80s TV – Nielsen Ratings Top Shows by Year
We were clearly obsessed with the Ewing and Huxtable families in the 80s; of the eleven years shown below (stretching slightly back into 1979 and forward into 1990 to account for the span of a television season), “Dallas” and “The Cosby Show” took the top spot a whopping eight times!
80s TV Show, ‘Dallas’ captured the top spot in the TV rankings for three years.
Top 80s TV Show by Year
1979–1980: 60 Minutes (CBS)
1980–1981: Dallas (CBS)
1981–1982: Dallas (CBS)
1982–1983: 60 Minutes (CBS)
1983–1984: Dallas (CBS)
1984–1985: Dynasty (ABC)
1985–1986: The Cosby Show (NBC)
1986–1987: The Cosby Show (NBC)
1987–1988: The Cosby Show (NBC)
1988–1989: The Cosby Show (NBC)
1989–1990: (tie) The Cosby Show (NBC) and Roseanne (ABC)
