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80s TV

Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats

Get ready to feel some serious nostalgia after reading through this list of the top 80s cartoons. Let&#39;s face it. <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-animated-series-ever-made?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The best cartoons</a> of the 1980s helped to shape an entire generation. Whether we were dreaming of hanging out with chipmunk brothers or becoming a stealthy turtle who loves eating pizza in gutters, the 80s made for some pretty amazing television. This list contains funny 80s cartoons and action-packed 80s animations.&nbsp;

Was there ever a better cartoon than&nbsp;The Simpsons? This show chronicles the lives of The Simpsons, a family from Springfield, IL., who always seem to make life a little more interesting (thanks, Homer). Created by Matt Groening in 1989, this classic timepiece is still on the air today, and it&#39;s the one 80s animation that holds the record for the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/longest-running-us-sitcoms/tvs-frank?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">longest running</a> American animation of all time.

Other good 80s shows like DuckTales and The Gummi Bears also appear on this list of 1980s <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/my-favorite-cartoons-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">cartoon shows</a>. The Transformers was a favorite 1980s TV show and it eventually became a series of blockbuster films. The Transformers aired from 1984-1987.

Where do your favorite 1980s shows fall on this list?&nbsp;You can even vote on this list of the best cartoons of the 1980s to make sure your favorite 80s cartoons end up in the No. 1 spot! Woohoo! GO 80s.&nbsp;

1980s

List of the best television shows from the &#39;80s, as ranked by television fans. In the 1980s, sitcoms were among the most talked about and most watched shows on the air. Shows like Cheers, The Cosby Show, Murphy Brown, and The Golden Girls were always topics of conversation around the water cooler. Family sitcoms were <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-tv-shows-80s/kelly-patrick" target="_blank">especially popular</a>, with the rise of shows like Family Ties, The Wonder Years, The Facts of Life, and Who&rsquo;s the Boss.

Procedural crime dramas like Miami Vice, Knight Rider, and Remington Steele were popular, not only for the feather-haired hunks and uniquely &#39;80s fashion, but also for their action-packed plots. The &#39;80s also saw a rise in soap-style primetime television. The goings on in Dynasty and Dallas were constant topics of conversation. Many of the more popular shows lasted well into the next decade, but even some of the most well-remembered shows of the 80s only lasted a season or two, such as Max Headroom and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-americans-ever/jacariah?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Greatest American</a> Hero.

What are your favorite shows from the &#39;80s? Take a look at this list filled with the best shows the &#39;80s had to offer. Maybe you&rsquo;ll be inspired to take out those old Betamax recordings and rewatch your favorite actually-good &#39;80s shows that really hold up. For more 80s TV, check out the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-shows-set-in-the-80s/ranker-tv" target="_blank">best shows set in the 1980s</a>.&nbsp;

Fame

It seems like the &#39;80s were a golden age for, well, coming-of-age stories on television. These are the best 1980s teen shows, ranked from best to worst by user votes. Some of the best 80s teen shows packed each episode with a message that kids could act on in their own lives, while others were less concerned with teaching lessons and more concerned with supplying a few laughs. There is certainly room for both on TV.

What are some <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-dramedy-tv-series?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">examples of TV shows</a> you can expect to find on this 1980s teen shows list? The Wonder Years, which premiered in 1988, set the standard for every teen series that followed. Though it aired in the 1980s and &#39;90s, the plot of the show followed Arnold Family throughout the &#39;60s and &#39;70s. Saved By the Bell was another great young adult program that was on television in the 1980s. It&#39;s also worth bringing up the fact that before she was Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker starred as Patty Greene in another top 80s teen show, Square Pegs.&nbsp;

So, which is the best 80s teen series? Vote up your favorites and see if other Ranker voters agree with you!

Full House

What are the best 80&#39;s sitcoms? The 1980s were truly a golden age for television comedy, with many of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-tv-shows-80s/kelly-patrick" target="_blank">most popular TV</a> sitcoms dominating the landscape. Trying to choose favorites is a bit of a challenge, with so many excellent shows, but that&#39;s what&#39;s going on right here. Vote for the famous 80s sitcoms that you loved the most, vote down any you didn&#39;t like and feel free to re-rank this list in any order you choose.

No list of great 80s sitcoms would be complete without several of the notable NBC comedies. In the 1980s, NBC came on strong with brilliant, groundbreaking situation comedy shows that captured viewers&#39; collective attention. Given their popularity, is it any wonder that some of these top programs are among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/longest-running-us-sitcoms/tvs-frank" target="_blank">longest running US sitcoms</a>? Many of these 80s shows also went on to become <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-nbc-comedies-of-all-time" target="_blank">the best NBC comedies of all time</a>: Can anyone argue that The Cosby Show,&nbsp;Cheers, and&nbsp;Family Ties, aren&#39;t forever a part of pop culture?

From Newhart&nbsp;to Murphy Brown&nbsp;and beyond, this list of outstanding 1980&#39;s comedy TV shows includes some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-sitcoms-in-television-history" target="_blank">greatest sitcoms in television history</a>. Enjoy this walk down TV memory lane, and don&#39;t forget to vote!

