Trauma

The longest (26-1/2 hours), most expensive ($25 million) and most complicated (four directors, five producers, five cinematographers, almost 100 speaking parts, several hundred extras) project made for television up to that time, Centennial was shown in two- and three-hour installments over a period of four months. An adaptation of James Michener's best-selling novel, it told the story of the settling of the American West by looking at the founding of the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado, from the settling of the area in the late 18th century to the present. Emmy-nominated for film editing and art direction, it boasts of sterling performances from Richard Chamberlain as frontiersman Alexander McKeag, Robert Conrad as the French-Canadian trapper Pasquinel, and a surprisingly powerful performance from former football star Alex Karras as compassionate but iron-willed immigrant farmer Hans Brumbaugh.

Bouncy babes and sculpted hunks posed as L.A.'s finest lifeguards in this wildly popular series that was eye candy for both men and women. Although it lasted for only one season on NBC, it became an international hit when it switched over to first-run syndication. In 1999, the action moved from California to Hawaii ('Baywatch Hawaii'). It also produced a spin-off ('Baywatch Nights').

A crafty Boston PI recovers stolen property for insurance rewards (and helps victims) in this drama set in the Hub's posh Beacon Hill section. The series started out as a segment of the 'Wednesday Mystery Movie.'

Sexual assaults, domestic disputes and kidnappings are often the primary focus of this crime show, which follows New York City detectives working in a specialized division within the police department. The first spin-off of "Law & Order," this series has featured many high-profile guest stars. Richard Belzer brought his character from "Homicide

A police detective, who's a descendant of a unique family of hunters, tracks supernatural creatures in this dramatic series that puts fairytale monsters in modern times.

The Horton and Brady broods endure the romantic trials of life in Salem, a Midwestern hamlet filled with evil geniuses, star-crossed lovers and a rich family history. After a slow start, the soap earned a loyal following in spite of (or maybe because of) way-out-there plots, including satanic possession and mind control.