101 Classic (and Not-So-Classic) TV Shows From the 1980s

‘Galactica 1980’ (1980)

Fall 1978 heralded one of the TV’s big events in the form of the sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica. The most expensive show produced for television at the time, it attempted to capture the flavor of Star Wars (only recently released at that time). No sooner had ABC canceled the show and destroyed the sets than they realized they’d made a mistake and threw this sequel together. The first show was about the remnants of humanity fleeing from the threat of the robotic Cylons in search of their lost colony, Earth. In Galactica 1980 they’ve found Earth and are zipping around on flying motorcycles. It is awful. Cast includes Lorne Greene from the original, Kent McCord and Barry Van Dyke.

‘Sanford’ (1980 to 1981)

Redd Foxx stars in this spin-off to the 1970s hit Sanford and Son, only this time without the son (Demond Wilson). Sorry to say, whatever worked about the original — and much of that was the chemistry between Redd and Demond — was gone.

‘Flo’ (1980 to 1981)

Third spin-off in a row for 1980, this one taking the character of Polly Holliday’s Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry — who added the phrase “kiss my grits” to the popular vernacular for a time — from the TV series Alice and into in a new setting as a restaurant hostess in Houston, Texas. Just another example of a supporting character who is better off supporting than moving into lead position.

‘Too Close for Comfort’ (1980 to 1983; 1984 to 1987)

Ted Knight, at that point late of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, stars alongside Nancy Dussault as Henry and Muriel Rush, owner of a two-family house who allow their daughters, Jackie and Sara (respectively Deborah Van Valkenburgh and Lydia Cornell), who are seeking some independence, to move into the downstairs apartment when the tenant dies. Henry, a cartoonist by trade, can’t quite cut the cord — despite the short distance — and constantly involves himself in his daughters’ lives. The show ran on ABC from 1980 to 1983 and then shifted to first-run syndication from 1984 to 1987.

‘Bosom Buddies’ (1980 to 1982)

All these years lady it may be hard to believe that this was the show that first put Tom Hanks on the road to stardom. In it, he and Peter Scolari play Kip Wilson and Henry Desmond, a pair of single guys who are trying to make it in creative advertising and, long story short, end up dressing as women (Tom as Buffy — who decidedly does not slay vampires — and Peter as Hildegard) to live in an apartment they can actually afford in a woman’s only building. Their circle of friends includes model/dancer/nurse Sonny Lumet (Donna Dixon), who Kip falls madly in love with; and the guys’ co-worker, Amy Cassidy (Wendie Jo Sperber), who has a crush on Henry that he’s oblivious to. On the surface it’s a truly dopey premise, but the guys make it work, plus there was an opportunity to explore — through humor — gender stereotypes. Reportedly Tom and Peter did a great deal of improvisation through the show’s two seasons.

‘Magnum, P.I.’ (1980 to 1988)

Tom Selleck is Thomas Sullivan Magnum III, who works as a private investigator in Hawaii, operating out of the guest house of a 200-acre beachfront estate known as Robin’s Nest. Working (reluctantly) with grounds caretaker Jonathan Quayle Higgins III (John Hillerman), Magnum solves a wide variety of crimes on the island. The show was recently remade as a still-running series starring Jay Hernandez as Magnum.

‘Dynasty’ (1981 to 1989)

This prime time soap opera about two feuding families who made their wealth in the oil business, the Carringtons and the Colbys. The show that turned cat fighting into an art form, with a cast that includes Linda Evans, Joan Collins, John Forysythe, Heather Locklear, Diahann Carroll and Rock Hudson.

‘Hill Street Blues’ (1981 to 1987)

Created by Steven Bochco (better get used to hearing that name in this piece) and Michael Kozoll, the show was the launch of ensemble dramas that often had stories in each episode with a beginning, middle and end, but also had personal stories of the characters that would evolve over the course of many episodes. Set in an undesignated series at a police station located on Hill Street, it follows the professional and personal lives of cops and the people they interact with. The cast includes Daniel J. Travanti, Veronica Hamel, Michael Conrad, Bruce Weitz, James B. Sikking, and Betty Thomas.

‘Harper Valley PTA’ (1981 to 1982)

Single mother Stella Johnson (Barbara Eden) goes up against the PTA board of the town of Harper Valley when they decide she dresses too sexily and is a bit too loose sexually for their tastes. The series is based on the 1978 film of the same name, with Barbara reprising her role.

‘The Brady Brides’ (1981)

Just two weeks after The Brady Girls Get Married TV movie aired, a new series starring part of the Brady family debuted. It features Marcia (Maureen McCormick) and Jan (Eve Plumb) and their new spouses Wally and Phillip. Cindy, the Brady boys, and Mike never make appearances in this series. Carol (Florence Henderson) and Alice (Ann B. Davis) are the only other ones with screen time. It’s a bit more focused in that way than any of the other Brady series that came about.

