Image: ABC via youtube
About This Quiz
Do you know what a sitcom is? A sitcom is a genre exclusive to the television industry. That's because it's short for "situation comedy," wherein the jokes need preparation and build-up to elicit laughs. This kind of comedy category is different from the earliest kind of comedy we saw on film and later on TV as well, which is called the "sight gag."
Sight gags were big during the silent film era, since the performers didn't need any sound to elicit laughter. This comedy genre involved being physical, contorting the face for reactions and performing pratfalls or similar antics. A person slipping on a banana peel is an early example of this kind of comedy.
But the advent of sound, and later of television, changed the landscape of comedy. These days, we are very used to having comedy set up for us, via short anecdotes delivered by stand-up comedians for instance, or carefully calculated narrative plot points that reach a comedic climax. So the sitcom derives humor from specific situations that are set up for laughs.
The '80s are full of these great sitcoms with great set-ups. Thank the writers, actors and everyone else who made these sitcoms possible, because it's the hardest job in the world - to make people laugh! So, can you name these '80s sitcom gems? Give it a whirl and laugh your heart out reminiscing. Happy quiz-taking!
Webster
The Facts of Life
Diff'rent Strokes
The Cosby Show
"The Cosby Show" started its run in 1984 and it lasted until 1992, headlined by comedian Bill Cosby. Sadly, many now question the legacy he had in connection with this show, since many allegations of sexual abuse have come out, naming him as the perpetrator.
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Designing Women
Family Ties
"Family Ties" helped propel the U.S. back into a more conservative-leaning pop culture during the '80s, especially since Michael J. Fox's character was an avowed young Republican. His teen character, Alex P. Keaton, was very into Reaganomics. Many fans loved this show and his antics.
Silver Spoons
A Different World
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Cheers
This is the place "where everybody knows your name," and the bar featured in the TV show is called Cheers. The story is set in Boston, Massachusetts, and the bar's patrons are regularly featured in the show's narrative.
Saved by the Bell
Mr. Belvedere
Newhart
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227
Mama's Family
Amen
The Golden Girls
"Thank You for Being a Friend" to millions of viewers, all four of you called "The Golden Girls." This show was such a huge hit back then, giving senior citizens' storylines great exposure in primetime television.
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My Two Dads
Valerie
Married… With Children
Hollywood was producing many suburban sitcoms with wholesome figures, so it was indeed a huge departure to see a show like "Married… With Children" on the air at that time. The popular show debuted in 1986 and lasted until 1997.
Benson
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Out of This World
It's a Living
Bosom Buddies
Saved by the Bell
One of the favorite teen shows barely in the '80s is "Saved by the Bell," which debuted in 1989 and stayed a hit until 1992. A majority of its stars enjoyed success outside the show as well when they grew up, most notably entertainment host Mario Lopez.
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The Wonder Years
The 1980s hit "The Wonder Years" was actually set during the late 1960s and early 1970s, depicting an America that was in the middle of the Vietnam War. While the show touched upon these issues, its main focus was on the lives of the families and children growing up in American suburbia.
Too Close for Comfort
Charles in Charge
Gimme a Break
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Three's Company
Happy Days
Growing Pains
Murphy Brown
Candace Bergen is forever known as "Murphy Brown" because of the success of this show she headlined from 1988 to 1998. But fans of the show are getting another chance to see the cast in action, since the show began airing again in 2018 - and the original cast members are still there for the ride!
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Perfect Strangers
Coach
The Dukes of Hazzard
Roseanne
The working class-focused sitcom, named "Roseanne" after no-nonsense comedian Roseanne Barr, was a huge hit in the late '80s up to the late '90s. They tried to revive it in early 2018, but network executives axed her and renamed the show after a racist tweet from Roseanne went viral.
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Family Matters
Laverne and Shirley
Who’s the Boss?
A man is the live-in housekeeper in this show, hired by a female corporate executive. This setup became comedy gold for "Who’s the Boss?" You can see a teen Alyssa Milano here, who herself grew up to be such an empowered woman.
Soap
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Punky Brewster
"Punky Brewster" made the young actress Soleil Moon Frye a household name. The show ran from 1984 until 1988. She continued her entertainment career after the show ended, including her role on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." She also did several hosting and voice acting gigs.
The A-Team
Mama's Family
Police Squad!
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Doogie Howser, M.D.
