Hard to believe but these 10 TV shows are still airing new episodes e.g. 'Real World,' 'Cops,' Cheaters,' 'CSI'

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

"America's Funniest Home Videos" ABC (year debuted: 1989): This was a very early example of cheap, "reality" programming using user-generated content that has since been replicated on shows such as Comedy Central's "Tosh.O" and MTV's "Ridiculousness." First hosted by Bob Saget, and now Tom Bergeron, the videos used to come by mail on VHS tape but today are mostly uploaded. Even the advent of YouTube hasn't killed the show. In fact, it has made curating even easier. Oddly, the prize has always been $10,000, a dollar amount far more valuable a quarter century ago than today. It continues to air at 7 p.m. on Sunday nights, where it's been primarily anchored most of its time on air.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

"The Real World" MTV (year debuted: 1992, 30 seasons) - This is the first show to ever stick a bunch of disparate young folks into a house and then lets things "get real." It was controversial and compelling in its early years as people from different religious, political and socio-economic backgrounds clashed in a "social experiment" of sorts. But the show has taken a more conventional turn in recent seasons as the focus has become more about hook-ups and relationship drama. Oddly, it took many years before a spate of copycats came along, including shows on the network itself ("Jersey Shore," anyone?). What's shocking is the fact it's still around with the 30th season debuting next month out of Chicago. It's even stranger considering the fact MTV prides itself on focusing on the here and now for its 12 to 24 year old target audience.  The show is now older than many of its target audience members. Original members of "The Real World" could have kids who are on the current "Real World." Another oddity: the show has never been set in Atlanta. The next season of "The Real World" airs on MTV at 10 p.m. starting Tuesday, Dec. 16.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

"CSI"

CBS (year debuted: 2000, 15 seasons) - This is the only scripted show I included though "Law & Order: SVU" could arguably be part of this equation as well. "CSI" was the No. 1 show in America as recently as 2003, bringing in 25 to 30 million viewers a week. Now it draws about 10 million, enough to stay on the CBS lineup. It outlasted two spinoffs (Miami, New York) and survived the departure of its signature lead character Gil Grissom played by

William Petersen

after season 9.

Laurence Fishburne

was the lead man for 9 through 11 and

Ted Danson

ever since. The show brought forensics into the national forefront. To this day, "CSI" influences juries with unrealistic expectations of investigators' abilities to solve crimes with DNA and other "fool-proof" criteria. A few original cast members remain, most notably

George Eads

(playing Nick Stokes)  and

Jorja Fox

(Sara Sidle). "CSI" airs Sunday nights now at 10 p.m. (The show debuted in 1999 on Friday nights alongside "The Fugitive," which everyone thought at the time would be the hit. "CSI" aired for many years on Thursday nights.)

'The Jerry Springer Show" - Syndicated (year debuted: 1991) - In the late 1990s, I remember debates about how ridiculous, morally repugnant and over the top this show had become. Some called it the sign of a cultural apocalypse. Were these actors or real people? Why were they always wanting to tackle each other?  The chant "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!" still rings in my ears. Amazingly, Springer keeps on doing the same show he has been doing for 23 years with only a smidge less violence. (The security guards are much quicker to stop the mayhem now.) He himself dismisses the show as fluff and readily admits  he does it for the paycheck. He prefers talking politics than argue over why a man cut off his own penis or why a dude would want to marry his horse (actual show topics.) The show airs at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays on WATL-TV.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

"The McLaughlin Group" - PBS (year debuted: 1982) - To be honest, I have never watched this show. I remember it only from the late 1980s and early 1990s when Dana Carvey played a hilarious, barking John McLaughlin. This was also the precursor to all sorts of comparable shows where political commentators jibber-jabbered and argued in clipped fashion. It preceded and outlived two versions of CNN's "Crossfire." (GPB 8 11 a.m. Sundays, PBA 30 8:30 a.m. Sundays)

"Cops" Spike (year debuted: 1989, 27 seasons) -  Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? That reggae-tinged song by Inner Circle became a hit song in 1993, peaking at No. 8. The whole cops-and-robbers cinema verite concept was parodied and snarked about for years. It probably made wife beaters popular - as in the shirts. Fox aired the show 25 years until 2012 with repeats on TruTV. Last year, Spike took over and airs episodes frequently, often six to 10 episodes a day. (Check it out here.)

"Cheaters," the CW (year debuted: 2000) - The concept of following around "cheaters" via camera and humiliate loved ones on air was salacious for a time. It sure looked "real," didn't it? But there have been allegations that many of the couples are actors. So it's fake? Who cares! We as viewers have grown to tolerate all sorts of manipulations in our "reality" programming. "Cheaters," even with the departure of smarmy host Joey Greco a couple years ago, remains in syndication and can be seen daily at 3 p.m. on WATL-TV in Atlanta.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

"Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," Food Network (year debuted: 2006, 18 seasons) - You'd think every-man Guy Fieri would have run out of quirky eateries in America to sample after airing 233 episodes, 600-plus restaurants and a whopping 18 seasons (two cycles a year). If you hate Fieri (and many people do), this show is befuddling in its appeal. Yet this loud, rambunctious human being keeps on chugging along, endangering his own arteries at every turn. The Food Network, on average, airs two episodes a day.

"America's Next Top Model" the CW (year debuted: 2003, 21 seasons) The CW just renewed this show for an incredible 22nd season. Early on, there was some criticism that this show was shallow and focused on physical appearances but isn't that the whole point of modeling? I used to watch it fairly religiously but about five years ago, I moved on. Apparently, hardcore fans have not. The show used to regularly draw 5 to 6 million viewers a week. Its most recent overnight total? 1.2 million this past Friday night. This early reality competition show has outlasted its original network (UPN) and many of its early judges (Janice Dickinson, Twiggy, Nigel Barker) have moved on but Tyra Banks remains the constant. There has been transgender models and male models were added season 20.

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

"Project Runway," Lifetime (year debuted: 2004, 13 seasons) This show actually started on Bravo and was a huge phenomenon in its early years. It was considered a "respectable" reality show because it highlighted talent more than trumped-up drama. It launched charming Tim Gunn's career. He truly "makes it work." The move to Lifetime didn't really hurt the show (and efforts by NBC and Bravo to create copycats failed.) Many of its contestants have gone on to solid careers in the fashion industry with 2008 winner Christian Siriano the most notable. Prizes have gotten bigger and episodes longer (now 90 minutes from 60.) But it doesn't get the obsessive buzz that it used to, with softer ratings as well.  The respect remains. Heidi Klum and Gunn won best host for a reality competition show during the Emmys in 2013. So I don't get a sense Lifetime is planning to dump this prestigious show. In fact, Lifetime has two spin-off shows airing now: "Project Runway All Stars" and "Project Runway Threads" focused on kid designers.