9 Forgotten ’80s Shows

[TMC]

http://www.fame10.com/entertainment/...streamview=all

The ‘80s were filled with great shows – some of which are totally embedded in pop culture like Family Ties and Who’s the Boss?, but there are others that ran for a season or two that didn’t get the love that other shows received. Here are 9 ‘80s shows, both good and bad, that have long since been forgotten:

9. My Sister Sam

My Sister Sam was a spin-off of Mork & Mindy that premiered on October 6, 1986. The show was supposed to be a starring vehicle for Pam Dawber, who starred opposite Robin Williams on the Mork & Mindy, but she wanted the focus to be on the cast as a whole and not just on her. While it initially received solid ratings during its first season, it changed timeslots during season two and was then competing against The Facts of Life, which caused its audience to dwindle. Although CBS moved the show in the late winter of 1988 to Tuesday nights in a bid to improve ratings, by April it was clear that the rating had failed to improve and was cancelled that May, and now no one remembers this show.

8. It’s Your Move

It’s Your Move starred Jason Bateman as a 15-year-old scam artist who lived with his older sister and his widowed mother in a Van Nuys, California apartment. Although the NBC show received positive reviews from critics, it’s timeslot had it competing against ABC’s hit show Dynasty, so it was cancelled in early 1985, five months after it had premiered.

7. Small Wonder

The comedy sci-fi sitcom Small Wonder followed the Lawson family who had a daughter, Vicki, who was a robot made to look like a human girl. It was kind of creepy. The show is considered one of the worst series from the ‘80s, but in spite of this, it managed to run for four seasons before it was finally cancelled and then forgotten.

6. She’s the Sheriff

She’s the Sheriff starred Suzanne Somers as Hildy Granger a widow with two children to support who ends up taking on her deceased husband’s job as sheriff. While the show featured an interesting concept, it wasn’t especially good. In 2002, it was ranked #44 on TV Guide’s list of the “50 Worst TV Shows Of All Time.” While the show was initially aired on NCB on a week night at 7:30 during its first season, it was moved to a weekend timeslot for the second season before it was cancelled.

5. My Secret Identity

My Secret Identity was a Canadian series that aired on CTV and starred Jerry O’Connell as 14-year-old Andrew Clements, a boy who develops superpowers after being struck by a photon beam. This show went on for three seasons and even won the 1989 International Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Programming for Children and Young People, yet still people don’t really remember this show!

4. Double Trouble

Actress Katy Sagal’s younger twin sisters, Jean and Liz, starred in the ‘80s show Double Trouble, which lasted for two seasons from April 4, 1984 to March 30, 1985. It focused on the twins, Kate and Allison, and their life with their widowed father, before it was completely revamped for season two. After the show was cancelled, reruns ran for several seasons USA Network during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

3. Three’s a Crowd

Three’s a Crowd was a spin-off of the sitcom Three’s Company. It literally premiered the week after the series finale of Three’s Company aired, and focused on Jack (John Ritter) and Vicky’s (Mary Cadorette) romance. Unlike its parent show, Three’s a Crowd only garnered modest ratings and found itself cancelled after one season and has proven itself to be not very memorable.

2. Love, Sidney

Love, Sidney was the first program on American television to feature a gay character, Sidney, as the central character. It aired on NBC for two seasons from October 28, 1981 until June 6, 1983. The show was mostly popular in cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, but elsewhere it was only moderately successful to poorly rated. During the second season, the show underwent an overhaul and went from obliquely mentioning Sidney’s sexuality to exploring it in depth. The show wasn’t picked up for a third season, and it seems that no one remembers this groundbreaking show.

1. Square Pegs

Square Pegs only aired for one season on CBS during the 1982-1983 season and starred none other than Sarah Jessica Parker as Patty Green, an awkward teen who was desperate to fit in at school. While the show received decent reviews, it aired the same night as M*A*S*H during its last season and then Newhart, which both had significantly older audiences. Square Pegs was cancelled after just one season and then faded into oblivion.

[DJM77]

Interesting read, but My Sister Sam was not a spin-off of Mork & Mindy.

