The best TV shows of the 1980s

The 1980s ranking

1. 01Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994)Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) focuses on the 24th century adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D). This incarnation of the famous starship is much larger than the one captained by James T. Kirk a century earlier, and, accordingly, it carries a larger crew complement: 1,012 men, women…and, surprisingly, children. This era's Starfleet Command believes that men and women are more likely to sign up for long-term exploratory missions if they think of their ship as home. Thus, Picard's crew enjoys many of the comforts they'd have otherwise left behind, including a wide variety of recreational opportunities, "replicated" food dishes to suit every palate, and quarters large enough to share with spouses and offspring. There are schools for the children and a bar (stocked with synthetic alcohol, or synthehol) where the adults can unwind. However, the ongoing mission—no longer limited to a mere five years—remains virtually the same as it was during Kirk's time: to seek out new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no one has gone before.paramount plus · Action · Adventure8.7
2. 02Cosmos (1980–2020)Hosted by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos will explore how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. It will bring to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge and transport viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest scale. Cosmos will invent new modes of scientific storytelling to reveal the grandeur of the universe and re-invent celebrated elements of the legendary original series, including the Cosmic Calendar and the Ship of the Imagination. The most profound scientific concepts will be presented with stunning clarity, uniting skepticism and wonder, and weaving rigorous science with the emotional and spiritual into a transcendent experience.Mystery · Nature8.5
3. 03Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003)Classic John Sullivan sitcom set in south London, centred on hapless market trader Del Boy, his brother Rodney, the rest of the Trotter clan and a host of Peckham characters.britbox · Comedy8.5
4. 04Blackadder (1983–1989)Comedy set in different historical periods that features the ill-fated exploits of the mean-spirited Edmund Blackadder and his dim sidekick Baldrick.amazon prime video · peacock · Comedy8.4
5. 05Seinfeld (1989–1998)Seinfeld is the story of a fictionalized version of stand-up comedian Jerry Seinfeld, his life in New York City and his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life's most perplexing, yet often trivial questions. Often described as "a show about nothing," Seinfeld mines the humor in life's mundane situations like waiting in line, searching for a lost item, or the trials and tribulations of dating.netflix · Comedy8.3
6. 06Jeopardy! (1984–present)Jeopardy! is a classic game show -- with a twist. The answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. Three contestants, including the previous show's champion, compete in six categories and in three rounds (with each round's "answers" being worth more prize money).hulu · philo8.3Airing now
7. 07Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1988–1997)A classic Space Opera, where 2 major empires fight between them with their own beliefs and ideals. On the imperial side, Reinhard Von Lohengram, a military genius and somehow different to make the change on the core of the corrupt noble elite. On the other side in the free Planets coalition, Yang Wen-Li, a well known tactician.Drama · Science-Fiction8.3
8. 08Agatha Christie's Poirot (1989–2013)Whether he's on holiday abroad, taking a countryside break or simply going about his business near his central London home, Poirot finds himself exercising his "little grey cells" by helping police investigate crimes and murders, whether they ask for his help or not.He's often accompanied by his trusty sidekick Captain Hastings, and their paths cross Scotland Yard's Inspector Japp who has a grudging respect for the meticulous, if eccentric, private detective.hulu · britbox · Drama8.2
9. 09The Simpsons (1989–present)The Simpsons is the longest running scripted show in US television history. It captures the adventures of Homer, Marge, Maggie, Bart and Lisa who are living in a fictional town called Springfield.disney plus · hulu · Comedy8.1Airing now
