80s

11 TV Shows From The '80s You Definitely Forgot Even Though You Always Watched Them

The 1980s wasn't the greatest decade when it came to television entertainment. Sure, we had a few great movies hit the big screen in the 80s, but when it came to TV the attempts at attracting an audience fell severely flat. It wasn't for a lack of trying, dozens of shows bombed during the decade. Here are 11 that just fell a little bit harder than the others.

1. Slim Goodbody's Inside Story

John Burnstein played Slim Goodbody on this PBS show. Slim Goodbody was originally the "superhero of health" on a few morning news shows. The character hit its peak in the 80s but that creepy anatomy suit was more likely to scare children than educate them.  

Word is that Burnstein still appears as Slim Goodbody (anatomy suit and all) at schools and hospitals. Hang it up man, the 80s are dead.

Jared Unzipped

2. The Powers of Matthew Star

The concept behind this show of an alien prince hiding out in society as a normal high school student had some merit. We have even seen it replicated in books and movies since (Animorphs etc) but apart from the idea the show was a bust. The special effects were ahead of their time, but unfortunately actor Peter Barton was scorched by flame in a pyrotechnics blast gone wrong.

Zaki's Corner

3. Voyagers!

Anytime you see an exclamation point on the end of a title you should be wary of the quality of the product. A poor man's Quantum Leap, the main characters use a magic pocket watch in order to jump through time and visit different periods throughout history. One word to describe this show, terrible, it wasn't worth the time it took to change the channel.  

The Awl

4. She's The Sheriff

Well ahead of its time in regards to gender equality, but not much else can be said about this show. Suzanne Somers stars as the woman who takes over as sheriff in a small Nevada town after her husband passes away. This show has the great distinction of being named to TV Guide's "50 Worst Shows Of All Time".

YouTube

5. It's Your Move

This is one of those shows that actually had a spark of quality to it, but due to scheduling conflicts (airing at the same time as Dynasty) no one really gave it a chance to succeed. Jason Bateman stars as a teenage hustler who came up with a new scheme each week.

Huffington Post

6. Jennifer Slept Here

Right off the bat, the name of the show sounds like a badly written porno. This was an attempt at a sitcom that lacked anything even remotely resembling a joke either on purpose or not. It surrounded the ghost of an actress "haunting" a family's apartment but who can only be seen by the teenage son. Garbage at best.

YouTube

7. Life With Lucy

They always warn you against the issues surrounding "too much of a good thing." In this case Lucille Ball jumped the shark as an entertainer. After I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, and Here's Lucy - all wildly successful - ABC took a chance on the fourth coming of Lucy. Unfortunately, it was doomed before it got rolling, people just wanted to watch old re-runs of the classics instead of something new and overdone. Only 8 of 13 recorded episodes ever saw the light of day.  

That's Entertainment!

8. Three's A Crowd

If you weren't tired of Three's Company after 8 seasons of the same joke, then you were in luck because this spinoff debuted a week after the original series ended. John Ritter returned but Joyce DeWitt and Suzanna Somers didn't, so unless you were really invested in Jack Tripper's new girlfriend Vicky, there was no reason to watch this show.

Crazy About TV

9. Double Trouble

Katy Sagal (Gemma Teller from Sons of Anarchy) has twin sisters, in real life. The two other Sagals starred in this sitcom about twins with completely different personalities. Apparently the show wasn't half-bad, except the "twin" humor was a little bit much for anyone who couldn't actually relate.

previously.tv

10. Archie Bunker's Place

Another example of "too much of a good thing." This spin-off from All In The Family actually managed to last four years, and it had good ratings when it first hit the airwaves. This show focused on Archie and his bar but it just wasn't the same and people lost interest.

doyouremember.co.uk

11. Manimal

Manimal was a show about a man who could transform into any animal in his quest to fight crime. The concept was great and the CGI effects were great for the 80s. The show would have done a lot better a decade later when CGI wasn't so expensive. Only eight episodes made it to air, but they were reasonably well received. If you are a fan of science-fiction it might be worth taking this trip down memory lane.

The Geeks World

Did we miss any 80s gems? Let us know in the comments.

More Throwbacks

80s

Gaming in the 80's

For those that experienced the 80’s, its hard to forget the fond memories of being able to wear bright neon clothes, making mix tapes and working out with Jane Fonda. And for those born after this golden decade, it’s clear to see that the 80’s is still having an impact on future generations, with today’s teens still listening to Bon Jovi whilst fashion stores such as Asos and Topshop are bringing back 80’s fashion style. However, one aspect of the 80’s that was most iconic was the culture of gaming. With the likes of

80s

Die Hard's Reginald VelJohnson Reveals How Al Powell Got Him Cast On Family Matters

Watching Die Hard is like watching a little piece of history. It truly has remained one of the greatest movies of all time no matter how much time passes. Maybe we didn't know how special it was when we first saw it, but as the decades go on, it has become clear that it's a true classic that is basically required viewing for every single person. Everyone obviously thinks of Bruce Willis when they think about Die Hard, which makes sense because he embodies John McClane in a way that makes him feel real, but he's not the only iconic

80s

10 Movies That Completely Terrified You As A Kid, And Probably Still Do

I know there were a lot of classic horror movies that came out when we were young, but you know what else there were? A whole bunch of movies disguised as these feel-good children's movies or cartoons that were safe for kids that ended up scarring us for life. A lot of movies out there that had these sequences in them that haunted our nightmares, crossing our minds when we were trying to go to bed. Then there were others that gave us a grim realistic view of the mortality of us all, and let me tell you, we weren't

80s

10 Weebles Playsets From Our Childhoods We Loved To Watch Wobble

There were always toys when you were a kid that seemed to be more important than the rest. There were some that you couldn't go to bed without, there were others that you spent months begging your parents for, and then there were a few that were just staples, readily available where ever you went. No matter which friends house you were at or doctor's office waiting room you were in, there were some that just seemed to be everywhere. Weebles were one of the toys you would be mostly likely to find anywhere that toys were set up for

80s

'Overboard' May Be The Best Rom-Com Of All Time, But We've Still Got Questions

If you had to pick one Hollywood couple whose love you believed in stronger than any others, chances are you're going to say Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. The two first met on the set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band in 1968, but Russell was too young for Hawn to be interested in him (he was only 16 at the time, she was 21). They met again in 1984 on the set of Swing Shift, and this time they hit it off. Both were divorced, both had children, and shortly after they reunited they fell in

70s

James Karen, Legendary Actor Known For 'Poltergeist' And So Much More, Dead At 94

You probably don't know his name, but you definitely know James Karen's face. The prolific character actor, best known for his role as the unscrupulous developer Mr. Teague in 1982's Poltergeist, passed away in his Los Angeles home on Tuesday at the age of 94.MGM/UA Entertainment Co.Over the course of his seven-decade career, Karen racked up over 200 acting credits across movies, television, and even video games. If you watch just about any of the most popular television shows from the 1970s, 80s, or 90s, you're guaranteed to see him pop up sooner or later. Born Jacob