Best TV Shows of the 1980s0s

These are the 37 best-rated TV shows released in the 1980s0s, led by Dragon Ball Z, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Inhumanoids. Ranked by audience score, with cast, trailers and legal places to watch on every page.

1. Dragon Ball Z (1989)

★ 8.4/10

Now happily married and with a son, martial arts champion Goku must defend Earth from a series of extraterrestrial invaders bent on destruction.
2. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

★ 8.4/10

Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his loyal crew aboard the all-new USS Enterprise NCC-1701D, as they explore new worlds.
3. Inhumanoids (1986)

★ 8.1/10

Inhumanoids was an animated series and Hasbro toy property in 1986. In the tradition of other Hasbro properties such as Transformers and G.I. Joe, the show was produced by Sunbow and Marvel Productions and animated in…
4. The Simpsons (1989)

★ 8.0/10

Set in Springfield, the average American town, the show focuses on the antics and everyday adventures of the Simpson family; Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, as well as a virtual cast of thousands. Since the…
5. Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985)

★ 7.9/10

Universal Century 0087, 7 years have passed since the end of the One Year War between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon. The Earth Federation has created an elite task force, known as the Titans, who…
6. The Transformers (1984)

★ 7.8/10

The Transformers is the first animated television series in the Transformers franchise. The series depicts a war among giant robots that can transform into vehicles and other objects.
7. Nature (1982)

★ 7.8/10

Consistently stunning documentaries transport viewers to far-flung locations ranging from the torrid African plains to the chilly splendours of icy Antarctica. The show's primary focus is on animals and ecosystems…
8. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1983)

★ 7.6/10

An elite team of soldiers thwart the evil Cobra organization's desire for world domination at every turn, cleverly stopping them from controlling the weather, creating unstoppable weapons, and genetically engineering…
9. She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985)

★ 7.6/10

She-Ra, He-Man's twin sister, is leading a group of freedom fighters known as the Great Rebellion in the hope of freeing their homeworld of Etheria from the tyrannical rule of Hordak and the Evil Horde.
10. Trial and Error (1988)

★ 7.5/10

Trial and Error is an American sitcom that aired from March 15 to March 29, 1988. The series stars Eddie Velez and Paul Rodriguez as two Latino roommates living in Los Angeles.
11. Magnum, P.I. (1980)

★ 7.3/10

A private investigator who works when he wants, lives in a beachfront estate in Hawaii, drives a posh Ferrari, runs up an unlimited tab at a swank bar, and charms attractive women in peril - that's the lifestyle of…
12. 48 Hours (1988)

★ 7.3/10

This newsmagazine series investigates intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all aspects of the human experience. Over its long run, the show has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, driven the…
13. The Barchester Chronicles (1982)

★ 7.3/10

The Barchester Chronicles is a 1982 BBC television serial produced by Jonathan Powell and dramatised by Alan Plater, based on Anthony Trollope's first two Chronicles of Barsetshire, The Warden (1855) and Barchester…
14. This Is America, Charlie Brown (1988)

★ 7.1/10

From the voyage of the Mayflower to the bold exploration of outer space, join the Peanuts gang as they take you on a timeless journey through American history! Groove along with Charlie Brown and Snoopy as they…
15. Noble House (1988)

★ 7.0/10

Despite its impressive history and reputation, the international trading company Struan's is in trouble. Overextended by the previous management, new tai-pan Ian Dunross has had to issue public stock to improve the…
16. The Smurfs (1981)

★ 7.0/10

Classic Saturday-morning cartoon series featuring magical blue elf-like creatures called Smurfs. The Smurfs, named for their personalities, inhabit a village of mushroom houses in an enchanted forest. These loveable…
17. Frontline (1983)

★ 7.0/10

Since it began in 1983, Frontline has been airing public-affairs documentaries that explore a wide scope of the complex human experience. Frontline's goal is to extend the impact of the documentary beyond its initial…
18. Starman (1986)