M*A*S*H

The 1980s had some great shows. But, which of the TV shows from the 1980s is the best? That's up to you! Vote up your favorite 80s TV show and see if the rest of... everybody agrees with you. That's how crowdsourced opinions work.So is it Cheers? Maybe Murphy Brown is best TV show from the 80s? Again, this is your call. You need to vote on this list of 80s sitcoms and 80s dramas to make this list worth its weight in 80s TV gold.It's a tough call, but take a look at this list of TV series from the 80s and vote for your favorites. Don't worry about what &quot;the critics&quot; thought. It's about what YOU thought!

Finders Keepers

These are the best 1980s Nickelodeon shows, ranked from best to worst by user votes. Some top 80s Nickelodeon shows were cartoons and others were game shows. A few of the most popular 1980s Nickelodeon series were funny live action comedies.What series appear on this best 1980s Nickelodeon shows list? Hey Dude ranks among the best. This great 80s Nick show featured some of the top child actors of the time including Christine Taylor, who went on to star in such films as <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/behind-the-scenes-brady-bunch-stories/mariel-loveland?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Brady Bunch</a> Movie and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-wedding-singer-cast-and-actors-in-this-movie/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Wedding Singer</a>. Count Duckula is another good show that aired on Nickelodeon in the 1980s. Guests on You Can't Do That on Television had to be careful what they said otherwise they may have been doused in green slime. Other good series featured on this top 1980s Nickelodeon shows list include Double Dare, The Tomorrow People and Out of Control.Do you have a favorite 80s Nickelodeon series? Take a look at this list and get in on the conversation in the comments section.

Action

Star Trek: The Next Generation

If the 80s were about anything they were about excess... and action! Explosive, 'roided up, action. So, these are the best 1980s Action TV series, ranked from best to worst by user votes. The best 1980s action TV series were based in greatly varied universes. Some of these great 80s action shows are crime dramas while some other of these seriously good 1980s action shows were about a rag tag bunch of scientists and alien scientists on a big fancy starship. So, these are the greatest 1980s action TV series. Vote for your favorites!What shows will you find on this top 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/action-tv-shows-and-series/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">action TV shows</a> list? MacGyver was a hugely popular action series during the decade. As everyone's favorite inventive action hero, MacGyver could get himself out of the stickiest of situations. Magnum, P.I. was another one of the greatest shows that aired in the 1980s.The A-Team promoted team-work while entertaining viewers in the 80s and motorcycle-lovers enjoyed the actions series CHIPs. Other shows that appear on this good 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-new-action-shows-of-the-last-few-years/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">action TV series list</a> include Hill Street Blues, Tour of Duty and Miami Vice.Which 80s action series is your favorite? Give the best shows a thumbs up and get in on the conversation in the comments section.

Elvira's Movie Macabre

These are the best 1980s dark comedy TV shows, ranked from best to worst by user votes. And there are a lot to pick from when it comes to the top 80s dark comedy series. Though they are extremely varied as far as subject matter is concerned, these great dark comedy shows all seem to find humor in the most taboo of subjects. Some of the best 80s dark comedy shows even use sketch comedy to poke fun at dark content.What shows will you find on this best 1980s dark comedy TV shows list? Since its premiere in 1987, Married... With Children turned the pessimistic life of Al Bundy into comedy gold. Whether they were encountering ax murders, the man who met Andy Griffith or both, the Bundy's found humor in every situation. Beetlejuice was another good dark comedy that aired in the 80s.Tales From the Crypt often included terrifying plotlines, but the show's host, The Cryptkeeper, introduced each tale with horrifying puns and killer jokes. Other good shows that appear on this top 1980s dark comedy TV shows list include Tales From the Darkside, Mystery Science Theater 3000 and The Kids in the Hall.Do you have a favorite 80s dark comedy show? Vote the best series up to No. 1!

poll

Scrabble

What do you look for in a good game show? Is it an enjoyable host, who is charismatic, friendly, and funny? Do you enjoy watching people making fools of themselves? Or maybe it&rsquo;s the challenge of the game that keeps you glued to the screen? Whatever your reason for watching game shows, the &#39;80s had plenty of amazing game shows. This list of the best game 1980s shows includes TV game shows that aired during the 1980s, and has been ranked by the community.

Older programs like The Price Is Right and Family Feud had begun before the 80s but still ran strong throughout the entire decade, exciting new audiences every year. However, many of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-game-shows-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best game shows</a> of the decade were uniquely &#39;80s, such as Tic-Tac-Dough and Everything Goes. 80s game shows often relied on celebrity panels, like in Hollywood Squares, where people got to interact with their favorite celebrities while trying to win prizes.

What are the best 1980s gameshows? Were the best the ones that included celebrities or ones that focused on the average guy? Vote up the greatest 80s game shows below or add the one you thought was the best if it isn&#39;t already on the list. Take a look at these classic game shows and decide which of them should be the top rated.

