Grab a glass of chilled white wine and put on your finest shoulder pads: suburban royalty has officially taken the national crown.
In a massive nationwide survey celebrating 70 years of Australian television, the iconic comedy series Kath & Kim has been voted the greatest Australian television show of all time. The landmark countdown was organised by TV Week ahead of the annual Logie Awards, asking thousands of viewers to rank their favourite programmes from across seven decades of broadcasting.
The results were unveiled during the live telecast, revealing a diverse collection of drama, comedy, children’s entertainment, and soap operas that have shaped living room viewing since 1956.
Soaps and Small Towns Round Out the Top Five
While Fountain Gate’s favourite mother-daughter duo took the top spot, the rest of the top five was dominated by long-running dramas that defined multiple generations.
Long-standing soap opera Home and Away secured second place, proving its ongoing cultural staying power. Third place went to the beloved rural medical drama A Country Practice, closely followed by 1990s police favourite Blue Heelers in fourth and family drama Packed to the Rafters finishing in fifth.
The top ten also featured beloved favourites across multiple genres:
- 6th: McLeod’s Daughters
- 7th: All Saints
- 8th: Bluey
- 9th: Neighbours
- 10th: Countdown
Global children’s sensation Bluey managed an eighth-place finish despite only debuting in 2018, beating out legendary soap Neighbours and music institution Countdown.
From Children’s TV Icons to Gritty Crime Dramas
The comprehensive 70-programme list demonstrated just how varied Australia’s viewing habits have been over the decades.
Preschool staples made an impressive showing, with Play School claiming 12th place, Mr Squiggle & Friends landing at 23rd, and The Wiggles securing 33rd. Pre-school hits like Bananas in Pyjamas (38th) and Blinky Bill (34th) also earned spots alongside adult comedy sketch shows like Fast Forward (20th) and The Comedy Company (32nd).
At the same time, gritty true-crime drama Underbelly secured 41st place, while reality television pioneers also earned recognition, with Big Brother Australia landing at 48th and MasterChef Australia at 42nd.
Towards the bottom of the list, critically acclaimed comedies Colin from Accounts (63rd) and Mr Inbetween (64th) managed to edge into the rankings, with coming-of-age classic Puberty Blues narrowly securing the final spot at number 70.
The Full Top 20 Shows Revealed
For those keeping score at home, here is how the top 20 stacked up:
- Kath & Kim
- Home and Away
- A Country Practice
- Blue Heelers
- Packed to the Rafters
- McLeod’s Daughters
- All Saints
- Bluey
- Neighbours
- Countdown
- Bondi Rescue
- Play School
- Mother and Son
- Prisoner
- Offspring
- Round the Twist
- Wentworth
- Young Talent Time
- The Sullivans
- Fast Forward
Whether you grew up watching Skippy the Bush Kangaroo on a wood-panelled black-and-white set or streaming Bluey on an iPad, the list serves as a massive reminder of the shows that brought the country together for seven decades.
