CBS tends to be considered the more conservative of networks, not typically embracing series as bold or progressive as what you might see on ABC or a different network. But the network has produced some excellent series over the years that still hold up in 2025.
While the network is more known for its procedurals and the FBI universe, it also gave us a few really memorable dramas and sitcoms. Here are a few shows that people have forgotten about that are worth revisiting.
Designing Women
Designing Women was a fantastic and long-running sitcom that aired on CBS from 1986 to 1993. It starred a group of four women and one man working together as interior designers at an Atlanta firm in the 1980s and starred Jean Smart, Dixie Carter, Annie Potts, Delta Burke, and Meshach Taylor.
Despite airing more than 160 episodes and sporting an impressive cast, Designing Women doesn't often get the credit it deserves. The series tackled all sorts of bold and important social topics during its time, including homophobia, sexuality, racism, sexism, ageism, and more. For a series that aired in the late '80s, Designing Women was quite progressive and many of its episodes still resonate decades later.
Square Pegs
Not everything in this early 1980s sitcom aged well, but a lot did it because of how realistic the series was. Starring an early-career Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Linker, Square Pegs centered on the coming-of-age story of two teens trying to adapt and fit in at their high school.
It was highly acclaimed by critics at the time and favorably compared to John Hughes' classics, but sadly behind-the-scenes drama led to the show's early cancellation, leaving it as yet another one-season wonder.
Northern Exposure
If you enjoy series like Hart of Dixie and Everwood then Northern Exposure is an absolute must-watch. It follows a similar set-up of a doctor being relocated to a small town and learning how to acclimate to the quirky charms of his new remote town where he works as the only physician around for miles.
Running for six seasons and more than 100 episodes, this CBS drama was quite popular during its run, even picking up several awards. Yet it's still not discussed as often as some of the other shows released during the 1990s. The writing is strong along with an impressive production that leaves the show looking good and allowing it to hold up quite well even after all this time.
Ghost Whisperer
Before she was handling emergency calls as Maddie Buckley on 9-1-1, Jennifer Love Hewitt was helping ghosts progress to the afterlife in this addictive supernatural series that aired in the early 2000s.
Often compared to darker shows like Supernatural and Medium, Ghost Whisperer was usually pretty light and heartwarming, favoring romance and family-friendly drama over horror. It garnered a loyal fanbase during its run, but never quite reached the same heights as shows like Charmed. But it's great comfort television with its weekly ghost problem to solve and Hewitt is strong as the leading character Melinda Gordon.
Elementary
This procedural drama is one of the "newest" on this list, as it started airing in 2012 and ran to 2019. But because there are so many different Sherlock Holmes adaptations, Elementary often gets lost and forgotten in the shuffle despite being a strongly acted and well-written series with a surprising amount of depth for a procedural.
It helps when you have a cast that includes people like Lucy Liu, Natalie Dormer, and, of course, Jonny Lee Miller as the lead. The nice thing about Elementary, too, is that it is very different from other popular adaptations like the BBC's Sherlock.