The 1980s was an interesting decade for television. The decade was characterized by defining sitcoms, like Full House, The Golden Girls, and Married…With Children. It was also a time when we saw shows like Hill Street Blues and MacGyver grace the small screen, paving the way from today’s procedurals. From Saturday morning cartoons for kids to grittier shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation and Murder, She Wrote, so many shows from the ’80s have returned in some fashion with revivals or modern-day reinterpretations.
There were a few shows from that decade, however, that were arguably ahead of their time. They pushed the envelope in different ways, exploring differing formats and focuses for television. Back then, TV was considered second string to Hollywood movies. But that didn’t stop these shows from proving that the small screen was on its way up to big things.
10
‘It’s Garry Shandling’s Show’ (1986–1990)
Seinfeld didn’t arrive until 1989, but three years earlier, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show was a sitcom with a very similar premise. The title comedian stars as a stand-up comedian, but in a meta twist, he’s also fully aware that he’s a TV character. Often breaking the fourth wall through scenes, Shandling was among the first to integrate this technique into his show, offering up something no one had ever seen on such a scale before.
Further, he would interact with the studio audience, the outcomes of these interactions sometimes even resulting in a storyline change. Not only was It’s Gary Shandling’s Show far ahead of its time, mixing an early form of the reality TV genre with stand-up comedy and traditional sitcom, but it’s also a format that hasn’t really been replicated since.
9
‘Roseanne’ (1988–1997)
Roseanne was more groundbreaking than it was ahead of its time. But it was the latter in that the show didn’t shy away from depicting a lower-to-middle-class family dynamic versus the squeaky-clean family images that had been central to sitcoms up to that point. Rather than a well put-together family living in a lavish house with fruitful jobs, the Conners were barely scraping by, residing in a small house and drowning in debt.
The show, one of the funniest shows of the 1990s, wasn’t afraid to get political and highlight issues that real Americans were going through at the time as well, and are still arguably facing to this day, almost 40 years after the show premiered. From medical care to education and the constant race to keep up with bills while providing for the family and raising kids, it was at the center of the show before any other of the genre was willing to do it.
8
‘Knight Rider’ (1982–1986)
Knight Rider depicted what was, at the time, groundbreaking technology that did not exist on a mass scale. This included things like automation and, in particular, a modified and technologically advanced smart car before those were widely manufactured and sold like they are today. Of course, there are some embellishments with what Michael Knight’s (David Hasselhoff) car, KITT (voiced by William Daniels), could do. But AI and computer control were at the heart of a time when no one was considering that in cars, much less for everyday use.
The action crime drama also went down an unbelievable road with the premise of a billionaire rescuing a police detective, one of the greatest TV characters of the 1980s, paying for plastic surgery to give him a new face after a severe gunshot wound, and hiring him for his own public justice organization. Even by today’s standards, some of the technology is still pie in the sky. But Knight Rider showed us what was possible decades before AI took over.
7
‘Max Headroom’ (1987–1988)
Max Headroom might very well have predicted the future with its premise of a time when media and corporations dominate, and people spend 24 hours a day consuming news and advertising. Was this an early prediction of the internet, smartphones, and social media? It’s terrifying to consider how correct Max Headroom was about so much that has actually happened. Matt Frewer plays the title character, who is a computer-generated TV presenter: yes, an AI.
The show, one of the greatest cyberpunk TV shows, was a response to the growing youth culture at the time, an attempt to attract young viewers, and depicted a world that involved an obsession with content like music videos. It’s almost like Max was a physical manifestation of the pull of social media, mobile games, and other addictive technologies that plague young people today.
6
‘St. Elsewhere’ (1982–1988)
Opening the door for what has become an entire genre, the medical drama St. Elsewhere was one of the most intense medical shows ever, depicting a believable hospital dynamic on screen. This included doctors giving urgent care and using complex medical jargon viewers didn’t understand, but didn’t need to either. It was like glimpsing into the world of medical care, with some entertainment and dramatic personal tension thrown in for good measure.
Beyond that, St. Elsewhere wasn’t afraid to depict doctors as being far from perfect, and to tackle tough and controversial topics in medicine, like AIDs, mental illness, and racism. The show was gritty and far more progressive than most primetime TV shows at the time. We have St. Elsewhere to thank for some of our favorite medical dramas on television today. It proved that this was a profession and scenario that people would be glued to their screens to watch.
