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Oh, how we love the '80s. No, wait, that's VH1. We love '80s TV shows. The rest of the decade can go to hell. But the shows, oh the shows, they are the shows we grew up watching, the shows that taught us how to be real men and real women, the shows we enjoyed when we should've been doing our homework or playing sports or trying to sneak into bars. But while we loved them all, we must admit that we loved some more than others. Below are the ten we remember most fondly, and why we still hum their theme songs when no one's listening.
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'Cosby Show'
When it aired: 1984-1992
Created by: Michael Leeson, Ed Weinberger, and Bill Cosby
What was it about: Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (Cosby) tries to be
the father who knows best to four high-spirited kids and his
equally strong-headed wife, Clair (Phylicia Rashad).
Why we loved it: Because it showed that African-American families can be just as white-bread as every other TV family.
Factoid fun: In a 2004 issue of TV Guide, Cosby's character came in first in a list of "The 50 Greatest Dads of All Time." Jim Anderson was not pleased.
Where are they now: Now without a prime-time family to impart his wisdom to (or an unhealthy food product to shill for), Billy spends his days yelling at young people to pull up their pants. | |
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'The A-Team'
When it aired: 1983-1987
Created by: Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo
What was it about: On the run after being convicted of a crime they actually did commit (albeit under orders from a commanding officer who never bothered to write those orders down), four Vietnam vets drive around in a van, helping people, instead of trying to clear their name.
Why we loved it: Because it was like a big, dumb action movie every week.
Factoid fun: The gold chains worn by Mr. T usually weighed between thirty-five and forty pounds.
Where are they now: Probably still helping people.
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'The Dukes Of Hazzard'
When it aired: 1979-1985
Created by: Gy Waldron
What was it about: Cousins Bo and Luke Duke are some good ol' boys, never meanin' no harm. But don't it beat all, they've been in trouble with the law since the day they was born. Or so their theme song goes.
Why we loved it: Because it perpetuated the stereotype of rednecks all being cop-hating reckless drivers who wear sinfully-short shorts.
Factoid fun: On several occasions, the show's crew misspelled the first name of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane by adding an "e" to end of it like they were Dan Quayle spelling potato.
Where are they now: A second Dukes movie -- albeit one without Stiffler, Ashley Simpson's sister, that guy who likes getting hit in the family jewels or a plan to release it in theaters -- is being filmed as we speak. | |
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'Cheers'
When it aired: 1982-1993
Created by: James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles
What was it about: Former Red Sox pitcher Sam Malone (Ted Danson) runs a bar filled with loveable alcoholics who don't seem to have anywhere else to go.
Why we loved it: Because on Thursday nights in the '80s, we didn't have anywhere else to go either. And they were loveable alcoholics.
Factoid fun: The week "Cheers" debuted, it came in dead last in the Neilson ratings.
Where are they now: Some other bar. | | | | | |
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'Miami Vice'
When it aired: 1984-1989
Created by: Anthony Yerkovich
What was it about: Detectives Sonny Crocket (Don Johnson) and Rico Tubbs (Phillip Michael Thomas), who constantly pose as drug dealers in an attempt to curtail Florida's cocaine habit.
Why we loved it: Because it was like a stylish, smart action flick every week...well, until Sonny married that "Sugar Walls" lady, anyway.
Factoid fun: Had things gone a little differently, Crocket would've been played by Larry Wilcox of "CHiPs."
Where are they now: A new "Miami Vice" movie -- with Colin Farrell as Crocket, Jamie Foxx as Tubbs, and Michael Mann reprising his role as "the director" -- is currently in theaters.
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'Night Court'
When it aired: 1984-1992
Created by: Reinhold Weege
What was it about: Judge and amateur magician Harold T. "Harry" Stone (Harry Anderson) presides over a late-night arraignment court whose workers are as colorful as the criminals they deal with.
Why we loved it: Because John Larroquette played one of the most unapologetic but loveable shysters on TV ever.
Factoid fun: While jokes were made about the height of Bull the bailiff, the 6'7" actor who played him, Richard Moll, was actually only a few inches taller than his 6'4" co-stars Anderson and Larroquette.
Where are they now: Still workin' the night shift.
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'Alf'
When it aired: 1986-1990
Created by: Paul Fusco and Tom Patchett
What was it about: A smart ass alien crash lands in the Tanner family's backyard, and instead of anally probing them, he eats their food, chases their cat, and occasionally brings them closer together as a family.
