TV in the 1980s

If the 1970s, comedies tented to be the ground breakers and dramas were mostly bland and formulaic.  TV  in the 1980s tended to be quite different. While there were important comedies, most notably  The Cosby Show, Cheers  and The Golden Girls, for the most part TV comedies in the 1980s  were simply pleasant diversions like Alf, The Wonder Years, Perfect Strangers, & Silver Spoons.

 TV in the 1980s

Dramas began to show a much more modern style, moving away from the predictable, bland formulaic cop and doctor shows popular in the 1970s. Hill Street Blues, LA Law, 30 Something,  & St. Elsewhere were each terrific in and of themselves. But they are popular and artistic success also points to a more mature era of television dramas.

Finally, the 1980s were the heyday of must-see evening television soaps. Falcon Crest, Dallas, Knots Landing & Dynasty garnered phenomenal ratings and mesmerized many viewers. This multimedia presentation will explore what we watched and why we watched it in a transitional decade for American television.