21 Iconic ’80s Sitcoms That Changed Television
The 1980’s sitcoms were structured around the American family with some exceptions. Here are 21 great 1980s sitcoms that are still a success.
A former baseball player becomes, you guessed it, a housekeeper of Angela Bower and her kids, the real chemistry of the series is Tony and Mona, Angela’s mother, provided a good one- two punch.
Police Squad! would top this list if it hadn't been canceled after just six episodes. The show was incredibly ahead of its time, ditching the usual serious detective trope for slapstick humor and pure absurdity. Each episode is a classic, and it ultimately paved the way for the Naked Gun film series.
Charles in Charge revolves around Charles, a college student who works as a live-in housekeeper for a family, essentially becoming a big brother figure to their children. Charles's best friend, Buddy Lembeck, was a prominent and often comedic character who was popular with audiences. While Scott Baio was already famous from Happy Days, his role as the good-natured and responsible Charles in this series further cemented his status as a teen idol and a sitcom star.
Michael J Fox became a household name playing Alex Keaton, the conservative son of two liberal ex-hippies Steven and Elyse Keaton. It was an amazing dynamic to the American wholesome family.
Like Family Ties, Growing Pains is yet another series that focuses on a typical middle class white family and all their misadventures. Again, the sitcom was boxed in by what was popular at the time but was one of the better shows with the dated format.
A wholesome American family gets a visitor… from another galaxy. Alf is a quick tongue alien that was kept secret by the family who took him in. The show was popular with its fans, but not the network or the cast, who hated working on a TV show where a puppet got the best lines. The show ends in a sad cliffhanger where Alf is caught by the military, the idea was to change direction for season five, but the show was canceled. Sad ending to a popular show.
A Philadelphia reverend has to learn to coexist with a hardworking and head strong lawyer who is unethical to boot. Amen was a change from the typical 80’s sitcom.
The Golden Girls gets an A plus from shifting from the American family to four previously married women living out their golden years in Miami. The Golden Girls without the shackles of the typical 80’s sitcom of the hard-working dad or high school going kids is actually very creative and funny for its time.
A cynical man’s, who moves out to Chicago, life takes a massive shift when he meets his foreign cousin who comes to America to live with him. Perfect Strangers had various changes to its format over the course of the series but the chemistry between Bronson Pinchot and Mark Linn-Baker was pure gold. Oh, and remember the dance of joy?
A break in the traditional family format The Facts of Life gathers four young teenage women who live in a housing school and is run by Mrs. Edna Garrett, who helps the girls to solve many of their issues of growing up.
George Papadapolis and his wife Katherine’s lives are turned upside down when they take in Webster, the son of a former football teammate of George. The show brings to light the discussions of color and family values.
Six friends from high school go through the growing pains of dating, friendships, school, summer jobs, and eventually college. Saved by the Bell became a huge hit for over 20 years living on through syndication.
The bar of an ex-Boston Red Sox’s player became one of the most successful shows of the 1980’s. From its quirky characters and modern humor, Cheers was a show that finally broke with the norm of the “American Family” sitcom, instead focusing on the issues adults face after work at their local bar.
Bill Cosby became one of the most famous and most influential people in the entertainment business with his show about a successful African American family. Despite its family humor and Cosby’s delivery all the greatness of this show will now be forever tainted by what happened many years later.
A wealthy Manhattan family adopts two urban African American kids, after their mother, the family housekeeper dies. The kids from Harlem must adapt to their new social surroundings.
Another typical American family sitcom that had a twist, the first two seasons centered around Valerie Harper, a career-oriented mother and wife, when her character was killed off, the show ran for four more seasons when Valerie’s sister-in-law came to live and help raise the family.
A spoiled rich kid may have it all, but he also has to deal with a lot of issues of growing up into his teen years. A kind of Richie Rich for 80’s sitcoms.
Starring Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis as private detectives, the show had drama, comedy, and broke the mold getting us away from the American family sitcom. David and Maddie, the two principal characters were the original Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in some way.
Imagine Alfred, Batman’s butler living with a typical American family, well that’s Mr. Belvedere. As ideas for the “American family” sitcom began to dry up we started getting shows like Mr. Belvedere.
A mischievous little girl and her dog are abandoned at a local supermarket and eventually are taken in by a family where a new life begins.
A goofy judge presides over the happenings of an urban night court and all of the antics of the regulars and criminals. Night Court was kind of like Taxi meets the law. Still very funny.