Forgotten TV Shows

Why doesn’t anyone remember these great shows?

The world of television has given us a plethora of shows that have captured our hearts and minds over the years. However, there are many shows that have been forgotten in the annals of television history. These shows were once popular, but have since faded into obscurity. In this article, we’ll take a trip down memory lane and explore some of the most forgotten TV shows that no one talks about anymore.

Table of Contents

Cleghorne!

This sitcom aired on NBC for one season and starred Neve Campbell as a young woman who moves in with a family to take care of their children. The show’s premise was quirky and offbeat, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Drexell’s Class

This sitcom aired on Fox for two seasons and starred Dabney Coleman as a former college football coach who becomes the principal of a high school. The show’s premise was wacky and humorous, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

The Five Mrs. Buchanans

This sitcom aired on NBC for one season and starred Pamela Reed as a woman who marries a widower with four children. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Bridget Loves Bernie

This sitcom aired on CBS for two seasons and starred Meredith Baxter as a young woman who falls in love with a priest. The show’s premise was romantic and heartwarming, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Love & War

This sitcom aired on CBS for three seasons and starred Susan Dey as a woman who falls in love with a former soldier. The show’s premise was romantic and humorous, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Just the Ten of Us

This sitcom aired on ABC for four seasons and starred Bill Kirchenbauer as the coach of a high school basketball team. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

The Van Dyke Show

This sitcom aired on CBS for one season and starred Dick Van Dyke as a retired actor who becomes the caretaker of his children’s summer camp. The show’s premise was wacky and humorous, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Gung Ho!

This sitcom aired on ABC for one season and starred Bryan Cranston as a young American who moves to Japan to work at a car factory. The show’s premise was quirky and offbeat, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Good Grief!

This sitcom aired on ABC for one season and starred Adam Arkin as a young man who inherits a funeral home from his father. The show’s premise was quirky and humorous, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Freddy’s Nightmares

This anthology series aired on syndication for three seasons and featured Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) hosting a series of horror stories. The show’s premise was creepy and atmospheric, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Tales from the Darkside

This anthology series aired on syndication for three seasons and featured stories of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. The show’s premise was creepy and atmospheric, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Monsters!

This anthology series aired on syndication for two seasons and featured stories of science fiction and horror. The show’s premise was creepy and atmospheric, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

The New WKRP in Cincinnati

This sitcom aired on CBS for two seasons and starred Gary Sandy as the program director of an FM radio station in Cincinnati. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

AfterMASH

This sitcom aired on CBS for two seasons and starred Jamie Farr as a surgeon who returns to his hometown after the Vietnam War. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

The Greatest American Hero

This sci-fi comedy series aired on ABC for three seasons and starred William Katt as a high school teacher who becomes a superhero after discovering a superhero suit. The show’s premise was quirky and humorous, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Mr. Sunshine

This sitcom aired on ABC for one season and starred Alan Alda as the owner of an arena who tries to turn his life around after being fired from his job as a doctor. The show’s premise was quirky and humorous, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Kate And Allie

One of the most groundbreaking sitcoms of its time, Kate And Allie aired on CBS for six seasons and starred Jane Curtin and Arlene Dahl as two divorcee women who move in together with their children. The show’s unconventional family structure and strong female leads made it a standout in the 1980s. Despite its success, the show is rarely mentioned today, which is a shame.

227

Another forgotten gem from the 1980s, 227 was a sitcom that aired on NBC for four seasons. The show starred Marla Gibbs and featured a cast of talented actors, including Regina King and Jackée Harry. The show’s portrayal of a middle-class Black family was groundbreaking at the time, but it’s often overlooked in discussions of 80s TV.

Scarecrow And Mrs. King

This spy comedy-drama aired on CBS for four seasons and starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner as a married couple who get caught up in a spy caper. The show’s premise was wild and outlandish, but it had a loyal following during its run. Despite its success, the show is rarely mentioned today, which is surprising given its cult following.

Get A Life

Chris Elliott’s surreal sitcom Get A Life aired on Fox for two seasons and featured Elliott as a 30-year-old man who still lives with his parents. The show’s offbeat humor and quirky characters made it a cult favorite, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

A Different World

While The Cosby Show is still widely discussed today, its spinoff A Different World is often forgotten. The show followed Huxtable daughter Denise (Lisa Bonet) to college and aired on NBC for six seasons. Despite its popularity during its run, the show is rarely mentioned today.

Dear John

This short-lived sitcom aired on NBC for four seasons and starred Judd Hirsch as a jilted husband. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

The John Larroquette Show

After the success of Night Court, NBC gave John Larroquette his own show, which lasted for three seasons. The show followed Larroquette as a heavy drinker working in a newsstand in St. Louis. While it had its fans, the show is largely forgotten today.

Out Of This World

This sci-fi sitcom aired on NBC for four seasons and starred Maureen Flannigan as a teenager who is half-human and half-alien. The show’s premise was wild and outlandish, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Sledge Hammer!

