Memorable Television Events From The Eighties
Every decade since the fifties had a few events that were best portrayed on television. The eighties were no exception to the fact. I've started off with only one item here for the meantime, perhaps with time there will be more, feel free to email me any suggestions you might have!

This page currently edited by: Sylence. Past editor: Banasy

1981 NFC Championship Game (The Catch)
The Dallas Cowboys played the San Francisco 49ers for a trip to the Super Bowl, and it was all about one TD pass play that was highly publicized. 49ers QB Joe Montana connected with WR Dwight Clark in the end zone as Cowboys defender Everson Walls desperately tries to break it up. Kodak featured this play in their TV and magazine ads.
1983 Grammys
Eurythmics performance with Annie Lennox dressed as her male Elvis look-a-like ulter ego Earl.
1984 Macintosh Commercial
It was only a commercial, but it ran just one time during the superbowl. It was covered by the media more than the game was. Plus it never really actually showed the product (computer) at all. Plus it was a great Orwell inspired spot for that exact year.
1st Annual MTV Awards (1984)
Madonna sang "Like a Virgin on stage, doing the unthinkable.
20/20
In 1985, as Hulk Hogan and the WWF brought pro wrestling from a regional thing to a national phenomenon, reporter John Stossel did a segment on 20/20 about pro wrestling. The topic centered mostly on how pro wrestling was staged. During one part of the segment, Stossel asks pro wrestler David Schultz if he thought wrestling was fake. "Well, what do you think?" asks Schultz. "I think it's fake," replies Stossel. Schultz all of a sudden slaps Stossel on the ear so hard that it levels him right on the floor. Pro wrestling may indeed be fake, but I don't think that there was anything fake about that incident!
The 6th game of the 1986 World Series (Mets vs. Red Sox)
If Red Sox fans ever needed a reason to confirm their belief that the curse of the Bambino was still strong, this was it. An easy ground ball rolls past Bill Buckner and the Mets win the game, and then the series.
84 Grammy Awards
When Michael Jackson takes home the most ever Grammy Awards to date (8) for his hit album "Thiller."
A-Team
Watching Hannibal, Face, Mr T and Murdoch running around in a black GMC van with the red stripe really influenced my life !!!
A-Team
When Mr. T and Hulk Hogan teamed up and saved children from the mob. How can you deny it?
Adam
Do you remember the Adam movie about Adam Walsh? UGH! When they find his head-I am sorry to be so graphic, but I still get physically ill when I think of that. I know that show had an impact on me as a child and also as a parent. Those poor people. The actors did a tremendous job.
All My Childern
When Jesse's dying and Angie's saying good-bye.
All My Children
When Jenny and Greg are dating behind closed doors because she is poor and his rich and of course they want to be together, but not without his mother and many others trying to keep them apart. They finaly get married and she dies. It was so sad!
American Bandstand
In 1982, Janet Jackson's debut singing "Young Love" from her self-titled album.
American Music Awards
1983. Irene Cara performs "Flashdance...What a Feeling" in a very revealing short skirt that barely covers her underwear!
American Music Awards
In 1985 when Lionel Ritchie says "outrageous" every time he went up to accept an award.
American Music Awards
It was in 1987 or 1988. Country music newcomer Randy Travis wins more awards that night than any other artist in all categories of music. After that, country music was never the same. In fact, I believe that's what fueled country music's explosion in the 90s.
The Attempt To Assassinate President Reagan
Whether he tried to kill Reagan or to impress Jodie Foster, John W. Hinckley became the Osama bin Laden of his time. I still shudder to think that Reagan's death might have been a few inches away. The best coverage was at ABC, where the late Frank Reynolds demanded accurate information on the air.
Band Aid
The most incredible music show of all the history of TV! All the musicians playing in Europe and U.S. raising money for Africa. Almost all the world was watching it.
The Burning Bed
Who could ever forget this night time movie classic featuring Farrah Fawcett as a battered housewife who gets revenge by setting the house on fire while the husband slept inside? This also was the first time I heard the swear word "bitch" used on regular network tv.
Cagney & Lacey
The story arc where Christine Cagney became an alcoholic and had to gather all her strength to admit the truth to herself and to others ... very touching and packed with powerful emotions!
