Ranma ½
1989 · TMDB 8.6/10 · 1,532 votes
Ranma Saotome, a teenage martial artist, and his father Genma travel to the 'cursed training ground' of Jusenkyo in China. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Curated by SceneIt · United States
Best 1980s TV Shows
Revisit standout releases from 1980 through 1989, selected for viewers who want a strong starting point instead of an exhaustive catalog.
Updated 2026-08-03 · Ratings from TMDB
How we chose these titles
Titles are ranked by TMDB audience rating with a minimum vote threshold, then checked for relevance to the release decade.
Saint Seiya
1986 · TMDB 8.5/10 · 1,446 votes
Ages ago, the goddess Athena was served by fighters called Saints who channeled the power of the Cosmos within them. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Dragon Ball Z
1989 · TMDB 8.4/10 · 4,941 votes
Now happily married and with a son, martial arts champion Goku must defend Earth from a series of extraterrestrial invaders bent on destruction. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
1987 · TMDB 8.4/10 · 1,803 votes
Follow the intergalactic adventures of Capt. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Wonder Years
1988 · TMDB 8.3/10 · 1,099 votes
The story of Kevin Arnold facing the trials and tribulations of youth while growing up during the 1960s and 70s. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Dragon Ball
1986 · TMDB 8.3/10 · 3,432 votes
Young Goku sets off on a quest with his teenage friend Bulma to find the seven Dragon Balls, which grant whoever possesses them a single wish. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Seinfeld
1989 · TMDB 8.3/10 · 2,403 votes
A stand-up comedian and his three offbeat friends weather the pitfalls and payoffs of life in New York City in the '90s. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
ThunderCats
1985 · TMDB 8.2/10 · 1,107 votes
The inhabitants of the planet Thundera evacuate just before it is destroyed. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Agatha Christie's Poirot
1989 · TMDB 8.2/10 · 564 votes
From England to Egypt, accompanied by his elegant and trustworthy sidekicks, the intelligent yet eccentrically-refined Belgian detective Hercule Poirot pits his wits against a collection of first class deceptions. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Simpsons
1989 · TMDB 8.0/10 · 10,905 votes
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. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Quantum Leap
1989 · TMDB 8.0/10 · 778 votes
Theorizing that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Tales from the Crypt
1989 · TMDB 8.0/10 · 1,000 votes
Cadaverous scream legend the Crypt Keeper is your macabre host for these forays of fright and fun based on the classic E.C. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Blackadder
1983 · TMDB 8.0/10 · 564 votes
Blackadder traces the deeply cynical and self-serving lineage of various Edmund Blackadders throughout British history, from the muck of the Middle Ages to the frontline of The Great War. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Captain Tsubasa
1983 · TMDB 7.9/10 · 833 votes
Tsubasa Ozora loves playing football since he was a little child. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Saved by the Bell
1989 · TMDB 7.8/10 · 720 votes
Lovable schemer Zack Morris leads his pals on adventures at California's Bayside High School. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1987 · TMDB 7.8/10 · 849 votes
Four turtles fall into the sewers and are befriended by Hamato Yoshi a Japanese man sent to New York who was forced to live in the sewers. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
V
1983 · TMDB 7.8/10 · 989 votes
Fifty spaceships, each three miles across, hover ominously above Earth's major cities. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Married... with Children
1987 · TMDB 7.7/10 · 1,238 votes
Al Bundy is an unsuccessful middle aged shoe salesman with a miserable life and an equally dysfunctional family. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
MacGyver
1985 · TMDB 7.7/10 · 940 votes
He's everyone's favorite action hero... This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
DuckTales
1987 · TMDB 7.7/10 · 749 votes
Scrooge McDuck finds his hands full at home when nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie move to Duckburg. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.