The 1980s were a golden age for television, but that doesn’t mean every show that aired in prime time was a winner. Networks were constantly searching for the next big hit, but sometimes they took risks on bizarre, misguided, or just plain bad ideas that had no business airing during those precious evening hours. Some of these shows were so weirdly niche that they never found an audience, while others were doomed from the start because of terrible writing, awkward premises, or execution so bad that even nostalgia can’t save them. Let’s take a look at 13 prime-time TV shows from the ’80s that had absolutely no business being there.
1. Manimal (1983)
A crime-fighting shapeshifter who could turn into any animal? Sounds cool—until you actually see Manimal in action. The show followed Dr. Jonathan Chase, a wealthy professor with the power to transform into wild animals to fight crime. The concept was ambitious, but the execution was laughable, with cheesy special effects that mostly involved long, drawn-out transformation scenes into the same few animals—a hawk and a black panther, mostly, because the budget clearly couldn’t handle anything else.
Despite being promoted as a serious action show, Manimal was unintentionally hilarious, and viewers just couldn’t take it seriously. Even by 1983 standards, the special effects were rough, and the writing did little to make the show compelling. It was canceled after just eight episodes, but its sheer weirdness has given it a cult following. Still, prime time was never the right place for a show that felt more like a low-budget Saturday morning cartoon.
2. Supertrain (1979–1980)
NBC poured a ridiculous amount of money into Supertrain, hoping it would be the next Love Boat, but on a high-speed luxury train. The problem? Nobody wanted to watch a soap opera set on a train, no matter how futuristic or fancy it was. The massive production budget—which included building a giant model train and elaborate sets—made it one of the most expensive flops in TV history.
The stories were dull, the acting was forgettable, and the whole premise just didn’t work. A cruise ship offered endless destinations and possibilities, but a train? There’s only so much you can do before it starts feeling repetitive. NBC lost millions, and Supertrain became a textbook case of how not to launch a prime-time series.
3. Mr. Smith (1983)
In an era when networks were trying to come up with their own version of ALF, NBC somehow thought a talking orangutan would be prime-time gold. Mr. Smith starred an incredibly intelligent ape (thanks to a government experiment, of course) who became a political advisor in Washington, D.C. If that sounds absurd, it was.
The humor was forced, the writing was juvenile, and despite all the effort to make a monkey the star of a prime-time sitcom, it never found an audience. The show was canned after 13 episodes, proving that just because you can put an orangutan in a suit and teach it to react to laugh tracks doesn’t mean you should.
4. Joanie Loves Chachi (1982–1983)
It made sense on paper—Joanie and Chachi were a popular couple on Happy Days, so why not give them their own spin-off? Unfortunately, the charm they had as side characters didn’t translate well when they were leading their own show. The biggest problem? Joanie Loves Chachi focused on their struggling music career, and viewers quickly realized they didn’t care about Joanie and Chachi as musicians—they just wanted Happy Days back.
Despite decent ratings at first, the show lacked the magic of its predecessor, and the songs weren’t exactly memorable. It was canceled after two seasons, and Joanie and Chachi were quietly brought back to Happy Days, as if the whole thing had never happened.
5. Pink Lady and Jeff (1980)
This bizarre variety show paired comedian Jeff Altman with the Japanese pop duo Pink Lady, who barely spoke English. The show consisted of comedy sketches, musical numbers, and a general sense of confusion, as the cultural gap between the hosts was painfully obvious.
It was clear from the start that this was a terrible idea, and audiences weren’t sure what to make of it. The awkwardness was unbearable, and it didn’t help that the writing was weak and the jokes rarely landed. NBC mercifully canceled it after just six episodes, making it one of the most infamous flops of the decade.
6. Automan (1983–1984)
Imagine Tron, but as a weekly prime-time show—except with a much smaller budget. Automan followed a computer programmer who created a glowing, computerized superhero that could come to life and fight crime. The neon visual effects were fun for about five minutes, but the writing was bland, and the show leaned way too hard on its gimmick.
Viewers just didn’t connect with it, and Automan felt like a concept that would have worked better as a toy commercial than a weekly series. After just 13 episodes, it disappeared into TV obscurity, though its ridiculous premise still makes it a fun relic of ’80s excess.
7. We Got It Made (1983–1988)
This sitcom was built around one joke: two single guys hire an attractive live-in maid, and hijinks ensue. It was about as deep as a puddle, with predictable storylines that mostly revolved around the guys trying to impress or not embarrass themselves in front of their maid.
