The 1980’s were a whirlwind decade filled with hair metal bands, bright spandex workout gear, iconic horror films, and feel-good sitcoms for the whole family. The ‘80’s brought us many sitcoms that became pop culture icons such as The Golden Girls, Married with Children, and Cheers.
There were several great sitcoms in the ‘80’s that would have fans gathering around the TV with their whole family and laughing every week, but most of these shows have long been forgotten. But today, we’re here to revive them as credit needs to be paid to the sitcoms of decades past. Here are the 10 sitcoms from the ‘80’s everyone forgot about:
Updated by Madison Lennon on April 8, 2020: We decided now was a great time to update the following list of shows regarding the best sitcoms from the ’80s that people may have forgotten about over the years.
Lots of our favorite sitcoms from the past few decades were inspired by shows from the ’80s and even earlier than that. Some people still prefer older shows over the new ones and it’s easy to see why when looking through the following list. Hopefully, you’ll find something here you’re interested in remembering.
My Two Dads
My Two Dads was a three-season sitcom that started airing in the last 1980s. The series revolved around two men who fought over a woman they both claimed was the love of their life for years. She then dies suddenly and leaves behind her 12-year-old daughter.
For some reason, she decides the two men that supposedly love her, Joey and Michael, will be the best caretakers for young Nicole and she gives them joint custody over her. They have to figure out the best way to raise Nicole while fighting all the time.
The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons ran for 11 seasons and over 200 episodes on CBS from 1975 to 1985. It is one of the longest-running sitcoms of all time. The series was created by Norman Lear and dealt with a large variety of topics from racism to gun control and beyond.
It followed the Jefferson family after they relocate from Queens to Manhattan thanks to the success of George Jefferson’s dry-cleaning chain. It was a spin-off of Allin the Family. It starred Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley in the main roles of George and Louise Jefferson.
Three’s Company
Three’s Company was a popular sitcom that ran for eight seasons on ABC from 1977 to 1984. It was based on the British series Man About the House. It focused on three friends living together in a house located in Santa Monica, California.
It had a lot of different cast members over the years but remains a favorite for many people. The series starred John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, Joyce DeWitt, Audra Lindley, and Norman Fell. It was popular enough to earn syndication and to have three spin-off series including Three’s a Crowd.
Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley is a classic American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1976 to 1983. It starred Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams in the titular roles and even spawned an animated spin-off series.
It was one of the most-watched television shows airing at the time and it was nominated for multiple awards throughout its run. It was a spin-off from Happy Days and set around the same time. It followed the daily adventures of Laverne and Shirley from their home in Milwaukee, although they eventually moved to California in the later seasons.
227
227 is a classic and hilarious sitcom that ran for over 5 seasons after it premiered in 1985. It helps launch the career of notable stars like Jackée Harry and Regina King. Harry’s character, Sandra Clark, was a breakout on the show and she is still fondly remembered for her hilarious portrayal decades later.
She won an Emmy Award for her performance on the show and was nominated for several more and in addition to being nominated for a Golden Globe. The series was adapted from a play and revolved around the lives of several inhabitants in a middle-class apartment numbered 227.
ALF
Most kids of today would roll their eyes at the unrealistic puppet who portrayed Alf. But back in the 1980’s Alf was considered high tech and fans didn’t mind at all that he didn’t look real like the sci-fi creatures of today do.
Fans loved the sarcastic alien puppet as his sassy comebacks and attempts at eating the family cat would have everyone laughing. Alf aired for 4 seasons from 1986 to 1990. Alf was an alien from the planet Melmac who crash lands into a suburban neighborhood. With his spaceship beyond repair, he’s forced to stay with the white-picket-fence family, the Tanners.
Growing Pains
Every decade needs a feel-good sitcom about a modern family overcoming the daily struggles of raising kids and overcoming the obstacles life throws at them. For the 1980’s that sitcom was Growing Pains. The series aired for 7 seasons from 1985 to 1992 and is often described as the “Father Knows Best” of the 1980’s.
The series was about a father, Dr. Jason Seaver, who moves his psychiatry practice to their Long Island home so his wife, Maggie, can return to work as a reporter. The family consists of 4 children, Mike, Carol, Ben, and Chrissy. The Seavers tackle issues such as drugs, peer pressure, and suicide. They learn to overcome life’s challenges as a family.
