The Eighties Club
The Politics and Pop Culture of the 1980s
Top TV Shows of the 1980s
Cagney and Lacey, The Golden Girls, The A-Team

1980-81
1.  Dallas  
(CBS)  3rd season, 34.5
2.  The Dukes of Hazzard
(CBS)  3rd, 27.3
3.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  13th, 27
4.  M*A*S*H  
(CBS)  9th, 25.7
5.  The Love Boat
(ABC)  4th, 24.3
6.  The Jeffersons  
(CBS)  7th, 23.5
7.  Alice
(CBS)  5th, 22.9
8.  House Calls
(CBS)  2nd, 22.4
9.  Three's Company
(ABC)  5th, 22.4
10.  Little House on the Prairie  (NBC)  6th, 22.1
11.  One Day at a Time  
(CBS)  5th, 22
12.  Real People
 (NBC)  3rd, 21.5
13.  Archie Bunker's Place
 (CBS)  2nd, 21.4
14.  Magnum P.I.  
(CBS)  1st, 21
15.  Happy Days  
(ABC)  7th, 20.8
16.  Too Close for Comfort  
(ABC) 1st, 20.8
17.  Fantasy Island  
(ABC)  3rd, 20.7
18.  Trapper John, MD
(CBS)  2nd, 20.7
19. Diff'rent Strokes
(NBC) 3rd
20.  Monday Night Football
(ABC) ---, 20.6
21.  Laverne and Shirley  
(ABC)  6th, 20.6
22.  That's Incredible  
(ABC)  2nd, 20.5
23.  Hart to Hart  
(ABC)  2nd, 19.9
24. Sunday Night Movie  
(ABC) 19.4
25.  CHIPS
(NBC)  4th, 19.4
1981-82
1.  Dallas  
(CBS)  4th season
2.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  14th
3.  The Jeffersons
(CBS)  8th
4.  Three's Company  
(ABC) 6th
5.  Alice  
(CBS)  6th
6.  The Dukes of Hazzard
 (CBS)  4th
7.  Too Close for Comfort  
(ABC)  2nd
8.  Monday Night Movie  
(ABC)  ---
9.  M*A*S*H  
(CBS)  10th
10.  One Day at a Time  
(CBS)  6th
11.  Monday Night Football
(ABC)  ---
12.  Archie Bunker's Place  
(CBS)  3rd
13.  Falcon Crest  
(CBS)  2nd
14.  The Love Boat  
(ABC)  5th
15.  Hart to Hart  
(ABC)  3rd
16.  Trapper John, MD  
(CBS)  3rd
17.  Magnum P.I.  
(CBS)  2nd
18.  Happy Days  
(ABC)  8th
19.  Dynasty  
(ABC)  2nd
20.  Laverne and Shirley  
(ABC)  7th
21.  Real People  
(ABC)  4th
22.  Sunday Night Movie  
(ABC) ---
23.  House Calls  
(ABC)  3rd
24.  Facts of Life  
(NBC)  3rd
25.  Little House on the Prairie  (NBC)  7th
1982-83
1.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  15th season
2.  Dallas  
(CBS)  5th
3.  M*A*S*H  
(CBS)  11th
4.  Magnum P.I.  
(CBS)  3rd
5.  Dynasty
 (ABC) 3rd
6.  Three's Company  
(ABC)  7th
7.  Simon & Simon  
(CBS)  2nd
8.  Falcon Crest  
(CBS) 3rd
9.  The Love Boat  
(ABC)  6th
10.  The A-Team  
(NBC)  1st
11.  Monday Night Football  
(ABC)  ---
12.  The Jeffersons  
(CBS)  9th
13.  Newhart
 (CBS)  1st
14.  The Fall Guy  
(ABC)  2nd
15.  9 to 5
(ABC) 2nd
16.  One Day at a Time  
(CBS)  7th
17.  Hart to Hart
(ABC)  4th
18.  Gloria  
(CBS)  1st
19.  Trapper John, MD  
(CBS) 4th
20.  Knots Landing  
(CBS)  4th
21.  Hill Street Blues  
(NBC)  3rd
22.  That's Incredible  
(ABC)  4th
23.  Archie Bunker's Place  
(CBS)  4th
24.  ABC Monday Night Movie  
---
25.  Laverne & Shirley  
(ABC)  8th
1983-84
1.  Dallas  
(CBS)  6th season
2.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  16th
3.  Dynasty
(ABC)  4th
4.  The A-Team  
(NBC)  2nd
5.  Simon & Simon  
(CBS)  3rd
6.  Magnum P.I.  
(CBS)  4th
7.  Falcon Crest  
(CBS)  4th
8.  Kate & Allie  
(CBS)  1st
9.  Hotel  
(ABC)  1st
10.  Cagney & Lacey  
(CBS)  3rd
11.  Knots Landing  
(CBS)  5th
12.  Sunday Night Movie  
(ABC) ---
13.  Monday Night Movie
(ABC)  ---
