As a lover of most things 80’s I decided to do a list of the Top 50 Sitcoms of the 80s
This was harder than I thought because some of the best shows that were on in the 80s actually started in the 70’s (feh)
SOooo I decided these were the parameters:
- The show has to either START or END in the 1980s
- It had to be a situation comedy (No Doogie … No Wonder Years)
- Laugh Track or Studio Audience (Sorry Simpsons)
- If there was a drama element it had to be outweighed by humor
I’ll do the bottom 20 here, then the next post 29 – 19 and then the Top 10
I’m sure there will be some snubs (Square Pegs lol) and a lot of people will disagree with the order but that’s part of the fun no?
So let’s get it …
50. Mork & Mindy 78 – 82
I am in no way a Robin Williams fan I believe him to be incredible … exponentially unfunny
When I was younger though, I did find Popeye and his antics on Mork and Mindy amusing (he hasn’t ungraded his act since)
A Show about an alien that talks weird, drinks with his finger and sleeps in an egg … all whilst wearing Rainbow brite-esque colors, not bad
JTS Moment: Jonathan Winters
49. Kate & Allie 84 – 89
I loved Kate and Allie … particularly because I wanted to do sex with Kate
The show was funny though, Two women living together with no “innuendo” and playing men, good entertainment
JTS Moment: Bob, Allies move, then Kate’s move.
48. Designing Women 86 – 93
The Middle Aged Golden Girls … people liked this show WAY more than I did, I only liked Anthony Bouvier, and Annie Potts (Mary Jo Jackson Shively) Coulda got it!
JTS: Allison (Julia Duffy)
47. Webster 83 – 87
Then came you! Shoutouts to Ma’am and George … never heard of a dumbwaiter until this show, and the creepy hidden passages behind the clock and stuff … I always thought this was a Diffrent strokes knockoff (and it was) but it had some laughs
It was cool that they were married in real life, the change of the show to “Webster” was like the Sitcom Montreal screw job lol
JTS Moment: Realizing they really had no plot
46 . Three’s a Crowd 84 – 85
For Jack’s Bistro alone!
… I wish they had more seasons but alas …
JTS Moment: That damn theme song
45. Punky Brewster 84 – 88
It was all kinds of unwanted children going on in the 80s … and you notice no little white girls being adopted by black parents … now THAT woulda made Punky Power something serious lol
Again, I watched for Cherie
JTS Moment: Punky no longer being cute … early development gave Punky Power a whole new meaning lol
44. What’s Happening Now!! 85 – 88
what’s happening now is a far cry from the original show ( that doesn’t qualify because it was a 70s show) it damn sure wasn’t as funny even with a young Martin in the cast but it was still good, a grown up Dee and cooler Dwayne and Raj were still cool everything else though? Feh.
JTS Moment: Dwayne getting with Dee and ReRun no longer being funny at all
43. Newhart 82 – 90
Bob Newhart is always funny, but Larry and his two brothers Darryl and Darryl LOL
Not to mention it has one of the greatest Series finales EVER!
JTS Moment: When it was all about Michael and Stephanie
42. Head of the Class 86 – 92
Head of the class was classic! It was like the 80s Welcome Back Kotter almost (I wouldn’t mind a reboot) but you had the cool kids, nerds, jocks, popular girls, cool teacher
most notably it sparked my life long crush on robin givens.
JTS Moment: When the cool kids left and they had a new cast, and unfunny Billy Connolly
41. Mr. Belvedere 85 – 90
I don’t know what the infatuation with servants were in the 70s and 80s but it appeared that every other new show centered around a maid or butler … Mr Belvedere stood out because it wasn’t your normal sassy black woman or wide cracking white woman it was an Englishman … kinda if you gave Bentley Florence’s job on the Jeffersons lol
the rest of the cast was really useless including Bob Uecker
JTS Moment: When Wesley got “touched” by the camp counselor lol
40. Small Wonder 85 – 89
I loved Small Wonder! Anything that had a secret that everyone wasn’t in on roped me in PLUS a robot? AND my girlfriend Harriet! lol
they coulda made that show V.I.C.I and Harriet and I would’ve been just fine cuz everyone else was filler
JTS Moment: When Harriet found out about V.I.C.I
39. Charles in Charge 84 – 90
Charles in Charge had one one the worst premises ever for a show … and especially ridiculous as the show went on
Scott Baio rocked the show though, and Buddy Lembeck was top 5 80s Sidekick had to be … And lest anyone forget …. Nicole Eggart
But Even Josie Davis!!!!!
