Top 10 80s TV Shows You Forgot Were AWESOME

There are two big reasons why “Police Squad!” has been forgotten. One, it has been overshadowed by “The Naked Gun” movies, which served as a follow-up to the show. And two, it was only on for six episodes! Like the classic films after it, “Police Squad!” was created by the Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker trio and stars Leslie Nielsen as the bumbling Frank Drebin. The show is every bit as funny as the movies and uses the same style of humor, featuring a dense collection of sight gags, slapstick, and clever wordplay. Alas, “Police Squad!” aired just four episodes before it was canceled by ABC, with the last two airing months later in the summer. It was an undignified ending for such a great show.

Despite its rather creepy title, “The Love Boat” was a defining cultural product of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The show garnered five Emmy and eight Golden Globe nominations throughout its run, including four for Best Musical or Comedy. It provided an easygoing and comforting experience for viewers, with an uplifting tone, fun escapist entertainment, and glamorous settings filmed on location. It was like a James Bond movie on TV! “The Love Boat” quickly became a staple of ABC’s Saturday night lineup and was a huge ratings success, its popularity even boosting the cruise industry. It’s a little dated today, sure, but there was nothing like it at the time.

There were a ton of great sitcoms in the 1980s, many of which are still fondly remembered today. But for some reason, “Perfect Strangers” has fallen by the wayside. The show follows the wacky misadventures of distant cousins Larry Appleton and Balki Bartokomous as they navigate daily life in Chicago. The comedy thrives on their opposing odd-couple dynamic, with Balki’s innocence and optimism clashing with Larry’s more neurotic and cynical traits. The physical slapstick humor is also top notch, and even amongst all the uproarious comedy, the show never forgets to deliver heartfelt lessons about friendship, family, and the American Dream. And the fashion. Oh man, the fashion. This is peak ‘80s nostalgia right here.

A beloved British sitcom, “Yes Minister” was said to be the favorite show of British PM Margaret Thatcher. A sharp political satire, it follows Jim Hacker, a cabinet minister in the Department of Administrative Affairs, and later, the Prime Minister of Britain. Despite airing in the 1980s, the show’s themes surrounding government hypocrisy and bureaucratic inefficiency are universal, lending the show a degree of timelessness. It’s also filled with brilliant characters, memorable quotes, and razor-sharp writing that disguises some unfortunate realities behind comedy. Despite being forgotten by some, the show lives on through its monumental influence, its DNA still seen in shows like “Veep.”

In May 1983, NBC released “V,” a two-part miniseries about an alien invasion. The miniseries was an enormous success, spawning a sequel and, some may forget, a weekly TV show. It aired for just one season between 1984 and ‘85, and while it wasn’t as popular as its predecessors, there is still plenty to like about it. “V” retained its core concept and tells a solid story about an alien invasion. Jane Badler is also exceptional as Diana, the Supreme Commander of the Visitors. And despite its age, the action is surprisingly excellent, with fun laser battles and exciting chase sequences. Despite its premature cancellation, the show now enjoys a small cult following of fans who appreciate its obvious qualities.

Before he was Bond, James Bond, Pierce Brosnan was Steele, Remington Steele. This classic show has a unique premise that instantly transfixes viewers - Laura Holt is an exceptional private investigator, but her business suffers because she’s a woman. So she invents a fictional boss, “Remington Steele,” in order to attract male clients. Brosnan plays the mysterious con man who works with Laura and adopts the Remington Steele moniker. Laura is a strong and intelligent female lead - a rarity in 1980s television - and Brosnan is…well, he’s Pierce Brosnan. We mean, come on! They certainly work well by themselves, but the two also share pitch-perfect chemistry, with electric tension and an evolving will-they-won’t-they dynamic. It’s got action, charm, humor, romance - what more could you want!?

NBC had a huge hit with “Remington Steele,” so ABC wanted their own odd-couple detective show. Enter “Moonlighting,” which tells of the Blue Moon Detective Agency and its investigators Maddie Hayes and David Addison. Today, the show is largely remembered for introducing the world to Bruce Willis. Unfortunately, the success of his movie career has somewhat overshadowed the show, and we forget just how good it actually is. The chemistry between Maddie and David is simply fantastic, and they provide one of the most iconic romances in television history. The show also contained a ton of innovative ideas, like breaking the fourth wall and playing with disparate genre formats in ways that were ahead of its time.

This was one of the defining sitcoms of the 1980s, but you don’t hear much about it anymore. It takes place during the night shift of a Manhattan court and contains one of the best ensemble casts in TV history. John Larroquette stands out as the sleazy and sarcastic Dan Fielding, and he took home four consecutive Emmy awards for his performance. His face defines the 1980s comedy landscape. “Night Court” also leans into a surreal atmosphere, which wasn’t common on TV at the time (especially in sitcoms), and it provides the perfect blend of comedy and heart. The night court contains a never-ending stream of wacky cases, but it still finds time to pontificate on things like friendship, morality, and the law.

Before “The Sopranos,” there was “Crime Story.” And despite its enormous influence, most people have completely forgotten about it. It was produced by Michael Mann and follows a cat-and-mouse game between Mike Torello and Ray Luca as they try taking each other down. The two took wildly different paths in life, with Mike becoming a police officer and Ray a Vegas mob boss. “Crime Story” was ahead of its time in so many ways, containing cinematic production values and the gritty realism reminiscent of Mann’s films. Its method of storytelling was also wildly inventive, featuring season-long arcs and permanent acts of character development. The show, while fantastic, required a dedicated commitment - which is probably why it didn’t last very long.

The 1980s gave us what could very well be the most influential drama in the history of television. That drama is “Hill Street Blues.” This wasn’t your typical police procedural. The show’s cinematography featured handheld cameras and natural lighting, giving it a cinéma vérité style that was unheard of at the time. Characters were three-dimensional and flawed, rather than clear-cut heroes and villains. It was one of the first network dramas to engage with complex social themes like race relations and inner-city struggles. Its tone was dirty and gritty. And perhaps most importantly, it was one of the first shows to embrace longform storytelling and helped introduce the concept of serialized TV. “Hill Street Blues” is still awesome, even after all these years.

Do you have any nostalgic memories of these shows? Let us know in the comments below!