The 10 Best '80s Sitcoms Ranked

Sitcoms have been around for a long time, with 1946's "Pinwright's Progress" being the first one on television. Since then, the format has evolved considerably, and each decade has its fair share of series to choose from. While there are plenty of great sitcoms from various eras of television, the 1980s has some of the best to ever reach the airwaves. This was the decade that saw Sam and Diane, the Cosby family, and so many more tackle life's problems throughout popular culture.

The '80s were a golden age of American sitcom television, and there are plenty of amazing ones to choose from. Finding the best of them all is subjective, as everyone has their preferences. We took a look at the IMDb and Metacritic scores for every 1980s show and found the best by aggregating their values to see which ones rose to the top.

To qualify, a series has to have premiered sometime after January 1, 1980, and before December 31, 1989. Shows that started in the 1970s, like "M*A*S*H," "Happy Days," "Three's Company," "The Jeffersons," and "Laverne & Shirley," all of which had long runs in the '80s, don't qualify. Each of these sitcoms aired during the best decade sitcoms had to offer, and they're ranked by how well they brought in viewers, the awards they won along the way, and their impact on popular culture, much of which remains to this day.

In many ways, "Family Ties" is the quintessential '80s sitcom featuring an all-American family. On the one side, you have the hippie parents, Steven and Elyse Keaton (Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter), while on the other, you have Young Republican Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox), who doesn't always see eye-to-eye with his folks. This wasn't merely an excellent sitcom that garnered more than enough views to keep it on the air for seven seasons — it launched Fox's career.

Fox was working on the show when he joined the cast of "Back to the Future," though the series nearly derailed that possibility. Regardless, he knocked out both performances and became one of the leading actors of his generation. Of course, there was more to "Family Ties" than those three characters, and the rest of the family was rounded out with Mallory (Justine Bateman), Jennifer (Tina Yothers), and Andy (Brian Bonsall).

"Family Ties" was incredibly successful throughout its run of 176 episodes, and they also shot a made-for-TV movie. By the time the series came to an end in 1989, "Family Ties" had won five Primetime Emmy Awards, including three outstanding lead actor in a comedy series awards for Fox. In many ways, the opposing viewpoints of the main characters established "Family Ties" as a relatable middle-class family, which was an ever-shifting distinction throughout the 1980s. Years later, Fox referenced his character in another series, "Spin City," so the show has had a long-lasting impact on popular culture.

Cast: Michael J. Fox, Michael Gross, Meredith Baxter, Justine Bateman
Showrunner: Gary David Goldberg
Aired: 1982-1989
Where to watch: Paramount+

"Murphy Brown" was one of those television shows that was huge but totally disappeared after it left the airwaves in 1998 with hundreds of episodes and 10 seasons. That's a bit odd, seeing as it was so incredibly popular while it was on the air, and that's since been proven somewhat true via a 2018 revival series. Unfortunately, unlike other revivals of popular '80s sitcoms, "Murphy Brown" didn't receive more than a single additional season. "Murphy Brown" was often satirical regarding politics and kept this going in its revival show. 

While the original series aired from 1988 to 1998, it dominated the airwaves, earning an impressive 18 Primetime Emmy awards. "Murphy Brown" focuses on its eponymous lead, played by Candice Bergen, joined by a large cast of interesting characters. From the people working alongside her in the newsroom to the ever-present Eldin Bernecky (Robert Pastorelli), who began repainting her house in the first season and continued to dole out his new-age wisdom to Brown throughout six seasons on the series.

Another interesting trope popularized in "Murphy Brown" was to have a new secretary sitting at Brown's desk in almost every episode. The audience was pretty much guaranteed to never again see whoever was introduced in each instance. These included everyone from John F. Kennedy Jr. and Leslie Jordan to Paul Reubens and Bette Midler. "Seinfeld" even did a crossover episode where Kramer (Michael Richards) hung on as one of Brown's secretaries for a brief stint. 

Cast: Candice Bergen, Faith Ford, Robert Pastorelli
Showrunner: Diane English
Aired: 1988-1998
Where to watch: Rent on Apple TV

"Growing Pains" is another popular sitcom that focuses on the family. The series is centered around the Seavers of Long Island, New York, and features Dr. Jason Seaver (Alan Thicke), a psychiatrist who has recently moved his practice into his home so that his journalist wife can go back to work. He's joined by his wife, Maggie (Joanna Kerns), and their children: Mike (Kirk Cameron), Carol (Tracey Gold), Ben (Jeremy Miller), Chrissy (played by multiple children), and Luke Brower (Leonardo DiCaprio), a homeless kid adopted by the Seavers.

The series was a huge hit, and it launched Kirk Cameron's career, although it fizzled out after "Growing Pains" ended. Still, while it was on, he was one of the hottest young stars working in television, and you likely know how DiCaprio's career turned out for the young actor. "Growing Pains" remained on the air for seven seasons, running from 1985 until 1992, amounting to 166 episodes. It earned a couple of Primetime Emmy awards as well as many other accolades throughout its run.

