1. Moonlighting
Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd lit up the screen in Moonlighting, a detective series that mixed mystery, comedy, and romance with lightning-fast dialogue. The show stood out for its willingness to break the fourth wall and its playful, almost theatrical storytelling style. Fans tuned in as much for the unresolved romantic tension between David and Maddie as for the cases they worked on. The chemistry between the leads made every scene electric, even when the plots veered into the bizarre.
Behind the scenes, things weren’t always smooth sailing. Willis’ movie career was exploding, Shepherd’s pregnancy caused production delays, and tensions reportedly ran high on set. Ratings began to slide, and by 1989 ABC called it quits after five seasons. Still, Moonlighting remains one of the decade’s most innovative and influential shows, often cited as paving the way for later “dramedies.”
2. Square Pegs
Square Pegs was the quirky high school comedy that gave Sarah Jessica Parker her first big role. The show followed two awkward teenagers desperate to fit in with the cool crowd, but its charm came from celebrating their misfit status instead. It poked fun at cliques, trends, and the ups and downs of teenage life with humor that felt surprisingly sharp for a network sitcom. The writing captured the awkwardness of adolescence better than most shows of the time.
Critics loved it, but trouble behind the scenes—including reports of cast misbehavior and on-set chaos—hurt its reputation. CBS canceled it after just one season, leaving fans heartbroken. Over time, Square Pegs has gained cult status as a smart and underappreciated look at teen life in the early ’80s. Today, it feels like it was simply ahead of its time.
3. Police Squad!
Before the Naked Gun films made Leslie Nielsen a comedy legend, there was Police Squad!. This six-episode parody of crime procedurals was packed with rapid-fire jokes, visual gags, and clever wordplay. It was a show that rewarded close attention, because nearly every line or background detail carried a joke. In many ways, it was one of the smartest comedies of the decade.
But that style may have been part of the problem. ABC pulled it after six episodes, believing audiences weren’t catching the subtle humor quickly enough. Ironically, reruns and the success of the movies proved there was an audience all along. Today, Police Squad! is remembered as one of the funniest short-lived shows in television history.
4. Misfits of Science
Years before Friends, Courteney Cox was part of the cast of Misfits of Science. The show followed a group of oddball superheroes—one could shrink, another had electrical powers, and Cox’s character had telekinesis—as they banded together to fight crime. It was light, campy fun with a dash of sci-fi. For kids of the ’80s, it felt like a live-action comic book on TV.
Unfortunately, NBC didn’t know how to market it, and it lasted only one season. The mix of comedy and superhero action was a little too unusual for primetime at the time. Still, many fans remember it fondly as a forerunner to the kind of superhero team shows that are common today. Misfits of Science was a bold experiment that never got its due.
5. Freaks and Geeks’ Predecessor—Fame
Based on the hit 1980 film, Fame told the story of students at a performing arts high school in New York. It was filled with music, dancing, and heartfelt drama about young people chasing their dreams. Debbie Allen’s character became the tough but inspiring teacher whose speeches about paying “in sweat” still resonate with fans. For viewers, it was the perfect mix of glitz and real struggles.
Despite a loyal audience, Fame was shuffled between networks and never found the ratings stability it needed. NBC canceled it after two seasons, but it continued in syndication for several more years. Those early cancellations left fans frustrated, since the potential was so strong. Fame proved how captivating a show about performing arts students could be, years before others tried the formula again.
6. The Greatest American Hero
Who could forget that theme song—“Believe It or Not”—from The Greatest American Hero? The show followed an ordinary teacher who was given a superhero suit by aliens, only to lose the instruction manual. That simple gag set up endless comedy as he struggled to fly, land, or even use his powers correctly. It was a fun, heartfelt twist on superhero stories.
The ratings started strong, but scheduling changes and shifting storylines hurt its momentum. ABC canceled it after three seasons, leaving fans without a real ending. Still, its mix of humor and sincerity made it unforgettable. The Greatest American Hero remains one of the most fondly remembered cult hits of the ’80s.
7. The Wonder Years’ Shorter Cousin—China Beach
China Beach was one of the rare shows to focus on the Vietnam War from the perspective of nurses, doctors, and entertainers at an evacuation hospital. Dana Delany starred as Colleen McMurphy, whose grit and compassion anchored the series. The show mixed gritty realism with tender moments, making it stand out from typical war dramas. It gave a voice to the often-overlooked women who served in Vietnam.
