The1980swas a great time for television. Most ’80s kids remember waking up to a big bowl of cereal and watching Saturday morning cartoons, or staying up late to watch “TGIF” on Friday nights (or sometimes both). From science fiction shows likeStar Trek: The Next Generationto family dramas likeFull House, it seems like that era had everything a TV fan could want. Every ’80s kid has their favorite shows from that era, some of which are still alive in various forms today.
While the invention of VHS made watching movies at home more affordable during the ’80s, television continued to thrive. There were great new animated shows, likeTransformers, as well as educational shows likeSesame Streetthat had already been on TV for years. It would be nearly impossible to come up with a comprehensive list of all the best ’80s shows, but here’s a selection of the programs that every ’80s kid remembers.
10He-Man & Masters of the Universe (1983 - 1985)
When you think of iconic 1980s superheroes, He-Man immediately comes to mind.He-Man and the Masters of the Universeaired from 1985 to 1987, but its impact on ’80s kids is still felt today. Each episode featured He-Man, a Prince with huge muscles and super-strength, battling his arch-enemy Skeletor for control of the fictional planet Eternia. Many people who grew up in the ’80s will remember playing with He-Man toys, wearingMasters of the Universeshirts, and dressing up as Skeletor for Halloween.
The original 1980s show was so popular that writer-director Kevin Smith brought it back in 2021 for reboot calledMaster of the Universe: Revelation. The show was very well received by both the original fans who grew up in the ’80s and their kids. There were big plans to take the franchise to new heights, but unfortunately for fans the upcomingHe-Manmovie has been canceled.
Buy it on Apple TV
9ALF (1986 - 1990)
Many ’80s kids will probably rememberALFas a show that was simultaneously interesting and terrifying. The classic 1986 comedy sitcom focused on a strange being named Gordon “ALF” Shumway who is blasted to Earth via a radio signal when his home planet is destroyed. He’s then taken in by the Tanner family, who show him how to adapt to societal norms.
Kids who grew up in the ’80s will rememberALFis a creepy puppet who cracked corny jokes that sometimes bordered on problematic. ALF also had a toy and merchandise line that ’80s kids saw everywhere during that decade. The show is so familiar to that generation that it was broughtback as an animated series in 2002.
Steam on Peacock
ALF: Where the Cast Is Today
Ever wondered what the cast of comedy sitcom ALF has been up to since the series finale? Here’s where they are today.
8DuckTales (1987 - 1990)
Think about what it would be like to be rich. If the image of Scrooge McDuck jumping into a pile of gold comes to mind, you could definitely be an ’80s kid. The original version ofDuckTalesbegan in 1987 and featured the antics of Huey, Dewey, and Louie, who live with their Uncle Scrooge. The basic premise of the show was that the trio got into a lot of harmless trouble and annoyed the hell out of their uncle whenever possible.
Every ’80s kid remembers waking up and eating cereal while watching Saturday morning cartoons.DuckTaleswas a staple of the morning cartoon rotation, and kids loved watching the humor and whimsy the show brought to the (literal) table.DuckTaleswas rebooted in 2017, though the new version only lasted two seasons.
Stream on Disney+
7Inspector Gadget (1982 - 1985)
Inspector Gadgetis another cartoon that ’80s kids will remember. The show features the title character - a half-human, half-robot detective - trying to foil the evil plots of his arch-enemy, Dr. Claw. The problem is that Inspector Gadget is clumsy and his gadgets rarely work the way he intended. In the end, it’s usually Gadget’s smart niece Penny and her dog Brain that save the day.
Every ’80s kid will rememberInspector Gadget’sincredibly catchy theme song, which was reminiscent of the pop music at the time while still capturing the spy aesthetic of the show. ’80s kids will also remember Gadget’s catchphrases, like when he shouts “Go-Go-Gadget Copter!” to launch the helicopter propeller blades built into his hat.
Stream on Paramount+
6Sesame Street (1969 - Present)
Sesame Street
In 1969,Sesame Streetdebuted on PBS and the show has been educating kids around the world ever since. Through 45 seasons and more than 5 decades on-air, the popular kids program has been helping children learn numbers, speak different languages, and learn valuable (and sometimes difficult) lessons.
