| Year | Program | Network |
| 1950-51 | Texaco Star Thater | NBC |
| 1951-52 | Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts | CBS |
| 1952-53 | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1953-54 | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1954-55 | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1955-56 | The $64,000 Question | CBS |
| 1956-57 | I Love Lucy | CBS |
| 1957-58 | Gunsmoke | CBS |
| 1958-59 | Gunsmoke | CBS |
| 1959-60 | Gunsmoke | CBS |
| 1960-61 | Gunsmoke | CBS |
| 1961-62 | Wagon Train | NBC |
| 1962-63 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS |
| 1963-64 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS |
| 1964-65 | Bonanza | NBC |
| 1965-66 | Bonanza | NBC |
| 1966-67 | Bonanza | NBC |
| 1967-68 | The Andy Griffith Show | CBS |
| 1968-69 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC |
| 1969-70 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC |
| 1970-71 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC |
| 1971-72 | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1972-73 | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1973-74 | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1974-75 | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1975-76 | All in the Family | CBS |
| 1976-77 | Happy Days | ABC |
| 1977-78 | Laverne & Shirley | ABC |
| 1978-79 | Laverne & Shirley | ABC |
| 1979-80 | 60 Minutes | CBS |
| 1980-81 | Dallas | CBS |
| 1981-82 | Dallas | CBS |
| 1982-83 | 60 Minutes | CBS |
| 1983-84 | Dallas | CBS |
| 1984-85 | Dynasty | ABC |
| 1985-86 | The Cosby Show | NBC |
| 1986-87 | The Cosby Show | NBC |
| 1987-88 | The Cosby Show | NBC |
| 1988-89 | The Cosby Show | NBC |
| 1989-90 | The Cosby Show | NBC |
| 1990-91 | Cheers | NBC |
| 1991-92 | 60 Minutes | CBS |
| 1992-93 | 60 Minutes | CBS |
| 1993-94 | 60 Minutes | CBS |
| 1994-95 | Seinfeld | NBC |
| 1995-96 | ER | NBC |
| 1996-97 | ER | NBC |