‘The Greatest American Hero’ (1981 to 1983)

Created by Stephen J. Cannell (another guy who ruled 80s TV), it explores what happens when teacher Ralph Hinkley (William Katt) is given what looks like a superhero costume by aliens. They leave and he finds that the suit gives him extraordinary abilities — the only problem is that he doesn’t have an instruction manual and has to figure out how the suit works on his own. To do so, he works with FBI Special Agent Bill Maxwell (Robert Culp). Joining them on occasion is lawyer Pam Davidson (Connie Selleca).

‘Private Benjamin’ (1981 to 1983)

Based on the Goldie Hawn film of the same name, Lorna Patterson plays Judy Benjamin, a socialite who inadvertently finds herself in the Army and must now learn to readjust her way of thinking. Eileen Brennan, as Captain Doreen Lewis (the same role she played in the movie) is more than happy to help.

‘Love, Sidney’ (1981 to 1983)

Tony Randall, with both The Odd Couple and The Tony Randall Show behind him, plays closeted gay man Sidney Shorr, with Swoosie Kurtz as single mother Laurie Morgan, with whom Sidney shares his home. Kaleena Kitt is her daughter, Patti. While the concept was supposed to be envelope-pushing (there were not many other regular gay characters on TV at that point), Sidney’s sexual orientation was kept so subtle that it became ridiculous. Think of how out there a show like Will & Grace is terms of featuring gay characters and go the total opposite and you’ll have an idea of Love, Sidney.

‘Gimme a Break’ (1981 to 1987)

Nell Carter is Nellie Ruth “Nell” Harper, who, in keeping a promise made to her dying friend, moves into her home as a nanny to her kids and housekeeper. Also starring Dolph Sweet, Mari Michaelson, Lauri Hendler and Lara Jill Miller. Nell also sang the title song.

‘The Fall Guy’ (1981 to 1986)

On TV, Lee Majors parlayed his success on The Six Million Dollar Man into another hit series in the form of The Fall Guy. In this one he’s Colt Stevens, a Hollywood stunt man who spends his off-camera time as a bounty hunter. It just so happens that his movie skills come in pretty handy in taking on the fugitives he’s after.

‘Simon & Simon’ (1981 to 1989)

James Parker and Gerald McRaney are, respectively, A.J. Simon and Rick Simon, two brothers who are about as different as could be who are brought together to run a private detective agency, utilizing their personal strengths.

‘Falcon Crest’ (1981 to 1990)

In the era of Dallas and Dynasty, this was another prime time soap about a rich family at war within itself. In this case the setting is California vineyards and the focus on the Gioberti family, owners of the Falcon Crest Winery. The cast includes Jane Wyman, Lorenzo Lamas and David Selby (best known for his role of Quentin Collins on Dark Shadows).

‘T.J. Hooker’ (1982 to 1985)

In between playing Captain James. T. Kirk in Star Trek movies through the 1980s, William Shatner starred in the title role, a cop who, in the aftermath of the murder of his partner, returns to being a uniformed patrolman and begins training young officers to help take back the streets, most notably Vincent ‘Vince’ Romano (Adrian Zmed), Stacy Sheridan (Heather Locklear) and Jim Corrigan (James Darren). The show started off much grittier than it remained.

‘Joanie Loves Chachi’ (1982 to 1983)

Like Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy before it, this is a spin-off of Happy Days with Erin Moran and Scott Baio reprising their characters from that show. The time is the mid 1960s, with the couple relocating to Chicago to pursue their dreams of becoming singers. The dream lasted 17 episodes before they returned to Happy Days.

‘Cagney & Lacey’ (1982 to 1988)

A female-centric cop show was not really the norm back in the day, Angie Dickinson‘s Police Woman not withstanding. Sharon Gless is Christine Cagney and Tyne Daly as Mary Beth Lacey, a pair of New York City police detectives who couldn’t be more different. The show successfully explored their professional and personal lives.

‘Family Ties’ (1982 to 1989)

The concept of the series, which ran for seven seasons from 1982-89, was that former hippies from the 1960s — Steven and Elise Keaton, played by Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter — are raising three kids in the conservative ’80s. The clashes between those two ideals would be at the heart of the show, along with the fact that, in the end, the family prevails. But what happened is that Michael J. Fox, who was playing staunch republican teen Alex P. Keaton, was a standout from the start and began stealing the show, his comic timing cracking the audience up and inspiring the writers to lean toward the character. Mama and Papa Keaton remained heavily involved, as were their daughters Mallory (Justine Bateman) and Jennifer (Tina Yothers) — and, later, their son, Andy (Brian Bonsall) — but there was no question that Alex stood at the center of things. Yes, the scripts would focus on all the others and give them their moments, but this was most definitely the Alex P. Keaton Show.

‘Knight Rider’ (1982 to 1986)

Starring David Hasselhoff, in Knight Rider undercover LAPD officer Michael Arthur Long is shot in the face during an assignment and left for dead. Instead, he’s saved by self-made billionaire Wilton Knight (Richard Basehart). Following plastic surgery, Michael is given the last name Knight and made the lead field agent in FLAG (Foundation for Law and Government), a public justice organization and, armed with KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand), a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am equipped with artificial intelligence among other high-tech features, he fights for justice. It is probably the only successful show that developed an actual connection between the lead and his car. And that connection, of course, led to the other important aspect of Knight Rider: the impact that the show — and especially KITT — has made on a couple of generations of viewers.