10. 10Married... with Children (1987–1997)The less-than-lovable Bundys are a radical departure from the saccharine-sweet TV families popular since the days of Father Knows Best. With offbeat humor and unflinching honesty, Married... paints a more realistic picture of middle-class existence, warts and all. Al Bundy is a shoe salesman who is fond of frequently reliving his doubtful 15 seconds of fame on the football field. Al is terrified of the all-too-frequent amorous advances of his ditsy wife Peggy, who spends most of Al's wages at the salon and the mall. They have two teenage kids: stunning but superficial party animal Kelly and egocentric Bud. Married for 16 semi-blissful years, Peggy and Al have found that the secret to a happy marriage is to accept one another's idiosyncrasies.amazon prime video · Comedy · Family8.1
11. 11The Golden Girls (1985–1992)The Golden Girls follows four South Florida seniors sharing a house, their dreams, and a whole lot of cheesecake. Bright, promiscuous, clueless, and hilarious, these lovely mismatched ladies form the perfect circle of friends.disney plus · hulu · Drama8.1
12. 12MacGyver (1985–1994)MacGyver follows the adventures of the laid-back, extremely resourceful secret agent Angus MacGyver. He prefers non-violent conflict resolution whenever possible and refuses to carry or use a gun. MacGyver works as a problem solver for the Phoenix Foundation in Los Angeles. Utilizing his education as a scientist and his experience as an operative in the Department of External Services (DXS), he is able to solve a range of problems usually with the help of his ever-present Swiss Army knife.paramount plus · Action · Adventure8.1
13. 13DuckTales (1987–1990)When Donald Duck decides to join the Navy, he leaves his nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, in the care of his cantankerous Uncle Scrooge. He is an eccentric and miserly billionare who loves to literally swim in his money that is held in his corporate headquarters/vault known as the Money Bin. While the initial meeting was less than pleasant, events soon have them, along with a newly hired nanny, her daughter and Scrooge's stupid but skilled pilot, on countless adventures as the group goes around the world looking for treasure, or defending Scrooge's current assets from enemies like the Beagle Boys or Magica De Spell.disney plus · Adventure · Children8.1
14. 14North and South (1985–1994)Patrick Swayze, Kirstie Alley and Lesley-Anne Down star in a 1985 miniseries based on John Jakes' novel about the Civil War and its effect on two families.Drama · History8.1
15. 15Brideshead Revisited (1981–1981)Based on the novel by Evelyn Waugh, two years in the making, and the equivalent of seven feature films back-to-back, this epic drama tells a story of romantic yearning and loss in the glittering but fading world of the British aristocracy between the wars.britbox · shout! factory · Drama8.1
16. 16Cheers (1982–1993)Cheers takes viewers back to the Boston bar where everybody knows your name. As former baseball star Sam Malone and his colleague Diane Chambers fight their mutual attractions, they cater to their regulars including Norm Petersen and Cliff Claven. Talking about their problems, laughing at each other's flaws and trying to be there when someone needs them, the gang are joined by naïve farm boy Woody, bitter waitress Carla , troubled psychiatrist Frasier and his wife.hulu · paramount plus · Comedy8.0
17. 17Quantum Leap (1989–1993)Get ready to join Dr. Sam Beckett on the adventure of many lifetimes! Who will he be this time? Mafia hit man. Air Force test pilot. Professional boxer. Sam Beckett is a time traveler who never knows whose body he is going to "leap" into next and at what moment in history he may find himself. Sam is joined by a helpful but easily distracted holographic guide Al, who assists him on his missions and aids Sam in his ultimate goal of returning to his own life in the present.philo · Drama · Action8.0
18. 18Tales from the Crypt (1989–1996)Cadaverous scream legend/all-around punster the Crypt Keeper hosts these forays of fright and fun based on classic E.C. Comics tales from back in the day – and drawing on the talents of top filmmakers Richard Donner, Walter Hill, Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis and others. So belly up to the bar and name your poison. Is it a deranged Santa on a personal slay ride? A man surgically implanted with as many lives (and deaths) as a cat? Honeymooners who each want the other to fulfill the 'til-death vow pronto? These and more terror-rific tales await. Ghoul love 'em!amc plus · youtube tv · Comedy8.0
19. 19'Allo 'Allo! (1982–1992)In this spoof of World War II, René Artois runs a café in German-occupied France. He always seems to have his hands full: He's having affairs with most of his waitresses, he's keeping his wife happy, he's trying to please the German soldiers who frequent his café, and he's running a major underground operation for the Resistance.amazon prime video · peacock · Comedy8.0
