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20 to 1’s Greatest TV Moments

Here's the list of TV's most defining moments according to 20 to 1. But do you agree?

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20 to 1 last night offered up its list of “Greatest TV Moments,” a roll call of the best ‘Made for TV’ moments from the last 50 years.

There were a lot of nostalgic, memorable moments on the list, which steered clear of news and sport. Those that made the list were constructs from drama, comedy, reality, lifestyle and current affairs. While the list was predominantly Australian, a few American, and one British moment also made the cut. Clearly television from other corners of the world was banished…

As with all the 20 to 1 lists, it’s actually producers who decide the rankings, possibly based on what clips they can get the rights to. Presumably moments that have featured in other 20 to 1 editions were also a non-priority. One entry on the list even includes host Bert Newton himself (but all things considered, it’s a fair call). Nine did well not to award itself the top prize (see below) and it’s somewhat ironic that it claimed the greatest locally produced Nine moment was the same one that so incensed its owner, Kerry Packer.

Yet while there are indeed some fabulous moments remembered here. But where was I Love Lucy? No Simpsons? Nothing from The Sullivans? Big Brother’s “Truman Show” moment when Sara Marie faced her audience for the first time and realised she had reached pop culture status, was chosen over Merlin’s “Free the Refugees” moment. And what about Happy Days’ “jump the moment?” TV Tonight wants to know what they left off the list.
20. Tom Cruise jumps on Oprah Winfrey’s couch.
19. Big Brother (Sara Marie faces the live audience).
18. Number 96 (first full frontal nudity).
17. Martin Bashir’s interview of Princess Di.
16. Gordon Ramsay drops the C Word on a “French pig.”
15. Bea Smith burns Lynne Warner’s hand in the Prisoner iron press.
14. Twin Peaks’ Laura Palmer is found “wrapped in plastic.”
13. Survivor’s Susan Hawke lets fly after a naked Richard Hatch rubs up against her.
12. Bert says “I like the boy” to Muhammed Ali at the Logies.
11. Kimberley blows up Melrose Place.
10. Strop makes a hangover cure for Paul Hogan.
9. Jennifer Aniston dons her hair do on Friends.
8. Sylvania Waters arrives.
7. The Block’s first auction.
6. Australia’s Naughtiest Home Videos is taken off air.
5. The Seinfeld friends make a bet to become master of their own domain.
4. MASH says Goodbye Farewell and Amen.
3. Michael J. Fox says goodbye to Spin City and a television career.
2. The wedding of Scott and Charlene.
1. Who shot J.R.?

So how about it….. what “made for TV” moments are conspicuous by their absence?

30 Responses

  1. I had never watched that show before… my god is it bad. How many underemployed “celebrities” do we need to confirm that “everyone wanted the Rachael cut” or butcher lines from Seinfeld?

  3. Yeah Jennifer’s hair do isn’t technically even a “moment.” Which moment? The moment she first appeared with it?

    When I saw Survivor I assumed it would be Jonny Fairplay related, but nope.

    Nothing from Idol (ie Guy winning, Callea singing The Prayer the first time?).

  4. Molly Meldrum Interview of Prince Charles.
    Calling the prince “love” – Priceless

    Absolutely agree – Graham Kennedys Crow Call that changed live TV Forever.
    The delay on live tv for censorship came in because of that.
    Welllllllllll before Mr Ramsay.

    Agree that Don Lane and Randi was a classic.

    Also I was working on BB the night Merlin came out of the house.
    Live! It was Mental.
    Behind The Scenes was absolutely crazy.
    It just threw everyone for six.

    BTW.. the Turkey Slap should get a dishonourable mention.

    Surely those immortal words ” welcome to television’ would be classed as a great moment.
    And a lot more important than an auction.

    Not sure if you can class as “made for television’ but..
    Norman Gunston at Gough Whitlams Dismissal.

    Aunty Jack going to Colour.

    Jennifers hair… gimme a break!!!!

  5. A pretty fair list, apart from “The Block”, which I’m sure was put in there as a reminder to viewers, because they are planning a comeback. But where was “The Sullivans’ when a air raid in London, causes a roof to fall in on beloved Grace Sullivan? Also when it was announced that Lucy was having a baby on I Love Lucy? They were two big moments originally seen on Nine. They also got the year wrong for Friends, claiming the Rachel do was big in 1992. ( the show started in the US in 1994 and didn’t premier here until 1996).

  6. Scott & Charlene at # 2 is very fitting – when I see the wedding these days I still get goose bumps – it really was a magical time in Australian television.
    However, where is A Country Practice, when beloved Molly died?

  8. What about Lisa McCune’s death on Blue Heelers? That was arguably the biggest moment in Australian drama in terms of people watching and such an icon to young girls and grannies being killed off.

  10. this was probably the lamest 20 to 1 list. Full of cross-promotions. If they’re the greatest moments in TV history I’m terrified. Some were relevant (the Mash finale for example) but most were just crap. Very disappointing.

  12. I would have thought the Merlin silent protest was a “bigger” Big Brother moment than Sara Marie’s bum dance!

    And seriously, some rant on Survivor? Gimme a break!

    And it’s Kerry Armstrong who played Lynn Warner in Prisoner 🙂

  13. what did you expect? nine did the show as usual nine DID the show. How can you narrow it down to 20 anyway. Greatest moments 3/4 should not be on that list.

  15. Jerome i agree that Ramsay and The Block were a bit sus but the one with Bert & Ali is one of the greatest bits of tv ever. Can’t not include it just because Bert is hosting. I like the boy!

    Agree about Kennedy..should have included his infamous crow call for sure.

  16. nothing suss that 5 active ch9 shows/personalities showed up in there being:
    -Ramsay
    -survivor
    -Bert newton
    -the block
    -naughtiest home videos

    i’d say final episode of friends (maybe instead of the hair)
    Losts’ down the hatch cliffhanger
    when that getaway presenter almost got shot
    definately something from graham Kennedy

  21. Some like the Don Lane bit and the Normie Rowe biffo have been seen so many times already so they were probably left out for that reason. Was expecting the iconic scene with Molly dying in A Country Practice but no.

    Hard to argue with #1 though. The JR episode was the birth of the cliff hanger.

  24. Number 7 – the Block’s first auction doesn’t deserve to be in the list.. can hardly remember anyone from the show, let alone it’s auction.

    But then again, the Block is coming back isn’t it? Some healthy cross-promotion never hurt.

    MASH should have been number 1 – a very poignant episode

  25. Not too bad a list … sport and news events off-limits obviously.

    But where was Ron Casey laying one on Normie Rowe on Midday?

    Gordon Ramsay was included as a cross-promo surely?

    Bert of course had to make the list … not a bad selection. But where was Don Lane spitting the dummy at James Randi.

    Any Graham Kennedy moment from the 1000’s available would have been appropriate.

    The Block well deserves inclusion, but the Auction? Can someone tell me the auction results and who won? I just remember the Crazy John suit man bidding? The Block should be remembered for tapping the zeitgeist when the Howard/Hanson phenomenon was in full swing, and Pauline was Queen and Queens playing with tools on TV in their undies at 6.30pm on a Sunday was still controversial. The PR set the series up to succeed perfectly.

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