‘Gloria’ (1982 to 1983)

Archie Bunker’s little girl Gloria (Sally Struthers) sets off on her own in this spin-off from Archie Bunker’s Place  after husband Mike (the not-seen-on-this-show Rob Reiner) left her for one of his students. She and her son, Joey (Christian Jacobs) end up in Fox Ridge, New York where she starts working for veterinarians Dr. Willard Adams (Burgess Meredith) and Dr. Maggie Lawrence (Jo de Winter).

‘Square Pegs’ (1982 to 1983)

The show that introduced Sarah Jessica Parker to the world. She and Amy Linker play nerdy high school students Patty Greene and Lauren Hutchinson, who are desperate to fit in with their fellow students. Other cast members include Merritt Butrick, Tracy Nelson, Jon Calin and Claudette Wells. According to series creator Anne Beats, the show was abruptly canceled by CBS due to behind the scenes drug abuse among some members of the cast.

‘Cheers’ (1982 to 1993)

One of TV great classic comedies, and the place where everybody knows your name. Comic brilliance for 11 seasons from, among others, Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson and all the rest. Interesting tidbits: the show was nearly canceled due to low ratings in its first season, but was saved by NBC’s Brandon Tartikoff, who believed in it; it was nominated for 117 Emmy Awards, winning 28; it ran for 275 episodes and gave birth to the Kelsey Grammer spin-off Frasier. 

‘Remington Steele’ (1982 to 1987)

Before he became James Bond, Pierce Brosnan was 007-lite in this crime drama with plenty of humor. Stephanie Zimbalist is private investigator Laura Holt who, after having problems getting clients under her own name, invents a boss named Remington Steele. A former thief and con man played by Pierce Brosnan comes aboard as Remington and what follows is their power struggle as they solve crimes, as well as a slowly growing romantic relationship. Everybody Loves Raymond‘s Doris Roberts joined the show in season two as Mildred Krebs.

‘St. Elsewhere’ (1982 to 1988)

A trio of doctors (played by Ed Flanders, Norman Lloyd and William Daniels) at an aging Boston hospital use their vast knowledge to teach young interns and provide them a potential future in the medical field as they are forced to make important life and medicinal decisions. Other cast: Ed Begley Jr., Howie Mandel, Terence Knox, Christina Pickles and Denzel Washington(!).

‘Newhart’ (1982 to 1990)

Following his hit run in the 1970s on The Bob Newhart Show, Bob stars in this sitcom as Dick Loudon, married to Mary Frann‘s Joanna Loudon, and together they run the Strafford Inn. As was the case in his previous show, Bob’s character is the seemingly only sane one amongst a group of eccentrics, including Tom Poston as handyman George Utley, William Sanderson as Larry, Tony Papenfuss as his brother Daryl and John Voldstad as his other brother Daryl. Then there’s Julia Duffy as maid Stephanie Vanderkellen, and Peter Scolari as Michael Harris.

‘The New Odd Couple’ (1982 to 1983)

In 1982 ABC decided to launch a new version of the show, with Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son as Oscar and Ron Glass of Barney Miller as Felix. While the show had great potential, it was irreparably harmed by the insistence that many of the episodes use scripts from the original series, despite the fact they were so well known. It was gone in 18 episodes.

‘Mama’s Family’ (1983 to 1984; 1986 to 1990)

On The Carol Burnett Show, Vicki Lawrence played Thelma Harper, a.k.a. “Mama,” in “The Family” sketch, which took on a life of its own. Besides being featured often on the show, in 1982 the TV movie Eunice was produced, starring Carol Burnett as Mama’s daughter, the title character; Harvey Korman as her ex-husband, Ed; with Ken Berry as Phillip and Betty White as Ellen. The success of that TV movie led to the spinoff television series Mama’s Family, which ran from 1983 to 1985 on NBC, and then in first-run syndication from 1986 to 1990. The latter actually created a rift between Vicki and Carol, because it was being produced by Joe Hamilton, who Carol was in the middle of divorcing, so she felt betrayed. Eventually that rift between them healed.

‘The A-Team’ (1983 to 1987)

This show was a mega-hit, doing the one thing no other show couldn’t do: knocking Happy Days off the air. It’s about the members of a special forces unit of the US Army who are framed for a crime they didn’t commit. Escaping from prison, they spend their days on the run, but also helping the helpless. George Peppard is John “Hannibal” Smith, Dirk Benedict is Templeton Peck, Dwight Schultz is “Howling Mad” Murdock, and Mr. T, fresh off of his debut as Clubber Lang in Rocky III, as “B.A.” Baracus. For a fun look at the show, check out the article “16 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The A-Team” over at eightieskids. 

‘Goodnight, Beantown’ (1983 to 1984)

Bill Bixby plays Boston news anchorman Matt Cassidy, who discovers that he has a new co-anchor in the form of Jennifer Barnes (Mariette Hartley), who also happens to be his across the hall neighbor in the apartment building he lives in.