20. 20Moonlighting (1985–1989)Maddie Hayes, a wealthy former model, discovers one morning that her business manager has stolen all the money she has in the bank. However, it turns out that she still owns some non-liquid assets -- money-losing companies which were maintained as tax write-offs -- one of which is a detective agency run by David Addison. Maddie meets with him to inform him that the company is to be shut down, but he persuades her to keep it open by convincing her that the detective agency can make money. Maddie becomes David's new boss and accompanies him on adventure after adventure. While their personalities clash, a sexual tension arises in the time they spend together. But the question always remains... will they or won't they?amazon prime video · hulu · Drama8.0
21. 21Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996)Part 2 of the Dragonball madness, this story starts when Goku is an adult and introduces him to his Saiyan origin. The main theme of Dragonball Z is fighting although it still retains aspects of the humor and adventure from the previous Dragonball series. Characters develop as they grow, mature, and some even have children! Many of Goku's former enemies become his friend they band together to fight greater evils along the way.crunchyroll · Action · Adventure8.0
22. 22Police Squad! (1982–1982)Police Squad! was a parody of the Quinn Martin Productions' police dramas of the 1960s and 1970s, hence the use of "In Color" by the narrator. The show's main staple of entertainment came from sight gags (such as a tow truck being a truck in the shape of a big toe) and misunderstandings in dialogue, mostly from people taking things extremely literally. Several great routines came from these misunderstandings that left characters in the scene very confused, but left the audience with loads of humor.Comedy · Crime8.0
23. 23Miss Marple (1984–1992)Miss Marple, the spinster detective who is one of the most famous characters created by English crime writer Agatha Christie, is portrayed by Joan Hickson who starred in a dozen television mysteries about Miss Marple over the course of a decade. Between 1984 and 1992 the British Broadcasting Corporation in association with Australia's Seven Network and America's Arts and Entertainments Network, produced an irregular series of twelve Miss Marple mysteries. The elderly, deceptively delicate Joan Hickson starred in each of these as the amateur detective from the bucolic village of St. Mary Mead.Drama · Crime8.0
24. 24Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983–1987)A single mother in suburban Washington D.C. discovers she has a talent for espionage work when she meets a dashing undercover agent--but balancing her duties as a spy with her responsibility as a parent proves constantly entertaining in this romantic-adventure series.Drama · Adventure8.0
25. 25The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981–1981)The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was a BBC television adaptation of Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy broadcast in January and February 1981 on UK television station BBC Two. The adaptation follows the original radio series in 1978 and 1980, the first novel and double LP, in 1979, and the stage shows, in 1979 and 1980, making it the fifth iteration of the guide.britbox · Comedy · Adventure8.0
26. 26Hill Street Blues (1981–1987)The lives and work of the staff of an inner city police precinct.Drama · Crime8.0
27. 27The Comic Strip Presents... (1981–2016)The Comic Strip Presents... began airing on the launch night of Channel 4 in November 1982. The show aired a number of episodes and one-off satirical comedy specials over a number of years, including a move to BBC2 in the early 1990s. Since 2012, GOLD has begun airing brand new one-off episodes of the show with some of the original cast members. The cast who originally appeared in the show include Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson, many of the cast members comedy careers launched due to the series popularity.Comedy8.0
28. 28Приключения Электроника (1980–1980)Comedy · Adventure8.0
29. 29Voyagers! (1982–1983)A kids-oriented fantasy about a 'time cop' and his young companion who travel through history. Their stops include ancient Egypt, World War I France and 1903 Ohio (to visit the Wright Brothers). The lead character is named Phineas Bogg, a nod to Jules Verne's 'Around the World in Eighty Days' hero, Phileas Fogg.Adventure · Family8.0
30. 30The Young Ones (1982–1984)Anarchic sitcom about degenerate North London students in the 80s.Comedy8.0