5
‘Family Ties’ (1982–1989)
While it’s one of the most hilarious sitcoms of the decade, Family Ties also went to a place no show had done in the same way, making it one of the most influential ’80s shows. It focused on a cultural and political divide between the youth of the time and their parents. The parents are 1960s liberal-minded former hippies, while their eldest son, Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox), is a young Republican with a very strict political stance.
This focus on politics was at the core of Alex’s character, as were his parents and their very different mindsets. But Family Ties also showcased how members of the same family can put these differences aside and respect one another’s beliefs. The show was perfectly representative of the Ronald Reagan era, unafraid to go to political places that other shows of its kind didn’t. It opened the door for sitcoms that could explore hot-button topics outside the usual realm without fear that it might isolate viewers.
4
‘Cagney & Lacey’ (1982–1988)
Procedurals were already becoming a dime a dozen by the 1980s, but Cagney & Lacey put a spin on the genre far before anyone else considered it. Rather than two men, a man and a woman, or a team that includes some females, this police procedural centered around two female detectives in New York, Christine Cagney (Sharon Gless) and Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daly). They represented two progressive female mindsets: Cagney, a single woman focused on her career, and Lacey, a working mom.
Of course, this type of premise is common nowadays. But for the time, Cagney & Lacey was pretty groundbreaking, not to mention one of the best ’80s drama TV shows. The show did not shy away from issues like sexism and women trying to achieve a work-life balance, challenges that remain core to society today. Most importantly, they transcended gender, showing that two females could lead a cop show as powerful crime-fighters who weren’t in competition with one another, but shared a mutual respect.
3
‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ (1987–1994)
A culture-defining show, Star Trek: The Next Generation is still cited to this day as having predicted or depicted future technology that has since come to market. They had early versions of things like tablets, touchscreen interfaces, and even high-tech video conferencing devices. Many credit the show with foreshadowing inventions like AI, 3D printing, and wireless communication overall.
It makes sense since the sci-fi series explored space travel and humans interacting with creatures from other planets. Star Trek: The Next Generation also depicted cultural divides and acceptance of others in a way that has become so central to society today. Beyond this, the show was unafraid to tackle complex political and moral issues through its plot, providing far more depth than had previously been explored on the small screen in a show that was arguably like anything else on television.
2
‘Degrassi Junior High’ (1987–1989)
Three years before Beverly Hills, 90210 hit the scene, a small Canadian teen drama offered a similar, even more intricate look at the complications of teenage life. Degrassi Junior High, which followed The Kids of Degrassi Street, depicted kids attending high school and dealing with real-life issues. Unlike Beverly Hills, 90210, however, it wasn’t a swanky school filled with kids who had rich parents. It was a basic, underfunded high school with kids who came from all walks of life.
Whether it was teen pregnancy, drugs, bullying, outcasts, and oddballs, Degrassi Junior High wasn’t afraid to showcase the challenges of coming-of-age, even for those who don’t quite fit in. The series cast actors who were not well known, adding to the realism of the show. It’s no surprise Degrassi Junior High developed a cult following outside its home country, including in the U.S. While most people credit Beverly Hills, 90210 for opening the door for shows like My So-Called Life and more recently, Euphoria, it’s really Degrassi Junior High that set the stage for the genre.
1
‘Miami Vice’ (1984–1989)
At a time when police procedurals were just coming to prominence in a big way and delivered as dark and gritty dramas, Miami Vice flipped the script. Set in the sunny city, the series centered around two detectives working undercover. Fitting in meant wearing brightly colored, loud suits and floral shirts, and carrying themselves with a hip and cool persona. The show is credited with bringing the contemporary rock and pop style to the genre, focusing as much on fashion, music, and fast cars as it did the gritty criminal cases being investigated. It showed that crime dramas could have a lighter, more fun tone despite the serious subject matter.
The visual nature of the show likely inspired others that have come since, like Dexter, which is also set in Miami, and even arguably series like High Potential with its sunny backdrop of California, along with consultant Morgan (Kaitlin Olson) and her unique fashion sense. Miami Vice‘s style even inspired Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, a video game that was released more than a decade after it ended. Its cultural impact continues as the show is often cited as one of the most progressive procedurals of its time.
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