20 Great Years of Radio, Part 17: 1954

1. Escape (CBS): This was the final year for this great program and featured tough episodes like Judgement Day at Crippled Deer, an adaptation of The Birds and the psychological drama The Dark Wall.
2. Suspense (CBS): Auto-Lite ended their sponsorship of Suspense this year. A few great episodes snuck in like Murder by Jury, Weekend Special: Death and The Shelter.
3. The Jack Benny Program (CBS): This year saw many cast members depart as Bob Crosby left and Mary Livingstone was mostly-gone. Still, it was the best comedy of its time. This year's Christmas shopping episode had Jack buying paint for Don Wilson.
4. The Whistler (CBS): Another good year for this mystery series.
5. Lux Radio Theater (CBS/NBC): Lux actually switched networks this year, despite being a long-time hit at CBS. Their production of The Day the Earth Stood Still is one of the series' best productions. There were also great adaptations of The Blue Gardenia and Detective Story.
6. The Phil Harris/Alice Faye Show (NBC): This great sitcom was also winding down at this time.
7. Our Miss Brooks (CBS): This sitcom, on the other hand, had several more years ago and was as strong as ever!
8. The Shadow (Mutual): This was the end of the Shadow; there are only two surviving episodes from this year: Death in the Deep and The Vengeance of Angel Nolan. The show's quality was pretty consistent during its post-war years; it was easily the best adventure hero series on radio.
9. Gunsmoke (CBS): Another great year for this, the best of all radio westerns.
10. Dragnet (NBC): Another good year of the best procedural series.