The Young Riders

The 80s were about excess. And there is maybe no better way to prove that then the over-the-top adventures on 80s TV. So, here are the very best 1980s Adventure TV series, ranked from best to worst by user votes. From great 80s adventure shows that were Westerns, to other good 1980s adventure shows that were sci-fi, these shows provided something for every demographic of television viewer. A few of the greatest 1980s adventure TV series were even based on books and comics.What shows will you find on this top 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/action-and-adventure-tv-shows-and-series/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">adventure TV shows</a> list? Star Trek returned in the 1980s with the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-adventure-tv-series/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">great adventure series</a> Star Trek: The Next Generation. Patrick Stewart starred as Captain Jean-Luc Picard throughout the series seven season run. MacGyver was also one of the most popular adventure series of the 1980s.80s adventure series were all about David Hasselhoff. His hit shows Knight Rider and Baywatch both aired during the decade. Other good series on this great 1980s adventure series list include The A-Team, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/full-cast-of-the-young-riders-cast-list-for-the-show-the-young-riders/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Young Riders</a> and Miami Vice.How will we ever determine which 80s adventure series is the best? Help us out by voting your favorite TV shows to the top of this list and please add any great shows we may have missed.

The Wonder Years

Remember the '80s? 1980s ABC shows, specifically? You're about to, because this list of '80s ABC shows ranks the network's series from best to worst based on your votes. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-abc-shows-of-all-time/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">ABC TV shows</a> from the 1980s cover everything from earnest family dramas to silly household sitcoms. There are even some game shows and cartoons on this top '80s ABC shows list. What are some of the series that you'll find on this 1980s ABC shows list? The Wonder Years made the cut, of course This '80s series won an Emmy Award for <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/funniest-tv-shows-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Best Comedy Series</a> during its premiere season. Full House was another good '80s ABC show that ran well into the next decade. People loved it so much that a Netflix sequel show is scheduled to premiere in 2016.ABC also created good dramas in the 1980s. Moonlighting, MacGyver, and thirtysomething are all series on this list. These shows are still part of popular culture; Moonlighting actually helped propel Bruce Willis to stardom. Speaking of stars, Tom Hanks's 1980s series Bosom Buddies is another great 1980s ABC show.Which ABC TV series from the go-go '80s represents the best of the decade? Vote up your favorites to see them climb the list and please add any great shows we may have missed. If you've seen every show and every episode, rerank the whole list!

Magnum, P.I.

If you&rsquo;re an avid television fan, chances are there&#39;s at least one&nbsp;1980s drama series that you love. For the first time, television was starting to step away from procedural elements, towards more serialized series. Procedural cop and detective shows were still among the biggest hits of the decade, however, shows like &quot;Dallas,&quot; &quot;St. Elsewhere,&quot; and &quot;Dynasty&quot; were leaning more towards long-term story arcs. These types of shows remain popular today as well.

The 80s were known for the flashy television shows. &quot;Miami Vice&quot; and &quot;21 Jump Street&quot; were known for their hot lead actors and unique 80s fashion. There was also a push towards fantasy and science fiction television like never before, with dramas such as &quot;Quantum Leap,&quot; &quot;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/beauty-and-the-beast-aftermath/hannah-collins?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Beauty and the Beast</a>,&quot; and &quot;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-americans-ever/jacariah?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Greatest American</a> Hero.&quot;

What were the best dramas of the 1980s? This list of the best dramatic television that aired during 1980-1989 has been ranked by the community.&nbsp;Did the 80s drama series you think are best make the list? Cast your votes below and see where the 1980s dramas you think are great rank.

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Friday the 13th: The Series

These are the best 1980s horror series ranked from best to worst by user votes. Some of these great 80s horror TV shows heavily featured classic monsters that any horror fan would be familiar with, while some other good 1980s horror shows injected some campy comedy into their storylines to be more a part of the horror/comedy sub-genre. A few of the best 80s horror series have even been adapted into feature films.What shows are featured on this best 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/horror-tv-shows-and-series/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">horror TV shows list</a>? Without a doubt, Tales From the Crypt is one of the greatest horror shows of the 1980s. Premiering in 1989, this collection of scary shorts generated many nightmares during its seven season run. Elvira's Movie Macabra is another good horror show that aired in the 80s.Freddy Krueger got the opportunity to haunt viewers on a weekly basis with Freddy's Nightmares. Other good shows that appear on this top 1980s horror TV shows list include Werewolf, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-tales-from-the-darkside-episodes/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Tales From the Darkside</a> and The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents.Which 80s horror TV series is the best? Vote up your favorites!