‘Webster’ (1983 to 1989)

A football player and socialite (played by Alex Karras and Susan Clark) adopt a young boy named Webster (Emmanuel Lewis) following the death of his parents. While the show is supposed to be about these more impulsive adults adjust to life with a kid, the focus was, not unexpectedly, firmly on Webster himself.

‘Hardcastle and McCormick’ (1983 to 1986)

Brian Keith (Uncle Bill from Family Affair) is retiring from being a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge and is tired of criminals getting off on technicalities. Inspired by The Lone Ranger, he teams up with a streetwise car thief to bring to justice some 200 people he’s aware that eluded it. Created by Stephen J. Cannell.

‘Hotel’ (1983 to 1988)

In the days before he married Barbra Streisand, James Brolin was featured in this TV series based on Arthur Hailey’s 1965 novel of the same name. Think of it as The Love Boat without as the focus is on the staff and guests of the St. Gregory in San Francisco. Also starring are Anne Baxter and Connie Sellecca (no longer hanging around with The Greatest American Hero).

‘AfterMASH’ (1983 to 1985)

The only spin-off from MASH, it aired on CBS from 1983-85 and focuses on the post-Korean War lives of Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan), Klinger (Jamie Farr), and Father Mulcahy (William Chistopher). All three, through various circumstances, end up working at River Bend (don’t look for it on the map; it’s a fictional city), Missouri’s  General Pershing Veteran’s Hospital. No one could argue that the series was well made, but the audience that had become such devoted followers to MASH simply didn’t tune in.

‘Scarecrow and Mrs. King’ (1983 to 1987)

After Charlie’s Angels, Kate Jackson went on to star in this series alongside Bruce Boxleitner as, respectively, Amanda King and Lee Stetson, aka “Scarecrow.” She’s a divorced mother of two who inadvertently finds herself drawn into the world of espionage alongside Stetson, which leads to one mission after another. Romance brews between them.

‘Night Court’ (1984 to 1992)

As the title suggests, it’s a show set during the night shift of a Manhattan municipal court and all the wackiness within. Harry Anderson is Judge Harold T. “Harry” Stone, surrounded by Markie Post as defense attorney Christine Sullivan, John Larroquette prosecutor Dan Fielding, Richard Moll as bailiff “Bull” Shannon and Charles Robinson as court clerk Mac Robinson.

‘Airwolf’ (1984 to 1987)

Jan-Michael Vincent is Stringfellow “String” Hawke who flies the arsenal known as Airwolf, with Ernest Borgnine as Dominic “Dom” Santini, flight engineer and surrogate father to Hawke, who he helps out with various missions. The Airwolf itself is described as a prototype supersonic helicopter with stealth capabilities and a variety of weapons as its disposal.

‘Kate and Allie’ (1984 to 1989)

Following her stint on Saturday Night Live, Jane Curtin went on to co-star with Susan Saint James in this sitcom about a pair of divorced women who decide to live together with their kids in an effort to save money.

‘Call to Glory’ (1984 to 1985)

This was a short-lived but critically acclaimed series starring Craig T. Nelson as United States Air Force pilot Colonel Raynor Sarnac who is stationed near Edward Air Force Base in the early 1960s, where he lives with his wife and kids (including one played by Elisabeth Shue). While the first episode used the Cuban Missile Crisis as a backdrop, as the show went on the focus began to shift to how Sarnac’s family dealt with their isolation from much of society.

‘Miami Vice’ (1984 to 1990)

If there was any TV show that was tied to the concept of MTV music videos (remember the time when the network specialized in music videos?), it was Michael Mann’s Miami Vice, which ran from 1984-89. Starring Don Johnson as James “Sonny” Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricard “Rico” Tubbs, the show was set in Miami and combined their undercover police action with high-style visuals, and was intricately tied to the music of the era.

‘Hunter’ (1984 to 1991)

Remember Clint Eastwood‘s Dirty Harry films? Imagine a way toned-down version and you’d have this show, with Fred Dryer playing Sgt. Rick Hunter who’s as quick with a quip as he is whipping out his gun. Stephanie Kramer is his partner, Sgt. Dee Dee McCall. Created by Frank Lupo, this was a Stephen J. Cannell production.

‘Highway to Heaven’ (1984 to 1989)

Continuing his winning streak, Michael Landon went from Bonanza to Little House on the Prairie and then this show. He plays Jonathan Smith, a “probationary” angel who has come back to Earth to help those in need. Costarring is Victor French as retired policeman Mark Gordon. Like David Janssen’s The Fugitive, the show sees them moving from city to city and town to town, helping the different people they encounter.

‘The Cosby Show’ (1984 to 1992)

When the sitcom was considered dead, Bill Cosby brought it roaring back to life with this mega-hit sitcom that was just a comedic breath of fresh air. It also was the key component of NBC’s “Must See TV” lineup on Thursday nights at the time. He’s Dr. Cliff Huxtable and the show is all about his relationship with attorney wife Clair (Phylicia Rashad), their children, eventually their spouses and so on. People likely have forgotten just how big this show really was.

The success of the show saw actress Lisa Bonet starring in the college-set spinoff series A Different World, which ran on NBC from 1987 to 1993.

