National Film/Television Registry 2026

Way back in 2017 I did another update of my recommended films for inclusion into the National Film Registry. So I’m certainly due for a reexamination. First, what has been added since then:

Army-McCarthy Hearings – newsreel, 1954. So, this was sort of already in there, and I didn’t know it. Back in 1993, Point of Order!, a documentary made of footage from the hearings, was already inducted. Oops.
Clerks – narrative feature, 1994. Inducted in 2019.
Clerks – narrative feature, 1994. Inducted in 2019.
Hearts and Minds – documentary, 1974. Inducted in 2018.
Jurassic Park – narrative feature, 1993. Inducted in 2018.
Monterey Pop – documentary, 1968. Inducted in 2018.
The Truman Show – narrative film, 1998. Inducted in 2025.

…And there are a couple I feel no longer really need to be on my list:

Camille – narrative feature, 1936. Why not? A nice melodrama, but Barrymore and Garbo aren’t exactly underrepresented in the registry.

Twice Upon a Time – animated feature film, 1983. Why not? A nifty example of lumage animation, but not really that important.

So, I have eight spots available, to make the annual 25. They are highlighted below. But then I have some bones to pick, following:
 
1776 – narrative feature, 1972. Why? Film adaptation of popular Broadway show that lightly lampoons the founders.
Apollo Missions Footage – documentary, 1969-72. Why? Includes first film shot on another celestial body and many other iconic images.
Bring the Pain – standup special, 1996. Why? Contains Chris Rock’s most celebrated material.
A Charlie Brown Christmas – animated short subject, 1965. Why? One of America’s favorite Christmas specials, made-for-t.v.
Closed Mondays – animated short subject. Why? Exemplifies Will Vinton’s very influential Claymation style.
The Cat Concerto – animated short subject, 1947. Why? Exemplifies the Tom and Jerry shorts that won seven Academy Awards and are a cultural staple.
Der Fuehrer's Face – animated short subject, 1942. Why? Exemplifies WWII anti-Nazi propaganda.
Everything Will Be OK – animated short subject, 2006. Why? Typifies Don Hertzfeldt’s popular animation style.
F for Fake – documentary/narrative feature, 1973. Why? Genre-bending documentary that explores hoaxes via Orson Welles.
Feynman Caltech Lectures – documentary, 1961-64. Why? The Nobel laureate’s brilliant lecture series is well-regarded as one of the finest series of science lectures ever delivered.
Fiddler on the Roof – narrative feature, 1971. Why? Important and innovative movie adaptation of an enormously popular Broadway musical.
Folies Bergere – narrative film, 1927. Why? This was the debut American icon Josephine Baker’s notorious banana dance.
I Like America and America Likes Me - experimental film/short subject, 1974. Why? One of the defining moments of performance art by Joseph Beuys.
Jammin’ in New York – standup special, 1992. Why? Exemplary George Carlin special.
Meat Joy – experimental film/short subject, 1964. Why? One of the defining moments of performance art by Carol Schneemann.
The Mind’s Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey – animated short subject, 1990. Why? Was a pioneer in computer animation technology.
The Mind’s Eye: A Computer Animation Odyssey – animated short subject, 1990. Why? Was a pioneer in computer animation technology.
The Muppet Christmas Carol – narrative feature, 1992. Why? Beloved Muppet production, and critically adored adaptation of the Dickens story.
My Dinner with Andre – narrative feature, 1981. Why? Iconic independent film with an atypical setting and narrative.
President Nixon's Resignation Speech – newsreel, 1974. Why? Documents a critical moment in American politics.
Street of Crocodiles – animated short subject, 1986. Why? Magnum opus of influential stop-motion artists the Brothers Quay.
Superman – animated short subject, 1941. Why? Was the first film adaptation of the comic book icon, heavily influencing future depictions.
Synecdoche, New York – narrative feature, 2008. Why? Early Charlie Kaufman work that features Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Treasure Island – narrative feature, 1950. Why? Highly influential adaptation defined modern pirate culture.
Tron – narrative feature, 1982. Why? Influential sci-fi film about entering the digital world that later became franchised.
The Unwritten Law – narrative feature, 1907. Why? Dramatization of the Thaw-White murder, starring Evelyn Nesbit as herself.
 
