Best TV shows of the 80s: Help build the list

While the rest of the civilized world worked was at work Monday, I spent the day in the lobby of my car dealership's service department with another dozen or so cursed souls. But I had one thing going for me: Non-stop reruns of The Cosby Show on TV to help pass the time.

Strange thing is, I wasn't the only person glued to the TV. Everybody was watching along -- a quaint little viewing party of transportation-challenged TV fans. We all laughed at the same jokes, winced at the dated cultural references, and at the end of each episode we just shook our heads, all thinking: "Damn, where have all the great TV shows gone?"

That leads me to the next challenge facing the "Stuck in the 80s" fandom: Let's build a list of the best TV series of the '80s. We'll need a lot of shows to choose from, so start by writing down your top 10. And also fire away at your choice for the top pick. Was it "Cosby?" Or maybe "Cheers" or "Facts of Life." Don't forget "Star Trek: The Next Generation" started in the '80s.

Here's my personal top 10 list, subject to change:

• Bosom Buddies
• Newhart
• Head of the Class
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Miami Vice
• Magnum P.I.
• Cosby
• Family Ties
• WKRP in Cincinnati
• Cheers
  

Leave a comment and check back often to debate the finer details as we figure out a final list worthy of the decade itself.

Comments

[Jacqui]

I'd have to go with Cheers for top show - sure it had its ups and downs but on average it was definitely the best. As for "Bosom Buddies" and "Head of the Class"? No. Nononononononono. No. I'll totally give you all the others, but no seriously, those two shouldn't be in that list. Not that I can think of any others to add instead, but don't demean the other great shows by including them. I'm begging you!

I loved Miami Vice and Family Ties! In addition to those, I'd add 21 Jump Street, Silver Spoons, and Who's the Boss to my own top 10. The Cosby Show was great too.

[Big Tex]

I'd add The Equalizer, The A-Team, and Remote Control.

[Greg Jones]

Steve,
We're missing two dramas that kind of defined dramas for the last 20+ years: Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere. Because of the large ensembles and the serialized nature of the stories, you became very attached to these shows. This formula has been repeated over and over since then: LA Law, ER, Boston Legal, etc. Also, because of the acting chops it took to shine on these shows, some very large stars came out of these shows. Denzel Washington is one example.

[Ray]

Off the top of my head, I would add:

Moonlighting
Cheers
Wiseguy
Simpsons
Married with Children
Night Court

Guilty Pleasures:

Alf
Simon and Simon

[Hamptune]

"Dukes of Hazzard"

[Matt]

kudos on Head of the Class - LOVED that show!

[Skippy]

Square Pegs!

[Spears]

I was never a big fan of the prime time dramas, so I really appreciate any help deciding where those belong on the this.

[Christina]

The Love Boat! As a kid I watched this show religiously and always wondered what a "night cap" was. In every episode a sexy woman always invited the sexy fella to her cabin for one of those.

[Laurie]

My personal favorites:
1. Family Ties
2. Growing Pains
3. The Cosby Show
4. Miami Vice
5. Moonlighting
6. You Can't Do That On Television
7. Silver Spoons
8. Cheers
9. Facts of Life
10. MTV when it was new and just videos

Also a nod to shows that started in the 70s but went into the 80s: Little House on the Prairie, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Eight is Enough.

[Carol]

My favorite 80s shows were Knots Landing, Square Pegs, and Remington Steele. Abby Ewing had the best wardrobe!

[Lolly]

In no particular order...
Square Pegs
Moonlighting
Family Ties
Remington Steele
Remote Control
Cosby Show
Night Court
Cheers
Macgyver
The Muppet Show/Fraggle Rock

[scottwe]

Gotta add 'Moonlighting', 'The A Team' and 'The Greatest American Hero'!

[Max]

"The Simpsons" and "Roseanne" both started in the 80's.

[Spears]

I'd probably leave The Simpsons off the list, mainly because it only had one year in the 80s.

My thinking is: Judge the TV series based on their 80s work.

But if everyone feels different, now's a good time to say so.

[Richard Phelps]

You know what?

Sesame Street and the Muppet Show I believe, are my favourite shows that best represent the 70s and 80s era. The music, the guests, the attitude and appeal!

The Cosby Show, Family Ties, and Cheers are other favs of mine :)

Richard
Auckland, NZ

[Lolly]

Almost forgot
Designing Women

[David Pagano]

Not to mention Fraggle Rock and the Storyteller. Also, Max Headroom, Quantum Leap, Square One TV, and of course Pee-Wee's Playhouse.

[Paul]

Was Happy Days 80s?

[Mike]

Dukes of Hazzard
He-Man
Charles in Charge
Pee Wee's Playhouse
Duck Tales
and...SNORKS!

[Carla]

Bosom Buddies
Family Ties
One Day At A Time
Alice
Facts Of Life
The Love Boat

[Paul]

QUANTUM LEAP

and The Storyteller.

[Former Producer Dave]

I guess I'm all alone here, but there were a couple shows that I wouldn't miss back then. "Northern Exposure" was my favorite followed closely by "Mystery Science Theater 3000" (started in '88) and finally "Pee Wee's Playhouse". I'd throw in whatever Star Trek series we were in at the time, too.

[Chase]

I've said it before, I'll say it again, and I'll explain: MIAMI VICE.