The show suffered when Cameron's focus shifted from his job to his newfound status as a born-again Christian, which he poured all of his focus into, alienating the production team with demands for heavy re-writes. This noticeably marred the show's potential and damaged his relationships with his fellow actors. Despite the on-set problems, years after the series concluded, the cast reunited for "The Growing Pains Movie" and "Growing Pains: Return of the Seavers" in 2000 and 2004, respectively. Unfortunately, neither did well with critics or audiences, ending the series.

Cast: Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold
Showrunner: Neal Marlens
Aired: 1985-1992
Where to watch: Rent on Apple TV

"Saved by the Bell" eschewed the standard practice of focusing on a family and instead centers around a group of high school students. The show first aired in 1989, so it wasn't long for the decade, but it continued for four seasons of 86 episodes. The series launched many careers, including those of Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, Mario Lopez, and others. Like similar sitcoms, the show focuses on the trials and tribulations of life in America, but from a teenager's perspective.

This helped "Saved by the Bell" find an audience, and the series earned numerous accolades throughout its run. Despite primarily taking place in a school, the show focuses on everything from women's rights and the environment to homelessness and death. Just about any topic that might cross a person's path wound up on "Saved by the Bell," including the infamous caffeine pills episode, which saw Berkley's Jessie Spano become addicted while trying to maintain her edge as an overachiever.

"Saved by the Bell's" success can be seen in its lasting legacy, as it spun off numerous series and movies. "Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style" and "Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas" were released before and just after the series' ending. The spinoffs, "Saved by the Bell: The College Years" and "Saved by the Bell: The New Class," all enjoyed decent amounts of success, and in 2020, the main series nabbed a two-season revival show featuring many of the original actors.

Cast: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley
Showrunner: Sam Bobrick
Aired: 1989-1993
Where to watch: Prime Video

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While many popular '80s sitcoms focused on home life, "Night Court" takes place in a ... well, a courthouse at night. The show centers around the court's employees, focusing primarily on Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson), Assistant District Attorney Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), bailiff Bull Shannon (Richard Moll), court clerk Mac Robinson (Charles Robinson), public defender Christine Sullivan (Markie Post), and bailiff Roz Russell (Marsha Warfield).

Because the series revolves around new defendants popping up in each episode, it offered many options for guest stars to pop in from time to time. "Night Court" was a massive success, lasting for nine seasons of 193 episodes, from 1984 until it ended in 1992. The show received many accolades throughout its run, including eight Primetime Emmy awards. "Night Court" was far more lighthearted than most sitcoms of the decade, and while it focused on many heavy topics, the cast managed it with a joke and a smile, ensuring that comedy remained at the forefront of every episode.

"Night Court's" success carried over into the new millennium, as it received a revival series that first aired in 2023. Several surviving members of the original cast returned, either in larger roles or via cameos, while Melissa Rauch of "The Big Bang Theory" fame took over the role of the late Harry Anderson as Judge Abby Stone, the daughter of Harry Stone. As of 2025, "Night Court" has enjoyed three seasons, consisting of 39 episodes, and with any luck, it will be renewed for a fourth.

Cast: Harry Anderson, John Larroquette, Richard Moll, Markie Post
Showrunner: Reinhold Weege
Aired: 1984-1992
Where to watch: Prime Video

While it's necessary to put aside what we now know about Bill Cosby and his many sexual assault allegations to appreciate his work from the '80s, there's no denying his series from the decade was top-tier television. That's not to say what he's been accused of isn't something that should be forgotten, but the focus here is on the best sitcoms of the 1980s and it would be disingenuous to exclude "The Cosby Show."

"The Cosby Show" aired for eight seasons, from 1984 to 1992, amounting to 201 episodes. The series focused on an upper-middle-class family living in Brooklyn, New York, and it was based on Cosby's stand-up routines. Cosby plays Dr. Cliff Huxtable alongside his wife, Clair (Phylicia Rashad), and their children, Denise (Lisa Bonet), Theodore (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), Vanessa (Tempestt Bledsoe), and Rudy (Keshia Knight Pulliam).

"The Cosby Show" kids all went on to have their own successful careers, which the series made possible. While the show's legacy has certainly been marred by Cosby's alleged crimes against a plethora of women, it was a ratings powerhouse throughout its time on television. "The Cosby Show" nabbed six Primetime Emmy awards and many other accolades. If you watch it now, the series still holds up, handing down powerful lessons in family and childrearing that many Americans can relate to decades after the show left the airwaves.

Cast: Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, Lisa Bonet, Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Showrunner: Bill Cosby, Ed. Weinberger, Michael J. Leeson
Aired: 1984-1992
Where to watch: Rent on Prime Video

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While the 1980s featured many popular sitcoms, "Cheers" is probably at the top of the heap in terms of its impact on American popular culture. Unlike most TV sitcoms, it doesn't involve a family, a school, or anything of the sort and is instead set in the titular Boston bar. "Cheers" helped launch many careers, or it further benefited actors who'd already enjoyed appreciable success. Some of the main players include Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, George Wendt, Kirstie Alley, John Ratzenberger, Woody Harrelson, Kelsey Grammer, and many others.

