8. The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1969–1972)

According to archived details about the series, the phenomenal chemistry between Bill Bixby and young actor Brandon Cruz was the true emotional core of this beloved sitcom. Bixby played Tom Corbett, a widowed magazine publisher trying to navigate modern life in Los Angeles while raising his bright, freckle-faced young son, Eddie.

Rather than leaning heavily on typical, forced sitcom gags, the show took the time to explore the genuine, touching dynamic of a single father and his child, aided heavily by their wise and discreet housekeeper, Mrs. Livingston (Miyoshi Umeki).

Fans also distinctly remember the show’s incredibly catchy theme song, “Best Friend,” which was written and performed by the legendary singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson.

9. Room 222 (1969–1974)

Created by James L. Brooks—who would go on to massive success with The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Simpsons—this comedy-drama broke the traditional sitcom mold by tackling highly contemporary social issues. Set at the fictional, racially integrated Walt Whitman High School in Los Angeles, the series followed the daily lives of the faculty and students.

Lloyd Haynes anchored the series as Pete Dixon, an optimistic and easygoing African American history teacher who gently guided his students through the complex cultural shifts of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The show seamlessly wove heavy topics like the Vietnam War, women’s rights, and race relations into highly relatable stories about everyday teenage life. It won an Emmy Award for Outstanding New Series, establishing a successful template for the character-driven dramedies that would flourish in the subsequent decades.

10. The Magician (1973–1974)

Bill Bixby struck television gold multiple times in his career, but nestled quietly between his leading roles on The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and The Incredible Hulk was this slick, highly unusual crime drama. Bixby played Anthony Blake, a wealthy illusionist and playboy philanthropist who lived in a private jet and used his mastery of stage magic to solve complex mysteries.

Because Bixby was an accomplished amateur magician in his personal life, he insisted on performing all of the sleight-of-hand tricks, escapes, and grand stage illusions himself without the aid of cheap camera tricks.

Though it lasted only a single season—hampered in part by an industry-wide Writers Guild strike—the sight of Bixby speeding around Hollywood in a sleek white Corvette while fighting crime made an indelible mark on its dedicated audience.