Now for the bone to pick.
 
One issue with the Registry is that it only deals with films (documentaries, cartoons and such included). Television is totally absent, which seems… problematic. (Also, there is only one music video – Thriller – but that’s an issue for another day.)
 
I think, therefore, that in 2026, they should do a special one-off where they add a bunch of iconic television episodes. Classic sitcoms, documentaries, game shows, talk shows – all of it. 50 episodes of t.v. that showcase the whole gamut of America’s television. Keeping in mind that only works created 10 years ago or more are eligible, here are my 50 suggested episodes/series:
 
I Love Lucy – narrative feature, 1952. Season 2, Episode 1: “Job Switching”. Why? The famed chocolate conveyor belt episode is probably the most well-known episode of the most popular show of the 1950s.
The Honeymooners – narrative feature, 1956. Season 1, Episode 18: “The $99,000 Answer”. Why? The pioneering sitcom created a template many would follow, and spoofs early gameshow culture.
What’s My Line? – documentary, 1956. Season 8, Episode 11: “Walt Disney”. Why? A great example of the early gameshows that were witty and fun – an era of panelists in dinner jackets.
The Twilight Zone – narrative feature, 1961. Season 2, Episode 29: “The Obsolete Man”. Why? The revolutionary sci-fi anthology show created a slew of famous episodes, still referenced and enjoyed to this day.
The Dick Van Dyke Show – narrative feature, 1963. Season 3, Episode 1: “That’s My Boy??” Why? Dick van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore show their comedic talent when the Petries think they’ve brought home the wrong baby.
Rocky and Bullwinkle – narrative feature, 1963. Season 5, Episode 14: “The Ruby Yacht”. Why? An early example of “Saturday morning cartoons” that dominated children’s entertainment for decades.
The French Chef – documentary, 1963. Season 1, Episode 2: “Boeuf Bourguignon”. Why? One of the first – and certainly most famous – television cooking shows, hosted by Julia Child.
The Ed Sullivan Show – documentary, 1964. Season 17, Episode 19. Why? The most famous example of early television talent shows, this episode was the first American appearance of The Beatles.
The Flintstones – narrative feature, 1964. Season 5, Episode 8: “Dr. Sinister”. Why? The legendary cartoon could get away with more goofiness than standard sitcoms, and its characters remain iconic.
Star Trek – narrative feature, 1967. Season 2, Episode 15: “The Trouble with Tribbles”. Why? A fan favorite, the groundbreaking sci-fi series episode has the crew deal with an unusual threat.
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood – narrative feature, 1969. Season 2, Episode 5: “Episode 1065”. Why? Rogers’ classic program for children engaged with them on their level in a serious, kindhearted, and sincere fashion, turning the host into a cherished icon.
Scooby Doo, Where Are You! – narrative feature, 1969. Season 1, Episode 16: “A Night of Fright Is No Delight”. Why? Scooby Doo became one of the most well-known cartoons on television, with characters and a format that are still popular over 50 years later.
All in the Family – narrative feature, 1971. Season 2, Episode 12: “Cousin Maude’s Visit”. Why? Typifies the Norman Lear sitcom, which dealt with more serious subject matter than past shows had done.
An American Family – documentary, 1973. Why? The initial foray into ‘reality’ television, which focused on a Californian middle-class family’s struggles.
Roots – narrative feature, 1977. Why? The first, and still most important, American miniseries, which helped launch the format and became a cultural touchstone.
Saturday Night Live – narrative feature, 1978. Season 3, Episode 18: “Steve Martin/The Blues Brothers”. Why? The variety show has lasted more than 50 years, launched tons of careers, and this episode has many famous bits, including Martin’s ‘King Tut’.
M*A*S*H – narrative feature, 1979. Season 8, Episode 11: “Life Time”. Why? The trailblazing dramedy was not only a serious reflection on war, but also one of the foremost medical dramas, in a genre that would only grow in popularity.
