About This Quiz
Sam and Diane. Maddie and David. Bo and Hope. The '80s produced some of the most iconic TV couples of all time, many of whom live on in long-running soap operas and classic TV show reboots. While their shoulder pads may have been enormous, so was their love — the small-screen couples of the '80s were anything but subtle when it came to romance. Whether they were private detectives, secret agents or run-of-the-mill suburban parents, these old-school duos had us rooting for them all the way. How many do you remember?
This quiz will test your couple IQ when it comes to some of the '80s most memorable TV shows — from sexy soaps such as "Dynasty," "Days of Our Lives" and "Dallas" to classic sitcoms like "Family Ties," "Cheers" and "Married... with Children." Did you watch with bated breath as Alex P. Keaton rushed to the train station to declare his love for Ellen? Were you among the 30 million viewers who tuned in to see Luke and Laura tie the knot? If you answered yes to either of these questions, this is a TV quiz you don't want to skip. Get ready to roll up your sleeves, pull your hair back with a scrunchie and test your knowledge of '80s TV love!
When the TV breaks down during a second-season episode of "The Simpsons," Marge tells Bart and Lisa the story of how she and Homer met — it was during a detention period when they were in high school.
"Remington Steele" debuted in 1982 and ran until 1987. Each episode title in the series had the word "Steele" in it, from the pilot ("License to Steele") to the two final episodes ("Steeled With a Kiss" parts one and two).
When Luke and Laura of "General Hospital" tied the knot in a two-part episode in 1981, they made soap opera history. More than 30 million fans tuned in to watch the highly anticipated episode, which still holds the record for the highest-rated show in daytime TV history.
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Sam and Diane's tumultuous relationship on "Cheers" came to an end after the fifth season, when Shelley Long decided to leave the show to pursue her movie career. The couple reunited briefly six years later during the series finale, but ultimately decided they were not meant to be.
"Scarecrow and Mrs. King" aired on CBS for four seasons, from 1983 to 1987. It followed the exciting spy exploits and romantic adventures of secret agent Lee Stetson (codenamed "Scarecrow") and Amanda King (a.k.a. Mrs. King).
"The Wonder Years" chronicled the love story of two late '60s suburban teens, Winnie and Kevin. The show ran on ABC for six seasons, from 1988 until 1993, but took place during the years 1968 to 1973.
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Though "The Jeffersons" first aired in 1975, the show ran for 11 seasons, making George and his wife Louise (a.k.a.) "Weezy" one of the most celebrated sitcom couples of the early '80s.
When Patrick Duffy, who played Pam's husband Bobby, announced he was leaving "Dallas" in 1985, his character was killed off in a car wreck. One year later, when the actor flip-flopped and decided to return to the show, the writers famously revealed that his death was just Pam's dream.
When "Who's the Boss?" debuted on ABC in 1984, the relationship between Tony and Angela was strictly platonic. In fact, the duo didn't get together until the show's the final season, which wrapped in 1992.
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"Days of Our Lives" created a number of epic soap opera super-couples during the 1980s. In addition to Steve and Kayla, fans also shipped hard for Bo and Hope, John and Marlena, Roman and Marlena, and Shane and Kimberly.
"Joanie Loves Chachi" aired for two abbreviated seasons, from 1982 to 1983. A spin-off of "Happy Days," it followed the young lovers (played by Scott Baio and Erin Moran) as they moved to Chicago to launch a music career. While it took place in the '60s, the role made Baio one of the '80s hottest TV hunks.
"Moonlighting" was on the air from 1985 to 1989. In addition to the main characters' getting together, the show went into decline during its last two seasons due to creative differences behind the scenes, as well as a writer's strike.
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Markie Post joined the "Night Court" cast as Christine Sullivan during the third season of the show. The romantic attraction between her and Judge Harry Stone was teased throughout the rest of the series, though the couple ultimately did not end up together in the finale (to the dismay of many fans).
When "A Different World" first aired in 1987, the goofy Dwayne Wayne only had eyes for Denise Huxtable. But by season three, he'd fallen hard for Whitley Gilbert. The couple got married and announced the arrival of their first baby in the series finale.
This iconic "Dynasty" couple was so popular that there was even a his-and-hers line of fragrances named for the two characters — "Forever Krystle" for women and "Carrington" for men.
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"Saved by the Bell" followed the high school hijinks of a group of teens — Zac, Kelly, Slater, Jesse, Lisa (a.k.a. "Turtle) and Screech. While both Zack and Slater vied for Kelly's affections, Slater ended up with Jesse when Zack and Kelly got together.
"Married...with Children" debuted on the then-new Fox network in 1987. It aired for 11 seasons, until 1997, and still holds the record for the longest-running live-action sitcom on Fox.