JTS Moment: When the family changed and they inherited Charles
38. Coach 89 – 97
Coach isn’t as iconic as some of the others before it but it prolly has better acting and was funnier. Dawber and were hilarity
and coach was no slouch either
… maybe the sports background is another thing that made it memorable to me either way it was damn good
JTS Moment: When Coach finally had a child
37. Barney Miller 75 – 82
Probably my favorite, if not top 3 TV lyricless theme songs of all time
it is at this place moreso for its classic status than my fond memories of it though … it was indeed funny
JTS Moment: When they started going outside the precinct
The Bass line on that Theme though:
36. Full House 87 – 95
Yes Full House is a 80s sitcom! 1987 son!
everyone knows that it’s all about Kimmy Gibbler and I still await her spinoff and toys and playsets … anyway the rest of the cast was cool too; if they would’ve let the real Bob Saget loose it would’ve been epic! It would be higher but … it was very corny
JTS Moment: The Twins Nicky and Alex
35. Gimme a Break! 81 – 87
Nell Harper M’Fers!
again with the sassy black “assistant” the chief was pretty funny I like the stubborn sarcastic humor … Nell gave it right back tho
the star was grandpa oh and … Ralph! hilarious
JTS Moment: When The Girls left and it was Joey and Little Joey
34. Saved by the Bell 88 – 89
Shoutouts to Good Morning Miss Bliss … which Should have its own spot
nothing really needs to be said here from Zach’s time out, Slaters curl … Jessie being so excited and everything that is Kelly and Lisa … classic
too corny and preachy to be higher
JTS Moment: The Zach Attack, and/or The New Class
LOL @ Good Morning Miss Bliss and a young Steve Urkel, he coulda been on saved by the bell!
33. A Different World 87 – 93
Who knows where this show would be if the original cast would’ve stayed … or if Lisa Bonet wouldn’t have gotten her bone-on in Angel Heart … OR gotten preggo lol
BUT as it stood, Whitley, Dwayne, and Ron did more than a good enough job to get this classic show on the list … some would’ve had it higher … some lower but guess what?
My list!
… and no shoutouts for The Last Dragon tryin to rape Freddie lol
JTS Moment: Dwayne and Whitley finally getting together and 90% of the new class
32. One Day at a Time 75 – 84
Shoutouts to Ann Romano … but even more for fine ass Valerie Bertinelli
I liked ODAAT because it was mostly women but Schneider!? Mannnn Hilarity!
Shoutouts to cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve
JTS Moment: When Ann got married … and when they stopped focusing on Schneider
31. Too Close for Comfort
Cosmic Cow and Monroe!
Too Close for Comfort was a diamond in the rough … a lot of people slept on it, but it was a great show … plenty of laughs with Monroe ., where back then we didnt judge (or know what to judge) we just knew something … wasn’t .. quite … right lol
And fine ass Lydia Cornell (Sara) Mannnnnnn
JTS Moment: When Monroe got raped by a van of women LOL
… the mere fact they LAUGHED at rape tho
30. Silver Spoons 82 – 87
Look he had a Race car bed, Video arcade games in the living room and a train that rode through the house!
SON!
“The Ricker” had everything in life I wanted growing up … he even had the “Tap Dance Kid” as his best friend (And shoutouts to Erin Grey)
JTS Moment: Edward and Kate Marrying … and Ricky hits puberty
So that’s 50 – 30 … feel free to disagree with the placement in the comments lol
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