The Muppet Show – narrative feature, 1979. Season 3, Episode 15: “Harry Belafonte”. Why? The puppet-led variety show was an era-defining program of the late 70s and early 80s, and the Belafonte episode is a particular standout.
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage – documentary, 1980. Why? The scientific series by Carl Sagan was a watershed in educational programming, and still beloved.
Dallas – narrative feature, 1980. Season 4, Episode 4: “Who Done It”. Why? One of the most-viewed television episodes of all-time, revealing who shot JR on the primetime soap.
Late Night with David Letterman – documentary, 1983. Season 1, Episode 171. Why? Letterman’s approach to late night talk shows radically shifted the format, as seen in this envelope-pushing episode with Andy Kaufman.
Sesame Street – narrative feature, 1983. Season 15, Episode 4: “Farewell Mr. Hooper”. Why? The pioneering children’s show in this episode dealt with the death of  main character.
The Cosby Show – narrative feature, 1985. Season 2, Episode 3: “Happy Anniversary”. Why? Important cultural depiction of middle-class black America on a show that was a big hit.
Days of Our Lives – narrative feature, 1985. Season 1, Episode 4,974. Why? The quintessential daytime soap opera drama – in this episode, the wedding of Hope and Bo –  which has been running since 1965.
Cheers – narrative feature, 1986. Season 5, Episode 4: “Abnormal Psychology”. Why? Cheers helped redefine sitcoms into shows with story arcs, and this episode in particular features the Frasier character who would be spun-off into his own highly successful and acclaimed series.
Twin Peaks – narrative feature, 1990. Season 1, Episode 1: “Pilot”. Why? The start of the David Lynch masterpiece sets in motion a bizarre and critically acclaimed series.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson – documentary, 1991. Episode 6,488. Why? Carson helped define late night talk shows, and this episode showcases Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters’ improvisational style.
Seinfeld – narrative feature, 1992. Season 4, Episode 3: “The Pitch”. Why? Exemplifies, with meta humor, the premise of the influential sitcom about nothing.
The Simpsons – narrative feature, 1993. Season 4, Episode 17: “Last Exit to Springfield”. Why? One of the most important primetime sitcoms, and the longest-running, which was a cultural phenomenon in the 90s.
Sex and the City – narrative feature, 1998. Season 1, Episode 4: “Valley of the Twenty-Something Guys”. Why? Previously no show had been so explicitly frank discussing sex in a humorous way, while focusing on a group of female protagonists was also a rarity.
Friends – narrative feature, 1999. Season 5, Episode 14: “The One Where Everyone Finds Out”. Why? Friends was the apotheosis of the 20^th century sitcom: a decade-defining megahit.
The Sopranos – narrative feature, 1999. Season 1, Episode 5: “College”. Why? 1999 was the ‘big bang’ of prestige drama, and The Sopranos was the catalyst, as seen in this episode where Tony Soprano walks the line between family man in therapy and brutal mafia gangster.
The West Wing – narrative feature, 2000. Season 2, Episode 10: “Noel”. Why? The West Wing brought Sorkin and politics into people’s living rooms in a new way.
Survivor – documentary, 2000. Season 1, Episode 7: “The Merger”. Why? The turn-of-the-century launched a tidal wave of new reality t.v. gameshows, with Survivor at the forefront.
SpongeBob SquarePants – narrative feature, 2001. Season 2, Episode 15: “The Secret Box / Band Geeks”. Why? One of the longest-running cartoon shows, enjoyed by generations of children and adults.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer – narrative feature, 2002. Season 6, Episode 7: “Once More, with Feeling”. Why? Joss Whedon’s Buffy was part of a trend of supernatural series in the late 90s, with the particular episode launching the fad of ‘musical’ episodes on other shows.