Beauty and the Beast

Tired of being left out of nearly every conversation your friends are having? Catch up on these classic 1980s cult TV series, ranked from best to worst by your votes. It's hard to put your finger on what made a show a great 1980s cult TV series. Some of the best 80s cult TV shows are sci-fi based and others gained cult status due to their subversive humor. One thing is for sure, the top 1980s cult TV series have very loyal fans and they aren't afraid to let you know it.What are some of the shows that appear on this best 1980s cult TV series list? Pee-wee's Playhouse was a great 1980s kids' show that gained a cult following of adults because of its absurdist humor. This popular 80s cult classic aired from 1986 – 1990. Mystery Science Theater 3000 is another good cult show that aired in the 1990s.Star Trek: The Next Generation proved to be just as popular as the original series during its seven seasons from 1987 – 1994. Other good shows that appear on this top 1980s cult TV series list include Doctor Who, SCTV and Quantum Leap.Which 80s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/tv-guide_s-top-30-cult-shows?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">cult TV show</a> is your favorite? Give the best shows a thumbs up and share some of your favorite episodes in the comments section.

Mystery Science Theater 3000

These are the best 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-sci-fi-shows-on-netflix/ranker-streaming?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Sci Fi shows</a>, ranked from best to worst by user votes. There were good '80s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/current-sci-fi-tv-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">sci fi series</a> that were set centuries in the future, and there were other great 1980s sci fi programs that took place in distant galaxies. A few of the most popular 1980s sci fi shows have been reimagined in films and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-tv-shows-of-recent-memory?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">modern TV series</a>.What programs are featured on this best 1980s sci fi shows list? Star Trek: The Next Generation is the gold standard when it comes to science fiction television from the 1980s. Throughout the series, Patrick Stewart commanded the USS Enterprise as the ship's captain, Jean-Luc Picard. Alf was one of the best 1980s sitcoms to incorporate sci fi story-lines into its ongoing series.Mystery Science Theater 3000 was such a popular program in the 1980s that it successfully completed a 2015 Kickstarter campaign to return to television. Other great series featured on this top 1980s sci fi shows list include Doctor Who, Quantum Leap and Small Wonder.Which 80s science fiction show do you think is the best? Give your favorites a thumbs up to vote them up to the top of this list and get in on the conversation in the comments section.

Mork & Mindy

These are the best 1980s fantasy TV series, ranked from best to worst by user votes. Some of the best 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fantasy-tv-shows-and-series/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">fantasy TV shows</a> took place in the depths of space, while others integrated supernatural (or just fantastical) elements into their reality-bending storylines. Some of the greatest 80s fantasy TV series even feature superheroes and characters with super powers.What shows will you find on this best 1980s fantasy TV series list? Jim Henson used his creativity to develop imaginative worlds that entertained viewers of all ages. Jim Henson's The Storyteller and Fraggle Rock are two of his very best offerings. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/beauty-and-the-beast-aftermath/hannah-collins?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Beauty and the Beast</a> is another good fantasy show that aired on television in the 1980s.The sitcom ALF was out of this world when it came to intergalactic laughs. Other great shows that appear on this 1980s fantasy TV shows list include <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-highway-to-heaven-episodes/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Highway to Heaven</a>, Out of This World and Faerie Tale Theatre.Which 80s fantasy TV show do you like the best? Vote your favorite series up to No. 1!

The Hogan Family

These are the best 1980s NBC shows ranked by user votes. The 1980s was a great time for NBC television programs. Really, it was just a great time for TV in general. Particularly the sitcom. Some of the best 1980s NBC shows were dramas and other good 80s NBC series were comedies. Greatness knew no genre. Many of the greatest 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-nbc-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBC TV shows</a> are still popular to this day with syndicated reruns. What shows appear near the top of this best 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-nbc-tv-shows-of-all-time/voteable?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">NBC shows list</a>? Cheers was a hit for the network as soon as it premiered in 1982. Part of its success was thanks to a talented cast including Ted Danson, Shelley Long and Woody Harrelson. Family Ties is another good show that aired on NBC in the 1980s, as is the out-of-this-world comedy Alf.St. Elsewhere used the setting of a working hospital to add drama into the plot. Other great series that appear on this top 1980s NBC shows list include Hill Street Blues, The Facts of Life and Misfits of Science.Do you have a favorite NBC show from the 80s? Take a look at this list and give the best series a thumbs up to bump them all the way up to the top.

The 1980s were truly something special, which is probably why there's been quite a few 80s TV reboots. From hilarious comedies to serious dramas, the best shows from this eclectic era ended all too soon for most fans. They do say all good things must come to an end, after all. However, such is not necessarily the case for some of these greatly missed 80s TV shows. Whether you were a fan of Murphy Brown or Magnum, P.I. (both are&nbsp;returning in 2018), some of us are lucky to see our favorite shows live again. But which shows take the title for the best 80s TV reboots?Of all the 1980s&nbsp;<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-tv-series-revivals-with-original-casts/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">TV show revivals</a>, V has got to be one of the best yet. The <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-1980s-sci-fi-shows/ranker-tv" target="_blank">80s sci-fi series</a> got its reboot in 2009, running for two years. It may have been a short rerun, but plenty of fans were satisfied. Other notable 80s remakes include&nbsp;MacGyver, Dynasty, and Charlie's Angels. What's been your favorite reboot?Check out the list of 80s TV show remakes below and vote up the ones you think captured the original series best.