Cheers
The talk between Sam and Diane about Coach's death was really a sad moment for any Cheers fan. The actor died in real life and he would not be coming back to Cheers, ever, except in memory. That was the saddest momemt of Cheers!
Cheers
There were several great moments from the episode in which the gang makes a movie to prevent Woody's parents from sending him home:
The gang throws a picnic in Carla's back yard and her kids torment Sam and put Woody's shoes on the barbecue.
-Cliff takes Woody on a tour through an appartment building on his route and after he leaves, the residents trade mail.
-Norm pigs out at the Hungry Heffer. (Their patrons call out "Norm!" too.)
-Fraiser talks about how his office building has the finest psychiatrists in Boston just as a suicide jumper passes the window.
China Beach
In the episode "You, Babe", McMurphy helps K.C. give birth in an alley in Saigon while a bunch of Vietnamese paupers look on.
Chips
The episode where the kid is on the hill shooting his bebe gun at a sign next to the freeway, and he hits a car windsheild and seriously injures a woman and her friend. He becomes great friends with Jon Backer and the kid whos name I forget learns a great deal from Jon as he is a roll model and came from the same life that boy did.
Cosby Show /Episode 79
This episode is when Theo and Cockroach have difficulty interpreting Julius Caesar. So friends come over and explain the play so they decide to make a rap.
Cosby Show
The episode where Cliff shows Theo what living on his own is like - and Theo makes sure he has money...he says something to the effect that he can eat baloney, but that he's gotta look good.
The Cosby Show
The 50th anniversary of Cliff's parents. The children come down the stairs and lip syncs to "The Night Time Is the Right Time".
Dallas
Bobby's return from the dead One of the best dumb comeback's in the history of television. Pamela wakes up and sees a thought-to-be-dead Bobby in the shower saying "Good Morning!" Pamela realizes that she had dreamt the entire 1985-86 season!
Dallas
The series finale in which J.R. commits suicide.
Days of our Lives -- May 1986
The best daytime television sweeps month ever. The search for John Black's past brings he and Marlena to West Virginia, and they discover he is "Roman". The week of their reunion in the wilderness, Shane helps Kimberly deliver their son Andrew. During this sweeps month, Bo also finds out that his family's most hated enemy, Victor Kiriakis, is his father.
Designing Women
I remember the episode when Julia gets her head stuck in the Governor's Mansion stair rails when the women were decorating it for the BIG dinner. It was hilarious!!!!!!
A Different World
When Dwayne Wayne asked Whitley to marry him...set up a la Casablanca. If I remember correctly, she was leaving and he ran out to the airplane tarmac, stopping at the security chain link fence and shouted out his proposal.
Diff'rent Strokes
Arnold and Dudley are lured into comfort in the back room of a bicycle shop owned by WKRP's Gorden "Big Guy" Jump, only to find that he is a pedophile! Mr. D has him arrested.
Dynasty
The cat fight between Linda Evans (Krystle) and Joan Collins (Alexis) when both women plummet into the swimmng pool.
Facts of Life
1. When "Edna's Edibles" burns, and they hire George (George Clooney when he was a nobody) to build their store.
2. Molly Ringwald on season 1...need I say more?
The Facts of Life
The most memorable moment in this show was when the girls got in trouble and put on probation, they had to fix up and old storage room, which was going to be their bedroom. The girls get in a big paint fight, and get in trouble again by Dietition Mrs. Garrett at Eastland School for girls.
Family Ties
The episode where Alex and Ellen (I think her name is ellen) break up. The song "At This Moment" totally makes everybody think of that episode.
Family Ties
The episode where one of Alex's friends is drunk and he's killed in a car accident. Alex confides in his mother and starts screaming "WHY AM I ALIVE?"
Family Ties
The final episode of Family Ties where Alex plans to move to New York,and Elyse cries out in sadness.
Full House
When Jesse and Rebecca got married.
General Hospital
Luke and Laura's wedding.
Geraldo TV Special
The Mystery of Al Capone's vault. Where Geraldo does a live TV special about the excavation of Capone's last-known vault. What could it contain, money, guns, a body? To Geraldo's on-screen chagrin (and all our disappointment), only a bottle and some dirt was found. Still a live let-down.
