Monica’s Favorite TV Shows From the 1980s

Get ready for a long holiday weekend filled with the best music. The Feel Good '80s weekend kicks off Friday at 3 PM and continues through Memorial Day. Nothing but the best music from the 1980s brought to you by the Capital Area District Libraries.

For most of the week, my mind has been on the '80s, and I mean all things '80s. Join me as I fall down the 1980s rabbit hole. Let's check out the most popular TV shows of that decade that we love so much.

One of my all-time favorite shows was Miami Vice staring the gorgeous Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas. The show was so popular that people didn't head out to the bars until it was over.  Miami Vice at that time was so stylish, colorful, and full of beautiful people living awesome lives. The 1980s was also when TV shows had awesome theme songs that went on to be chart-toppers.

The Miami Vice theme was written and performed by Jan Hammer. The show's instrumental open went on to be a huge hit, just like the show did.

There was also Magnum P.I., the show that made Tom Selleck, Hawaiian shirts, and Detroit Tiger's hats a hit. Mike Post wrote the theme song for that show.

The Golden Girls was the '80s hit that featured Betty White, Bea Auther, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty as the wise-cracking Sophia. The show's theme song, Thank You For Being A  Friend, was written by Andrew Gold and covered by Cynthia Fee for the show's theme song.

The Dukes of Hazzard was a TV staple until the mid-'80s. The show featured two good-looking good ol' boys who were always in some sort of trouble and featured their beautiful cousin Daisy Duke who wore short shorts with high heels and would hitchhike in a bikini if she needed to. The Duke's catchy theme song was performed by Waylon Jennings.

Night Court was a big hit. It was a well-written comedy and had a great cast that featured Harry Anderson, Markie Post, and John Larroquette.

Cheers! The place where everybody knows your name, that place was a bar in Boston owned by Sam a former ballplayer. Throw in Carla and Diane as your wait staff then Cliff and Norm as your regulars, plus Coach who helped behind the bar, and then later it was Woody played by Woody Harelson  It's one of the best shows ever with an amazing cast featuring Ted Danson, Shelly Long, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, George Wendt, Kirstie Alley, and Bebe Neuwirth.

Moonlighting, the show that featured Cybil Sheppard and a newcomer named Bruce Willis who at that time still had a nice head of hair.  The show's theme went on to be a chart-topper performed by Al Jarreau.

Other great '80s shows you should check out include MacGyver, The A-Team, Family Ties (the show that gave us Michael J. Fox), Growing Pains, Who's The Boss, and Knight Rider the show with David Hasselhoff and featured Kit the talking car.

The shows are not ranked in any special order, but if you plan to immerse yourself in this '80s this weekend, they would definitely be fun to watch.