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Best Drama TV Series of the 1980s

Top 500 most popular Drama series that started in the 1980s

All Drama series All series from the 1980s
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Genres

Genres as assigned by IMDb. Selecting several means a show must match all of them.

Decades

By first-air year. Several selections widen the range; a specific year narrows within its decade.

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Rating patterns, computed from IMDb episode-rating trajectories. Deliberately strict: only shows with an unmistakable pattern carry one, so expect small numbers.

Rating patterns

Taste tags, judged by our AI taste model. They cover the 5,000 most-rated shows.

Tone & mood
Pacing & structure
Humor style
Themes & subject matter
Characters & perspective
Emotional payoff
Craft & style
Format & audience
Viewing-culture clusters
Intensity & content character
500 series (top 500 shown)

Flickers

★ 8.0
216 6 1980–1980
Comedy · Drama

The Dirtwater Dynasty

★ 8.2
216 5 1988–1988
Drama

Prospects

★ 8.5
214 12 1986–1986
Comedy · Drama

Love in a Cold Climate

★ 7.7
214 8 1980–1980
Drama

The Heroes

★ 7.9
212 2 1989–1989
Drama · War

Tre kärlekar

★ 7.7
209 16 1989–1991
Drama · Romance · War

Mr. Palfrey of Westminster

★ 7.7
209 10 1984–1985
Drama

Mancuso, FBI

★ 7.2
207 20 1989–1990
Crime · Drama · Mystery

He and She Stories

★ 7.2
206 10 1985–present
Drama · Music · Musical

Baby M

★ 6.5
206 2 1988–1988
Biography · Drama

Ohara

★ 6.9
206 30 1987–1988
Crime · Drama · Thriller

The Betrothed

★ 6.4
206 5 1989–present
Drama · History

Great Expectations

★ 6.9
206 13 1981–1981
Drama

Tale of Pollyanna, Girl of Love

★ 7.3
204 51 1986–1986
Animation · Drama · History

The Dream Merchants

★ 6.5
203 2 1980–1980
Drama

Cribb

★ 7.7
203 14 1980–1981
Crime · Drama · Mystery

Wilder Westen inclusive

★ 7.7
203 3 1988–present
Comedy · Drama

The Great Bookie Robbery

★ 8.1
203 3 1986–1986
Crime · Drama

Fortunata y Jacinta

★ 8.1
203 10 1980–1980
Drama

Here's Boomer

★ 6.6
203 20 1980–1982
Adventure · Drama · Family
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