10 Most Criminally Forgotten '80s Shows, Ranked

There are a multitude of reasons why some of the '80s most criminally forgotten shows fell by the wayside. Maybe they were too ahead of their time, or the tragic victims of a brutal time slot. Whatever the case, the following shows from the decade of Jersey Mall hair and neon deserve better than a fading memory. So, we dug into the crates of television archives to rescue, and rank, the most forgotten television shows of the decade. Without further ado, let's adjust the tracking and dig in.

10 'Crime Story' (1986–1988)

Today, we are spoiled with critically acclaimed television shows with very high production value and a story that will keep our eyeballs glued to the screen. We often refer to these serialized shows as "prestige TV," which came of age in the late 1990s. But the true bones of prestige TV can be traced back to 1986, when NBC aired a two-hour pilot called Crime Story. It became such a ratings hit, they re-tooled it from its original movie form and broke it up into chapters.

Created by Chuck Adamson and Gustave Reininger, and produced by Michael Mann, Crime Story deviated from the "crime-of-the-week" plotlines that crime dramas were known for in the '80s, and dedicated each of its two seasons to a singular arc that was perfect for the cat and mouse nature of the story. Crime Story follows Lt. Mike Torello (Dennis Farina) and mobster Ray Luca (Anthony Denison), who set out to destroy each other on the streets of 1960s Chicago. While the pilot was watched by over 30 million viewers, the show would lose steam by the end of its second season, leading to its cancellation; but, it's worth revisiting Crime Story to see the roots of prestige TV.

9 'Sledge Hammer!' (1986–1988)

The 1980s was the decade of the renegade cop, the police officers who were basically one-man soldiers fighting crime. It was only a matter of time before a television show would come along to parody this pillar of the action genre. Enter Alan Spencer, who created Sledge Hammer! for ABC. Starring David Rasche, the show follows Inspector Sledge Hammer, a parody of the "loose cannon cop" who was stubborn and sexist, but also a serious detective.

Sledge Hammer! was a show that was simply ahead of its time. Not only did it parody police procedurals at the time, it basically took a sledgehammer to them with its main character being a walking, talking caricature of TV cops at the time. In fact, Sledge Hammer's most famous quote was: "Trust me, I know what I'm doing," before things went completely haywire. Sledge Hammer! wasn't fully appreciated for its satire, and it was cancelled by ABC after two seasons. But if you're looking for a satire that is right on the nose when it comes to police procedurals, this is the show for you.

8 'Growing Pains' (1985–1992)

In an era where the family sitcom was dominated by the Huxtables and the Keatons, it's perfectly understandable as to why Growing Pains wound up being one of the most criminally forgotten sitcoms of the decade. The brainchild of Neal Marleans, Growing Pains followed the Seaver family, led by the family's patriarch, Jason (Alan Thicke), a psychologist who moves his practice back home to take care of their three children when his wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns), went back to work after being a stay-at-home mom.

Growing Pains was the perfect subversion of the household roles between the mother and the father, and the central premise of the sitcom was unique at a time when sitcom dads were largely the sole breadwinners of the family, and sitcom moms were the homemakers. So, it was interesting to see how these "traditional" roles flipped, with the dad staying home and the mom going to work. Just like its predecessors, Growing Pains became a master at "teachable moments," with some of the show's heaviest episodes also being the grimmest. For a sitcom that ran for seven seasons, and was one of the biggest family sitcoms of the decade, you can hardly find Growing Pains on most streaming sites, which is truly criminal.

7 'Fraggle Rock' (1983–1987)

The late Jim Henson wasn't just content with making puppets for the sake of entertainment. His main goal was promoting peace in the world by getting viewers to understand how connected we all truly are. Nowhere was Henson's vision more fulfilling than Fraggle Rock, which premiered in 1983 and is a masterclass on how to use puppets to get your point across.

The show centers on the Fraggles, a group of interconnected societies that represent a certain element within the Fraggle Rock environment. They each have to depend on each other in order to survive, but the theme of the series is their failure to communicate with each other due to their differences in culture and biology. Fraggle Rock was a unique children's show in the fact that they didn't shy away from truly heavy themes like other kid shows in the decade, which showed that the series respected the intelligence of its audience to handle serious themes. In a lot of ways, we need Fraggle Rock's message, but it's become too forgotten in the television zeitgeist.

6 'The Hogan Family' (1986–1991)

It's quite a shame that we don't hold The Hogan Family at the same prestige as we do Family Ties. Yes, this show had a chaotic history of behind-the-scenes drama, but no other family sitcom did it better when it came to pushing the boundaries of the traditional family sitcom. Originally titled Valerie, the sitcom premiered in 1986 and originally focused on Valerie Harper, a mom typing to balance her work life with her homelife with an absent husband (Josh Taylor), who was a pilot. But after the first two seasons, a salary dispute led to Harper being killed off, and the show being re-titled The Hogan Family after Sandy Duncan joined the main cast as Valerie's sister-in-law moved in to help take care of the kids.

Normally, a drastic casting change would have been the death knell of a sitcom in the 1980s, but not only did The Hogan Family survive the firing of Harper, but it became a case study in how a show could survive without its main character. The Hogan Family etched its name in '80s sitcom lore with its "very special episodes" that tackled some of the biggest issues of the decade; and, yes, this is the sitcom that kick-started Jason Bateman's career, which is even more reason why this forgotten sitcom deserves to be remembered.