‘Who’s the Boss?’ (1984 to 1992)

Tony Danza is former major league baseball player Tony Micelli, who, upon relocating to Fairfield, Connecticut, ends up working as a live-in housekeeper for Angela Robinson Bower (Judith Light). His daughter is Samantha (Alyssa Milano) and her son is Jonathan (Danny Pintauro). Also in the cast is Katherine Helmond. As time went on, of course, Tony and Angela started growing closer and more romantic.

‘Three’s a Crowd’ (1984 to 1985)

The British show that had inspired Three’s Company in the first place had spawned a sequel called Robin’s Nest, which set up the male character from that show in an apartment with the woman he’d fallen in love with, while dealing with her father who was constantly trying to break them up. That pretty much sums up the American version, Three’s a Crowd, as well. John reprised the role of Jack Tripper, with Mary Cadorette as Vicky Bradford and Robert Mandan as her father, James.

‘Murder, She Wrote’ (1984 to 1996)

From the creators of Columbo, comes this mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as Jessica Fletcher, mystery writer and armchair detective who solved over 250 mysteries during the show’s 12 seasons and managed to live to talk (and write) about it. Costars over the years included William Windom and Tom Bosley (“Mr. C” from Happy Days).

‘Charles in Charge’ (1984 to 1985; 1987 to 1990)

Scott Baio is Charles, a college student who lives with a family who’s kids he serves as caretaker of. This show had a nice survival story in that it aired on CBS for two seasons, was canceled but then ended up getting picked up for first-run syndication in 1987, where it ran until 1990. Willie Aames costars as Charles’ best friend, Buddy Lembeck.

‘V: The Series’ (1984 to 1985)

V was a blockbuster in the 1980s. It started off as a four-hour miniseries in 1983 about aliens coming to Earth pretending to be our friends, but in reality out to steal our resources and eat us — though they appear human, they’re actually reptilian beings. Fooling the vast majority of the population that they’re here to help, resistance groups form to battle them and expose the truth. The story picked up in spring 1984 with the six-hour miniseries V: The Final Battle and then, in the fall, with this show. Unfortunately the cast was huge, the budget was not and it limped to the finish line after a single season. It was rebooted in 2009 and ran for two seasons.

‘Moonlighting’ (1985 to 1989)

At the time, series creator Glen Gordon Caron introduced us to one of the most innovative detective shows ever, with Cybill Shepherd as model Maddie Hayes, whose fortune is wiped out by a crooked accountant. She finds the only thing left in her name is the Blue Moon Detective Agency. Needing the money, she tries to make a go of it, finding herself saddled with office manager David Addison (a pre-Die Hard Bruce Willis). Comedy, drama, romance, action and Bruce breaking the fourth wall was just magic. Sadly the magic faded too soon.

‘Mr. Belvedere’ (1985 to 1990)

First it was a 1947 novel called Belvedere, then it became the basis of the 1948 film Sitting Pretty and, nearly 40 years later, it became this TV show, starring British actor Christopher Hewett as the butler for an American family, led by Bob Uecker‘s George Owens.

‘227’ (1985 to 1990)

Generally a show about the people in an apartment building located at 227 Lexington Place, the true focus is on Marla Gibbs (Florence on The Jeffersons) as Mary Jenkins, described by Wikipedia as a “sharp-tongued, inner-city resident gossip and housewife,” and her neighbors: Sandra Clark (Jackee Harry) and Pearl Shay (Helen Martin). Mary’s husband, Lester, is played by Hal Williams.

‘The Golden Girls’ (1985 to 1992)

Betty White, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty are four older women who spend their “golden” years living together in their home in Miami, Florida. The comic magic between these ladies allowed The Golden Girls to connect with viewers of all ages. Still incredible.

‘The Equalizer’ (1985 to 1990)

From 1985-89, Edward Woodward was the epitome of older British cool as Robert McCall, a former spy who has decided the time has come to help the little guy, who reach him through ads he places in the newspaper. And he does so quite expertly, often with lethal consequences.

‘Spenser: For Hire’ (1985 to 1988)

Based on the character created by Robert S. Parker, Robert Urich is Spenser, a private investigator who lives and works in the Boston area and finds himself solving mysteries each week. Co-starring is Avery Brooks as Hawk, who would be spun off into his own 1989 series.

‘Growing Pains’ (1985 to 1992)

In the beginning people dismissed this as a rip-off of The Cosby Show, but it proved itself to be much more than that. Alan Thicke is Dr. Jacon Seaver, a psychiatrist who works from home. His wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns) has returned to the workforce as a reporter, and Jason is tasked with taking care of their kids: Mike (Kirk Cameron), Carol (Tracey Gold) and Ben (Jeremy Miller).

‘MacGyver’ (1985 to 1992)

Richard Dean Anderson is secret agent Angus MacGyver, a man who can get himself out of any situation with ingenuity (like using an empty soda can and tooth picks to make a rocket — okay, that’s an exaggeration, but only slightly). Spawned two TV movies and a more recent reboot with Lucas Till in the title role.

