We have long been blessed with some stellar TV shows from across the pond, but surely it was the 1980s that gave us the greatest crop of US televisual delights. Below, for your nostalgic reading pleasure, are 15 amazing American TV shows that all 80s kids would love to see return.


15. Airwolf

Featuring a souped-up helicopter, a legendary theme tune and the gorgeous Jan-Michael Vincent, Airwolf had us dreaming that we too could take to the skies and shoot down some baddies.

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14. CHiPs

CHiPs followed officers Francis Poncherello and Jonathan Baker, two motorcycle cops working for the California Highway Patrol who were seemingly unable to carry out any arrests unless they were travelling as a pair.

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13. Quantum Leap

One of the most popular shows of the late 80s and early 90s saw Scott Bakula’s Dr Sam Beckett partake in lots and lots of ‘quantum teleportation,’ as he took over the bodies of people from many different locations and eras.

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12. Knight Rider

The legendary David Hasselhoff may have been brilliant in the lead role, but our favourite character in Knight Rider was always Michael Knight’s super cool, talking car K.I.T.T.

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11. MacGyver

The fact that he could fashion a bomb from a pipe, a broken toilet bowl, a light bulb and a rubber glove meant that we were hooked on the adventures of Angus MacGyver right from the start.

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10. The Incredible Hulk

These days Hulk is created entirely by special effects artists, but it doesn’t matter how impressive the computer whizz-kids are able to make him look, because in our eyes Lou Ferrigno will always be the most incredible version of Marvel’s muscular green superhero.

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9. The Dukes of Hazzard

We’ve always loved watching cars perform stunts, meaning that we never tired of watching the Duke boys race around Hazzard Country in their legendary orange ‘General Lee’ Dodge Charger.

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8. The A-Team

Although we’d love to see the continued adventures of Hannibal Smith, Faceman Peck, B.A. Baracus and Howling Mad Murdock, the awful 2010 movie reboot proved that the original cast of The A-Team will always be the best.

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7. The Wonder Years

A brilliant coming-of-age drama set in the late 60s and early 70s, The Wonder Years followed the middle-class teenage trio of Kevin Arnold, Gwendolyn ‘Winnie’ Cooper and Paul Pfeiffer.

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6. Cagney & Lacey

The multi award-winning Cagney & Lacey starred Sharon Gless as career-minded single woman Christine Cagney alongside Tyne Daly as married working mother Mary Beth Lacey.

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5. Miami Vice

Miami Vice may just be the coolest TV show of all time, due to its suave pairing of Don Johnson as James ‘Sonny’ Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ‘Rico’ Tubbs, as well as the gorgeous cars – a 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder, followed by a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa – that would regularly transport the duo from A to B.

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4. Street Hawk

The first time we saw ex-motorcycle cop turned police troubleshooter Jesse Mach ride his all-terrain attack motorcycle we were completely and utterly hooked, especially when Street Hawk reached the unbelievable speed of 300 miles per hour.

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3. Magnum, P.I.

It starred the always cool Tom Selleck as private investigator Thomas Magnum, and in the United States Magnum, P.I. was one of the most popular TV shows of the 1980s.

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2. Twin Peaks

It may have confused us almost as much as it thrilled us, but Twin Peaks – which was partly inspired by the real-life unsolved murder of Hazel Drew in 1909 – was a weird and wonderful show that we made sure never to miss.

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1. The Fall Guy

The Fall Guy may not be as well known as many of the other entries on our list, but this entertaining show – which starred Lee Majors and Douglas Barras as stuntmen who moonlight as bounty hunters – is well worth checking out should you have the opportunity.

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