5 'Empty Nest' (1988–1995)

The 1980s was the pinnacle of "comfort television," and no show emphasized the era better than Empty Nest, the spin-off of the much-remembered Golden Girls. Created by Susan Harris, the show follows Dr. Harry Weston (Richard Mulligan), a pediatrician in Miami who, after his wife dies, his two adult daughters, Carol (Dinah Manoff) and Barbara (Kristy McNichol), moves back in with their father.

By taking a truly terrible premise and mixing it with warmth and humor, Empty Nest was a relatable sitcom that dealt with the themes of loss and being a single parent with grace. This could have easily been a slapstick sitcom, but it wasn't, taking its subject matter seriously, but still making it comforting and hilarious for viewers. While Empty Nest doesn't get the recognition that its parent show does, it should still be lauded for its sharp writing, and its sheer ability to mold heartfelt character moments with comedy.

4 'Too Close for Comfort' (1980–1987)

In the early 1980s, the sitcom format was basically on life support, with hour-long, single-camera dramas dominating the ratings. So, it's quite natural that a lot of people may have forgotten about a little-remembered sitcom gem from that time, Too Close for Comfort. But while it's understandable, that doesn't mean that it should be forgotten. Created by Arne Sultan and Earl Barret, the show follows Henry (Ted Knight) and Muriel (Nancy Dussault), who own a two-unit house in San Francisco, with their two adult daughters, Jackie (Daborah Van Valkenburgh) and Sara (Lydia Cornell) living in the downstairs unit.

From fashion to the "Cosmic Cow," the conservative cartoon Henry drew for work, Too Close for Comfort was very much a product of its time, with the show becoming famous (or infamous) for some of the bold storylines that hit on sensitive topics. In a sense, Too Close for Comfort was the light version of All in the Family, but one that stayed squarely in the sitcom realm and was a much easier watch than its more famous 1970s predecessor. Because the bulk of the show's best episodes aired during a down point in the genre, this is a show that not a lot of people remember; but Too Close for Comfort was, perhaps, one of the more balanced shows of the decade.

3 ‘Square Pegs’ (1982–1983)

Today, we remember Sarah Jessica Parker as the fashion icon Carrie Bradshaw from the iconic HBO comedy drama Sex and the City. But, back in the early 1980s, Parker was far removed from the Manolo Blahnik shoes and Fendi clutches. Instead, she was an awkward, social misfit in the often-forgotten series Square Pegs. Created by Anne Beatts, Square Pegs wrote the template for the typical teen show, showcasing the awkward and scary reality of high school.

Parker portrayed Patty Greene, a smart but awkward teen who is often dragged into situations with her best friend, Lauren Hutchinson (Amy Linker), in order to move up the high school popularity pecking order. Square Pegs was a lot different than its peers in the era, opting to focus on the reality of high school rather than polish up the experience with pretty people and a sanitized atmosphere that oftentimes made high school seem cooler than it actually is. Patty and her "square peg" friends offered a window into what being a high school "outsider" is like, and it isn't pretty. While other teen shows, especially shows from the '90s, get praise, let's not forget the teen dramady that walked, so future teen shows could run.

2 'L.A. Law' (1986–1994)

In 1981, Steven Bochco helped create one of the decade's most beloved police procedurals in Hill Street Blues, which is famous for its "roll call" segments. To build on that success, Boscho teamed up with Terry Louise Fisher to create a drama that was both highly intelligent and high-stakes. That show was L.A. Law, which crystalized the "Bochco Formula" of ensemble storytelling and a tone that molded together both off-the-wall humor and soap opera-level drama within a judicial setting.

The show focused on the partners and associates of a high-powered law firm in Los Angeles; and it was through these characters that Boscho really worked his magic, reflecting the social and cultural conflicts that other dramas tended to either shy away from or treat with kid gloves. L.A. Law was a show that wasn't afraid to deal with hot social issues such as racism and abortion, and it held up a mirror of the decade by showcasing the tension between the highly-paid lawyers and their underpaid staff. For a show that took home 15 Primetime Emmy Awards during its run and changed how lawyers were looked at in the real world, very few people talk about L.A. Law today, which is something that should be rectified.

1 'Moonlighting' (1985–1989)

While we fondly remember Bruce Willis for his career-making role as John McClane in the Die Hard franchise, we often forget that his true breakout actually occurred on the small screen. In 1985, ABC premiered Moonlighting, with Willis co-staring alongside Cybill Shepherd in a landmark series that changed the way hour-long series were created. Before Moonlighting, the single-camera dramas were pretty much straightforward, serious affairs; but with Moonlighting, the show turned the genre on its head, taking the standard detective drama and throwing in screwball comedy to create a unique experience, even for the 1980s.

Moonlighting wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for the electrifying chemistry between Willis and Shepherd, with their trademark overlapping banter and heavy tension between the two setting this series apart from its contemporaries. While the mixed bag of the later seasons may have led to this series being forgotten, you also have to give Moonlighting its followers for going big when other shows were very content to play it safe.