5 Forgotten Sitcoms From The '80s That Still Hold Up Today

The 1980s were a sitcom fan's paradise. But for every "Family Ties," "Cheers," or "Full House," there was a "Just the Ten of Us" or "Free Spirit." Shows that either developed a small following and died quick deaths, or became one-season wonders, forever enshrined in the public consciousness as also-rans. No matter how unique, funny, or charming they were, the world has completely forgotten that these shows exist. And that's a shame, because they have a lot to teach us about the time period — and just plain entertain us as well.

This list contains five sitcoms that are still completely watchable decades later, but have been tragically forgotten since the '80s took their last bow. Most of them are easy binge watches that you can complete in a single weekend, though at least one will require more dedicated viewing time. But all of them are worth a second look. Whether they lean heavily on whimsy or fearlessly tell the truth about single motherhood, there's plenty about them to enjoy and admire. Here are five sitcoms you should try to track down, because they still hold up to this day, even if you can't remember very much about them.

As a single-season wonder that plunges a witch into the modern world, "Free Spirit" is playful, light-hearted, and silly. If it had come out in the 1960s — when fantasy sitcoms ruled the world — it might have thrived. Instead, it sank. It was a surprising fate for the show since its lead-in was the similarly forgotten but, in its time, comparatively successful drama "Life Goes On." Yet for some '80s kids, it made an indelible impression. Years later, Winnie's antics are bound to make you laugh, and her season-long sojourn with the Harper clan is definitely worth watching. 

The series takes place in Connecticut and centers on the Harpers, whose life turns pear-shaped when ancient, immortal witch Winnie Goodwinn (Corinne Bohrer) is summoned to the house by the youngest member of the family, Gene (Edan Gross). Though Winnie has lived for centuries, her spells often go on the fritz, getting the kids and their father, Thomas J. Harper (Franc Luz), in major trouble. Gene and his siblings, Jessie (Alyson Hannigan, of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Robb (Paul Scherrer), team up to protect Winnie's secret, getting her a job as the new family housekeeper. Winnie tries to help the kids adjust to their parents' separation as well as their move from fast-paced New York to their new suburban house.

Years before The Walt Disney Company bought ABC, and decades before "Ella Enchanted" and "Hoodwinked!," this two-season wonder took a "Shrek"-like look at life beyond happily ever after for a fairytale couple. "The Charmings" was funny and well-acted, but it isn't well-remembered nowadays, which is a shame because it gets very inventive with its simple premise. It's a kind of show that begs for a revival of some kind, since fairytale reimaginings aimed at both big kids and little ones have become all the rage in recent years. 

Snow White (Caitlin O'Heaney and Carol Huston) and Prince Eric Charming (Christopher Rich) think that they've finally rid themselves of Snow's wicked stepmother, Lillian (Judy Parfitt), after tossing her down an allegedly bottomless well. They happily rule over the Enchanted Forest and produce two lovely sons (Brandon Call and Garette Ratliff Henson). But Lillian survives her fall and, in an attempt at getting revenge on Snow and Eric, curses the whole royal family to sleep for thousands of years. She joins them in their slumber, having accidentally cursed herself in the process. They all wake up in modern-day California, where Snow and Eric take up workaday jobs and move their loved ones to suburbia. Lillian lives upstairs in the company of her magic mirror (Paul Winfield), who always has a droll comment on the family's goings-on. On top of that, one of Snow's seven dwarves, the acerbic Luther (Cork Hubbert), is along for the ride.

It's amazing that an Emmy-winning success like "Kate & Allie" could be forgotten so easily, but the sitcom has become an obscurity, turning into a hit '80s sitcom nobody talks about anymore. This is despite its six-season run and illustrious awards-season history. The chemistry between Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin demands more attention, as does the show's fun and easygoing premise. It's definitely worth taking up if you like sitcoms about single moms, or if you haven't given it a rewatch recently.

Kate McArdle (Saint James) and Allison Lowell (Curtin) are two old friends who decide to combine households in the wake of their divorces. They share a New York apartment while pursuing fresh romance, parenting their blended family, and dealing with work problems. Each of their kids — Allie's son, Chip (Frederick Koehler) and daughter, Jennie (Allison Smith), and Kate's daughter, Emma (Ari Meyers) — must cope with all of the changes wrought by their moms' choices.

When one thinks of Fox's early line-up, one probably thinks of its first big hit — "Married...with Children." or perhaps they call to mind critical darlings like "The Tracey Ullman Show" and "It's Garry Shandling's Show." But there are plenty of unsung series with surprisingly long shelf lives that coexisted with these sitcoms and sketch shows. One of the most interesting examples of this phenomenon was "Duet," a simple romantic comedy about relationships that lasted for three seasons — and was then retooled into a workplace sitcom. Those first three seasons are definitely worth tracking down. Irresistibly romantic with a whole lot of goofiness thrown in, "Duet" is still refreshingly charming, and surprisingly wholesome for a Fox show, even though it's not well-remembered nowadays.

"Duet" is about the simmering relationship between Ben Coleman (Matthew Laurance), a writer of mysteries, and caterer Laura Kelly (Mary Page Keller). Laura's quirky younger sister, Jane (Jodi Thelen), and Ben's dog, Reuben, are there to provide extra moral support to our heroine and hero, respectively. Ben and Laura's closest friends are salesman-turned-professional pianist Richard Phillips (Chris Lemmon) and his wife, Linda (Alison La Placa), a movie studio executive. Richard and Linda's daffy maid, Geneva (Arleen Sorkin), pops in with snarky commentary while making a third of Laura and Jane. At the tail end of Season 3 — after giving Richard and Linda a daughter and marrying Ben to Laura — the sitcom was rebooted into the real estate agency sitcom "Open House," in which both Linda and Laura lose their spouses and start selling houses. It lasted for one season before dying.

"Just the Ten of Us" helped the early career of an MCU power broker. Yes, director-producer Matt Shakman's sitcom past includes this early TGIF staple. "Just the Ten of Us" only managed a three-season run but still made a big impression on Gen Xers everywhere, who can probably hum at least one "Lubbock Babes" tune to this day. And yet it's not out on DVD and isn't currently streaming or airing on syndication, making it a forgotten treasure for anyone else walking the planet.

A spin-off of "Growing Pains" — one of the best '80s sitcoms — "Just the Ten of Us" revolves around Mike Seaver's (Kirk Cameron) teacher, Coach Graham Lubbock (Bill Kirchenbauer). Laid off from his job at Mike and Carol's (Tracey Gold) high school, Coach Lubbock moves his eight kids and his wife, Elizabeth (Deborah Harmon), cross-country from Long Island to Eureka, California, to pursue a new job opportunity. The position is both a dream and a nightmare for Graham. He gets a steady paycheck and an expansive home on the grounds of St. Augustine's school, but his teenage daughters will have to attend the all-boys Catholic school.

Aspiring nun Marie (Heather Langenkamp), dim bulb Cindy (Jamie Luner), scheming Wendy (Brooke Theiss), and artistic Connie (JoAnn Willette) formed the narrative core of the show for the most part; as noted above, they eventually form an all-girl singing group called "The Lubbock Babes" to make extra money for the family. Other family members include prankster J.R. (Shakman), sardonic Sherry (Heidi Zeigler), and infants Harvey and Melissa.