★ 7.0/10

Starman is an American science fiction television series, starring Robert Hays and Christopher Daniel Barnes and continuing the story from John Carpenter's 1984 film. The series ran on the ABC network from September…
19. Thundarr the Barbarian (1980)

★ 7.0/10

Thundarr and his companions Ariel and Ookla wander a devastated future Earth and fight evil wherever they find it.
20. American Masters (1986)

★ 7.0/10

American Masters is a PBS television series which produces biographies on enduring writers, musicians, visual and performing artists, dramatists, filmmakers, and others who have left an indelible impression on the…
21. Blue Thunder (1984)

★ 6.9/10

Blue Thunder is a 1984 ABC television series based on the movie of the same title featuring the Blue Thunder helicopter. The series uses the converted Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopter and large portions of stock footage…
22. Coach (1989)

★ 6.7/10

Hayden Fox, the curmudgeonly coach of Minnesota State University's Screaming Eagles football team, tries to navigate his way through the sports world, fatherhood and family life without dropping the ball.
23. Lucky Luke (1984)

★ 6.6/10

Lucky Luke, with his horse Double Six, travels the Old West to right wrongs and bring evildoers (usually his traditional enemies the Dalton Brothers) to justice. "The man who shoots faster than his shadow."
24. American Experience (1988)

★ 6.6/10

TV's most-watched history series brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.
25. America's Funniest Home Videos (1989)

★ 6.6/10

America's Funniest Home Videos is the longest-running primetime entertainment show in ABC history. Each week AFV shines the spotlight on hilarious videos. Fans tune in to witness failures and fiascos and to submit…
26. Cops (1989)

★ 6.6/10

Follow real-life law enforcement officers from various regions and departments of the United States armed with nothing but with cameras to capture their actions, performing their daily duty to serve and protect the…
27. På spåret (1987)

★ 6.5/10

På spåret is a popular Swedish TV game show broadcast on SVT since September 5, 1987. The show, which is intended to be humorous yet educational, has remained one of the most popular TV shows in Sweden, attracting an…
28. Head of the Class (1986)

★ 6.4/10

Head of the Class is an American sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1991 on the ABC television network. The series follows a group of gifted students in the Individualized Honors Program at the fictional Monroe High School…
29. War of the Worlds (1988)

★ 6.4/10

Humanity must resume its war against the Martians when they revive after decades of hibernation following their defeat in the 1950s. The fate of Earth may very well rest in the hands of a small yet courageous band…
30. Moondial (1988)

★ 6.4/10

Moondial is a British television serial made for children by the BBC and transmitted in 1988, with a repeat in 1990. It was written by Helen Cresswell, who also wrote the novel on which the series was based. The story…
31. Fireman Sam (1987)

★ 6.2/10

Follow the adventures of fireman Sam and his colleagues as they protect the citizens of the Welsh town of Pontypandy. Whenever the alarm sounds, brave Sam and his co-workers can be counted on to jump into a fire…
32. Casualty (1986)

★ 6.1/10

Drama series about the staff and patients at Holby City Hospital's emergency department, charting the ups and downs in their personal and professional lives.
33. A Country Practice (1981)

★ 5.9/10

A Country Practice was an Australian television drama series. At its inception, one of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, who had wrote the pilot episode and entered a script…
34. Dear John (1988)

★ 5.7/10

Dear John starred Judd Hirsch as easygoing Drake Prep high school teacher John Lacey who is dumped by his wife, Wendy, via a Dear John letter. Wendy ends up with everything in the divorce settlement, including custody…
35. The Devil's Game (1981)

★ 5.7/10

A story about the devil's influence on five people's lives in 20th-century Venice.
36. Countryfile (1988)

★ 4.6/10

The people, places and stories making news in the British countryside.
37. Jim Henson Presents the World of Puppetry (1988)

★ 0.0/10

Jim Henson hosts this series showcasing the creative accomplishments and fascinating work of puppeteers from around the world, from marionettes to shadow puppets, from comedy to the surreal and abstract.