Family TV Shows of the '80s

Ahh... the 80's... such fond memories. Bad hair, loud colors, leg warmers and classic TV shows. I thought that I would give a tribute to this fun time period in history. TV programs were funny, family oriented and had all types of quirky plots but, we loved every minute of them. I invite you to stroll with me down memory lane with my picks for the Top 10 TV shows of the 80's that focused on family. I ordered them according to the year they aired on TV.

1. Different Strokes-1978-1986- around the happenings in the Drummond household. Philip Drummond was a widower and had a daughter, Kimberly. He was also quite wealthy and lived in the penthouse of a luxurious apartment building.

However, the household was shaken up when Drummond's black housekeeper died and her deathbed wish was that he would take care of her two sons, Arnold and Willis Jackson. So, Drummond took both of them in and they became the sons Drummond never had.

2. The Facts of Life-1979-1988-It was a spin-off TV show to the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes on which Charlotte Rae played Mrs. Garrett, housekeeper to Philip Drummond's household. In The Facts of Life, Mrs. Garrett has become headmistress to an exclusive girl's school, Eastland.

3. The Cosby Show- 1984-1992-Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable was an OBGYN (obstetrician/gynecologist), and his wife Clair was a successful attorney. They had five children Sandra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy.

4. Family Ties-1982-1989- This TV series blended family comedy with politics and centered on the Keaton family. Steven and his wife Elyse had four children, Alex, Mallory, Jennifer and Andrew, who was born in 1985.

5. Silver Spoon- 1982-1987-Edward Stratton III-the father-- likes Pac-Man, pinball machines and electric trains and his son Ricky Stratton is mature, sensible and understands computers. But Edward is in his 30s is really the "child", while son Ricky only 12. was the "adult" on this funny TV show. The most memorable feature of the show was the indoor, rideable toy train in the living room of the mansion. Afhonso Ribeiro who played Alfonso Spears was Ricky's best friend.