The Wire – narrative feature, 2002. Season 1, Episode 4: “Old Cases”. Why? The Wire was one of the first prestige dramas of the new century, and still one of the most celebrated, given its unique premise of investigating how drugs ravage a city from different seasonal perspectives.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – documentary, 2003. Season 8, Episode 55. Why? Stewart’s comedy talk show launched many careers, and this episode defined his trademark style of using clips to catch out hypocrisy, in this case, of Governor Bush v. President Bush.
Whose Line Is It, Anyway? – narrative feature, 2003. Season 5, Episode 32: “Show No. 426”. Why? A mild cultural phenomenon, this improv sketch ‘gameshow’ subverted the tropes while providing genuine humor.
The Oprah Winfrey Show – documentary, 2004. Season 19, Episode 1. Why? By the time of this episode – the famed car giveaway – Oprah was at her height in cultural power, having honed the daytime talk show across nearly two decades.
South Park – narrative feature, 2005. Season 9, Episode 12: “Trapped in the Closet”. Why? The irreverent adult animation show tackles out-of-bounds topics for nearly 30 seasons and counting.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – narrative feature, 2005. Season 5, Episodes 24/25: “Grave Danger”. Why? CSI was a hugely popular series that launched a franchise and tons of imitators which continued being watched for a quarter of a century.
Breaking Bad – narrative feature, 2008. Season 1, Episode 1: “Pilot”. Why? The vast dramatic arc of television’s most-acclaimed show begins with us being introduced to sad sack loser Walter White, whose ineptitude slowly disappears over the course of the series.
The Office – narrative feature, 2008. Season 4, Episode 9: “Dinner Party”. Why? The Office represents two major trends: first, the rise of the documentary-style sitcom that became widespread, and second, cringe comedy based on likeable characters.
Wheel of Fortune – documentary, 2010. Season 28, Episode 40. Why? Typifies the daytime gameshow format that has remained popular on television for more than 70 years.
30 Rock – narrative feature, 2010. Season 4, Episode 15: “Don Geiss, America and Hope”. Why? Tina Fey was a powerhouse of American television comedy, culminating in the sitcom about working for television.
Game of Thrones – narrative feature, 2011. Season 1, Episode 1: “Winter Is Coming”. Why? One of the most acclaimed and popular shows of the 2010s, this made fantasy far more mainstream.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show – documentary, 2012. Season 9, Episode 90. Why? Showcases a standard talk show feature, of animals interacting with guests, and was the only serious rival to Oprah.
Key & Peele – narrative feature, 2015. Season 5, Episode 11: “The End”. Why? The sendoff of one of the best sketch comedy shows of the 2010s, with a few well-known bits.
The Americans – narrative feature, 2016. Season 1, Episode 13: “The Colonel”. Why? One of the most acclaimed series in the era of prestige dramas.
 
There would still be plenty of t.v. to add in the upcoming years, even after this blockbuster bonus round. For example, Superbowl LI isn’t eligible until next year, nor are the best episodes of Atlanta, and a bunch of very important names and shows didn’t make the cut of the most-important 50: Gunsmoke, Parks and Recreation, Leave It to Beaver, Lost, Happy Days, Watchmen, The Real World, American Idol, Dan Harmon, The X-Files, Law and Order, Adventure Time, Carol Burnett, Your Show of Shows, The Leftovers, Rowan & Martin, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Band of Brothers, Mad Men, Will & Grace, Chapelle’s Show, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, The Golden Girls, Succession, BoJack Horseman, Hill Street Blues, Arrested Development, 60 Minutes, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow: and on, and on, and on. Lots of episodes to add moving forward, is my point.
 
Assuming they do the right thing, and start putting t.v. in the Registry.