Best TV Shows of the 1980s

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The 1980s expanded television's creative possibilities through innovative shows that blended genres and pushed content boundaries. Programs like Miami Vice, Hill Street Blues, and The Twilight Zone demonstrated television's potential for cinematic storytelling and sophisticated themes.

Bullseye (1981) poster

Bullseye (1981)

Father Dowling Mysteries (1989) poster

Father Dowling Mysteries (1989)

Nils Holgerson (1980) poster

Nils Holgerson (1980)

Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea (1985) poster

Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea (1985)

Fast Forward (1989) poster

Fast Forward (1989)

Masamune Shogun (1987) poster

Masamune Shogun (1987)

Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics (1987) poster

Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics (1987)

Beverly Hills Teens (1987) poster

Beverly Hills Teens (1987)

Neon Rider (1989) poster

Neon Rider (1989)

The Power, The Passion (1989) poster

The Power, The Passion (1989)

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981) poster

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1981)

Dempsey and Makepeace (1985) poster

Dempsey and Makepeace (1985)

Six God Combination Godmars (1981) poster

Six God Combination Godmars (1981)

Sonic Soldier Borgman (1988) poster

Sonic Soldier Borgman (1988)

Desmond's (1989) poster

Desmond's (1989)

Faerie Tale Theatre (1982) poster

Faerie Tale Theatre (1982)

The New Statesman (1987) poster

The New Statesman (1987)

水曜ドラマ宮本武蔵 (1984) poster

水曜ドラマ宮本武蔵 (1984)

Dynasty (1980) poster

Dynasty (1980)

Blind Date (1985) poster

Blind Date (1985)

The Return Of Luk Siu Fung (1986) poster

The Return Of Luk Siu Fung (1986)

Snorks (1984) poster

Snorks (1984)

Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986) poster

Pee-wee's Playhouse (1986)

Dramarama (1983) poster

Dramarama (1983)

This decade's experimentation with television formats and storytelling techniques established foundations that would support the medium's later artistic achievements.