Michael and Hope Steadman were the central couple on the '80s drama "Thirtysomething." Throughout the series' four-season run, their interfaith status (Michael was Jewish and Hope was Christian) often created conflict.
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Like "General Hospital's" Luke and Laura, Bo and Hope's 1985 wedding on "Days of Our Lives" was a spectacular affair. They married on a royal ship in London and even escaped an assassination plot before sailing off into the sunset.
"Growing Pains" aired on ABC for seven seasons, from 1985 to 1992. The cast reunited in 2000 for a made-for-TV film called "The Growing Pains Movie," which was followed by "Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers" in 2004.
"Mork and Mindy" aired for four seasons on CBS, from 1978 to 1982. A spin-off of "Happy Days," which featured the alien Mork from Ork in a highly rated episode, the series launched the career superstar Robin Williams.
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Played by Peter Scolari and Julia Duffy, Michael and Stephanie were the bratty, self-obsessed (yet oddly endearing) young couple on the TV show "Newhart." They eventually married in season six.
"Family Ties" ran for seven seasons on NBC, from 1982 to 1989. Much of the show's humor revolved around the differences between the liberal Steven and Elyse Keaton and their Republican son, Alex (played by Michael J. Fox).
After falling in love and getting married in the fourth season of the hit sitcom "Full House," Uncle Jesse and Aunt Becky were relationship goals for the rest of the series run, which ended in 1995. The couple also appeared in the first four seasons of the Netflix revival "Fuller House."
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If you choose Roman and Marlena, you were partially right — when John was first introduced on "Days of Our Lives" in 1986, the character was an amnesiac who was led to believe (along with the audience) that he was Marlena's lost husband, Roman. This was later revealed not to be true, but it did nothing to put out the spark between John and Marlena, who are still on the show today.
While the characters of Alex and Ellen were together for just one season on "Family Ties," Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollen have been married in real life since 1988. They have four children.
Edward Stratton III was dad to Ricky on "Silver Spoons," which aired for five seasons (four on NBC, one on CBS). After two years of romantic tension, Edward married his personal assistant Kate Summers in the third season of the show.
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"Hart to Hart" aired from 1979 to 1984 on ABC. The hour-long mystery series was about Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, a wealthy couple whose glamorous, jet-set lifestyle leads them to become amateur detectives.
Like most soap opera couples, Phillip Spaulding and Beth Raines faced a number of obstacles before finally tying the knot, including infidelity, temporary blindness, kidnapping and amnesia.
Willie and Kate Tanner, along with their kids Lynn and Brian, helped protect the wise-cracking ALF from being discovered by the Alien Task Force. "ALF" ran for four seasons on NBC, from 1986 to 1990.
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Played by Robert Newman and Kim Zimmer, Josh and Reva were one of the most popular couples on "Guiding Light." The pair had been childhood sweethearts before reconnecting years later in the soap's central location of Springfield.
"Knots Landing" aired for 14 seasons on CBS, from 1979 to 1993. Gary and Valene Ewing continued to make appearances on "Dallas" during the series run, and also appeared in the "Dallas" revival series, which aired from 2012 to 2014.
"Beauty and the Beast" aired for three seasons on CBS, from 1987 until 1990. Set in New York City, the show adapted the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale into a modern 1980s love story.
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Nick Moore made his first appearance as Mallory's dopey yet artistic boyfriend on the fourth season of "Family Ties." The character was played by actor Scott Valentine, who achieved hunky '80s actor status as a result of the role.
Jack Tripper met Vicki Bradford near the end of the eight-season run of "Three's Company," which went off the air in 1984. One week after the finale aired, the spin-off about the couple, "Three's a Crowd," premiered. It was not as popular as its parent show and lasted just one season.
George and Katherine Papadopolis were played by real-life couple Alex Karras and Susan Clark. "Webster" aired from 1983 to 1987 on ABC and in first-run syndication from 1987 to 1989.
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"Kate & Allie" aired for six seasons on CBS, from 1984 to 1989. One of the most popular sitcoms of the '80s, it earned numerous Emmy Award nominations and wins, and consistently earned high Nielsen ratings until its final season.
Starring Mark Linn-Baker as Larry Appleton and Bronson Pinchot as Balki Bartokomous, Larry's distant cousin from the fictional Mediterranean island of Mypos, "Perfect Strangers" aired on ABC from 1986 to 1993.
"Cagney & Lacey" followed the adventures of two tough New York City police detectives. Starring Sharon Gless as Christine Cagney and Tyne Daly as Mary Beth Lacey, the show debuted in 1982 and ran for seven seasons on CBS.
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Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari, who were unknown actors at the time, starred as Kip Wilson and Henry Desmond in the ABC sitcom "Bosom Buddies." The show lasted for two seasons, from 1980 to 1982.