8 From the 80s: Forgotten Dramas

Each installment Mike will look back to the decade of decadence and provide a list of eight things – from movies to music to memorable moments and everything in-between.  Keep in mind, this isn’t a TOP 8 list and any numerical notations are included to merely designate one item from another. Because, frankly, how can you rate one thing over another when it comes from a decade as totally tubular as the 80s?

Forgotten Dramas

“Drama” might not be the most appropriate way to describe most of the shows on this list - fantasy or sci-fi might be a more apt category - but we’re going to keep things simple and just lump all of the non-sitcom shows into this category.  Mostly because it’s the easiest way to do it, but also because this is my column.

Anyway, on with the show!

8. T. and T. (syndicated, 1987-1990)

When The A-Team was canceled, Mr. T needed some work.  So off to Canada he went where he starred in this first run syndicated crime show from 1987-1990.  All but forgotten beyond hardcore Mr. T fans, T. and T. told the story of T.S. Turner, a boxer who was framed for a crime he didn’t commit, but instead of hanging out with George Peppard, T was “rescued” by lawyer Amy Taler and the two of them solved crime together.

Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n Wrestling – A Look Back

In the mid 80s there wasn’t much of anything that was more front and center of the pop culture zeitgeist than professional wrestling. The popularity of wrestling, specifically the WWF, was white hot and off the charts thanks to their crossover with MTV and the “rock ‘n’ wrestling connection” which started off as a bit on Roddy Piper’s “Piper’s Pit” when “Captain” Lou Albano – a “heel” (bad guy) manager claimed that he was pop star Cyndi Lauper’s manager.  The story of how that all played out – how Mr. T became involved, how the first Wrestlemania got its main event – is a story unto itself and deserves its own multi-part look back.  But for our purposes here all we need to know is “rock ‘n’ wrestling” was a thing and it was a very popular thing at that.

"Your Mama Don't Dance"

Episode #102

Joseph and Mike talk about the band Sparks and the recent kaiju brawl Godzilla vs Kong in the opening segment and then it's time to talk about animals and famous TV pets for Mt. Retromore. While there are tons to choose from, two made both Mike and Joseph's list and we're almost willing to bet they'll make yours as well. Finally, while it's still over a week away, the guys celebrate Mother's Day with a discussion about Famous TV moms from the 70s and 80s. Some are traditional, old family values mothers, some are more hip and "with it", and others are... a bit out there, both figuratively and literally. So make sure you wash your face and hands, comb your hair, and sit up straight because it's time for Uphill Both Ways.

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/whenitwascool/UBW102_Your_Mama_Dont_Dance.mp3

8 From the 80s - Underappreciated Sitcoms

 

Each installment Mike will look back to the decade of decadence and provide a list of eight things – from movies to music to memorable moments and everything in-between.  Keep in mind, this isn’t a TOP 8 list and any numerical notations are included to merely designate one item from another. Because, frankly, how can you rate one thing over another when it comes from a decade as totally tubular as the 80s?

While it could be argued that the seventies had a better class of sitcoms, the eighties were no slouch in the “filmed before a live studio audience” department either.  From The Cosby Show, to Cheers, Diff’rent Strokes and Family Ties, there were numerous sitcoms that ran for a number of years and had millions of viewers.  But for every Growing Pains, there was a Charles in Charge. But not every “bad” sitcom was bad, some just never caught on.  Here are eight of them.

8. Head of the Class (ABC, 1986-1991)

This Howard Hesseman vehicle is one of the two more well-known of these eight.  In it, Hesseman played Charlie Moore, a substitute teacher who oversaw the kids in the school’s Individualized Honors Program (IHP).  The kids covered a wide spectrum of high school archetypes and a lot of what was “learned” was that people aren’t all that different from one another.