Geraldo
Topic: "Teen Hatemongers". The show broke out in a free-for-all brawl with flying chairs--one of which hit Geraldo in the nose, breaking it. I think this was what inspired all the antics you see these days on Jerry Springer.
Gimme A Break!
The episode where Samantha has an imaginary friend named "Debbie Jo".
Gimme A Break!
When Nell's friend moves into town, she helps her get a job by eliminating the competition at the interview. First, Nell tells one applicant she has really bad breath, then she tells the next lady that the boss is hard of hearing and for her to yell really loud when talking to him, and the third lady she gets rid of by faking contagious sneezing seizures on her.
The Golden Girls
When old ladies became funny. Did you ever think that old ladies talking about their sex lives, or lack of sex could be funny. I didn't, but it was.
Good Times
When the father James Evans was killed in a car accident trying to get home from a business trip to his family.
The Greatest American Hero
The episode "Divorce Venusian Style", where Ralph gets shot while not wearing the red super suit and the little greenguys come and take Ralph and Bill up into the mysterious spaceship. Ralph gets a new instruction book from the aliens in this episode as well. Unfortunately, he loses it again.
Growing Pains
It was the one when Carol's boyfriend got in a car accident because he was drinking and he's in the hospital. When carol visits him he seems perfect and on the way to recovery. But when she comes home, Mike tells her that he has just died. This one was really sad and emphasizes the whole drinking and driving thing that went on in the 80's
Growing Pains
The episode where Mike, Eddie & Boner got invited to a party at a rich kid's house. All of the rich kids keep going to the bathroom in groups & they can't figure out why. Then they get asked to go in the bathroom too & they find out that kids are doing cocaine. At the end of the episode, Kirk Cameron does one of those serious talks to the audience while the rest of the cast is "frozen" about the dangers of drugs.
Guiding Light
When Reva and Josh got married at the cross creek it was one of the most prettiest weddings through out the 80's.
Guiding Light
When Roger Thorpe falls off the cliff and dies. Mike and Ed Bauer had been chasing him. Yet in 1988/89, he returns from the grave.
Happy Days
Jenny Piccalo becomes jealous of Joanie's long-lost friend Nikki, and spreads a nasty rumor that Fonzie has gotten Nikki in trouble.
Happy Days
The episode where Frankie Avalon sings "Venus" to a swooning Jenny Piccalo at the Leopard Lodge annual "Poobah Doodah" musical.
Happy Days
The two-part episode when Richie returns home after being discharged from the Army. But Richie faces conflict with his family when he wants to move to L.A. to pursue a career as a screenwriter and the family objects. He goes into a state of rebellion by hitting the local bar, getting drunk, and - believe it or not - deliberately punches Fonzie in the mouth when he tries to talk to Richie to get him back on the straight-and-narrow. In the end, the gang lets Richie have his way and he moves on to California to try to get that screenwriting job.
Happy Days
When Joanie and Chachi marry in the final episode of Happy Days.
Happy Days
When everyone except Fonzie's friends think he is dead from an explosion in the garage where he worked.
Happy Days
When they all graduate from highschool.
Head of the Class
The episode in which the gang heads off to the "USSR" was extremely relevant to the political turmoil that seemed to encapsule the mid-80's. I can still remember the anxiety I felt for Dennis and Arvin as they narrowly escaped becoming political prisoners after being caught selling Beatles cassette tapes and Levi's 501 (registered trademark) blue jeans.
Hill Street Blues
A cop responding to a reported intruder accidentally shoots a very young kid who has a toy gun. Paranoid brass try to charge the kid's mother, Alfre Woodard, with negligence. When they take her to the station, she sees the cop (who's having a breakdown) and forgives him (she got an Emmy)
The hour-long surreal "Family Ties" episode in which Alex deals with the death of his friend
Shown in short, blacked-out scenes of his childhood past.
Iran Contra Scandals
Who can forget Oliver North testifying under oath?
The Italian Airshow Team Disaster
1988. Most of us have seen the horrible footage. A timing error caused a mid-air collision between three of the Italian Airshow Team members. One of the crippled planes plunged into a crowd of spectators, killing and burning several of them.
The Jeffersons
George gets stabbed trying to prevent being robbed. With the girl who stabbed him yelling "...I said I'm your wife!"