This action-comedy series aired on ABC for two seasons and starred David Rasche as a wild detective. The show’s premise was over-the-top and campy, but it has a loyal following among fans of 80s TV.

Spencer

This short-lived sitcom aired on NBC for 13 episodes and starred Chad Lowe as a high school slacker. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Hunter

This crime drama aired on NBC for seven seasons and starred Fred Dryer as a tough-as-nails detective. The show’s premise was gritty and realistic, but it’s often overlooked in discussions of 80s TV.

The Amazing Spider-Man

This live-action TV series aired on CBS for two seasons and starred Nicholas Hammond as Spider-Man. The show’s premise was nostalgic for many audiences who grew up with the character, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Spenser: For Hire

This crime drama aired on ABC for three seasons and starred Robert Urich as private investigator Spenser. The show’s premise was gritty and realistic, but it’s often overlooked in discussions of 80s TV.

Gimme A Break!

This sitcom aired on NBC for four seasons and starred Nell Carter as a housekeeper who becomes the de facto mother to three kids. The show’s premise was heartwarming and relatable, but it never gained lasting popularity.

My Sister Sam

This sitcom aired on CBS for two seasons and starred Pam Dawber as a woman who returns to her hometown after her sister’s death. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Benson

This sitcom aired on ABC for seven seasons and starred Robert Guillaume as a wisecracking butler who becomes the caretaker of an elderly woman’s estate. The show’s premise was witty and humorous, but it’s often overlooked in discussions of 80s TV.

Day By Day

This sitcom aired on NBC for two seasons and starred Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a young woman who becomes pregnant after a one-night stand. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Our House

This sitcom aired on NBC for four seasons and starred Wilford Brimley as a widower who becomes the caretaker of his late wife’s estate. The show’s premise was heartwarming and relatable, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Bustin’ Loose

This sitcom aired on MCA TV for one season and starred Jimmie Walker as a conman who becomes the caretaker of an elderly woman’s estate. The show’s premise was wild and outlandish, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Midnight Caller

This crime drama aired on NBC for one season and starred Gary Cole as a former detective who hosts a talk show where callers ask him to solve crimes that affect them. The show’s premise was unique and intriguing, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Amen

This sitcom aired on NBC for five seasons and starred Sherman Helmsley as an eccentric deacon who gets into all sorts of trouble at his church. The show’s premise was humorous and offbeat, but it’s often overlooked in discussions of 80s TV.

Wings

This sitcom aired on NBC for eight seasons and starred Tim Daly as a bartender who becomes the owner of a small airline. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Herman’s Head

This sitcom aired on Fox for three seasons and starred William Ragsdale as a young man whose thoughts are represented by different characters inside his head. The show’s premise was unique and quirky, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

It’s Garry Shandling’s Show

This sitcom aired on Showtime for three seasons and starred Garry Shandling as himself in a fictionalized version of his life. The show’s premise was meta and self-aware, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Mr. Belvedere

This sitcom aired on ABC for six seasons and starred Christopher Hewett as an eccentric British butler who becomes the caretaker of an American family. The show’s premise was humorous and heartwarming, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Martin

This sitcom aired on Fox for five seasons and starred Martin Lawrence as an edgy comedian who gets into all sorts of trouble with his friends. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Empty Nest

This sitcom aired on NBC for seven seasons and starred Richard Mulligan as an “empty nester” struggling to deal with his new life after his children leave home. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Remington Steele

This crime drama aired on NBC for five seasons and starred Pierce Brosnan as an investigative consultant with a mysterious past. The show’s premise was gritty and realistic, but it’s often overlooked in discussions of 80s TV.

My Two Dads

This sitcom aired on NBC for two seasons and starred Paul Reiser as one half of a couple who are awarded joint custody of their child after they can’t determine who is the father. The show’s premise was ridiculous and humorous, but it never gained lasting popularity.

BJ And The Bear

This sitcom aired on NBC for three seasons and starred Greg Evigan as a truck driver who befriends a primate named Bear. The show’s premise was wild and outlandish, but it never gained mainstream popularity.

Head Of The Class

This sitcom aired on NBC for six seasons and starred Howard Hesseman as an unorthodox high school teacher who pushes his students to think outside the box. The show’s premise was relatable to many audiences, but it never gained lasting popularity.

Major Dad

This sitcom aired on CBS for three seasons and starred Gerald McRaney as an ex-Marine who becomes the caretaker of his children after their mother leaves him. The show’s premise was heartwarming and relatable, but it never gained lasting popularity.

These forgotten TV shows may not be remembered by everyone today, but they were once beloved by audiences around the world. Whether they were groundbreaking or just plain weird, these shows have left their mark on television history.

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Holli Greaves: Meet Holly, our versatile freelance journalist and featuers writer who has a passion for dissecting the ever-evolving landscape of business and technology. Your guide to understanding the forces driving our digital age with insightful perspectives and in-depth storytelling.