The 1980s were a huge and defining decade in TV history, and cartoons weren’t left behind, with this decade seeing some of the most popular and influential cartoons of all time. While every decade has had TV shows that shaped TV and made history, the 1980s stand out as one of the key decades in TV history. Shows like Cheers, Miami Vice, and Married… with Children are among the best of the decade and the best TV shows of all time, but the 1980s also had great animated shows.
The 1980s brought a bit of everything into its cartoons, with bright and colorful animation, human characters with more realistic designs and proportions, stories with a moral lesson in every episode, and most shows were made with the intention of being marketed as toys and lots of other merch. Still, while the latter was a huge drive for many cartoons from the 1980s, most had entertaining stories, unique characters, and exciting adventures, especially fantasy shows.
Most of the most popular cartoons from the 1980s were fantasy shows, with some of them being part of bigger franchises, either spawning them or being extensions of them. All of these shows are now TV classics, and while some remain intact, others have been rebooted or adapted to other media with varying results. Regardless of what has been done to them since their release, they are all still some of the most popular and beloved cartoons of not just the 1980s but of all time.
Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983-1990)
Created by Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman, Alvin and the Chipmunks is based on the characters created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. in the 1950s, and it’s a follow-up to the 1960s series The Alvin Show. Alvin and the Chipmunks follows the title musical group formed by chipmunk brothers Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. The show, then, follows their adventures alongside their adoptive father, David Seville, not just as music stars but also in school, with friends, and more.
Alvin and the Chipmunks ran for eight seasons, and it was such a hit with viewers that it spawned other franchise works. During season 5, the characters’ first animated movie, The Chipmunk Adventure, was released, and it had various TV specials. In the 2000s, the characters got the live-action treatment, but all those movies have failed to capture the charm of the 1980s show.
G.I. Joe: Real American Hero (1983-1986)
Based on the Hasbro toy line of the same name, G.I. Joe: Real American Hero introduces viewers to the title special counter-terrorist unit formed by experts from different branches of the U.S. military. The group must take down the terrorist organization Cobra, which threatens to take over the world. Even though G.I. Joe: Real American Hero ran for just two seasons, it left a huge mark that led to a bigger expansion of its franchise, and it was revived in 1989 with a couple of changes.
Dungeons & Dragons (1983-1985)
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy TV show based on the classic role-playing game of the same name. Dungeons & Dragons follows six friends who, after taking a magical dark ride on a roller coaster, end up in the realm of the title game. There, they meet the Dungeon Master, who gives each of the kids a magical item that gives them powers that match one of the game’s character classes. Although they face different threats, the group’s goal is, ultimately, to find a way back home.
Despite some controversies at the time due to the violence in some episodes, Dungeons & Dragons is one of the most popular and beloved cartoons of the 1980s, so much so that it spawned board games, books, many toys, and more.
Jem (1985-1988)
Also known as Jem and the Holograms, Jem was created by Christy Marx, and it introduced the audience to Jerrica Benton, a record company owner. Jerrica has an alter-ego named Jem, the singer of the band Jem and the Holograms, with Jerrica transforming into her thanks to a holographic computer known as Synergy. Jerrica does her best to keep her two worlds separate, while also protecting Synergy from falling into the wrong hands. Jem was bright, with a perfect balance of action, fantasy, and music, and it gave the world one of the most iconic fictional bands of all time.
The Smurfs (1981-1989)
Based on Pierre Culliford’s comic book series of the same name, The Smurfs is one of the most well-known and beloved cartoons from the 1980s. The Smurfs takes the audience into a one-of-a-kind community formed by tiny blue creatures known as “Smurfs.” The show follows their daily life as well as their many confrontations with Gargamel, an evil wizard who wants to catch, eat, or exploit the Smurfs.
The Smurfs was a huge success, thanks to its concept, characters, tone, and charm, and it quickly became part of pop culture. Like other shows on this list, it has gone through reboots that failed to capture the magic of the original TV show, but the show’s legacy and popularity remain intact.
She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985-1987)
From the universe of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe comes She-Ra: Princess of Power, a spinoff focusing on Princess Adora, the twin sister of Prince Adam a.k.a. He-Man. Just like her brother, Adora uses the Sword of Protection to turn into She-Ra, and leads the Great Rebellion in the fight for Etheria’s freedom from Hordak.
She-Ra: Princess of Power is one of the best fantasy TV shows of all time, and, of course, it also boosted toy sales, which was key to its longevity. She-Ra: Princess of Power got a reboot in 2018 on Netflix, titled She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, which was a critical success.
The Transformers (1984-1987)
Another highly popular franchise had its big boost in the 1980s with a cartoon show: the Transformers franchise. The Transformers follows the title characters, who are giant robots from the planet Cybertron that can transform into vehicles and other objects. The show sees them split into two sides: the Autobots on the heroic side, led by Optimus Prime, and the evil Decepticons, led by Megatron.
The Transformers is also known as Transformers: Generation 1.
The Transformers was the first TV show in the franchise, and like other shows on this list, it boosted toy sales, which was key to the franchise’s longevity. Since then, the franchise has expanded with more TV shows, movies, video games, and more.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996)
Based on the comic book characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles takes the audience to New York City to meet the title characters: four mutated turtle brothers named Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. After being trained by their master and father figure, Splinter (a humanoid rat), they fight various villains and criminals across the city.
The show was key to the franchise reaching mainstream popularity, which then made way for a bunch of different merch that, to this day, is quite popular. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the beginning of a franchise that continues to expand, but the 1980s show has a special place in the hearts of fans and as one of the best animated TV shows of all time.
DuckTales (1987-1990)
One of the most beloved animated TV shows of all time was released in the 1980s: DuckTales. When Donald Duck decides to join the Navy, he asks Uncle Scrooge McDuck for help to look after his chaotic but fun nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie. After some reluctance, Scrooge McDuck eventually warms up to the trio, going on different adventures together.
DuckTales made way for a franchise with various comic books, video games, lots of toys and other merchandise, and even a movie spinoff. In 2017, a reboot was released, and though it had a different style from the original show, it was a critical success, but the 1980s show stands as the best.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1984)
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was based on Mattel’s Masters of the Universe toy line, and it introduced the audience to the planet Eternia, ruled by King Randor and Queen Marlena. Their son, Prince Adam, uses the Sword of Power to transform into He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe. He-Man uses his power to defend Eternia from Skeletor, who wants to take over Castle Grayskull.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is one of the best animated TV shows of all time as well as one of the most successful, spawning a franchise that recently expanded with a live-action movie. Although some of its reboots and adaptations have been fun, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is still the best in the franchise.
- Release Date
-
1983 – 1985-00-00
- Showrunner
-
Lou Scheimer
- Directors
-
Gwen Wetzler, Lou Kachivas, Marsh Lamore
- Writers
-
Douglas Booth, Larry DiTillio, Paul Dini, J. Michael Straczynski