‘Amazing Stories’ (1985 to 1987)

Anthology series made a comeback attempt in the 1980s with reboots of both The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, but Steven Spielberg went the original route with with this collection of stories that brought in some of Hollywood’s biggest creative heavyweights. The show has been rebooted by the Apple TV+ streaming service.

‘The Colbys’ (1985 to 1987)

Spin-off from Dynasty, the emphasis is on the Colbys, who are related to the Carringtons by marriage and are in control of a large multi-national corporation. A ton of money was thrown at this one to make it feel opulent, but it only lasted two seasons. Some big name stars, though: Charlton Heston, Barbara Stanwyck, Katherine Ross and Ricardo Montalban, who finally got off of Fantasy Island.

‘You Again?’ (1986 to 1987)

From 1986 to 1987, Jack Klugman, who had shifted from The Odd Couple to Quincy, M.D., tried to re-embrace the world of sitcoms with You Again?, costarring John Stamos, which, unfortunately, didn’t fare very well.

‘Valerie’ (1986 to 1991)

Valerie made its debut in 1986, and saw actress Valerie Harper cast as Valerie Hogan, a mother attempting to juggle her career with raising three sons (the oldest of which was played by Jason Bateman). In the second season, Valerie and her second husband, producer Tony Cacciotti, began negotiating for more money and, long story short, it culminated with them off the show, Sandy Duncan moving in and the show’s title changing, first to Valerie’s Family and, then, to The Hogan Family. It ended its run 1991.

‘Matlock’ (1986 to 1995)

While Andy Griffith had a difficult time finding TV success following The Andy Griffith Show, he managed to do so again with the role of criminal-defense attorney Ben Matlock. As such, Andy managed to capture some of that Southern warmth that made Andy Taylor someone we welcomed into our hearts and homes.

‘Perfect Strangers’ (1986 to 1993)

A variation of The Odd Couple, it explores the up-and-down relationship between cousins who are living together, midwestern American Larry Appleton (Mark Linn-Baker) and the European Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot, who had proved appealing to audiences in a small role in Eddie Murphy‘s Beverly Hills Cop films).

‘It’s Gary Shandling’s Show’ (1986 to 1990)

Gary stars in a sitcom on this sitcom, and he’s very much aware of it. Odd, but delightfully funny as he interacts with not only co-stars like Geoffrey Blake, Molly Cheek and Jessica Harper, but the studio audience as well. Originally a Showtime production.

‘Our House’ (1986 to 1988)

Three generations of the Witherspoon family start living together and this soft drama looks at the challenges of the situation.  Among the cast, Wilford Brimley, Deidre Hall and a pre-Beverly Hills 90210 Shannon Doherty.

‘Head of the Class’ (1986 to 1991)

Fresh off of WKRP in Cincinnati, Howard Hessman is history teacher Charlie Moore, who takes center stage among a cast of younger co-stars as his academically-gifted students (consider it the opposite of something like Welcome Back, Kotter), including Robin Givens, Alan Pinkard and Dan Schneider, the latter of whom would go on to a highly-successful career as a writer/director/producer for Nickelodeon.

‘Crime Story’ (1986 to 1988)

The dramatic thrust of this show, which was designed as “a novel for television,” chronicles the cat and mouse battle between cop Lieutenant Mike Torello (Dennis Farina) and mobster Ray Luca (Anthony Denison), taking them from Chicago to Las Vegas in the early 1960s. Created by Miami Vice‘s Michael Mann, each of its two seasons was a single storyline unfolding over 22 episodes.

‘L.A. Law’ (1986 to 1994)

Not quite torn from the headlines, but close, this show dealt with the owners and lawyers at Los Angeles’ McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak. Co-created by Steven Bochco, and like Hill Street Blues before it, the show told standalone stories with character arcs gradually unfolding. What a cast: Richard Dysart, Corbin Bernsen, Jill Eikenberry, Michael Tucker, Harry Hamlin, Susan Dey and Jimmy Smits, among others. Rumors of a continuation series keep popping up.

‘Alf’ (1986 to 1990)

Simply put, it’s about a family whose lives are turned upside down when a sarcastic, but friendly, alien named Alf accidentally crash lands in their garage and is trapped on Earth. In response, they invite him to live with them and comic mayhem ensues.

‘Designing Women’ (1986 to 1993)

Set at Sugarbaker & Associates, an interior designing firm, run by four women. It stars Dixie Carter as the president of the company, Julia Sugarbaker; Delta Burke as Julia’s ex-beauty queen sister and a silent partner at the firm, Suzanne Sugarbaker; Annie Potts as head designer Mary Jo Shively, Jean Smart as officer manager Charlene Frazier and Menshach Taylor as their delivery man, Anthony Bouvier.

‘The Bronx Zoo’ (1987 to 1988)

Ed Asner stars in The Bronx Zoo, created by Family Ties‘ Gary David Goldberg (who had been a producer on Ed’s Lou Grant). It was a drama set at an inner city high school located in the Bronx, New York, and saw the actor cast as Principal Joe Danzig, who tries to maintain hope despite the pessimism of their environment.