Why we loved it: Because that acerbic alien Alf was like a furry Don Rickles. Plus the daughter, Lynn, looked like our first girlfriend (who, coincidentally, was also from the '80s).
Factoid fun: With the exception of the pilot, every episode was named after a song, including such rockers as "Wild Thing" (Season 1, Episode 19), "Stairway To Heaven" (Season 3, Episode 2), and "Wanted: Dead Or Alive" (Season 4, Episode 3).
Where are they now?: Having taken the last name Clausen, Alf now composes music for "The Simpsons."
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'Transformers'
When it aired: 1984-1987
Created by: Jay Bacal and John Gibbs
What was it about: It was all hot robot-on-robot action when the Autobots and the Decepticons -- sentient alien robots than can reconfigure their bodies to look like cars, planes, and in one case, a boom box - battle it out on Earth.
Why we loved it: Duh! Robots that can turn into sports cars and fighter jets? And they fight other robots? Do you really need to ask?
Factoid fun: Over the years, Optimus Prime and pals have made guest appearances on both "Family Guy" and "Robot Chicken" while Soundwave appeared in the film "Say Anything ... ."
Where are they now?: Currently filming a big budget bio-pic starring Bernie Mac, John Turturro, comedian Dane Cook, Josh Duhamel of "Las Vegas," Tyrese Gibson, Shia LaBeouf, the excellently-named Bylle Michele Fortier-Price, and Jon Voight. | |
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'Married ... with Children'
When it aired: 1987-1997
Created by: Rob Leavitt and Michael G. Moye
What was it about: Al Bundy (Ed O'Neill), who sells women shoes, doesn't bother trying to be the father who knows best to his screwed-up son, his stupid, slutty daughter, and his lazy wife, Peg (Katey Sagal).
Why we loved it: Because it was the anti-Cosby.
Factoid fun: Creators named the family after professional wrestler King Kong Bundy, who repaid the favor by guesting on an 1988 episode as one of Peg's hillbilly cousins, Uncle Irwin.
Where are they now?: While most of the family are M.I.A., Peg recently resurfaced as the soon-to-be reinstated spaceship captain for Planet Express Delivery Service a thousand years in the future, give or take a month.
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'Star Trek: The Next Generation'
When it aired: 1987-1994
Created by: Gene Roddenberry
What was it about: Nearly a hundred years after Kirk drove it around the galaxy, looking for chicks, a new Enterprise began a new mission to boldly go on TV where no one had gone since the original Trek was cancelled in 1969.
Why we loved it: Because we're Trekkers.
Factoid fun: The characters of Q and Geordi La Forge were actually named after "Trek" fans Janet Quarton and George La Forge. Did we mention that we're Trekkers?
Where are they now: Pulling the Enterprise out of mothballs so it can appear in the new space combat video games "Star Trek Legacy," which comes out this fall for PC and Xbox 360, and "Star Trek: Tactical Assault," out this fall on PSP and DS. | |
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Paul Semel writes about music, movies, TV, celebrities, and video games for such publications as Giant, Big Shot, Emmy, and Electronic Gaming Monthly. He is also available for boat shows and bridge dedications.
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| Cassette Tape
Echoes of soft melodies
Enchanting as a music box
Projected through a thin film
Encircling the mechanical wheels
As the film loops, it goes round and round about
However, it always goes back and forth
As the tune plays again...
Round and Round about.
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haha, well well, heat is catching up again, hope they make the game on saturday 2!! and sun isnt doing so well.... hmm..... well...... ;P | | |
| House of flying daggers is #1 movie on my list now. lesson: | | |
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Why the NBA is worth watching again
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In a moment, you will be accosted by the urge to roll your eyes.
There are at least two reasons why you should avoid such a maneuver:
- Unless you're using a surface that's soft and unusually clean, rolling your eyes always is a bad idea.
- What I'm about to declare just may be true.
OK, here's my big announcement (if you have the drum-roll option on your computer, use it now):
The NBA is close to becoming fantastic, again.
Sure, I'm aware of the obvious reasons to reject this notion.
Let's begin with the New York Knicks, who are sufficiently horrible to burden first-year coach Larry Brown with an acid reflux condition. But I worry that Knicks president Isiah Thomas could be in for an even trickier gastronomic crisis if he attempts to eat Stephon Marbury's contract.