[HumanGerm]

I adored and still do, Sqaure Pegs! ' marshall, I'm not punk; I'm new wave'! I had a huge crush on Johnny slash. I think it was one of the best 80's sitcoms ever. Luckily, the series came out on DVD and I bought it.

[king of comedy]

The only one I remembered is Small Wonder.

[opus]

Heard of 8 of them, seen 4.

[DJM77]

I've seen at least one episode of all of them except possibly for My Secret Identity and I remember when it was on. I remember being in 5th grade and someone that came to speak to our class was talking about the show for some reason.

[Bonniegirl]

I've heard of all of them except for "My secret identity" ! Besides "My Secret identity" and "It's your move" , I've seen the other 7!

[80sTrivia]

I remember almost all of them, except for Love, Sidney. My Sister Sam isn't necessarily forgotten, as many people remember how one of the sitcom's stars, Rebecca Schaeffer, was brutally murdered in her own home by a mentally disturbed fan who was obsessed with the actress.

[Videoranger007]

I would think there's much more obscure 80s shows than these and small wonder should definitely not even be on this list. It lasted for four seasons and then was in syndication for like another 15 years.


My Sister Sam was definitely not a Mork and Mindy spinoff. Why would they say that? Because it stars Pam dawber? Entirely unrelated.

My Secret Identity was a staple of early sci fi channel broadcasts.

[Edward216]

I remember hearing about all of them and watching some of them. But the only ones I really liked were My Sister Sam and Square Pegs. But it wasn't only poor ratings that got My Sister Sam cancelled. The young actress who played Pam Dawber's younger sister (I think her name was Patty on the show?) Rebecca Schaeffer was horribly murdered at her own front door by an obsessed stalker! There was no way they could've went on with the show after that. I was 13 years old when Square Pegs ran and I really liked it and could relate because I wasn't much younger than the characters on the show and could understand some of what they were feeling. Wanting to fit in and not feel like an outsider and just wanting other people to like me and trying to deal with teachers and the other personality types of kids your own age. I thought it was relatable and funny. But obviously not many other people did.

Ed.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by Edward216

I remember hearing about all of them and watching some of them. But the only ones I really liked were My Sister Sam and Square Pegs. But it wasn't only poor ratings that got My Sister Sam cancelled. The young actress who played Pam Dawber's younger sister (I think her name was Patty on the show?) Rebecca Schaeffer was horribly murdered at her own front door by an obsessed stalker! There was no way they could've went on with the show after that. I was 13 years old when Square Pegs ran and I really liked it and could relate because I wasn't much younger than the characters on the show and could understand some of what they were feeling. Wanting to fit in and not feel like an outsider and just wanting other people to like me and trying to deal with teachers and the other personality types of kids your own age. I thought it was relatable and funny. But obviously not many other people did.

Ed.

Actually, My Sister Sam had already been cancelled for over a year (it's last first run broadcast on CBS was on April 12, 1988 and CBS officially cancelled it in May of that year) prior to Rebecca Schaeffer's murder. That's the biggest misnomer that the only reason why the show was cancelled was because of her tragic death. I'm guessing part of the confusion lies within the fact that there were 12 produced episodes that hadn't aired on CBS yet. They would later air on the USA Network.

[tlc38tlc38]

I love Small Wonder! I have fond memories of this show growing up and still like it today.

[Torgo]

Watched all of them when they originally aired. Square Pegs and It's Your Move are my favorites. To be fair though, haven't seen all of them again since their original airing.

Another sadly forgotten 80's show is the Showtime sitcom Brothers, it ran for 5 seasons. Been watching it again with my wife on Youtube. Still laugh out loud funny.

[Retro4Life]

I don't know who they have making these silly lists, but I hadn't forgotten about any of these. Love, Sidney was a pretty good show, and would have been great if they hadn't been so coy about Sidney being gay. Square Pegs was a really good show for and about kids; should have lasted longer.

I really didn't watch any of the rest but I had certainly heard of them.

[Mr. Television]

I've heard of all of them and watched them all except My Secret Identity and Square Pegs.