The Jet Crashing At An Indianapolis Hotel
11 people inside the hotel were killed. And the pilot later received honors! This was the first live national braodcast I saw in the 80s. And the similarities to 9/11 (although not as devastating) are shocking to say the least.
Knight Rider
The episode "Junkyard Dog", where KITT gets dumped in acid and loses his nerve, and subsequently needs a confidence boost from Michael.
Lace ( Mini-Series)
"Which one of you bitches is my mother?" Pheboe Cates as Lily ask the trio of stunned women in the smash-hit LACE. Who can forget this mini-series who spawned a luke-warmed sequel?
Late Night With David Letterman
The show from 1987 where Sonny and Cher were reunited and sang "I Got You Babe." Cher momentarily forgets the words, but Sonny was right there for her, and for the audience, who loved it.
Late Night with David Letterman
The year was 1982 and a well known Andy Kaufman appeared on Late Night after being seriously injured from one of his infamous wrestling matches with legendary Jerry "The King" Lawler. A distraught Kaufman was wearing a neckbrace and moaning about how he would sue. No one would expect the classic mayhem that would insue when "The King" himself made a surprise visit and blurred the lines between fantasy and reality. The next few minutes? Flung chairs, flung coffee, and the longest bleeps in television history as a swearing Kaufman stormed off the Late Night set. Ah, the memories.
Legacy
Days of our Lives - When Bo and Hope get married Days of our Lives - When Hope gets captured by Stefano (sp?) in a cage and she was apparently killed and was never seen again in the series for years later
Life Goes On
The episode where Jesse dies. At the end, Becca is grown, married, and has children and she has told her children all about Jesse and written a book about her experience.
Life Goes On
This was the show that starred Kellie Martin and Rob Lowe's younger brother Chad, in the episode where finds out he has HIV and is going to develop AIDS this was a pionent episode because up until this point no TV show addressed teens and that sexual risk and consiquences.
Life Goes On
When Tyler Benchfield got in an accident and died.
Little House on the Prairie
The Episode where Albert becomes addicted to Morphine and Charles stays with him while he goes through withdrawl. Not the kind of graphic images that we were used to seeing on prime time television. I'll never forget seeing it for the first time.
Little House on the Prairie
The last episode when the townspeople blow up every building in the entire town so the "bad guys" wouldn't take it over. They all hold hands and walk away, if I remember correctly! Wow!!
The M*A*S*H Finale
The most expensive kiss in television history when Hawkeye kisses Margret good-bye (calculated by the length of the kiss and how much commericals cost during the showing which was more than that year's Super Bowl commercials).
The marriage of Luke and Laura on "General Hospital"
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Miami Vice
The episode titled: Evan. This episode from the first season saw an old partner of Crocket's reappear from the past, making sunny deal with some skeletons in his closet. then final scene with Peter Gabriel's "Biko" playing in the background will always be one of the most powerful moments in television
Miami Vice
The first show of Miami Vice......it was the first show like that to make such a impact on fashion (not mention the great music that was featured!)
Miami Vice
The scene from the Pilot epiosde, where Crockett and Tubbs are driving the Black Ferrari through the Miami streets at night, and Phil Collins mournful song ' In The Air Tonight ' plays in the background. The song perfectly sums up the action on screen, and is pure Miami Vice. A classic defining TV moment.
Miami Vice
The two-part episode where Sonny Crockett loses his memory and thinks he's his drug-dealing alter ego Sonny Burnett.
The scene where he shoots Rico Tubbs with Big Pig's "Money God" playing on the soundtrack.
Michael Jackson's Thriller video
When Michael Jackson's Thriller video was released on December 2,1983, it defined not only the art of the music video but set a standard for all music - period. It was one of the most talked about events (yes, "events", that's how major it was )of that time. If the video was played in, say, a TV store everyone would stop what they were doing and watch.
Miniseries
All I have to say is " I know my first name is Steven, I think my last name is Stainer"
Miracle On Ice
The 1980 US hockey team defeating the Soviet Union and then going on to win the gold medal. Need I say more!
Monday Night Football (ABC)
December 8, 1980, from Miami. Howard Cosell, against the advice of the show's producers, announced the murder of John Lennon in New York City. Indescribable. (Audio clips of the announcement are up on several Web pages.)