‘Married … with Children’ (1987 to 1997)

It’s the Bundys, probably the most dysfunctional family you’re likely to find on a television sitcom. Ed O’Neil is women’s shoe salesman Al Bundy, Katey Segal is his wife, Peg; Christina Applegate their daughter, Kelly; and David Faustino their son, Bud. Most have gone on to strong careers, Ed on Modern Family, Katey most recently on The Conners and Christina on Dead to Me.

’21 Jump Street’ (1987 to 1991)

The show was focused on a squad of young-looking cops who would go undercover where teens hung out, from high school to college and social gatherings. More importantly, it truly introduced Johnny Depp to the world, though he hated being a teen idol and left after the fourth season. Cranky Johnny!

‘The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd’ (1987 to 1988; 1989 to1991)

Blair Brown is Molly Dodd, a divorced women in New York City who moves from job to job and relationship to relationship, seemingly incapable of setting down roots. Its first season aired on NBC and, after it was canceled, it was picked up by Lifetime for the rest of its run.

‘Wiseguy’ (1987 to 1990)

Back in the 1980s, the television networks demanded that television shows be standalone with little connective tissue between episodes. Enter writer/producer Stephen J. Cannell, who, along with Frank Lupo, created Wiseguy. In it, Ken Wahl plays OCB undercover operative Vinnie Terranova, who moves from one assignment to another in storylines presented as “arcs.” Those ranged from four to eleven episodes each. Without realizing it, the seeds were being laid for binge TV, appropriate since Wiseguy is addictive.

‘She’s the Sheriff’ (1987 to 1989)

After departing Three’s Company, Suzanne Somers made her first attempt at a TV comeback in this syndicated series. In it she plays Hildy Granger, a recently widowed woman, who, with two kids she needs to raise alone, takes the offer of being made sheriff of a small Nevada town, which is the position her late husband held. The show was not critically well-received.

‘Full House’ (1987 to 1995)

Full House introduced the world to the Tanners: Widower Danny (Bob Saget) and his three girls D.J. (Candace Cameron), Stephanie (Jodie Sweeten), and Michelle (played by twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen). Helping Danny out is brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos), and best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier). And then there was D.J.’s best friend Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) and boyfriend Steve Hale (Scott Weinger). Jesse’s girlfriend and eventual wife Rebecca Donaldson (Lori Loughlin) became a regular part of the show, the duo having twin boys Nicky and Alex (Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit). In February of 2016, Netflix debuted the new version of the show, Fuller House.

‘Hooperman’ (1987 to 1989)

Coming off of their recent success of L.A. Law, writer/producers Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher came up with the idea for this show that cast John Ritter as a San Francisco police inspector named Harry Hooperman. Harry has to balance his life as a cop and the fact that he’s just inherited a pretty rundown apartment building he lives in following the murder of his landlady. It’s trying to achieve that balance between the two that filled much of the show’s two seasons.

‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1987 to 1990)

One of the most unique tellings of the fairy tale. Linda Hamilton is New York lawyer Catherine Chandler who, in a case of mistaken identify, is attacked and left for dead in Central Park. She’s rescued by Ron Perlman‘s Vincent, a lion-man who is part of an underground community. As the series unfolds, more of his fantastical world is revealed and they fall deeply in love. One of the writers is George R.R. Martin, creator of Game of  Thrones.

‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ (1987 to 1994)

Picking up 75 years after the original Star Trek, this series follows the crew of the starship Enterprise-D who continue boldly going where no one has gone before. This would, in turn, spin-off Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise and, most recently, CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Picard, starring Patrick Stewart. Man, that’s a lot of trekking. Consider us exhausted.

‘thirtysomething’ (1987 to 1991)

Yet another groundbreaking series of the 1980s, this one about the interactions of a group of baby boomers and their families. Stars include Ken Olin (currently a director/producer onThis is Us) as Michael Steadman, Mel Harris as Michael’s wife, Hope Murdoch; Timothy Busfield as Elliot Weston and Ken’s real-life wife, Patricia Wettig, as Elliot’s wife, Nancy Weston. Many of them are expected to return in a sequel series that will look. at their kids who are all grown up and raising families of their own.

‘The Wonder Years’ (1988 to 1993)

A love letter to anyone who grew up in the 1960s. Although, admittedly, when we were first introduced to the show 30 years ago, we weren’t really quite sure just what to expect. As that first half-hour episode aired, we met young Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) and Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar), kids just trying to be exactly that — kids — but not always being allowed to do so because of the times they were living in (the late 1960s). Whereas a show like Happy Days took nostalgia for the ’50s and presented it in a way people would like to remember it, The Wonder Years edged much closer to reality. The pain, the joy, the suffering, and the triumphs managed to tap into the memories of a generation.

‘In the Heat of the Night’ (1988 to 1992)

Carroll O’Conner is police chief Bill Gillespie and Howard Rollins is police officer Virgin Tibbs, the latter of which has returned to his home town of Sparta, Mississippi for his mother’s funeral and decides to stay, working for the police department run by Gillespie. Like in the 1967 film that this serves as a sequel to, Tibbs must deal with his share of racism while doing his job.

‘China Beach’ (1988 to 1991)

Dana Delaney is First Lieutenant Colleen McMurphy, one of a team of people working at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War located on a beach at Da Nang, Vietnam. Dana won a pair of Emmy Awards for her portrayal.