14.  TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes  
(NBC)  1st
15.  AfterMASH  
(CBS)  1st
16.  The Fall Guy
(ABC)  3rd
17.  The Love Boat  
(ABC)  7th
18.  Riptide  
(NBC)  1st
19.  The Jeffersons  
(CBS)  10th
20.  Scarecrow & Mrs. King  (CBS)  1st
21.  Monday Night Football
(ABC) ---
22.  Monday Night Movie  
(NBC) ---
23.  Newhart  
(CBS)  2nd
24.  Facts of Life  
(NBC)  5th
25. Tuesday Night Movie  
(CBS) ---
1984-85
1.  Dynasty
 (ABC)  5th season
2.  Dallas  
(CBS)  7th
3.  The Cosby Show  
(NBC)  1st
4.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  17th
5.  Family Ties  
(NBC)  3rd
6.  The A-Team  
(NBC)  3rd
7.  Simon & Simon  
(CBS)  4th
8.  Murder, She Wrote  
(CBS)  1st
9.  Knots Landing  
(CBS)  6th
10.  Falcon Crest  
(CBS)  4th
11.  Crazy Like A Fox
 (CBS)  1st
12.  Hotel  
(ABC)  2nd
13.  Cheers  
(NBC)  3rd
14.  Riptide  
(NBC)  2nd
15.  Magnum P.I.  
(CBS)  5th
16.  Newhart  
(CBS)  3rd
17.  Kate & Allie  
(CBS)  2nd
18.  Monday Night Movie
(NBC) ---
19.  Highway to Heaven  
(NBC)  1st
20.  Night Court  
(NBC)  2nd
21.  Sunday Night Movie
(ABC) ---
22.  Scarecrow & Mrs. King  (CBS)  2nd
23.  TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes  
(NBC)  2nd
24.  The Fall Guy  
(ABC)  4th
25.  Monday Night Football
(ABC)  ---
1985-86
1.  The Cosby Show  
(NBC)  2nd season
2.  Family Ties  
(NBC)  4th
3.  Murder, She Wrote  
(CBS)  2nd
4.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  18th
5.  Cheers  
(NBC)  4th
6.  Dallas  
(CBS)  8th
7.  Dynasty
(ABC)  6th
8.  The Golden Girls
 (NBC)  1st
9.  Miami  Vice  
(NBC)  2nd
10.  Who's the Boss  
(ABC)  2nd
11.  Night Court  
(NBC)  3rd
12.  Sunday Night Movie
(CBS) ---
13.  Highway to Heaven  
(NBC)  2nd
14.  Kate & Allie  
(CBS)  3rd
15. Monday Night Football  
(ABC) ---
16.  Newhart  
(CBS)  4th
17.  Knots Landing  
(CBS)  7th
18.  Growing Pains  
(ABC)  1st
19.  You Again
(NBC)  1st
20.  227  
(NBC)  1st
21.  Sunday Night Movie
(NBC)  ---
22.  Hotel  
(ABC)  3rd
23.  Monday Night Movie  
(NBC) ---
24.  Moonlighting  
(ABC)  2nd
25.  Falcon Crest  
(CBS)  5th
1986-87
1.  The Cosby Show  
(NBC)  3rd season
2.  Family Ties  
(NBC)  5th
3.  Cheers  
(NBC)  4th
4.  Murder, She Wrote  
(CBS)  3rd
5.  The Golden Girls  
(NBC)  2nd
6.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  19th
7.  Night Court  
(NBC)  4th
8.  Growing Pains  
(ABC)  2nd
9.  Moonlighting  
(ABC)  3rd
10.  Who's the Boss?  
(ABC)  3rd
11.  Dallas  
(CBS)  9th
12.  Newhart  
(CBS)  5th
13.  Amen  
(NBC)  1st
14.  227  
(NBC)  2nd
15.  Matlock  
(NBC)  1st
16.  Sunday Night Movie
(CBS)  ---
17.  Monday Night Movie  
(NBC) ---
18. Monday Night Football
(ABC) ---
19. Kate & Allie
(CBS) 4th
20.  Sunday Night Movie
(NBC) ---
21.  L.A. Law  
(NBC)  1st
22.  My Sister Sam  
(CBS)  1st
23.  Falcon Crest  
(CBS)  6th
24.  Highway to Heaven  
(NBC)  3rd
25.  Dynasty  
(ABC)  7th
1987-88
1.  The Cosby Show  
(NBC)  4th season
2.  A Different World  
(NBC)  1st
3.  Cheers  
(NBC)  5th
4.  The Golden Girls
 (NBC)  3rd
5.  Growing Pains  
(ABC)  3rd
6.  Who's the Boss?
 (ABC)  4th
7.  Night Court
(NBC)  5th
8.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  20th
9.  Murder, She Wrote  
(CBS)  4th
10.  Alf  
(NBC)  2nd
11.  The Wonder Years  
(ABC)  1st
12.  Moonlighting  