Despite critical acclaim and a Golden Globe win for Delany, ratings never quite matched the praise. ABC canceled it in 1991 after four seasons, but many felt it still had stories left to tell. Fans today look back on it as groundbreaking in its approach to war on television. China Beach deserved more recognition than it got at the time.
8. ALF
When ALF premiered in 1986, it was an instant hit with kids and families. The furry alien life form, short for “Alien Life Form,” crash-landed in a suburban family’s garage and quickly took over their lives with wisecracks and slapstick. The mix of puppetry and sitcom humor made it unlike anything else on TV. At its peak, ALF was a pop culture phenomenon with toys, cartoons, and lunchboxes.
But behind the scenes, the show was notoriously difficult to produce, and tensions between cast and crew grew. Ratings started to decline, and NBC canceled it after four seasons. The final episode ended on a cliffhanger, which left fans fuming for years until a TV movie attempted to wrap things up. ALF may have burned out quickly, but it left a lasting impression on anyone who grew up in the ’80s.
9. Family Ties’ Spinoff—Day by Day
Day by Day was a sweet sitcom about a couple who opened a daycare center in their home. It gave us an early look at Julia Louis-Dreyfus before her Seinfeld fame, and even a famous dream sequence where their teenage son imagined himself as part of The Brady Bunch. The show’s gentle humor and family themes made it easy to enjoy.
Despite those memorable moments, NBC pulled the plug after just two seasons. It never reached the ratings heights of other family comedies airing at the same time. Fans who discovered it in reruns still consider it a lost gem of ’80s TV. Day by Day showed promise, but it didn’t get enough time to grow.
10. St. Elsewhere’s Quieter Cousin—Voyagers!
Voyagers! followed a time traveler named Phineas Bogg and a young boy as they jumped through history fixing problems in the timeline. The mix of historical adventure and lighthearted banter made it a family-friendly show with a lot of charm. It even managed to sneak in some real history lessons between the action. For kids in the ’80s, it was a fun way to learn while being entertained.
NBC canceled it after one season due to low ratings, despite its originality. Fans felt it had so much more potential, especially with its inventive premise. Over the years, it has developed a cult following among those who remember it fondly. Voyagers! remains a perfect example of a show canceled far too soon.
11. Remington Steele
Remington Steele gave Pierce Brosnan his breakout role as a suave con man pretending to be a private detective. Stephanie Zimbalist played the real detective, Laura Holt, who had to hide behind his image to get clients. Their partnership was full of witty banter, unresolved romantic tension, and clever mysteries. It was one of the classiest and most stylish detective shows of the era.
NBC canceled it in 1987 after four seasons, only to bring it back briefly due to fan outcry. But by then, the momentum had slowed, and Brosnan was on his way to bigger things. Still, the show left a lasting legacy and even helped Brosnan land the role of James Bond later on. Remington Steele proved that detective shows could be smart, sexy, and funny all at once.
12. V: The Series
After the huge success of the original miniseries, NBC turned V into a weekly series. The story of alien visitors who weren’t as benevolent as they seemed captivated audiences with its mix of sci-fi thrills and political allegory. The lizard-like aliens and their human disguises became iconic in ’80s pop culture. For a while, it looked like V: The Series could be the next big sci-fi hit.
But budget issues and declining ratings brought it down quickly. The show only lasted one season, leaving fans unsatisfied with the abrupt ending. Even so, it remains a beloved cult classic, especially for those who loved the original miniseries. V: The Series showed how ambitious TV sci-fi could be, even if it didn’t last long.
13. The Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo starred Edward Asner as a high school principal trying to keep his inner-city school running despite constant challenges. The show didn’t shy away from real issues like violence, lack of funding, and teacher burnout. Asner brought gravitas to the role, grounding the series in authenticity. It was a different kind of drama, one that cared about everyday heroes.
Though praised by critics, the ratings were never strong enough. NBC canceled it after just two seasons, leaving fans who connected with its realism disappointed. It was overshadowed by flashier dramas, but its honesty made it stand out. The Bronx Zoo deserves to be remembered as one of the more daring shows of the era.