Critics panned it for its shallow writing and outdated humor, but somehow, it managed to last two seasons before getting canceled. Then, in a baffling decision, it was revived in syndication for another season in 1987—only to flop again. Looking back, it’s hard to believe this ever made it to prime time in the first place.
8. Out of This World (1987–1991)
A sitcom about a teenage girl who was half-alien and could freeze time? Sounds like something that belonged on Saturday mornings, not in prime time. Out of This World followed Evie, who discovered her alien powers on her 13th birthday and had to learn how to balance high school with intergalactic responsibilities.
While kids may have found it mildly amusing, it was way too goofy for prime time. It somehow lasted four seasons in syndication, but it never had the kind of broad appeal needed to be a true hit. Looking back, it feels more like a kids’ show that accidentally aired at the wrong time slot.
9. The Powers of Matthew Star (1982–1983)
A teenage alien prince hiding out on Earth while learning to control his superpowers? Sure, why not. The Powers of Matthew Star tried to blend science fiction with high school drama, but the execution was laughably bad.
The special effects were weak, the acting was stiff, and the storylines were forgettable. Despite starring Peter Barton, who was considered a teen heartthrob at the time, the show never found its footing. It limped through one season before being put out of its misery.
10. Misfits of Science (1985–1986)
Before Heroes or The X-Men had their turn in the spotlight, Misfits of Science attempted to bring together a ragtag group of super-powered misfits solving problems while dodging the government. It had a young Courteney Cox, an ice-powered scientist, a rock-and-roll-loving telekinetic, and a seven-foot-tall man who could shrink himself down to a few inches. It sounds fun, but the show never quite figured out if it wanted to be an action-packed superhero series or a goofy comedy.
The result was a tonally confusing mess that failed to gain traction. While it had a small cult following, it was clear that Misfits of Science wasn’t quite ready for prime time. The special effects were laughable, the humor was forced, and NBC canceled it after one season. If it had aired on Saturday mornings, it might have had a shot, but as a prime-time series, it never stood a chance.
11. She’s the Sheriff (1987–1989)
Suzanne Somers was a huge name in the late ’70s and early ’80s, but her return to television in She’s the Sheriff was…questionable at best. The premise? A widowed mother takes over her late husband’s job as sheriff of a small Nevada town, and her male deputies don’t think she can handle it. Cue two seasons of outdated gender stereotypes and recycled sitcom jokes.
The show wasn’t offensive—it was just aggressively mediocre. There wasn’t enough action for it to be a proper cop show, and there wasn’t enough strong comedy for it to be a true sitcom success. Even Somers’ charm couldn’t save it, and while it lasted in syndication for a couple of years, She’s the Sheriff was quickly forgotten. It’s one of those shows that probably seemed like a good idea in a pitch meeting but never should have made it to air.
12. The Highwayman (1987–1988)
In the ’80s, networks were desperate to recreate the success of Knight Rider, and The Highwayman was one of the strangest attempts. The show followed a futuristic lawman (played by Sam J. Jones, of Flash Gordon fame) who drove a high-tech semi-truck that could turn invisible, fly, and had a secret helicopter inside. If that sounds ridiculous, that’s because it was.
The show took itself way too seriously, but the writing was clunky, and the budget clearly couldn’t support its ambitious ideas. It tried to be a mix of Mad Max and The A-Team, but it never found an audience. The Highwayman barely lasted a full season before getting axed, proving that not every cool vehicle deserved its own TV show.
13. E/R (1984–1985)
No, not ER, the groundbreaking 1990s medical drama. E/R was a sitcom about the wacky misadventures of emergency room staff, starring a young George Clooney and Elliott Gould. It wasn’t terrible, but it lacked the heart and strong writing of other medical comedies like Scrubs or MASH*.
The problem? Medical settings are naturally dramatic, and turning an emergency room into a sitcom setting felt weird. The humor was broad and sometimes even uncomfortable, given that these characters were supposed to be treating life-threatening conditions. E/R never found its footing and was quickly overshadowed by better sitcoms of the time. George Clooney went on to find massive success in a very different ER, making this show little more than a strange footnote in TV history.
The 1980s were full of bold, bizarre, and sometimes baffling TV decisions, and prime time wasn’t immune to bad ideas. These shows may have seemed promising at first, but they never quite fit the prime-time mold. Whether they were too goofy, too niche, or just plain bad, they quickly disappeared from the airwaves. Which of these do you remember? Or better yet, do you have a favorite forgotten disaster from ’80s TV? Let’s keep the conversation going!