"Cheers" also spawned one of the most successful sitcoms of the 1990s: "Frasier," which spun off via Grammar's character on the show. "Cheers" centered around the core concept that the bar was a place "Where everybody knows your name," which is also the title of its theme song by Gary Portnoy. In terms of accolades, "Cheers" earned many, including an impressive 28 Primetime Emmy awards.

The show ran for 11 seasons, consisting of 275 episodes, beginning in 1982 and ending in 1993. The series finale was the most-watched television episode of the 1990s, pulling in nearly 81 million viewers. It's fair to say that "Cheers" had an impact on pop culture that extended beyond its successful spinoff. It's still regarded as one of the greatest American sitcoms to ever hit the small screen, and more than three decades after it went off the air, people continue to discover and discuss the incredibly beloved series and its many memorable characters.

Cast: Ted Danson, George Wendt, Kelsey Grammer, Shelley Long
Showrunner: Glen and Les Charles, James Burrows
Aired: 1982-1993
Where to watch: Hulu

"The Golden Girls" first aired in 1985, and it continued until 1992, with a total of 180 episodes over the course of its seven seasons. The series features an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, and Betty White. Sadly, few cast members from "The Golden Girls" are still alive, as the series has outlasted most people involved with its run. The show centered around four older women sharing a home in Miami, Florida, where they deal with various sensitive topics but with comedy in mind.

While it was on the air, "The Golden Girls" enjoyed great success, earning numerous accolades, including 11 Primetime Emmy awards. While many sitcoms age poorly, as their jokes are topical to the time in which they're set, that can't be said of "The Golden Girls," which is written so well and acted to such perfection that new viewers are discovering it decades after it went off the air. It's a rare example of a sitcom that has stood the test of time, which isn't typical.

Part of what makes the show so special are the relationships between the women, and it doesn't hurt that Betty White especially is so funny and relatable in the series. While "The Golden Girls" was incredibly popular, its spinoff, "The Golden Palace," failed to achieve the same level of success. Despite this, "The Golden Girls" remains one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1980s, and is an excellent example of a television series with staying power.

Cast: Betty White, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan
Showrunner: Susan Harris
Aired: 1985-1992
Where to watch: Hulu

As of 2025, "The Simpsons" has been on the air for over 36 years, so it's easy to forget that it's an '80s sitcom. The show has broken records, becoming both the longest-running animated series and sitcom on American television. Over 780 episodes have aired, with more on the way. While the series isn't as popular as it once was, back in the 1980s it was a juggernaut. "The Simpsons" premiered in 1989, but it got its start several years earlier.

"The Simpsons" began as a short on "The Tracey Ullman Show," appearing for three seasons beginning in 1987. That places the family a little more firmly in the decade, but there's no denying "The Simpsons" has impacted popular culture throughout the 1990s, 2000s, and beyond. America's yellow family has changed considerably as the series has evolved to keep up with the times, and it's also been weirdly prophetic regarding several major events over the past four decades.

In terms of awards, "The Simpsons" has been nabbing them since the beginning. The show has received more than 370 nominations of various types, and it's taken home a whopping 37 Primetime Emmy awards. The main cast has been around for most of its time on the air, though some have come and gone over the years. "The Simpsons" has had a tremendous impact on the world, and it's something that will likely remain long after it finally goes off the air — should that ever come to pass.

Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith
Showrunner: Matt Groening
Aired: 1989-present
Where to watch: Disney+

It takes talent to turn a "show about nothing" into one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, but that's precisely what the team behind "Seinfeld" did. The show even spoofed its concept within itself, as Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza (Jason Alexander) pitch a pilot about nothing to NBC. In truth, the show was about plenty, but most importantly, it centered around the relationships between Jerry, George, Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

"Seinfeld" premiered in 1989, and it aired a total of 180 episodes across its nine seasons before concluding in 1998. It raked in tons of accolades, including 10 Primetime Emmy awards. When it was on the air, it formed the core of NBC's so-called "Must See TV" block on Thursday nights, and it was a ratings powerhouse. "Seinfeld" was incredibly successful, spawning numerous tropes that remain ever-present in today's popular culture.

These include references to Festivus, the Soup Nazi, and more. "Seinfeld" was an unusual sitcom in that its primary characters are all deeply flawed people. This is pointed to numerous times throughout the show, but never so much as during the series finale, which put all four on trial. A parade of characters from "Seinfeld" come to testify against the central quartet, and while it wasn't the most highly-regarded finale in sitcom history, it summed up what made the show great. There's no denying its lasting impact on American television, making "Seinfeld" the most popular sitcom to premiere in the 1980s.

Cast: Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Michael Richards
Showrunner: Larry David
Aired: 1989-1998
Where to watch: Netflix