Longest-Running TV Shows Still Airing in 2025

📺 Still Slaying: The Longest-Running TV Shows That Refuse to Die (in a Good Way)

Some shows come and go like that one summer fling. Others? They stick around longer than your fave Tumblr era—and somehow still slap. In 2025, we’re talking decades-deep legends still pumping out episodes, breaking records, and lowkey shaping the culture while doing it. Whether it's animated chaos, soap opera tears, or savage sketch comedy, these OGs prove that staying power is a flex.

Let’s take a look at the TV shows that have outlived trends, platforms, and probably your last three streaming passwords.

🎭 Soap Operas: The Eternal Drama Queens

General Hospital

🗓️ Debut: April 1, 1963
📡 Network: ABC
TL;DR: The show your grandma watched, your mom watched, and now somehow you’ve seen a random ep because TikTok edited a wild plot twist. Over 60 years of hospital hookups, evil twins, and shock comas—General Hospital isn’t just surviving, it’s thriving.

Coronation Street

🗓️ Debut: December 9, 1960
📡 Network: ITV (UK)
Legacy: The Brits said hold my tea and gave us this never-ending street soap. With more than 11,500 episodes, Corrie holds the global crown for longest-running scripted drama. Weatherfield? It’s practically a real town at this point.

🧒 Kids Shows That Raised Us (Literally)

Sesame Street

🗓️ Debut: November 10, 1969
📡 Network: PBS, HBO
Vibes: Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster still out here educating the masses. Over 55 years of letters, numbers, and life lessons—with cameos from celebs your toddler cousin and your grandma both recognize. Respect.

Unser Sandmännchen

🗓️ Debut: November 22, 1959
📡 Network: Various (Germany)
Say what? It’s German, it’s stop-motion, and it has 22,000+ episodes. Yeah. This show is literally older than most of your favorite rock bands. Germany’s bedtime MVP for generations—pure wholesome domination.

😂 Comedy, Cartoons & Cultural Chaos

Saturday Night Live (SNL)

🗓️ Debut: October 11, 1975
📡 Network: NBC
Legacy: Sketch comedy’s messy icon. Nearly 50 years of hot takes, cold opens, and viral impressions. It gave us everything from Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin to Pete Davidson’s career. If it’s trending, SNL probably spoofed it.

The Simpsons

🗓️ Debut: December 17, 1989
📡 Network: Fox
The Facts: The yellow fam that never ages. Over 750 episodes deep and somehow still predicting the future like it’s a side hustle. Whether it’s Bart’s pranks or Lisa’s existential dread, The Simpsons is eternal.

South Park

🗓️ Debut: August 13, 1997
📡 Network: Comedy Central
Energy: Wild. Rude. Hilariously real. Trey and Matt’s brainchild is still dragging everything from politics to pop culture—with a turnaround time so fast it makes the news look slow. 27+ seasons and still chaotic good.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

🗓️ Debut: 2005
📡 Network: FX/FXX
Title? Ironic. This gang is morally bankrupt, emotionally damaged, and freakin’ hilarious. With over 20 years of dark comedy and zero character development (on purpose), Sunny is the longest-running live-action sitcom in the U.S. for a reason.

🚔 Drama Queens & Procedural Royalty

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU)

🗓️ Debut: September 20, 1999
📡 Network: NBC
Detective Vibes: Olivia Benson has been fighting crime since before some of y’all were born. With 570+ episodes, SVU is the longest-running primetime live-action drama ever. It’s gritty, emotional, and has better plot twists than most thrillers.

Grey's Anatomy

🗓️ Debut: 2005
📡 Network: ABC
Still beating: Somehow still pulling massive views—and killing off beloved characters like it’s a sport. Over 20 seasons in, Grey’s is now the longest-running primetime medical drama in the U.S., and it shows no signs of flatlining.

📺 Why Are These Shows Still Here?

Because they evolve. They know how to stay relevant, memeable, and sometimes even accidentally iconic (shoutout to The Simpsons predicting everything from Trump to iPhones). Whether they’re comforting background noise or appointment viewing, these shows have morphed into full-on cultural institutions.

In a world where most shows get canceled before they find their rhythm, these legends have managed to keep the vibes alive. Whether it's wild plotlines, nostalgia bombs, or viral moments, these series prove one thing: great TV doesn’t die—it just gets better with time (and way more episodes).

Stay tuned to Woke Waves Magazine for all things binge-worthy, throwback, and trendsetting in Gen Z’s screen life.

#TVLegends #LongRunningShows #GenZBingeWatch #TheSimpsons #SVUForever

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