‘Dear John’ (1988 to 1992)

Judd Hirsch is John Lacey, a teacher who tries to pick up the pieces of his life after returning home to find a “Dear John” letter from his wife, who is leaving him for his best friend. Six months later he joins the One-to-One support group, and much of the series focuses on his comic interactions with other members of the group.

‘Empty Nest’ (1988 to 1995)

A spin-off from The Golden Girls, Richard Mulligan (Soap) is recently-widowed pediatrician Dr. Harry Weston, whose two daughters (played by Dinah Manoff and Kristy McNichol) move back in with him to help through the tough times.

‘Roseanne’ (1988 to 1997)

Not much we can say about this one beyond the fact that it’s a true definition of the word “classic.” It gave us Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalfe and Sara Gilbert in one show. And somehow some of that magic is living on in The Conners. Genuinely captures the struggles of the working class.

‘Midnight Caller’ (1988 to 1991)

Gary Cole is former San Francisco police detective Jack Killian, who has started serving as host of a late night radio show. When he hears problems his listeners reveal to him, his days are spent rying to help them. May not sound like much, but it was really solid.

‘Murphy Brown’ (1988 to 1998)

Candice Bergen plays the title character, a recovering alcoholic who returns to the fictional TV newsmagazine FYI following a stint in rehab and continues pulling no punches against the hypocrisy of the political system. The blurring of reality and fiction was never more apparent than when, in the 1991-92 season, Murphy became pregnant and, after giving birth as a single mother, became a talking point during the 1992 presidential election. Then vice president Dan Quayle spoke at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, during which he actually criticized Murphy Brown as someone “mocking the importanance of fathers by bearing a child alone.” A massive public discussion on this followed (part of which included many wondering if Quayle was actually aware that his target of derision was actually a fictional character), addressed in the show’s 1992 season premiere where footage of Quayle was integrated, making it seem as though he were attacking Murphy. Fascinating moment in TV history.

‘Coach’ (1989 to 1997)

Craig T. Nelson is Hayden Fox, coach of a fictional college football team, and the show — which you don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy — comically looks at his interactions with the team, his supporting coaches (Jerry Van Dyke and Bill Fagerbakke) as well his girlfriend Christine Armstrong (Shelley Fabares).

‘Anything but Love’ (1989 to 1992)

A gentle, but funny, look at the evolving romance between Chicago coworkers Marty Gold (Richard Lewis) and Hannah Miller (Jamie Lee Curtis). For a time they try to keep their relationship strictly professional. For a time. Definitely an underrated show.

‘Quantum Leap’ (1989 to 1993)

The concept is brilliant: time experimentation by Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) goes wrong, resulting in his bouncing around in time, every week leaping into the body of someone else whose life he has to impact, making right what once went wrong. To everyone around him — and in mirrored reflections of himself — he looks like the person whose body he’s occupying, while the audience sees him as Sam. Accompanying him on this journey through time is a hologram of project observer Al (Dean Stockwell), who only Sam can see. As he shifts from time period to time period, the hope is that someday he’ll make the leap back home. A real opportunity to see how brilliant a performer Bakula is.

‘Seinfeld’ (1989 to 1998)

It’s the quintessential show about nothing and we love it. Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer! This one was. a true pop culture phenomenon and people haven’t lost their love for it all these years later.

‘Life Goes On’ (1989 to 1993)

A drama about the Thatcher family in suburban Chicago. The parents are Drew and Libby (Bill Smitrovich and Patti LuPone), and their kids are Becca (Kellie Martin), Paige (Tracey Needham) and Corky (Chris Burke), the first starring role for an actor with Down syndrome).

‘Major Dad’ (1989 to 1993)

Gerald McRaney is conservative Marine John MacGillis who impulsively proposes to a reporter doing a story on him and suddenly finds himself helping to raise her three daughters. Oops.

‘Doogie Howser, M.D.’ (1989 to 1993)

At the age of 14, the brilliant Doogie Howser becomes the youngest licensed doctor in the country, and the show chronicles the challenge of balancing that with being a normal teenager. Steven Bochco is on the case, so it works, but it’s Neil Patrick Harris who sells it.

‘Baywatch’ (1989 to 1999)

David Hasselhoff returns to TV in this action-adventure (with lots of jiggle from female and male cast members alike) takes place on the beaches of Los Angeles County. The drama is paper thin, but the audience loved it — for obvious reasons.

‘Family Matters’ (1989 to 1997)

This spin-off from Perfect Strangers began as a look at a middle-class black family in Chicago, but the focus shifted pretty quickly to neighbor Steve Urkel (Jaleel White). Silly but popular, and his expresson, “Did I do that?”, became something of a catch phrase.

‘The Simpsons’ (1989-)

The world’s favorite cartoon family actually got its start as animated shorts in 1987 on The Tracey Ullman Show, but was spun off into a show of its own in 1989 and it’s still going strong. Plus there have been video games, movies and all sorts of spin-offs. Let’s face it, we can’t get enough of Homer, Bart, Marge and Lisa.  Or Classic TV.

Doh!