Some long-running soap operas have more episodes than there are days in 50 years.
How to Play: Guess if the show on the right has MORE or FEWER total episodes than the one on the left.
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Top 10 Longest-Running TV Shows by Episode Count
Episode counts span from US daytime soaps with 10,000+ to British prestige miniseries with 6. Counts here are scripted only — talk shows and news excluded.
| # | Name | Total Episodes | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Hospital | 16,000 | episodes |
| 2 | Guiding Light | 15,762 | episodes |
| 3 | Days of Our Lives | 14,800 | episodes |
| 4 | The Young and the Restless | 12,500 | episodes |
| 5 | Coronation Street | 11,000 | episodes |
| 6 | Emmerdale | 10,000 | episodes |
| 7 | Neighbours | 9,000 | episodes |
| 8 | EastEnders | 7,000 | episodes |
| 9 | Saturday Night Live | 950 | episodes |
| 10 | Doctor Who (1963-) | 870 | episodes |
Why Soaps Run So Long
US daytime soaps and British soap dramas dominate by episode count due to year-round, often daily airing schedules sustained for decades. Guiding Light ran from 1937 (radio) to 2009.
Prestige dramas have far fewer episodes per season (6-13 vs 22-26) and run for fewer seasons. Game of Thrones at 73 episodes is shorter than a single year of a soap opera.
Animated US shows have unusual longevity. The Simpsons crossed its 770th episode in 2024 and remains in production with renewals through Season 40.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which show has the most episodes?
General Hospital (US) and Guiding Light each crossed 15,000+ episodes — both daytime soaps.
How long is one season of a soap?
About 250-260 episodes per year (5 days/week, 50 weeks). 50 years = ~12,500-15,000 episodes.
Are these scripted only?
Yes. Talk shows (Late Show, Today) and game shows (Wheel of Fortune) have far more episodes but are not in this list.
What was the longest single-episode show?
Some Saturday Night Live episodes run 90+ minutes. Marathons like Lost finale ran 2.5 hours.
Note: Episode counts per IMDb and broadcaster records as of late 2024. Active shows continue to add episodes.
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