Mama's Family

The '80s are widely considered a golden age of TV. From great sitcoms to inventive late-night variety shows, the 1980s really changed television forever. But not to be forgotten in all of that great TV are the tremendous spin-offs that premiered in the '80s. These are the best1980s spin-offs, ranked from best to worst by TV fanatics. Some of these shows expand the universe and continue the journey of fan-favorite characters from their predecessors, while other great 1980s spin-offs on this list merely take place in the same location as the show they're based on.&nbsp;What are some of the series that you'll find on this list of1980s spin-offs list? After appearing in popular segments on The Tracey Ullman Show, The Simpsons were given their own series in 1989. This great spin-off holds many titles including the longest-running sitcom and the longest-running animated program in America. Mork &amp; Mindy is another good spin-off that aired in the 1980s.A Different World followed The Cosby Show character, Denise Huxtable, as she went off to college. Other great shows on this top '80s spin-offs list include The Jeffersons, The Facts of Life, and Muppet Babies.What is the best 80s spinoff? Be sure to vote up your favorites and see if other Ranker users agree with you!

There was a lot of tremendous TV in the 80s, and these are the very best 1980s CBS shows ranked from best to worst by user votes. Since this is a list of the overall best shows, some of these good 80s CBS series are dramas while some of these other great shows are comedies, obviously. Many of the best 1980s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-cbs-shows/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">CBS TV series</a> are still popular today when they air in syndication as reruns. This isn't too surprising since many of these shows are considered all time classics.&nbsp;What series will you find on this best 1980s CBS shows list? When M*A*S*H ended in 1983, the series finale became the most watched final episode of all time, a statistic that still holds to this day. The final episode was co-written and directed by the series' star, Alan Alda. Designing Women was also a popular 80s CBS TV series.Charles in Charge, starring Scott Baio ran on CBS from 1984 – 1990 and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/full-cast-of-jake-and-the-fatman-cast-list-for-the-show-jake-and-the-fatman/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Jake and the Fatman</a> was a hit for the network in the late-1980s. Other good shows that appear on this list of top 1980s CBS shows include T.J. Hooker, Cagney &amp; Lacey and Murphy Brown.Which 80s CBS show deserves the top spot on this list? Vote for your favorites!

The Best TV Shows of the 1980s

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Animated

These are the best 1980s animated series, ranked from best to worst by user votes. These shows run the spectrum from fantastic kids cartoons to &quot;adult&quot; humor icons that totally changed the world of television forever. The top <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-80s-cartoons-v1/ranker-tv?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">80s animated series</a> aren't just known for their uproarious comedy, no, good 80s cartoons were made great by their sense of adventure and imagination. If you are feeling nostalgic, I think you'll love this list of great 1980s animated series.Which great cartoons will you find on this top 1980s animated series list? For kids growing up in the 1980s, it didn't get much better than DuckTales. Disney actually released several additional 80s animated series including Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears.Everyone's favorite heroes in a half-shell, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/surprising-teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-facts/jacob-shelton?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the Teenage Mutant Ninja</a> Turtles, had their own self-titled animated series in the 1980s. Other great shows that appear on this top 80s animated series list include The Transformers, ThunderCats and Alvin and the Chipmunks.Do you have a favorite cartoon from the 1980s? Vote for your favorites now!

The 25+ Best '80s Animated Shows That Were Too Good

The Best 1980s Animated Series

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She-Ra: Princess of Power

She-Ra: Princess of Power is an American animated television series produced in 1985 by Filmation. It is a spinoff of Filmation's highly successful He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series, aimed primarily at a young female audience to counterbalance the latter show's popularity with young males. Unlike the He-Man cartoon which was based on the Masters of the Universe toy line by Mattel, the creation of She-Ra was more of a collaboration, with the initial group of characters and premise created by Filmation, while the later characters that were introduced were designed by Mattel. The animated series was produced with financial backing from Mattel in order to promote the accompanying toyline.
The show follows the adventures of She-Ra, He-Man's twin sister, who is leading a group of freedom fighters known as the Great Rebellion in the hope of freeing their homeworld of Etheria from the tyrannical rule of Hordak and the Evil Horde. Kidnapped at birth by Hordak and taken to Etheria, She-Ra served as a Horde Force Captain before being rescued by He-Man and joining the Great Rebellion. With her Sword of Protection, Adora can become She-Ra, just as Prince Adam can become He-Man.

Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters is a 1986 animated television series created by Filmation and distributed by Tribune Entertainment, based on Filmation's 1975 live-action television show The Ghost Busters. It is not to be confused with Ivan Reitman & Columbia Pictures' 1984 film Ghostbusters or that film's subsequent animated television show The Real Ghostbusters. When making their film, Columbia Pictures needed to obtain rights to use the name from Filmation.
The success of Columbia's film spurred Filmation to resurrect their own property, producing an animated series based on the characters from the earlier TV show. This animated series ran from September 8, 1986 to December 5, 1988 in daytime syndication and produced 65 episodes. The series is technically called simply "Ghostbusters", but home video releases used the name "Filmation's Ghostbusters" to avoid confusion. Reruns of the show previously aired on CBN Cable, The Family Channel, and most recently as part of Qubo Night Owl, which started from 2010 and ended on August 25, 2013. and currently on the Retro Television Network. The series can also be seen on Hulu.