31. 31Yes Minister (1980–1984)Satirical sitcom set in the office of a UK Cabinet minister, Jim Hacker MP, who struggles with Civil Service bureaucracy and political machinations as he tries to get on with government business.britbox · Comedy8.0
32. 32Red Dwarf (1988–2020)Lost in space and light years away from earth is the Jupiter Mining Ship Red Dwarf. In the late 22nd century, an on-board radiation leak kills all of the crew except for low-ranking technician Dave Lister, who is in suspended animation at the time, and his pregnant cat, Frankenstein, who is safely sealed in the cargo hold.britbox · Comedy · Science-Fiction7.9
33. 33Sledge Hammer! (1986–1988)Meet Inspector Sledge Hammer, a new kind of hero who makes Rambo look like Pee Wee Herman. Sledge is the trigger-happy lawman whose hatred of criminal scum and yogurt eatin' creeps was matched only by his love of excessive force and a .44 Magnum. Over the next two seasons, this hilariously deranged lampoon of Dirty Harry and plenty of other targets became one of the most notorious series in television history and launched a rabid cult of fans that grows to this day.amazon prime video · shout! factory · Comedy7.9
34. 34Hunter (1984–1991)L.A.P.D. Sgt. Rick Hunter is a tough-minded, Dirty Harry-type policeman who can't stand the creeps, thieves, rapists, and especially murderers who prowl the streets of Los Angeles. Unfortunately his method of doing things doesn't sit well with his precinct captains, which lead to their efforts to get rid of him. Because of his heavy-handed approach, he is unable to keep partners for any significant time frame, and is assigned to Sgt. Dee Dee 'The Brass Cupcake' McCall.amazon prime video · fubotv · Drama7.9
35. 35Herman Wouk's War and Remembrance (1988–1989)Filmed on location in ten countries, this extraordinary production is the largest and most ambitious undertaking in television and motion picture history. Featuring an all-star cast and spectacular reenactments of the Allied invasions at Normandy and the Philippines, Herman Wouk s classic novel is brought to life in an award-winning mini-series that vividly recreates one of history s most unforgettable chapters.Drama · Romance7.9
36. 36The Real Ghostbusters (1986–1991)The Real Ghostbusters continues where the first movie left off, with the four Ghostbusters facing forces of the supernatural. Helping out the Ghostbusters would be their secretary, Janine Melnitz, and (eventually) Louis Tully. Also joining in would be the green ghost busted at the Sedgewick Hotel in the first movie, which was given the name Slimer.Action · Adventure7.9
37. 37V (1983–1985)A year after Liberation Day, courtesy of the red-dust bacteria, the humanoid, lizard-like aliens develop a resistance to the micro-organism and try to regain control of the Earth--only now some humans are knowingly working with them.Drama · Action7.8
38. 38The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984–1994)Sherlock Holmes is one of the world's greatest and most popular fictional detectives. His acute perception and powers of observation are called upon in solving a compendium of crime. As ever, Dr. Watson is on hand as his indispensable assistant.amazon prime video · britbox · Drama7.8
39. 39American Experience (1988–present)American Experience is TV's most-watched history series and brings to life incredible characters and compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today. Acclaimed by viewers and critics alike, American Experience documentaries have been honored with every major broadcast award, including 30 Emmy Awards, 4 duPont-Columbia Awards, and 18 George Foster Peabody Awards.youtube tv · pbs · History7.8Airing now
40. 40Night Court (1984–1992)A young and unusual judge arrives in Manhattan's Night Court and begins deciding cases in a most unusual manner, much to the horror of his court clerk and all else in the courtroom.amazon prime video · youtube tv · Comedy7.8
41. 41Nature (1982–present)For more than a quarter-century, Nature has brought the beauty and wonder of the natural world into American homes, becoming in the process the benchmark of natural history programs on American television. The series has won more than 600 honors from the television industry, the international wildlife film community, parent groups, and environmental organizations – including 10 Emmy Awards, three Peabody Awards, and the first honor ever given to a program by the Sierra Club.youtube tv · pbs · Nature7.8Airing now
42. 42Inspector Morse (1987–2000)Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series follows Chief Inspector Morse and Sergeant Lewis as they solve crimes.britbox · Drama · Crime7.8