Facts of Life
Long before there was Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, or Secret Life of the American Teenager, there was The Facts of Life. The sitcom ran for 9 seasons from 1979 to 1988. The Facts of Life centered around the girls attending the Eastland School for Young Women in New York.
The series focused on four main girls, Blair, Jo, Tootie, and Natalie and their housemother, Mrs. Edna Garrett. Fans loved the bond between the girls and their caretaker and tuned in every week to learn a valuable life lesson from Mrs. Garrett and the girls.
Who’s The Boss?
A pro baseball player turned housekeeper is just as funny as you imagine it to be. Who’s the Boss? aired from 1984 to 1992 with a total of 8 seasons. The series focused on a former baseball player, Tony Micelli played by Tony Danza, who takes a job as a housekeeper for a divorced business woman Angela Bower, played by Judith Light.
The series had fans cracking up as the conflicting personalities between Angela and Tony, and between Tony’s daughter Samantha and Angela’s son Jonathan, was constantly creating hilarious situations. Throw in Angela’s mom, Mona, who was always on the prowl for man, and you have got yourself a sitcom that is sure to have everyone grinning.
TAXI
For many people the idea of riding in a bright yellow New York taxi sounds like a dream, but behind the scenes things aren’t always as glamorous as series like Sex and The City would have you believe. The 1980’s sitcom Taxi took a look at what life is like working for a taxi company.
The series ran from 1978 to 1983, earning itself several Emmy’s for everything from the acting to the editing. Taxi followed the lives of the employees of the Sunshine Cab Company who all have bigger plans for their lives such as becoming boxers and actors.
Designing Women
Female orientated sitcoms started to gain popularity in the ‘80’s and Golden Girls wasn’t the only one to help this movement along. Designing Women was about a group of women who all work at the interior design firm, Sugarbaker and Associates in Atlanta.
The women consisted of the owner of the company Julia, her beauty queen sister Suzanne, divorcee Mary Jo, and the office manager Charlene. The series is also frequented by the deliveryman Anthony and their elderly friend Bernice. Designing Women was revolutionary as it focused more on the women’s careers instead of their relationships.
Mama’s Family
Before Golden Girls, Betty White and Rue McClanahan starred on a sitcom series called Mama’s Family with Vicki Lawrence starring as Thelma Harper or simply “Mama”. Mama’s Family aired for 6 seasons from 1983 to 1990. The sitcom originated from sketches that Vicki Lawrence performed on The Carol Burnett Show.
Mama’s Family was fun for the whole family as everyone could laugh at the shenanigans of the characters in the family which included Mama’s son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and others. Mama is a strong willed woman who loves her family, but does not tolerate their ridiculous bad behavior. Sometimes tough love is the only answer.
Punky Brewster
Not having a smile on your face while watching Punky Brewster is almost impossible as the series was one of the most heartwarming sitcoms of the 80’s. The show was on from 1984 to 1988 with a total of 4 seasons. Penelope “Punky” Brewster was a little girl who along with her four-legged best friend, Brandon, reminded everyone about the sweetness in life.
Punky was abandoned by her parents and taken in by a grouchy Chicago photographer, played George Gaynes, but she never let that get her down. The series featured other good-nature characters such as the registered nurse Betty and her granddaughter Cherie. If you’re ever feeling blue, Punky Brewster is sure to put a smile on your face.
Night Court
The Office of the 1980’s was Night Court which aired for 9 seasons from 1984 to 1992. The sitcom featured many zany characters such as eccentric Judge Harry Stone, courtroom guard Bull, prosecutor Dan, and public defender Christine, and court clerk Mac. The workplace dynamics between the diverse characters had every fan relating to the show and laughing along.
People may think a show about the people who work in a courtroom might be serious and full of drama, but for Night Court that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The sitcom was full of silly antics, sometimes caused by the judge and sometimes by the criminal, that had everyone giggling.
Family Ties
In most cases it seems as if the parents are the straight-laced conservatives and the kids are the radical liberals of the family, but that was not the case for the 80’s sitcom Family Ties. The series ran for 7 seasons from 1982 to 1989. Family Ties a hilarious sitcom about parents, Steven and Elyse, who were once 1960’s hippies and are now trying to raise a traditional suburban family.
But parenting doesn’t come easy for them as their children have very different viewpoints especially their son Alex who has already identified as a Republican. The series made everyone laugh and made parents with children who disagree with them nod their heads in solidarity.