The NBA also must reconcile the issue of tights being worn by one of its two leading MVP candidates. When Michael Jordan began filming commercials on behalf of Hanes, we had little idea it would come to this.
Anyway, those issues notwithstanding, the NBA really is coming around. So, with the playoffs now within sniffing distance, I've listed a few reasons why the league is much better than a lot of you alleged basketball purists may want to believe:
The San Antonio Spurs
It's true — the possibility of seeing the point guard's girlfriend is the most exciting element attached to a Spurs game.
But — much like Eva Longoria's Desperate Housewives character — the Spurs are dangerous playing fast or slow.
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| The chance to see Eva Longoria courtside may be the most exciting aspect of a Spurs game ... but it isn't the only one. (Eric Gay / Associated Press) |
If you prefer a quick tempo, Longoria's guy (Tony Parker) will team up with Manu Ginobili to run the ball down your throat. If the pace is a bit slower, the Spurs can throw the ball into Tim Duncan; the opposition then must decide between the poisons of single coverage and open 3-pointers out of double teams.
By the way, the Spurs also play great defense.
The Detroit Pistons
Now that Brown is in New York, the Pistons — who were playing good defense before Larry showed up in Motown — are playing very well on offense.
They also honor purist sensibilities by thriving without suiting up a dominant star.
The Phoenix Suns
If you prefer a ridiculously fast tempo, this is your team. For the record, the Suns have achieved the Western Conference's second seed while playing without superstar big man Amare Stoudemire.
They continue to be even scarier in transition than your mother-in-law's makeup kit.
For the sake of full disclosure, we must point out that the Phoenix defense still can be as toothless as Steve Nash's comb.
LeBron James
He has the size, strength and athleticism of a cartoon character.
According to Akron insiders, LeBron has been on the radar for greatness since he bypassed the tricycle and went right to a two-wheeler.
Announcers
You will not hear Dick Vitale or Billy Packer during an NBA telecast. But you may hear Bill Walton (preceded by Stephen A. Smith), so this one's a push.
Mrs. Andrei Kirilenko
The former Russian pop star allows her hubby — the best player currently employed by the Utah Jazz — to take a road-trip lover for one night per season. We're just wondering if Andrei would be allowed an infidelity bonus if the Jazz made the playoffs.
Player development
You may disagree, but I believe Dwight Howard showed more improvement last season as an Orlando Magic freshman than Josh McRoberts did at Duke this year.
Dwight Howard
The kid looks good enough to take some of the pressure away from Darko Milicic.
Best-of-seven
The NBA's playoff format almost guarantees that the best team from each conference will survive to provide us with a compelling final.
Even though I love college basketball, the one-and-done variable of March Madness left us with a dull championship game.
Chris Paul
The Oklahoma City-New Orleans rookie point guard is considered by many to be the second coming of Isiah Thomas.
Let's just hope he doesn't go into coaching or team management.
L.A. Clippers
Sam Cassell continues to crave that precious ring, but Elton Brand is much easier to follow than Frodo.
Avery Johnson
Thanks to a voice seemingly assisted by the intake of helium, Avery has been able to drown out Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. More important, Johnson has convinced the Mavericks that defense is the way to win in May.
Before Avery arrived in Little D, the Mavs were incapable of keeping a Kia under 100.
No zone offense required
Commissioner David Stern allowed the zone defense to return a few years ago, but passing and shooting skills have limited its use.
In the college game, the disturbingly close 3-point line encourages teams to attack zones by shooting over them. The proper way to gut a zone is to flash a player into the middle (near the foul line) and pass him the ball, but we don't see enough of that.
The NBA's lack of zone usage preempts the chore of watching inappropriate zone offense.
Kobe Bryant
While wearing those stylish tights, Kobe has dragged a rag-tag L.A. Lakers team into the Western Conference playoffs.
Think of him as a magician working with scab rabbits.
Ron Artest in Sacramento
It's difficult to establish street cred when some of the streets have cattle guards. With Artest on board, the Kings now offer more than cow bells to stop opposing stars.
Venues
A football stadium will not be the site of an NBA Finals series.
European influence
While European players often sabotage the concept of team defense, they do provide an upgrade in shooting skill.
In summation, the early returns have been favorable, but we'll draw the line at armpit hair on a Laker Girl.
Randy Hill is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com. | | | |
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