43. 43A Bit of Fry and Laurie (1987–1995)Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie were among the most successful acts of the alternative comedy show Saturday Live/Friday Night Live and after a Christmas pilot in 1987, the BBC commissioned a series in 1989."My father wouldn't have a television in the house, so we used to gather round every night and watch it on the lawn".Fry and Laurie explored a seemingly inexhaustible list of subjects with a delicious turn of phrase and elaborate wordplay. The hilarity-included regular acts such as not so super spy Tony Mercheson and his boss Control, yuppies, John and Peter, as well as the concluding cocktail recipe to the accompaniment of Mr. Music with plenty of Vox Pops.peacock · britbox · Comedy7.8
44. 44POV (1988–present)POV (a cinema term for "point of view" ) is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.7.8Airing now
45. 45Bosom Buddies (1980–1982)Bosom Buddies follows the adventures of Kip Wilson and Henry Desmond, junior ad-men at Livingston Gentry and Mishkin Advertising Agency. Kip was an illustrator, but aspired to be a painter, and Henry, a copywriter and aspiring novelist. When their building is demolished, they dress as women to stay with co-worker Amy Cassidy in her apartment at the Susan B. Anthony Hotel, where men are forbidden anywhere above the lobby. Kip and Henry decide to invent alter egos Buffy and Hildegarde (their fictional sisters) to move into an empty (and cheap) apartment at the hotel; Henry, to write an expose about the experience, and Kip, to get closer to Amy's beautiful roommate, Sonny Lumet, nurse, and part-time dancer.Comedy7.8
46. 46Who's the Boss? (1984–1992)When a career-ending injury forces a baseball star into early retirement, he takes a job as a live-in housekeeper for a pushy advertising executive and her nosy mother-but "Who's the Boss?".amazon prime video · hulu · Comedy7.7
47. 47Simon & Simon (1981–1989)Rick and AJ Simon are two brothers working as private investigators in San Diego, California. They have different ideas on how to solve problems: Rick more laid back while AJ is more business-like and thier cases take them all over California as well as Hawai'i and France. They are more than brothers, they are the best of friends.Drama7.7
48. 48Mama's Family (1983–1990)Based on a series of sketches from The Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family mined humor from a squabbling family in the Midwestern blue collar suburb of Raytown. The noisy clan was headed by Mama, a buxom, gray-haired widow with sharp opinions and a sharper tongue who shared her small house with her high-strung sister Fran. Mama's lazy, dimwitted son, Vinton, moved in at the start of the series with his troublesome teenage children, Buzz and Sonja, after his wife had run off to become a Las Vegas showgirl. Vint soon became romantically involved with Naomi, Mama's promiscuous next-door neighbor, and the two eventually were married. Further uproar was caused by the periodic visits from Mama's two married daughters, the foul mouthed Eunice and the snobbish Ellen.Though the series initially ran for only two seasons on NBC, producer Joe Hamilton revived the series for first-run syndication in 1986. The show's "second life" brought about several changes, including the absence of such characters as Aunt Fran (who had died by choking on a toothpick), Buzz and Sonja (who had gone off to college), and Eunice, who had moved with her husband Ed to Florida... without telling their son Bubba, just as he was being released from juvenile hall. As a result, Bubba moved into the household with Mama, Vint and Naomi as a new character. Also joining the cast was Iola, Mama's uptight spinster neighbor with an unrequited crush on Vint. This second run was considerably more successful than the first, ending in 1990.Comedy7.7
49. 49Transformers (1984–1987)Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war between giant robots who could transform into vehicles, animals, and other objects.Action · Adventure7.7
50. 50St. Elsewhere (1982–1988)St. Eligius Hospital in South Boston was not exactly the world's best health care center. Despite its flaws, it featured some of the most caring doctors and nurses you could ever meet. Led by Dr. Donald Westphall (and later by Dr. Benjamin Gideon), St. Eligius became a sanctuary for the underdog and the downtrodden. St. Elsewhere ran on NBC for six seasons. Originally a ratings flop, NBC picked it up for a second season for the sole purpose of grabbing some additional Emmy nominations. It eventually became a minor hit for The Peacock, until burnout by the writers resulted in its 1988 cancellation. The series was nominated for 63 Emmy Awards and won 13.Drama · Comedy7.7

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