Moonlighting
When David and Maddie finally "did it" with the song "Be My Baby" in the background.
Motown 25th Anniversary Show
The Motown Anniversary Show in '83, where Michael Jackson first does the "Moonwalk."
MTV
When MTV actually started, playing videos, having VJs (that dressed so cool!), playing videos, the girl chain-sawing the TV apart (and many other MTV ditties), playing videos, interviews with bands...playing videos!
MuchMusic Launch
1984. A blue screen with a shot of fireworks superimposed on it. Then, VJs Christopher Ward and J.D. Roberts burst through the shot and the Canadian MTV is born. J.D. Roberts, host of Much's Power Hour (devoted to heavy metal) later went on to squaredom as anchor for CTV's Canada AM and, currently, CBS News (now known as John Roberts.)
Newhart
The final episode when Newhart as Dick Louden gets hit in the head with a golf ball and wakes up next to his first TV wife Suzanne Pleshette. He realizes he was dreaming the whole series and is again a psychologist in Chicago (His previous series, The Bob Newhart Show)
NFL Football
Cowboys vs. Redskins, 1983 Season, first game. When the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins play each other, it's always a classic rivalry. In this Monday night season opener at RFK Stadium in Washington, Redskins fans were still gloating from their team defeating the Cowboys the season before in the '82 NFC Championship Game. You could tell it in their "WE WANT DALLAS" chants that carried over from that game. In the first half, the 'Skins had their way with the Cowboys, and it seemed as though they would have a repeat of that '82 Championship Game. The Cowboys were down 24-3 going into the half. But the Cowboys obviously worked out a game plan during halftime, because during the second half, the Cowboys scored a series of miracle touchdowns--a couple of which came from Hail Mary passes. The Cowboys managed to edge the 'Skins 31-30 as the final seconds ticked off. Yes, the Skins' fans wanted Dallas, and they finally GOT Dallas that night!
NFL Football
One of the most memorable TV events to me is Monday Night Football on November 18, 1985 -- the game in which Joe Theismann broke his leg.
NFL Football
Redskins vs. Cowboys, 1983 Season, second game. This game is what I call the infamous "No, Danny, No" Bowl. The Cowboys I think were in like a 4th Down and 1 situation, and Dallas QB Danny White was faking snaps in a desperate attempt to draw the 'Skins offside. During this, the camera showed Tom Landry yelling from the sidelines, "NO, DANNY, NO!!" But if I remember correctly, Danny let the play clock run out, causing a delay of game penalty on the Cowboys. The camera then showed Coach Landry shaking his head and cursing. Now Coach Landry was always a calm coach, even in panic situations. But that was the angriest I had ever seen him.
Night Court
OK, maybe this is just memorable for me but I can never forget the 3 part episode "Danny got his Gun" where Dan had to fulfill a commitment to the army and go away to fight. Soon after he leaves a courier comes to the court with a message and Harry makes the courier sing the message because Harry says he's always wanted to recieve a singing telegram. The message was "The US Army sadly states that sometime yesterday, Capt. Fielding's plane went down North of Hudson Bay." Again, maybe it's just me, but I laughed for days after that.
North & South - Miniseries
Please....who can forget Patrick Swayze as Capt. Orry Main?!?!?
One Life To Live
During the whole Viki/Niki 1984-1986 was the best. For a while, people did not know if it was Viki or Niki. Some people had not seen Niki since the 70's so it was a rare treat.
Our House
"A Point of View". Molly Witherspoon (Keri Houlihan) make friends with a new student in her class named Dana (the late Heather O'Rourke in a guest spot), who is blind. Dana teaches Molly to see things the way she sees them.
Our House
In the episode "Artful Dodging," when Molly Witherspoon (Keri Houlihan) and her friends form a club called "The Cool Cats." In order to be a member, Molly has to steal a music box.
Perfect Strangers
Larry and Balki are contestants on the TV game show "Risk It All". Larry would rather answer questions to win prizes, while Balki wants to do the stunts. They end up having to do every messy Double-Dare-type stunt on the stage and, in the end, THEY LOSE EVERYTHING!!!!!