Rainbow Brite

Rainbow Brite is a media franchise by Hallmark Cards, introduced in 1983. The animated television series of the same name was started in 1984.

DuckTales

DuckTales is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. It premiered on September 18, 1987 and ended on November 28, 1990 with a total of four seasons and 100 episodes. An animated theatrical spin-off film based on the series, DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp, was released widely in the United States on August 3, 1990. The voice cast from the series reprised their roles for the film.
DuckTales is based on Uncle Scrooge and other Duck universe comic books, created by Carl Barks. The show follows the adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his three grandnephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Important secondary characters, that often take part in the adventures, include Donald Duck, Scrooge's pilot Launchpad McQuack and butler Duckworth, the inventor Gyro Gearloose, and the nanny Mrs. Beakley and her granddaughter Webby. The most notable antagonists in the series are the Beagle Boys, the witch Magica De Spell, and the industrialist Flintheart Glomgold. In a typical story, the villains are after McDuck's fortune or his Number One Dime; another common theme is a race after some sort of treasure.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an animated television series produced by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson and the French company IDDH. The pilot was shown during the week of December 14, 1987 in syndication as a five-part miniseries and the show began its official run on October 1, 1988. Since then the show and franchise has become a world-wide phenomenon. The series featured the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters created in comic book form by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The property was changed considerably from the darker-toned comic, to make it more suitable for children and the family. The initial motivation behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series was that, upon being approached to create a toy line, Playmates Toys was uneasy with the comic book characters' small cult following. They requested that a television deal be acquired first, and after the initial five-episode series debuted, the California toy company released their first series of Ninja Turtles action figures in the summer of 1988. The two media would correspond in marketing style and popularity for many years to come.

The Transformers

The Transformers is an American animated robot superhero television series based on the Hasbro toy line. The show depicts a war among giant robots that can transform into vehicles and other objects.

Inspector Gadget

Inspector Gadget is a French-Canadian–American animated television series that revolves around the adventures of a clumsy, dim-witted cyborg detective named lnspector Gadget—a human being with various bionic gadgets built into his body. Gadget's nemesis is Dr. Claw, the leader of an evil organization known as "M.A.D."
This is the first syndicated cartoon show from DIC Entertainment. lt originally ran from 1983 to 1986 and remained in syndication into the late 1990s. It continues to air successfully in reruns around the world.
The series was produced by companies in France, Canada, the United States, Taiwan, and Japan. It was a co-production between DIC Entertainment in France and Nelvana in Canada; the animation work was outsourced to foreign studios such as Tokyo Movie Shinsha in Japan and Cuckoo's Nest Studio in Taiwan. It was the first animated television series to be presented in stereo.

The Simpsons

The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture, society, television, and many aspects of the human condition.
The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L. Brooks. Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family, substituting Bart for his own name. The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and was an early hit for Fox, becoming the network's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season.
Since its debut on December 17, 1989, the show has broadcast 569 episodes, and the 26th season began on September 28, 2014.

The Bugs Bunny Show

The Bugs Bunny Show is an animated television anthology series hosted by Bugs Bunny, that was mainly composed of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons released by Warner Bros. between August 1, 1948 and the end of 1969. The show originally debuted as a primetime half-hour program on ABC in 1960, featuring three theatrical Warner Bros. Cartoons with new linking sequences produced by the Warner Bros. Cartoons staff.
After two seasons, The Bugs Bunny Show moved to Saturday mornings, where it remained in one format or another for nearly four decades. The show's title and length changed regularly over the years, as did the network: both ABC and CBS broadcast versions of The Bugs Bunny Show. In 2000, the series, by then known as The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show, was canceled after the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies libraries became the exclusive property of the Cartoon Network family of cable TV networks in the United States. Reruns of The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show are still aired on the Canadian channels Teletoon and Teletoon Retro.

The Smurfs

The Smurfs is an American-Belgian animated fantasy-comedy television series that aired on NBC from September 12, 1981, to December 2, 1989. Made by Hanna-Barbera Productions, it is based on the Belgian comic series by the same name, created by Belgian cartoonist Peyo and aired for 256 episodes with a total of 418 stories, excluding three cliffhanger episodes and six specials.

