Our Favourite 80s TV Shows!

The 80s was full of iconic cultural entertainment. It did not fall short at TV! From sit-coms to art shows, the decade had it all! It’s only right, then, we discuss and celebrate some of our favourite TV Shows. They are clearly unforgettable, even 30 years on! Read on to learn about 3 of The Edge’s top picks for 80’s TV Shows!

Full House (1987-1995)

Arriving to the screens in the late 1980s, ABCs Full House won the hearts of families across America, and soon after, the world. I think we’re all familiar with the concept by now, especially since the Netflix spin-off Fuller House. But, to families at the time, it was probably a brand new concept – three men raising children with very little female help; especially the first season sans “Aunt Becky” portrayed by Lori Loughlin. This made for a pretty comedic storyline, these men often had no idea what they were doing with these kids, but it added a wholesome element, as the girls formed bonds with their uncles; most notably the relationship between Michelle and Uncle Jesse.

While the story was also laced with the heartbreak of the girls and their father grappling with the loss of their mother, and adjusting to an atypical definition of family, the show changed the way that kids and their parents alike viewed the notion of ‘family’. It may not look like two parents, two kids, a dog and a picket fence, but the love built up in the walls of the Tanner household was core to the definition of their family.

I think it was a pretty iconic show for its time, and its spin-off doing so well for four seasons just emphasises that. Michelle’s iconic moments remains one of the main GIFs passed around my family and friend group-chats for the purpose of memes. My personal favourite moment? Michelle running after her big sisters, massive ice skate in hand, “wait for me I got little legs!!!!” I can DEFINITELY resonate with that! I just wish there was a more accessible way to watch it!!

Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

By Rhianna Saglani

The Joy of Painting (1983-1994)

Most people will be familiar with Bob Ross’s soothing voice as he guides the viewer to create recognisable and beautiful oil landscape studies with no reference but his own canvas. The Joy of Painting ran from 1983-1994 – quite easily timestamped by Ross’s iconic perm – spanning a tremendous thirty-one seasons and over four hundred episodes.

While in its own time The Joy of Painting presumably only actually served as a purely instructional guide for those with a canvas set up in their front room, the show has resurfaced in popularity in the 21st century primarily due to Ross’s calming demeanour and encouraging catchphrases. Ross’s attitude when painting can and should be extended into general life; hidden beneath the guise of painting instructions, he seemingly so offhandedly drops small nuggets of wisdom, such as “there are no mistakes, just happy accidents”, and “if you have light on light, you have nothing. If you have dark on dark, you basically have nothing. Just like in life. You gotta have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come.” He views the world with a certain kind of magic, giving the trees ‘little friends’ and encouraging the viewer to create their own world within their painting.

During lockdown 1, my friends and I often had Bob Ross painting sessions on Zoom, providing not only something creative to do with our time but also the calming words we needed to hear to get through such a difficult period. The show certainly fits into the category of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response: a tingling sensation caused by auditory triggers and now a popular category of YouTube videos that feature whispering and relaxing noises), with Ross’s lowered tone and calming sounds of brush on canvas.

The Joy of Painting can be found on YouTube, whether you want to follow along painting with him or pop him on to help you sleep, learn artist tricks or a new philosophy to life.

via Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)

By Charlie Burgess

Only Fools And Horses

You plonker, Rodney!

My first memory of John Sullivan’s Only Fools and Horses was hearing my dad’s booming laughter as Del Boy (Davis Jason) iconically falls through the bar after ditching the Nag’s Head for a posher place; It’s every fan’s favourite! And the most hilarious part is when Del gets up, he still has his glass in his hand! Watching this scene as a child made me laugh at the stupidity of the characters, but as an adult, I can appreciate the deft comic acting of David Jason in his prime. His comedic timing is impeccable throughout the series, and it’s commendable that he’s created such a recognisable character!

Nicholas Lyndhurst played Del Boy’s younger brother, Rodney, or ‘Dave’ as Trigger (Roger Lloyd-Pack) called him. Rodney lacks the charisma and confidence of his older brother, but his intelligence is a hilarious foil to Del Boy’s ignorance. My favourite episode is The Unlucky Winner is (1989) in which Rodney wins an art competition and gets to fly to Spain with girlfriend Casssandra (Gwenyth Strong) and Del. Turns out however, that Del entered him into the Under 15 category, and now Rodney has to pretend to be a 14 (and a half!) year old while Cassandra and Del act as his mum and step dad. A scene where Rodney goes skateboarding and gets chased by a little girl still makes me howl with laughter!

I have always loved this show for the nostalgia. It brought the Scott-Munden’s together as a family, providing a special glimpse into my parent’s life in the 80s, as well as the set being reminiscent of my nan’s house which was stuck in the decade! Regardless of the sentimentals of the show, it’s also the best comedy there’s ever been, with incredible writing, incredible acting, and an incredible theme tune!