1980s

You there – with the fluorescent leg warmers, He-Man doll (sorry action figure) and DeLorean dreams – you know you miss the 1980s. As the disco era uttered its last, glittery gasps, Solid Gold rose like a phoenix from the ashes of a smoldering Xanadu. As Walter Cronkite announced his retirement, Astro Boy swooped in to save the day.

But who cares about what was going on, we just want to know what was on. The 1980s is the decade that gave us MacGuyver.  The cast of Diff’rent Strokes was learning all about The Facts Of Life on The Cosby Show. Some shows like Dallas, Cheers and Head Of The Class would live to see another decade, while programs like The Dukes Of Hazzard and WKRP In Cincinnati would sign off for good.

Television was transformed in the 1980s. With the advent of cable, video cassette recorders, video games and, most importantly, the remote – the days of network television were numbered. Sure, they weren’t completely vanquished, but the monopoly was gone, and entertainment would be forever changed, especially with the (literal) launch of MTV. Remember that? When MTV still played music videos? Magical.

The 1980s were kind to crime shows and primetime soap operas and breathed new life into family sitcoms. Of course, this was also the decade that gave us Geraldo. Progress can be such a double-edged sword.