Let’s go ahead and just get it out in the open, upfront, so there are no secrets! I LOVE THE 80s. Who doesn’t right? Well, I also love TV. I’ve ranked 80s sitcoms for no particular reason in the past so I figured I would go ahead and rank them for you guys. While thinking about my favorite shows I did some searches and came across this online ranking from The Ranker (Click here).

I thought it would be cool to see how my picks ranked against an official top 20. Before I start here are 5 awesome things about 80s sitcoms:

• Theme Songs – hands down the best tv show theme songs are from 80s sitcoms. I once created a whole Jeopardy game based on 80s theme songs!
• Family Time – 80s sitcoms highlighted happy supportive families even the strange ones!
• Laughs on Cue – you gotta love the timed jokes and audience responses
• The Issues – very often 80s shows tackles some serious issues such as drugs, homelessness, and rape to mention a few.
• Happy Endings – as a fairy tale purest, I appreciate that more often than not, 80s sitcoms wrap the ending in a pretty little bow at the end of 30 minutes. There are enough scary things in the real world, I’ll take my sitcoms light please!

So here goes! Wait Wait Wait, before I rank these, since the 80s were a while ago I am inserting a disclaimer: these rankings are based on the show and the show only, any actions by show’s actors during filming or after does not factor into the show’s ranking!

1. The Cosby Show – Not the best theme song but I’ve probably seen every single episode and have quotes.  I still love love love Mrs. Phylicia Rashad and am the owner of an I Love the 80s TeeShirt with a picture of Mrs. Claire Huxtable.
2. Saved by the Bell – I mean Zack Morris!  A Saturday morning was just not the same without a little Zack!
3. Who’s the Boss – One of the best themes songs and Alyssa Milano!  Who didn’t love Mona!
4. Growing Pains – Another theme song hit and Kirk Cameron…and then later Leonardo DiCaprio, what’s not to love!  Very relevant episode when Chrissy didn’t want to go to bed because she thought she was missing out on something…and she was!  Don’t go to sleep people!
5. Family Ties – Back to the Future trilogy is in my top 5 favorite movies as well.  Can’t get enough of one of my 1^st crushes, Mr. Michael J. Fox.  Also, another Theme Song hit in Family Ties.
6. Diff’rent Strokes – Another cool theme song here.  I always liked the cross over into The Facts of Life too.  The show that gave us the iconic “what you talkin ‘bout Willis” and The Gooch.
7. Star Trek – The Next Generation – Sesame Street would say “one of these things just doesn’t belong here…” but that’s ok because Star Trek TNG was my favorite Star Trek shows! Captain Piccard and Data were my favorites.  I appreciate Data in my soul … people often don’t make sense.
8. The Facts of Life – Take the good, take the bad, take them both and then you have … yeah, the theme song sums up life!  This is one of the most 80s shows of the bunch, I mean a teenager roller skating rather than walking everywhere, pretty cool.
9. Married with Children – My favorite dysfunctional-normal family of the bunch.  Despite the Steve to Jefferson switch and a few dream sequences, Married with Children is one that I can watch on repeat.  I’ve been known to argue that Al and Peggy actually have one of the most loving marriages on TV.
10. Doogie Howser – This one is one of about 5 shows that were responsible for me wanting to be a Doctor when I was younger.  How cool is a child genius?  And look at Neil Patrick Harris now…lol!    
11. A Different World – Another cool theme song!  Made me wish I was in college in the 80s.  Is a guarantee cry on the episode where Dwayne interrupts Whitley’s wedding!  Get’s me every time.
12. Cheers – Carla, Sam, Woody and Norm are the best.  I was a little iffy on Rebecca replacing Diane but it worked.  Who doesn’t wish they had a bar where people shouted their name whenever they came in right?  Oh yea, pretty epic theme song.
13. Charles in Charge – Very 80s theme song and very progressive having the male babysitter.
14. Out of This World – I still want Evie’s power!  This is not a well known show apparently.  It wasn’t on the ranker list.  If you’ve never seen this show here is a youtube video.  I liked the theme song as well.  Aliens, powers and teenagers, awesome!
15. Three’s Company – This one started in the 70’s but had a few years run time in the 80s. Funky 70’s theme song vibes but it’s cool, we can keep it here.
16. Perfect Strangers – I loved Balki! Also pretty motivational theme song! Also, this show gave us my #20 pick.
17. The Jeffersons – who doesn’t love George vs. Florence! I still want to kick people out George style! We get this gem as a spin off from All in the Family, probably a well known fact.
18. Mork & Mindy – Because Robin Williams!
19. Knight Rider – Besides the DeLorean, Kit was definitely the car I was planning on getting when I was an adult! Yea, I have neither!
20. Family Matters – I just wanted Steve to stay Stefon! anyone else with me? I would watch in hopes that he would

What do you think of my picks? What are your picks?