Television Shows Of The 1980s

With all the changes in technology and expanding viewing choices, television networks began to feel the programming squeeze while CBS, ABC, and NBC lost their monopoly on what Americans viewed in their living rooms. Programs displayed family friendly themes and issues and themes that were a breath of fresh air and that became very popular in the mid 1980s. One such show was the Cosby Show, which was a realistic and witty rendering of family life in the era. it was about an African American family in which the father, Heathcliff Huxtable, was an obstetrician and the mother, Claire, was a successful lawyer. This family helped destroy the stereotype of the poor African-American family that previous shows only helped to reinforce. Other shows that showed the bright, cheery yet realistic family life included Family Ties and Growing Pains along with others. Other sitcoms, such as Cheers, and Night Court, focused more on the workplace and the people. In stark contrast, television made great strides in pushing the envelope with sitcoms such as Married with Children, a show about a dysfunctional family with a resentful father. Another "less than perfect" family made it's debut on April 19, 1987. The Simpsons were an animated family that debuted on The Tracey Ullman Show as a series of shorts. After three seasons, this family moved to a prime time show of their own and became the longest running sitcom in the history of television; as well as a huge hit in the 1990s.

Television of the 1980s also had it's share of popular prime time soap operas. One of the most popular in 1980, Dallas, had people tuning in to find out the nagging question, "Who Shot JR?". Dallas, as well as Knots Landing, Dynasty, and Falcon Crest, all had their loyal viewers. They portrayed very wealthy characters in a host of various problems such as conflicts with one another, alcoholism and power struggles.

Police and detective shows were popular as well and some of the themes were hits as well. Moonlighting's theme song is performed by popular jazz singer Al Jarreau and became a minor hit. The show was about a couple of private detectives Madolyn 'Maddie' Hayes (Cybill Shepherd) and David Addison (Bruce Willis), who work for a detective agency. With drama, comedy and romance, it is considered one of the greatest spoofs of television detective shows. Another series that was very well known for it's theme was another detective show Miami Vice. Reflecting the more glitzy and gritty feel of 1980s "New Wave" culture, this show focuses on two undercover vice cops, Crockett and Tubbs dealing with mostly drug trafficking and prostitution in Miami. With the distinctive, synthesized instrumental music of Jan Hammer; the Miami Vice theme climbed to the top of the U. S. Billboard charts in 1985, the first TV theme to do so since "Theme from Peter Gunn." Miami Vice was also noted for its innovative use of music, particularly countless pop and rock hits of the 1980s. Hill Street Blues dealt with "real-life" issues, and used "real-life" language to a greater extent than had been seen before as it focused on failure and those at the bottom of the social scale and the bitter realities of living in a big city in the 1980s. The mellow instrumental theme was written by Mike Post (who also wrote themes from Quantum Leap and the A Team), and was popular enough to reach the top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100.