The popular sitcoms of the 80's were predominantly tacky family oriented shows with sappy endings and average problems throughout. This is why we’re so interested in them and in want of making our own list of these forgotten masterpieces of banality. It's only with a hint of subtle criticism in the last sentence that we can contain our excitement about talking and discussing about the fine qualities of Alan Thicke and Tony Danza, not to mention the beauty of Justine Bateman and Alyssa Milano. Regardless if one was not a family-man or woman, there was a lot to learn from the lessons of a family sitcom in the 80's, from the youthful expressions of Michael J Fox, to the sophisticated positions on earth life in Alf. Everywhere, one could find a show that would taste like a heavy chocolate at Christmas, and smell like a bed of flowers from your suburban front yard. As with all lists, there were some difficult omissions, in this case, "Cheers" (who says your family can’t be your drinking buddies at your local bar). We have a feeling though that no one will really have a problem with this omission, as it is only us at Old-Wizard who think about what the best 80's family sitcoms are; people who don't exist in reality for the most part of their lives.
5. Family Ties
Family Ties began airing in 1982 to a packed audience of family goers across North America. The show stared the ubiquitous Michael J. Fox as the cool teenager with everything going for him in the name of Alex Keaton. Parents Meridith Birney and Michael Gross starred alongside the urbane Justine Batemon (Mallory) to fill out the main characters in the show. The parents were cast as liberal-minded social workers trying to curtail the sometimes over-ambitious gestures of the conservatively cast Michael J. Fox. Mallory just liked to shop, representing the advent of mass consumerism that found it's origins in the 80's shopping malls. This contrast between characters created an unusual spark that led to high Nielson ratings for years to come. While we learn the events that led to the characters of Gross and Birney meeting each other, we also learn for the first time that Michael J. Fox loses his virginity to a girl that was vehement about the economic philosophy of one Milton Freedman, striking the dichotomy between 60's placidity and 80's audacity. Cast in the quiet contours on an Ohio suburb, Family Ties provided family's with a glimpse into their own problems when children were growing up finding their own identities, often the opposite of their parents. All the actors in Family Ties would go on to procure moderate success in their work afterwards, but as with all great shows, none of the actors of those great shows would ever come close to their original greatness (except Michael J. Fox). Family Ties marked an absolute representation of a possible family in the 80's.
4. Growing Pains
Growing Pains began airing in 1985 right in the middle of the middle class boom of the Regan years, where people began finding themselves drawn into the comforts and securities of family life. Growing Pains represented the ideal 80's family. The show could be considered a lesson in parenting, as Alan Thicke represented the nexus of post-modern and traditional fatherdom, sometimes fastidiously punishing his children, sometimes giving them a well-needed philosophical morsel. Kirk Cameron would be the main receiver of Thicke's punishment while the rest of the children (often soft and obsequious) would receive the brunt of Thickes aphorisms into love and devotion that stirred 80's TV ratings and wowed the mothers-to-be into telling their husbands to be more like Thicke's character. Growing Pains also represented a shift in family life in general as Maggie Sever works outside of the house as a reporter while Jason Seaver (Thicke) works in the house as a psychiatrist. Men's manliness was called into question for an episode or two until one saw the power of Thicke's parenting skills. If this Growing Pains disquisition is focused on Thicke's character, it is not without reason, as anyone who remembers watching this show with another female will remember the admiration in her eyes watching Mr. Seaver, while the males sat there helpless in the face of this TV father's guile.
3. The Cosby Show
The Cosby show, with its blaring saxophone introduction music, made us ponder if we should do a "Best introduction music to an 80's family sitcom list", circumscribing our lists to incomprehensible proportions. Old-Wizard mania aside, The Cosby Show was one of our first choices when thinking of the best sitcoms in the 80s. Everyone knows Bill Cosby, everyone loves to hear what he has to say from issues ranging from topics as diverse as modern politics to basketball to pudding, but more than ever, everyone loves to hear parodies of the way Bill Cosby talks (best example is in Family Guy). This interest in Bill Cosby has its origins in "The Cosby Show", an upper-middle class sitcom based on the Huxtable family with their multifarious issues ranging from a child's problems with dyslexia, to the problems with controlling a household of 4 children. Bill Cosby proved to be the consummate comedian offering the same types of insights and questions that modern parents at the time were asking regarding their own family lives. The stoic demeanor of Cosby would establish an index for all fathers in America, and a patience needing to bring up obstinate children. The Cosby show, like all great shows at one point or another, would trail off into boring later episodes where some of the themes from the earlier episodes were often rehashed. Watch the first 5 seasons though and you will gain a glimpse into what it takes to handle the work of load of a large family, and some corny jokes to tell your friends when they’re under the influence.
2. Who's the Boss
Who's the Boss began airing in 1984, and proliferated rapidly in its reception. Judith Light and Tony Danza were the main characters. Toni Micelli (Danza), a former second basemen for the Cardinals, injured his shoulder permanently and ended up taking a job in Fairfield Connecticut as a housekeeper for Angela Bower (Judith Light). It's also with this acquaintance that we are introduced to Alyssa Milano, the ebullient TV daughter of Toni Micelli's, that made most teenage boys watch with thoughts of one day being able to date her, that is if they could muster the strength to overcome the insuperable task of meeting Tony Danza first. Tony Danza was always protective of his daughter (Milano), to the point of acrimonious fights that often had to be mediated by Judith Light. It's in these occurrences that the once working relationship of Light and Danza became more like a family, creating a romantic tension between the two. Much would be referenced from Who's the Boss, from Tony Danza's trademark New York accent (Yo Angelllaaaa!), to the lewd annexation of the title of the show to the sadistic lexicon of private school perverts. Regardless, Who's the Boss represented a fact that a changing of times in the structure of the family (having a tramp in the family like Mona for example) didn't have to mean a change in the structure of human relationships.
1. Alf
We at Old-Wizard not only think that Alf is the best 80's sitcom of all time, but possibly the greatest sitcom ever! In case anyone didn't notice, Alf stands for "Alien Life Form". "Alf" would become the nickname (by acronyms) of the lovable extra terrestrial creature that we all came to know in the 80's. The premise of the story involves Alf following a radio signal in space that led him to crash on earth, at the exact location of the Tanner family residence. The Tanners, being good social workers, think that the government will do bad things to the abnormal creature, and so hide him from the evils of beaurocratic government. Little did they know that Alf had eight stomachs and liked to eat cats, creating some understandable difficulties in this life of the Tanners. What the Tanners had to deal with in non-conducive familial adaptations, they more than made up for with the surprising comedic value of ALF, sometimes asking the questions only philosophers would ask, often making other people retort with statements such as "Why would you want to know this?" Also attributing to Alf's comedic value was the voice given to him from production, which came across as an average middle-age father talking with people at a family party. It's this contrast that created a glimpse into a real life anthropomorphism not seen in its day or any day afterwards in the TV medium (there is no way that ALF would ever make it in modern TV). The dialogue is alive in Alf and so are the characters with their best attempts at treating this funny looking creature in a serious manner. Go back to these episodes and you’ll find some of the more interesting dialogues in TV history, like why a clothes dryer is used for drying clothes instead of riding inside of it.