The Jetsons

The Jetsons is an American animated sitcom produced by Hanna-Barbera, originally airing in primetime from September 23, 1962 to March 17, 1963, then later in syndication, with new episodes in 1985 to 1987. It was Hanna-Barbera's Space Age counterpart to The Flintstones. Reruns can be seen frequently on Boomerang.
While the Flintstones live in a world with machines powered by birds and dinosaurs, the Jetsons live in a futuristic utopia of elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, holograms, and whimsical inventions; No year was ever specified for when the show was set, though it was presumed the show was set in either the year 2000 or the year 2062. The original series comprised 24 episodes and aired on Sunday nights on ABC beginning September 23, 1962, with primetime reruns continuing through September 22, 1963. It debuted as the first program broadcast in color on ABC-TV. In contrast, The Flintstones, while always produced in color, was broadcast in black-and-white for its first two seasons.
Following its primetime run, the show aired on Saturday mornings for decades, starting on ABC for the 1963–64 season and then on CBS and NBC.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe. The show, often referred to as simply He-Man, was one of the most popular animated children's shows of the 1980s, and has retained a heavy cult following to this day.
It made its television debut in 1983 and ran until 1985, consisting of two seasons of 65 episodes each. Reruns continued to air in syndication until 1988, at which point USA Network bought the rights to the series. USA aired He-Man until September 1990. Reruns of the show are no longer being broadcast on the Qubo Night Owl in the U.S. Currently the show is viewed on Retro Television Network, and in Canada on Teletoon Retro.

Garfield and Friends

Garfield and Friends is an American animated television series based on the comic strip Garfield by Jim Davis. The show was produced by Film Roman, in association with United Feature Syndicate and Paws, Inc., and ran on CBS Saturday mornings from September 17, 1988 to December 10, 1994, with reruns airing until October 7, 1995. Seven seasons of the series were produced.
Regular segments feature both Garfield and U.S. Acres, a lesser-known comic strip also created by Davis. The latter was retitled Orson's Farm for foreign syndication, as that was the name of the comic strip outside of the United States.
A total of 121 episodes were made, each consisting of two Garfield segments and one U.S. Acres segment, totaling 242 Garfield segments and 121 U.S. Acres segments. All episodes have been released in the U.S. on five DVD sets by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. The first season aired in a half-hour format. However, in the second season, it switched to an hour-length format, showing two episodes each week. In the last season, the series was still an hour, but the second half-hour of the show featured either an episode from the previous season or one of the Garfield TV specials.

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Alvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated television series featuring The Chipmunks, produced by Bagdasarian Productions in association with Ruby-Spears Enterprises from 1983–87, Murakami-Wolf-Swenson from 1987–88 and DIC Entertainment from 1988–90.
It aired from 1983 to 1990 on NBC and is the follow-up to the original 1961–62 series, The Alvin Show. The show introduced The Chipettes, three female Chipmunks with their own human caretaker, Miss Beatrice Miller. In 1988, the show switched production companies to DiC Enterprises and was renamed just The Chipmunks.
In 1987, during the show's fifth season, the Chipmunks' first animated feature film, The Chipmunk Adventure, was released to theaters by The Samuel Goldwyn Company. The film was directed by Janice Karman and featured the Chipmunks and Chipettes in a contest traveling around the world. In its eighth and final season, the show again switched titles to The Chipmunks Go to the Movies, but it was same as The Chipmunks. Each episode was a spoof of a Hollywood film like Back to the Future or King Kong. Several television specials featuring the characters were also released.

ThunderCats

ThunderCats is an American animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1985, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf. The series, for which Leonard Starr was the head writer, follows the adventures of a group of catlike humanoid aliens. The animation for the episodes was provided by the Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation, later acquired in 1989 to form Walt Disney Animation Japan. Season 1 of the show aired in 1985, followed by a TV movie entitled ThunderCats – HO! in 1986. Seasons 2, 3, and 4 followed a new format of twenty episodes each, starting with a five-part story.
The series was originally distributed by Rankin-Bass Productions' then-parent company Telepictures Corporation, which would later merge with Lorimar Productions in 1986. In 1989, Lorimar-Telepictures was purchased by and folded into Warner Bros., whose television syndication arm would eventually assume distribution of the show; Warner Bros. have had the rights to the series from that point on.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a half-hour American animated television series based on the successful toyline from Hasbro and the comic book series from Marvel Comics. The series was produced by DIC Entertainment and ran from 1989 to 1992.
The series debuted in 1989, with a five-part mini-series titled Operation: Dragonfire. The regular series began in 1990, lasting for two seasons and 44 episodes. The series continued the original G.I. Joe animated series produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions that ran in syndication from 1985 to 1986.

The Real Ghostbusters

The Real Ghostbusters is an American animated television series, a spinoff of the 1984 movie Ghostbusters. The series ran from 1986 to 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television, DiC Enterprises, and Coca-Cola Telecommunications. J. Michael Straczynski was story editor, and wrote episodes for every season except three and six. "The Real" was added to the title after a dispute with Filmation and its Ghost Busters properties. The series continues the adventures of paranormal investigators Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Egon Spengler, Dr. Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, their secretary Janine Melnitz and their mascot ghost Slimer.
There also were two ongoing Real Ghostbusters comics, one published monthly by Now Comics in USA and the other published weekly by Marvel Comics in the United Kingdom, and a popular toy line manufactured by Kenner.