(ABC) 4th
13. L.A. Law
(NBC) 2nd
14.  Matlock  
(NBC)  2nd
15.  Amen  
(NBC)  2nd
16.  Monday Night Football
(ABC)  ---
17.  Family Ties
 (NBC)  6th
18.  Sunday Night Movie
 (CBS) ---
19.  In the Heat of the Night  
(NBC)  1st
20.  My Two Dads  
(NBC)  1st
21.  Valerie's Family  
(NBC)  1st
22.  Dallas  
(CBS)  10th
23. Sunday Night Movie
(NBC)  ---
24.  Head of the Class
(ABC)  2nd
25.  Newhart  
(CBS)  6th
1988-89
1.  The Cosby Show
(NBC)  5th season
2.  Roseanne  
(ABC)  1st
3.  A Different World  
(NBC)  2nd
4.  Cheers
(NBC)  6th
5.  60 Minutes  
(CBS)  21st
6.  The Golden Girls
 (NBC)  4th
7.  Who's the Boss?
 (ABC)  5th
8.  Murder, She Wrote
 (CBS)  5th
9.  Empty Nest  
(NBC)  1st
10.  Anything But Love
(ABC)  1st
11.  Dear John  
(NBC)  1st
12.  Matlock  
(NBC)  3rd
13.  L.A. Law  
(NBC)  3rd
14.  Growing Pains  
(ABC)  4th
15.  Alf
(NBC)  3rd
16.  Monday Night Football
(ABC)  ---
17.  Unsolved Mysteries  
(NBC)  1st
18.  In the Heat of the Night
 (NBC)  2nd
19.  Hunter  
(NBC)  5th
20.  Head of the Class  
(ABC)  3rd
21.  Night Court
 (NBC)  6th
22.  The Hogan Family
(NBC)  4th
23.  Sunday Night Movie
(NBC)  ---
24.  The Wonder Years
(ABC)  2nd
25.  Amen
(NBC)  3rd
1989-90
1. The Cosby Show  
(NBC)  6th season
2.  Roseanne  
(ABC)  2nd
3.  Cheers  
(NBC)  7th
4.  A Different World  
(NBC)  3rd
5.  America's Funniest Home Videos  
(ABC)  1st
6.  The Golden Girls
 (NBC)  5th
7.  60 Minutes
(CBS)  22nd
8.  The Wonder Years  
(ABC)  3rd
9.  Empty Nest  
(NBC)  2nd
10.  Monday Night Football
 (ABC) ---
11.  Unsolved Mysteries
 (NBC)  2nd
12.  Who's the Boss?  
(ABC)  6th
13.  Murder, She Wrote  
(CBS)  6th
14.  Chicken Soup
 (ABC)  1st
15.  Grand  
(NBC)  1st
16.  L.A. Law
 (NBC)  4th
17.  Dear John  
(NBC)  2nd
18.  Coach  
(ABC)  1st
19.  In the Heat of the Night
(NBC)  3rd
20.  Matlock  
(NBC)  4th
21.  Growing Pains  
(ABC)  5th
22.  Full House  
(ABC)  3rd
23.  Designing Women
 (CBS)  4th
24.  Sunday Movie
 (CBS) ---
25.  Hunter  
(NBC)  6th
Seasons run from September of one year to May of the next.
 If a series starts its run at any date during that period of time and
at least four episodes are aired, it is considered to have had a season.

This list is based on A.C. Nielsen ratings results.  
In the case of ties, series are listed in the order in which they
appeared in the Nielsen ratings system.


Top 50 TV Shows of the Decade

1. 60 Minutes
26. Dukes of Hazzard
2. Dallas
27. Matlock
3. The Cosby Show
28. One Day at a Time
4. Cheers
29. L.A. Law
5. Murder, She Wrote
30. Alice
6. The Golden Girls
31. The Wonder Years
7. Monday Night Football
32. Hotel
8. Dynasty
33. Empty Nest
9. Who's The Boss?
34. CBS Sunday Movie
10. Family Ties
35. ABC Monday Movie
11. Magnum, P.I.
36. Moonlighting
12. Falcon Crest
37. Archie Bunker's Place
13. A Different World
38. Too Close for Comfort
14. The Jeffersons
39. ALF
15. Night Court
40. Trapper John, MD
16. Growing Pains
41. Amen
17. M*A*S*H
42. Unsolved Mysteries
18. Three's Company
43. The Fall Guy
19. The Love Boat
44. NBC Monday Movie
20. Simon & Simon
45. Dear John
21. The A-Team
46. ABC Sunday Movie
22. Newhart
47. Hart to Hart
23. Roseanne
48. In the Heat of the Night
24. Knots Landing
49. Highway to Heaven
25. Kate & Allie
50. House Calls