Fawlty Towers
It's Garry Shandling's Show
Perfect Strangers
The interesting 1986 TV series called "Perfect Strangers" introduced the concept of the hopeful English-challenged immigrant who came to America for a better life. The comedy was supplied by the fact that the naive immigrant came unannounced to live with a distant cousin in Chicago.
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Moonlighting
Bruce Willis was a comedic charmer in the hit '80s TV series "Moonlighting," where he and co-star Cybill Shepherd became famous for their antics and sexual tension. This was the main reason why the producers of "Die Hard" were initially hesitant to cast him as an action hero - but we're all glad they did!
The Tracey Ullman Show
The Hogan Family
Dear John
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My Sister Sam
Webster
Diff’rent Strokes
"Diff’rent Strokes" is the late '70s sitcom that continued its popularity until the show concluded in 1986. The show made a huge star out of Gary Coleman as well as the other young kids in the show, but they got mired in negative activities when they grew up until their deaths, which saddened fans.
B.J. and the Bear
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Charles in Charge
Scott Baio appeared in several other successful sitcoms prior to headlining his own, titled "Charles in Charge," which aired in the '80s. He actually became a TV director as well, handling TV episode directing gigs during the '90s.
Square Pegs
Just the Ten of Us
St. Elsewhere
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Good Morning, Miss Bliss
Small Wonder
While it was a bit freaky for some people to see a young girl being "kept" in the closet of a suburban household, it's just part of the laughs that the show "Small Wonder" elicited. The sci-fi fiction involved an engineer dad who invented a girl-looking robot, which the neighbors think is a real human.
Only Fools and Horses
Blackadder
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A Different World
"The Cosby Show" star Lisa Bonet got a spin-off show when her character went to college in "A Different World," so that is the basic premise of this newer show. She co-starred with Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison, prior to her departure from the show.
Red Dwarf
The Young Ones
'Allo 'Allo!
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Yes Minister
ALF
When a sarcastic-mouthed furry alien from another planet accidentally lands at a suburban California house, what do you think will happen? This is the outrageous premise that the show "ALF" exploited, which actually hit it big with TV audiences during the late '80s.
Spitting Image
Bread
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Brush Strokes
Ever Decreasing Circles
Night Court
Who knew that there was comedy gold to be unearthed in a New York municipal court's night shift staff? This is the basic premise of the sitcom called "Night Court," featuring great actors such as Harry Anderson, Markie Post, Paula Kelly, John Larroquette, Richard Moll, Marsha Warfield and Selma Diamond.
Terry and June
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The New Statesman
Open All Hours
Barney Miller
The Facts of Life
"Diff'rent Strokes" had a spin-off show, and that was "The Facts of Life." It started airing in the late '70s and ended its run in 1988. The spin-off starts with Edna Garrett transitioning from being the "Diff'rent Strokes" housekeeper to an all-girls dormitory housemother.
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Seinfeld
9 to 5
Growing Pains
"Growing Pains" basically sums up what every American household encounters, decade after decade. But this '80s sitcom depicted changing gender roles in American households. The psychiatrist dad worked at home, while the mom was out there pursuing her career as a reporter.
1st & Ten
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Baby Boom
The Bad News Bears
Easy Street
M*A*S*H
The Korean War is where the story of "M*A*S*H" largely took place. It featured a mix of drama and dark comedy as well, based on the situation at hand. The popular sitcom starred Alan Alda as the chief surgeon and Loretta Swit as the head nurse of the medical unit.
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The Simpsons
Would you believe that the longest-running sitcom ever is "The Simpsons," which first aired in 1989? It actually started as segments in "The Tracey Ullman Show" back in 1987 before it was developed into a stand-alone show.
Empire
The Famous Teddy Z
Duet
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I Married Dora
Three’s Company
"Three’s Company" is the show that made comedian John Ritter an international star. He played the role of a guy pretending to be gay so he could share an apartment with two women. The sitcom started airing in 1976 and ended its run in 1984, with Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers as Ritter's original co-stars.
Karen's Song
It Takes Two
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Ladies' Man
Major Dad
Life with Lucy
Taxi
New York City cabbies are front and center in this award-winning sitcom, aptly named "Taxi." The show ran from 1978 to 1983 and featured notable celebrities such as Andy Kaufman, Christopher Lloyd, Carol Kane, Judd Hirsch, Danny DeVito, Tony Danza, Marilu Henner, Jeff Conaway and Randall Carver.