Press Your Luck
A contestant named Michael (Michael Paul Larson, to be exact) won $110,237 in just one sitting. He had memorized the "big board's" patterns and therefore continued to hit high dollar amounts, expensive prizes, and extra spins and only hit one Whammy (on his first spin when he had literally nothing to lose anyway). I'm suprised the host, Peter Tomarken, didn't have a heart attack on-camera!
Punky Brewster
The episode where Punky and Cherry join a club called "The Chicklets", a group of girls who are older and very flashy. They bring out cocaine and other drugs in Punky's tree house, which forces Punky and Cherry to choose whether they want to be "cool" or "smart". The episode eventually launched that "Just Say No" campaign in the US.
Punky Brewster
When the kids are playing hide and go seek & Cheri Johnson hides in the refigerator that Henry was throwing away gets stuck in there and Punky saves her life.
Quantum Leap
"The Color of Truth"--an episode from the first season in 1989, in which Sam (Scott Bakula) makes the leap into the body of an aging black chauffeur named Jesse Tyler, in pre-civil rights movement Alabama (1955). The episode deat with race relations and separation. Sam was unable to understand why the white people were so prejudiced towards the African-Americans, but when he saves the life of his elderly boss, he gains acceptance from the small community. This was a powerful episode.
Quantum Leap
"What Price Gloria?"--1989 1st season. Fate plays its first (and definitely not the last) cruel joke on Sam (Scott Bakula) when he leaps into the body of a 26 year old "executive" secretary named Samantha Stormer. She's blonde, she's beautiful, and poor Sam is wearing her dreses and high heels! The problem is, Sam must fend off lecherous co-workers, a sleazy boss named Buddy Wright, who is leading Samantha's roomate Gloria Collins into a relationship that will crash and burn. And when it does, Gloria will commit suicide. Sam has to save Gloria and convince her that she has something to live for. In addition, he has to fight off the lecherous advances and convince Al (Dean Stockwell) that it's Sam he's talking to, NOT a gorgeous blonde. It's not easy! I found out that after this leap, the writers made it so that Al could see Sam as he is and not as the person he is!
Quantum Leap
The pilot episode on March 25, 1989. Dr. Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) is in the Accelerator Chamber, with Gooshie attempting to stop him. Suddenly, he vanishes. He wakes up in 1956 with little memory of his own life, and is baffled by the mirror image (not his own!). The whole first episode basically was Sam in a bitter mood with no memory, who is TERRIFIED of Al (Dean Stockwell). Much of the dialouge in the episode was Sam's mental voice, which really was kind of cool. Aired as a 2 hour movie.
The Return Of The Warner Bros. Shield
Circa 1985. After being absent from TV and movies since the early 70s, the WB Shield was back. I guess the logo they used before then--a black ball with white stripes that represented a "W" against an orange background--didn't identify with Warner Bros. as well. Whenever people thought of Warner Bros., they instantly thought of that razor-sharp image of that WB Shield that caught their eye. Warner Bros. basically used the same Shield design as they did in their films of the 50s. A rather broad shield that was dark blue inside with the "WB" and the shield's trim orange. Its background was a partly cloudy sky. A banner across the shield included the words, "Warner Bros. Pictures". And underneath the shield, it said, "A Warner Communications Company". This image is still used today, but underneath the shield the words have been changed to "An AOL Time Warner Company".
Royal Wedding
When almost all of the nation got up at the crack of dawn to see the future king marry his princess
Saturday Night Live 15th Anniversary
Aired in September 1989. After years of uncertainty in terms of what the future held for "Saturday Night Live," this special confirmed that "SNL" was in for the long run. The prime-time special boasted big names and paid tribute to the show's first 15 years, from 1975-1990. The special was divided into tributed eras: 1975-80, 1980-85, and 1985-present. It also paid tribute to John Belushi, who died in 1982, and Gilda Radner, who died in 1989, months before the special.
Saturday Night Live
December 3, 1988 (host Danny De Vito). Cast member Jan Hooks played a hooker 4 times in the episode--Jessica Hawn, Danny De Vito's hooker date, a 1940s trollup in a war film where everyone said "bastard," and a 1980s whore.
Saturday Night Live
December 6, 1986. Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short were guest hosts on this episode, to promote the movie "Three Amigos!". On "Weekend Update," Dennis Miller co-anchored with Chevy Chase. At the beginning, the theme song for Update that week was "The Odd Couple," and Dennis Miller said "Good evening, I'm Dennis Miller..." and Chevy Chase says, "...and I'm not!" Wow! What a classic.