’80s kids knowSesame Streetwell, as it was already a very popular show by the time they reached kindergarten age. Every ’80s kid knows characters like Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and Cookie Monster, and now that many kids are parents themselves, they encourage their kids to watch the show as well.
Stream on Max
The 16 Best Sesame Street Characters, Ranked
The diverse range of characters on Sesame Street have their own unique personalities. They have been winning hearts for decades.
5Fraggle Rock (1983 - 1987)
Fraggle Rockdebuted in 1983 and featured a colorful cast of characters singing, dancing, and playing games. The puppets in the show were designed by the legendary artist Jim Henson and all featured different looks and hairstyles. Every ’80s kid has their favorite Fraggle and some will even remember the Fraggle Rock toy cars that came in Happy Meals from McDonald’s at the time. Like Mr. Dressup, Canadian ’80s kids have a special connection toFraggle Rock. The original show was a co-production between Canada (CBC), USA (HBO), and Great Britain (TVS), so Canadian kids sawFraggle Rockon TV a lot while growing up. It’s pretty cool that many of those kids got the chance to work onFraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, which is filmed in Calgary, Alberta.
Stream on Apple TV
4The Transformers (1985 - 1987)
The Transformers
The Transformersis another 1980s show that had kids at the time hooked. LikeHe-Man, people who grew up in the ’80s will rememberTransformersfor the toy and merchandise tie-ins just as much as the actual show. The animated program featured the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, battling the Decepticons, led by Megatron, for ultimate supremacy on Earth.
Even though the original cartoon only ran from 1984 to 1987, its impact is still felt today. ’80s kids have had the joy of watching their favorite characters evolve from one franchise into multiple shows, movies, spinoffs, and remakes. Millennials will probably get a laugh at some of the variousTransformersrip-offsthat have sprouted up over the years as well.
3Schoolhouse Rock! (1973 - 2009)
Schoolhouse Rock!
The original educational seriesSchoolhouse Rock!debuted on ABC in 1973 and ran for 7 seasons. The show consisted of short episodes that used high-energy music and vibrant animation to teach kids things like multiplication tables, American history, money management, and environmental issues.
’80s kids will fondly rememberSchoolhouse Rock!for its catchy tunes and repeatability factor. It seemed like the shorts popped up all the time between ABC shows back then. After its original run from 1973 to 1985, it was revived for a new series from 1993 to 1996. Disney acquired the show in 1996 and continued to produce content for the ’80s kids who are now grown up.
2Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1968 - 2001)
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhoodwas a staple of 1980s children’s television. Started by Presbyterian minister Fred Rogers in 1968, the show featured Mister Rogers telling stories, leading imagination games, and teaching children that every one of them is special. The show was full ofinspirational quotesand Rogers' gentle and warm personality was infectious to watch.
Although the show had already been on TV for many years, every ’80s kid remembers watchingMister Rogers' Neighborhood. By the time the ’80s came around, the show was on all the time, and it was impossible not to remember Mister Rogers putting on his iconic red sweater at the start of the program. He had a huge positive effect on ’80s kids and re-runs can be seen on PBS Kids.
Stream on Prime Video
1Mr. Dressup (1967 - 1996)
Mr. Dressupis another nostalgic show for ’80s kids, particularly for those who grew up in Canada. Ernie Coombs, who actually worked with Fred Rogers in the early days, created the character and his show ran on CBC from 1967 to 1996. The recent documentaryMr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believedoes an excellent job of documenting Coombs' career, and you may watch it now on Prime Video
Each show would feature Mr. Dressup telling stories, reading books, and interacting with his puppet friends Casey and Finnigan. But the one part of the show that ’80s kids remember the most is when Mr. Dressup dives into his “Tickle Trunk”. He’d try on costumes, wear silly outfits, and put on whatever funny clothes would make the audience laugh. Mr. Dressup was definitely a part of every Canadian ’80s kid’s childhood memories.
