shadows" 1967

Jonathan Frid made his first appearance as vampire Barnabas Collins on Episode #211 of Dark Shadows, which aired April 18, 1967.  He saved the show from the axe and the show became a hit.

"Star Trek: Voyager" premieres 1995

Star Trek: Voyager, the fourth live-action Star Trek series, premiered January 16, 1995.  In the first episode, Caretaker, the star ship Voyager is thrown 70,000 light-years away into the Delta Quadrant along with a Maqui ship full of rebels, some of whom were in Star Fleet.  They have to join an uneasy alliance to make it back home.

It is the first series to have a female captain, Capt. Kathryn Janeway played by Kate Mulgrew.  Robert Beltran played Starfleet-turned-outlaw-turned-Starfleet Commander Chakotay.  I thought he was the coolest second-in-command of all the series and the most under-appreciated.  Voyager also introduced the first character that I really did not like: Neelix.  He was the most annoying of ALL Star Trek characters.

The rest were pretty awesome people.  Garret Wang (Ensign Kim), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine),  Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres), Robert Duncan McNeill (Lt. Paris), Robert Picardo (the Doctor) and Tim Russ (Lt. Tuvok).

I stopped watching the show after the third season when it became The Janeway/Seven of Nine Show, but I did watch the last season.

Dolly Parton, first appearance on The Porter Wagoner Show, 1967

The almighty Queen of Country Music and God's special angel, Dolly Parton, made her first appearance on the Porter Wagner Show September 25, 1967.  Although she had been seen on television a few times prior, it was Porter Wagner who gave her her big break. 

The rest is history.

She's won dozens of awards, inducted into every country music hall of fame there is, and appeared on-screen in movies and television.

You go, girl!

This isn't a clip from the first show, but it is from one of her earlier episodes.