Saturday Night Live
Dennis Miller sings Cat Stevens. He sings "I'm being followed by a big Muslim, big Muslim, big Muslim...BIG MUSLIM!" "If it was them, I'd agree, but it wasn't it's hard, so hard, and now I have to go away." He turns to the other camera and smiles, then breaks into song again "OOOH BABY BABY IT'S A WILD WORLD BA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA!"
Saturday Night Live
The Schillervision "under 10-minute" film "Love is a Dream" (December 1988) that aired on "Saturday Night Live." It was a tribute to romance films of yesteryear. An elderly woman (Jan Hooks) gets a small box out of a safe, and opens it to find a velour cloth containing a diamond-encrusted tiara and pearl necklace. She places the tiara on her head and a man walks up and puts the pearls on her neck. That man is the gifted late Phil Hartman. Hooks becomes young again, and the two begin dancing and singing "Love is a Dream." Watching this sketch made us understand the love their obvious star-crossed characters had. Then, the dream fades, and the elderly woman leaves, but not before an elderly guard (Hartman) salutes her. Elderly Hooks blows him a kiss. It was so heart-wrenching and beautiful. However, I didn't realize how much so until this was played at the end of Hartman's tribute episode in June 1998. The meaning of the sketch is real deep, something that is almost unexpected of "Saturday Night Live." No one was laughing, and rightly so, this was beautiful, and I'm sure there wasn't a dry eye in the house at the 25th Anniversary celebration in 1999 when they played this sketch.
Saturday Night Live
The one where Eddie Murphy plays Raheem, the movie critic. He "interviews" guest host Ron Howard, calling him "Opie Cunningham". When Howard gets upset, he tells Raheem to "Sit on it, Bucko!"
Saved By The Bell
When Jessie gets addicted to drugs to keep up with school work and her social life. This episode showed a younger audience that even legal drugs could be dangerous and even deadly.
Saved By The Bell
When the group graduates High School and go their separate ways.
Sesame Street
The episode where Mr. Hooper died, and they had to explain it to everyone.
Silver Spoons
The episode where Derek (played by Jason Bateman) gets Ricky to dress up as a girl for a party. I think he has to dance with one of his friends, who gets fresh with him, and so Ricky slaps him in the face while uttering the words,"I'm not that kind of girl!"
Simon And Simon
The episode from 1984 where the detectives try to help a high school student with a drug problem. A.J. gets his coffee spiked with LSD and starts hallucinating.
St. Elsewhere
The last episode, when it was determined that the whole show was nothing more than an autistic boy's imagination as he stared into a snow globe.
St. Elsewhere
There was a patient in the hospital with amnesia, who thought he might be Mary Richards (The Mary Tyler Moore Show.) He ran into Betty White in the hallway, (she was a recurring character at the time playing an Air Force Pilot) he started screaming, "Sue Ann, Sue Ann" (Betty's character on MTM). It was very clever.
The Start of the 1989 World Series
Just as they're getting ready to play, the screen goes dead and come back a minute later. The San Francisco earthquake of 1989 hit. Everyone got up calmly and left the stadium like it was business as usual.
Super Bowl XX--January 26, 1986
DA CHICAGO BEARS, complete with the William "The Refrigerator" Perry and the late great Walter Payton, beat the New England Patriots 46 to 10!
Taxi
When Louie cons the rich kid out of his money in the cab.
thirtysomething
I was a gay teenager in high school, in northern Utah, at the end of the '80s... one "most memorable" moment for me was the episode of "thirtysomething" in which Russell (David Marshall Grant) and Peter (Peter Frechette) were shown in bed together, having made love after their big date. It was the first time on network TV that two men were shown in bed together in a gay context. I always admired the creators of "thirtysomething" for pushing the envelope in exploring the character of Russell, and it gave me hope that after high school, I'd leave Mormonville and find a nice man like him myself. Drooling over Ken Olin week-to-week was also a plus.
Three's Company
I don't know if this particular episode aired in 1979 or 1980. But this is my favorite Three's Company episode of all time. In the episode, Jack is warned away from his new girlfriend by her overprotective, muscle-bound brother.
