Dynasty
- Years On TV: 1981–1989
- Run: 8 years
- Actors: John Forsythe, Linda Evans, Joan Collins
Dynasty follows the lives of the Carrington family and their oil empire, inspired by the real-life family feuds of oil magnates. The series won 1 Golden Globe Award and received numerous Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. It was one of the most popular shows of the 1980s.
Newhart
- Years On TV: 1982–1990
- Run: 8 years
- Actors: Bob Newhart, Mary Frann, Tom Poston
Newhart focuses on Bob Newhart's character, who runs a small inn in Vermont. The series finale is considered one of the most memorable in TV history. It was nominated for 25 Primetime Emmy Awards and won three. It also received several Golden Globe nominations.
Cheers
- Years On TV: 1982–1993
- Run: 11 years
- Actors: Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman
Cheers is set in a Boston bar and revolves around the lives of the bar's owner and its regular patrons. The show had one of the most-watched series finales in TV history. It won 28 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, and also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Airwolf
- Years On TV: 1984–1987
- Run: 3 years
- Actors: Jan-Michael Vincent, Ernest Borgnine, Alex Cord
Airwolf follows a high-tech military helicopter and its crew as they undertake dangerous missions. The show was known for its iconic theme music and aerial stunts. It garnered 2 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Hunter
- Years On TV: 1984–1991
- Run: 7 years
- Actors: Fred Dryer, Stepfanie Kramer, Charles Hallahan
Hunter had a plot that followed Detective Rick Hunter and his partner Dee Dee McCall's adventures as they solved crimes in Los Angeles. Known for its gritty portrayal of police work and action-packed episodes, Hunter was nominated for several awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Viewers for Quality Television Award.
Moonlighting
- Years On TV: 1985–1989
- Run: 4 years
- Actors: Cybill Shepherd, Bruce Willis, Allyce Beasley
Moonlighting plot centered around the cases of a former model and a wisecracking detective who run a detective agency. The series launched Bruce Willis's career and was known for its witty dialogue and for breaking the fourth wall. It won 6 Primetime Emmy Awards and received 10 nominations. It also won a Golden Globe Award.
MacGyver
- Years On TV: 1985–1992
- Run: 7 years
- Actors: Richard Dean Anderson, Dana Elcar, Bruce McGill
Angus MacGyver, the series protagonist, uses his scientific knowledge and inventive problem-solving skills to save the day in each epsiode of MacGyver. The show is famed in pop culture for MacGyver's creative use of common items to escape dangerous situations. The series was nominated for several Primetime Emmy Awards and won a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama.
Coach
- Years On TV: 1989–1997
- Run: 8 years
- Actors: Craig T. Nelson, Jerry Van Dyke, Shelley Fabares
Coach's plot concerned the life of college football coach Hayden Fox as he balances his career with his personal life. Craig T. Nelson won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The show was nominated for 9 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 1. It also won a Golden Globe Award.
Wings
- Years On TV: 1990–1997
- Run: 7 years
- Actors: Tim Daly, Steven Weber, Crystal Bernard
Wings concerns the lives of two brothers running a small airline in Nantucket. The show was set in the same universe as Cheers and Frasier, featuring crossovers with characters from both series. It was nominated for 2 Primetime Emmy Awards during its run.
Frasier
- Years On TV: 1993–2004; 2023-present
- Run: 11 years
- Actors: Kelsey Grammer, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce
Dr. Frasier Crane, a radio psychiatrist, and his family and friends have daily adventures at work and home in Seattle. One of the most successful spin-offs in TV history, Frasier originatead from Cheers. The series won 37 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. It also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Nineteen years after the orginal finale, a revival of the series began in 2023.
ER
- Years On TV: 1994–2009
- Run: 15 years
- Actors: George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Noah Wyle
ER chronicles the lives and careers of doctors and nurses working in the emergency room of a Chicago hospital. It launched the careers of several actors, including George Clooney, who became a megastar thanks to the popularity of the series. The show won 23 Primetime Emmy Awards with 124 nominations. Additionally, it won a Golden Globe Award.
JAG
- Years On TV: 1995–2005
- Run: 10 years
- Actors: David James Elliott, Catherine Bell, Patrick Labyorteaux
JAG follows the cases of the Judge Advocate General's Corps, the legal arm of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. NCIS is a spinoff of JAG, and has became one of the most successful TV franchises ever. The show was nominated for 3 Primetime Emmy Awards and won an ALMA Award.
Cosby
- Years On TV: 1996–2000
- Run: 4 years
- Actors: Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, Doug E. Doug
Cosby follows the daily life of Hilton Lucas, who is forced into early retirement. The show reunited Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad from The Cosby Show, but it did not receive the same critical acclaim or viewership. The show did win a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy and received several NAACP Image Awards.