-- Vice is the emblematic show of the 1980s, it draws a clear divide between the 1970s and the 1980s in style and substance. The vibrant colors were a vast departure from the drab surroundings of typical '70s cop shows (Hill St. Blues) ... The montage of music and action, sans dialogue, is a signature sequence that's still in use today, and creator Michael Mann understood music as a creative element of TV, adopting MTV videos as part of his storytelling ...

The Sid Ceasar Show of Shows was a key peice of television, it showed the medium could be entertaining ... The Lucy Show was significant, it remains the touchstone sitcom ... MASH and All in the Family were significant, they offered quality entertainment with a message .... and VICE is significant, it showed that television viewers should expect nothing less than moviegoers and it took for the first time full advantage of advances in production and delivery.

If VICE was emblematic for the '80s, what carried the mantle in the '90s and beyond? Oz, The Sopranos, Lost, Nip/Tuck ... It's a short list.

Miami Vice, believe it, pal.

[chase]

Whoa, and mega-kudos to Laurie ...

You Can't Do That on Television ... I was too old for the show when it came out, but no way I'm going to want to ignore the importance of that show. It "created" Nickelodeon and led to the development Nick at Nite and TV Land ... worthy in their own rights for special '80s recognition.

[Hilde]

Miami Vice and Friday night Videos on Friday of course..(for those of us who didn't have cable) Loved babysitting for the Stricklands as they had MTV and HBO Hitchiker anyone? lol
Saturday Nights was Love Boat and Fantasy Island...that Mr Rourke was creepy!

[Tom]

I'd have to add SCTV to the list as well as Jason Bateman's classic It's Your Move-"Dregs of Humanity" anyone? And of course,
Cosby
Family Ties
Night Court

[Carla]

Wow Dave Mystery Science Theater 3000! Haven't thought of that in years!! Good one!

[The Lunchbox]

Others good ones not mentioned:

The Black Adder - British humor at it's finest

Starblazers - 80's anime, but it had a really good story, with a definitive timeline. They even killed the protagonist..

The Wonder Years - who didn't relate? What boy wasn't tortured by his own Winnie?

Buffalo Bill - an obscure show with Dabney Coleman, but it was set in Buffalo, so I had to like it.

Murphy Brown - one of the best shows featuring a powerful businesswoman and a single mom; sort of a Maude for the 80's.

Fridays - sort of a pre-cursor to Kids in the Hall-type stuff. I still laugh when I think about "The Frightened Family".

[Roger Wilco]

Other not yet mentioned:

Three's Company- I don't know if it can technically be considered 80s, but I think it was very ahead of its time and hasn't dated too badly. I don't think I fully got all the jokes as a kid, but it made me feel all funny inside...

Different Strokes- essential after-school-viewing for me, although it hasn't stood the test of time too well

Today's Special- "hocus-pocus-alamagocuuussss!"

Tales From the Dark Side- the opening credits still freak me out

Saturday Night's Main Event- back when I refused to believe my dad when he said pro-wrestling was all fake

[Roger Wilco]

Other not yet mentioned:

Three's Company- I don't know if it can technically be considered 80s, but I think it was very ahead of its time and hasn't dated too badly. I don't think I fully got all the jokes as a kid, but it made me feel all funny inside...

Different Strokes- essential after-school-viewing for me, although it hasn't stood the test of time too well

Today's Special- "hocus-pocus-alamagocuuussss!"

Tales From the Dark Side- the opening credits still freak me out

Saturday Night's Main Event- back when I refused to believe my dad when he said pro-wrestling was all fake

[Mike]

I forgot one...Mr. Wizard!

[Tom]

I forgot one too...The Young Ones
Fantastic British comedy shown on MTV back in the day.

[Melissa]

M*A*S*H! I know it started in the 70's, but ran through the early 80's. I still watch the episodes when they run on TV Land.

Also:
Night Court
Murphy Brown (esp. when she took on Dan Quayle)
You Can't Do That On Television (which owed a lot to Rowan and Martin's Laugh In)
MacGuyver (RDA was so cute, and the early episodes had tricks that actually would work in real life!)
Remote Control (I really got a kick out of the Dead or Canadian category)

[Amanda]

Knots Landing (although having seen the DV D of season 1 -- I can't understand why)

Remington Steele & Moonlighting (still great today)

Designing Women

Who's the Boss (LOVED THAT HOUSE!)

And although they're only part-80s programs -- Lou Grant (1977-82) and Murphy Brown (1988-1998)

[Miguel Duarte]

Being a kid in the 80s,in Portugal, the tv shows i loved were Family Ties,
Cheers,Alf,A-Team, Knight Rider and MacGyver.There were some great british tv shows like Blackadder and Allô,Allô,i don`t know if they were broadcast in USA. Now, looking back at these shows the best of them is Cheers,the best tv show of the 80s.

[Warhawk85]

the young ones

[malibu]

THE GOLDEN GIRLS--all the way.

[Wolfgal Val]

You all missed THE most important TV program of the 80s that altered TV forever, and put syndicated television firmly on the map:

"The People's Court" with Judge Joseph Wapner

All sorts of reality TV and independent channels (once called UHF channels), none would be around if it wasn't for "The People's Court". And it's back on air and going strong.