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Park Place
New Monkees
Full House
What do you get when a widower asks his womanizing brother-in-law and goofy guy best friend to help raise his daughters? Apparently a hit formula, since "Full House" became just that back in the day. A reboot is on Netfix, under the title "Fuller House."
Oh Madeline
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Raising Miranda
Pursuit of Happiness
WKRP in Cincinnati
Radio sitcoms were apparently a thing back in the '80s, and "WKRP in Cincinnati" tweaked that concept by featuring the lives of radio station staff in humorous situations. The cast included Loni Anderson and ran from 1978 to 1982.
Roomies
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The Redd Foxx Show
Empty Nest
The sitcoms of the '80s were quite interesting, since they showcased many different kinds of families. "Empty Nest" featured an older pediatrician who was a widower, and his two grown-up daughters suddenly came back to live with him in their family home.
Private Benjamin
One Day at a Time
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Sanford
Roxie
The Jeffersons
"The Jeffersons" was about a couple who moved to a "deluxe apartment in the sky." It featured an interracial couple, which was not yet common on TV, and it also had a largely African-American cast, one of the longest running series to have that kind of ensemble.
The Van Dyke Show
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The Thorns
We Got It Made
Zorro and Son
Head of the Class
"Head of the Class" is a sitcom about gifted students in an honors program, so of course we saw a lot of young actors there who grew up to become adult celebrities. Some of the them include Robin Givens and Leslie Bega.
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Throb
Silver Spoons
Ricky Schroeder headlined the show "Silver Spoons," where a younger Alfonso Ribeiro also appeared prior to being cast in "Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Jason Bateman occasionally appeared in the earlier seasons of the show, too.
You Again?
What a Country!
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Laverne & Shirley
"Laverne & Shirley" actually started airing back in 1976, but it was popular enough to transition into the '80s. Penny Marshall played Laverne here, but she eventually became a director and a producer as well, just like her brother Garry Marshall.
Ace Crawford, Private Eye
Baby Boom
Goodnight, Beantown
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Paper Moon
Just Our Luck
Making the Grade
Designing Women
It's interesting to see the diversity of professions in '80s television, so having a sitcom featuring interior designers is a good thing. "Designing Women" focused on the lives of designers in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Square Pegs
The Munsters Today
Family Matters
It's no secret that Steve Urkel, the geeky teen neighbor of the Winslow family, sometimes stole the show in "Family Matters." Jaleel White's portrayal soon became front and center in the show, which ran from 1989 to 1998.
The Love Boat
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Happy Days
Garry Marshall created "Happy Days" back in 1974, but its huge influence in the television landscape propelled it to continue in the next decade, until it ended in 1984. Future Hollywood director/producer Ron Howard and Henry Winkler were the stars of this show.
Working Stiffs
The Hogan Family
Bustin' Loose
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V
Flatbush
Newhart
"Newhart" is an example of an earlier TV tradition, wherein the title of the show carries the name of the star, not the fictional characters or details connected to the story. So in "Newhart," comedian Bob Newhart played an author named Dick Loudon, and the series ran from 1982 to 1990.
Wiseguy
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Get Smart, Again!
Double Trouble
Private Benjamin
"Private Benjamin" was a movie first - a 1980 comedy featuring Goldie Hawn playing the titular character. A TV sitcom was developed based on this movie, which aired from 1981 to 1983, with Lorna Patterson playing the TV version of Judy Benjamin.
Eisenhower & Lutz
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Mork & Mindy
"Na-Nu Na-Nu!" That popular alien greeting was immortalized by the late great comedian Robin Williams when he played the alien Mork in the 1978 series called "Mork & Mindy." Pam Dawber played Mindy, to complete the titular partnered characters.
Harper Valley P.T.A.
Out of the Blue
Mr. Belvedere
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Tattingers
The New Odd Couple
Benson
"Benson" was actually the sitcom spin-off of another popular sitcom, "Soap," where Robert Guillaume's character named Benson first appeared. This spin-off show debuted in 1979 and ended in 1986.
We've Got Each Other
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Kate & Allie
The '80s sitcom "Kate & Allie" featured two women who were divorced, sharing a house together. The show ran from 1984 to 1989, featuring Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin in the titular lead roles.
Archie Bunker's Place
Billy
Free Country
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