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Richie Rich

Richie Rich is an animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions that aired on ABC from 1980 to 1984 and again in 1988 as part of the weekend/weekday programming block The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera, Based upon Harvey Comics' popular Richie Rich comic book characters, the series shared time slots with Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, The Little Rascals, Pac-Man, and Monchhichis over its original broadcast run. The other most visible character was Richie's dog, the appropriately named Dollar. The show airs occasionally on Boomerang; Boomerang's reruns feature the theme from The Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show and Scrappy Too! over the closing credits.

The Woody Woodpecker Show

With arguably the most famous laugh of any cartoon character in history ("ha-ha-ha-HA-ha"), Woody Woodpecker pecked his way into our lives through a 1940 Andy Panda theatrical short entitled Knock Knock. Woody continued to appear in short films throughout the 40's and 50's, and in 1957, the Kellogg's company packaged these theatrical works into the syndicated package The Woody Woodpecker Show. Walter Lantz created the famed bird, and in the show's early days, the animator would host from his office, demonstrating how cartoons were made by showing the viewers at home such essentials as painting cels and drawing storyboards. Woody, an obnoxious mischief-maker, would usually star in the shorts, occasionally taking a backseat to his friends Andy Panda, Wally Walrus, Gabby Gator, Buzz Buzzard, Oswald the Rabbit, The Beary Family and Arctic penguin Chilly Willy.

Denver, the Last Dinosaur

Denver, the Last Dinosaur is an American-French cartoon for children originally released in 1988 by World Events Productions. It was nationally syndicated throughout the United States in 1988 with reruns airing until 1990. Episodes often focused on issues of conservation, ecology, and friendship.
The show ran for two seasons, as the dinosaur boom that had followed The Land Before Time waned, causing viewership to drop. The series received a recommendation from the National Educational Association.

Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers

Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers is an animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. Created by Tad Stones and Alan Zaslove, it featured the established Disney characters Chip 'n' Dale in a new setting. The series premiered on The Disney Channel on March 4, 1989, after a preview episode was aired on August 27, 1988. The series premiered with a two-hour movie special, Rescue Rangers: To the Rescue, which was later broken up into five parts to air as part of the weekday run. The final episode aired on November 19, 1990.
On September 18, 1989, the series entered national syndication. From 1990 to 1993 reruns of the show were aired as a part of the Disney Afternoon line up.

The California Raisin Show

The California Raisin Show is an animated television series based on the claymation advertising characters The California Raisins. The show is based on an Emmy Award-winning claymation special, Meet the Raisins!, which originally aired on CBS in 1989. After the show's 13-episode run, a sequel to the original special, Raisins: Sold Out!: The California Raisins II, aired in 1990.
While the characters are traditionally depicted in claymation, the TV show was cel animated by Murakami-Wolf-Swenson. It did, however, maintain Will Vinton as creative director and executive producer. It takes place in a world populated by anthropomorphic fruits and vegetables and focuses on the main characters, the California Raisins: A.C., Beebop, Stretch, and Red. Each episode has one or more musical numbers.

Muppet Babies

Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, commonly known by the shortened title Muppet Babies, is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS. The show portrays childhood versions of the Muppets living together in a nursery under the care of a human woman called Nanny. Nanny appears in almost every episode, but her face is never shown, only the babies' view of her pink skirt and purple sweater as well as her distinctive green and white striped socks. The idea of presenting the Muppets as children first appeared in a dream sequence in The Muppets Take Manhattan, released two months before Muppet Babies debuted, in which Miss Piggy imagined what it would be like if she and Kermit the Frog had grown up together.
Muppet Babies was produced by The Jim Henson Company and Marvel Productions. The rights are now held by Disney–ABC Domestic Television. Although the episodes were 30 minutes, it was typically shown in 60 and even 90 minute blocks during the peak of its popularity. Outside of the United States, the show was distributed by Walt Disney Television.

Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears

Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears is a Disney animated television series that first aired in the United States in the mid-1980s through the early 1990s. The series was the first animated production by Walt Disney Animation Television, and loosely inspired by the gummi bear candies; Disney CEO Michael Eisner was struck with inspiration for the show when his son requested the candies one day. The series premiered on NBC on September 14, 1985, and aired there for four seasons. The series moved to ABC for one season from 1989 to 1990, and concluded on September 6, 1991 as part of the Disney Afternoon television syndication package. Of the series' 65 shows, 30 were double-features, consisting of two 11-minute cartoons, thereby bringing the series total to 94 distinct episodes overall. The show is well-remembered for its theme music, written by Michael and Patty Silversher and creation of "gummiberry juice" which was a type of magic potion, gaining abilities allow them to bounce away from their hunters.
The series was later rebroadcast on the syndicated Disney Afternoon block, and rerun on the Disney Afternoon through the summer of 1991.

Heathcliff

Heathcliff is an animated TV series that debuted on October 4, 1980. It was the first series based on the Heathcliff comic strip and was produced by Ruby-Spears Productions. It ran until September 18, 1982 with a total of 26 episodes, under two different names.

These are the best 1980s animated series, ranked from best to worst by user votes. These shows run the spectrum from fantastic kids cartoons to ...