Three's Company
I'm not sure if this happened in the 1970s or 1980s stretch of "Three's Company," but there was some controversey in early 2001 when Nick @ Nite showed an episode in which Jack (John Ritter) flops down on a bed wearing blue teeny-tiny boxer shorts. Of course, this part is no biggie, but his,-um, well, his balls-popped out of his shorts!!
Three's Company
My favorite moment was when Janet and Chrissy go in to Jack's room and tell him he has 60 seconds to get rid of his girlfriend. Here it's Mr.Roper!
Three's Company
The two-part series finale in which everyone moves out, leaving Mr. Furley and Larry behind. A real tear-jerker.
Tienaman Square
Remember watching Dallas on a Friday night when suddenly we were interupted by Peter Jennings and the Tienaman Square incident in China?
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson
John Davidson was the musical guest and he tried to sing a song from "Man of LaMancha". He keeps on screwing up the words, saying in between that he usually could memorize the words in his sleep.
The Tonight Show
Sometime around the Spring of 1982, guest Dana Hill does a hilarious impersonation of Howard Cosell, and actually cracks Johnny Carson up.
TV Movie The Day After
Who else was scared to death by this movie? I was too scared to watch it. It was about nuclear war. Height of the cold war. The movie made the cover of TV Guide that week and I threw it away...I was that freaked out by it.
V- the miniseries
One of the best mini series made for television. I remember being totally blown away when Diana ate the mouse. That was just something you didn't see on tv back then. It also had an excellent follow-up mini series V-the Final Battle. But it spawned a lame series, too.
Video Killed The Radio Star
The birth of MTV on August 1, 1981! Most memorably for those who had cable(or their MTV, for the matter) with the first video being "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles.
The Wall Falls
The video footage of the Berlin wall coming down helped signal the end of the Cold War and the start of a new era in Soviet relations with the US.
Webster
When Webster is playing with a chemistry kit, and hides it in his closet. Everyone goes to bed and at night a fire starts, buring down the whole Stephanopolous apartment.
Who Shot J.R.?
This is the one in 1980 that kept people talking at the end of the season, and started the trend of season cliff-hangers.
Whos the Boss?
When Sam gets married and they show all those clips of her when shes little and Tonys sad and says "Just because I gave you away, dont mean you aint still mine"
WKRP in Cincinnati
Whatever sense of fashion Herb had. If watching them in the 80s was hilarious, now in the 90s it is 100% vintage. Also when Les Nessman was at Jennifer`s place, and her date (of course, a handsome, athletic guy)comes in and says something like: "A man`s name represents his personality. For example, my name is Steel. What`s yours", he asks Nessman, who simply answers, feeling and sounding like a tiny and useless piece of nothing: "Les".
The Wonder Years
The two-part series finale when Kevin finally has all those misfortunes he had down through the years he was going to take, and finally does something about it. It all starts when Kevin gets mad at his father and quits his job at his father's furniture shop. Then he leaves home to go "find himself". He actually goes to track girlfriend Winnie down at her summer job, for fear that Winnie may be cheating on him. Kevin takes a job at that resort to keep an eye on Winnie. And his fears come true. After catching Winnie and another guy kissing, he punches the guy out, causing Winnie to lose her job. Kevin and Winnie end up going back home together, but not under good circumstances--because they started off arguing, but eventually made up. I guess this shows that sometimes you have to be a bad guy to get what you want in life.
The Wonder Years
When they all graduate and realize that they are going in different directions, and will somehow have to try to hold on to their childhood together
Wonder Years
The episode where Wayne's friend comes back from Vietnam and Wayne discovers he's really messed up and can't handle all the verbal abuse back home. It gives me an insight as to what my father and father-in-law had to go through.
Wonder Years
The very first episode, where Kevin's neighbor is killed in Vietnam, and Kevin and Winnie have their first kiss.
Wonder Years
When Kevin's math teacher died in an episode. The last scene, where Kevin imagines the teacher sitting behing his desk with the song "Goodbye My Friend" playing, is one of the most moving moments in television history.
Wonder Years
last episode- winnie and kevin do (welll you know) for the first time, they come back home, and later on thruogh the years he marries someone else and his dad dies
WWF
When Cindi Lauper got involved with pro wrestling in 1985 and wrestling became a fad.
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