The 1980s were packed with a lot of fun sci-fi and fantasy TV shows. Many were in syndication as networks were a bit wary of the concept at the time. Sadly, many ended up being rather poor, and even the ones that were good were lucky to last more than one season, as viewers then weren't as inclined to indulge in sci-fi or fantasy.
Sure, we had some duds (Manimal, anyone?), and some shows are rougher to watch today on account of their visuals. However, there are still a lot of series from that decade that could be deserving of a revival now. They all had some good concepts and would be better for the world of streaming. If anyone is interested in rebooting past shows, these 10 from the 1980s would be great pics!
1. Voyagers!
Despite good ratings, NBC canceled this show after just one season, which ran from 1982-83. That cost them a delightful time travel adventure that appealed to all ages. Phineas Bogg (Jon-Erik Hexum) is from a society of time travelers and ironically doesn't know much about history. During a trip to the present, he runs into young Jeffrey Jones (Meeno Peluce), who happens to be a history nut and tags along when Bogg enters the timestream.
Each episode has the pair landing in at least one time period (sometimes more than one per episode). Boggs' watch-like device, called the Omni, will flash red if history is somehow wrong. The pair thus has to correct it to "green light" before they can leave. The series mixed in numerous historical periods, with the pair meeting various famous figures.
Time travel shows may be a constant now, but nothing quite like this. We see the adventurous Bogg and studious Jeffrey becoming friends as Jeffrey fights not to alter history too much. It was aimed at younger viewers, yet had enough charm for adults as well, and more than deserves a second chance to succeed.
2. Alien Nation
The first of many short-lived Fox sci-fi shows, this 1989-90 series was a spinoff of a 1988 movie. It opens with a massive alien craft crashing on Earth. The alien species inside, called the Newcomers, are soon integrated into human society. The main thrust of the show has human cop Matt (Gary Graham) partnering with Newcomer George (Eric Pierpoint). The show explores themes of bigotry and acceptance.
The show does have crazy sci-fi twists (George becomes pregnant), but was notable for addressing social issues of racism that other shows of the time ignored. A new take could be more blatant and address issues like illegal immigration. "Aliens among humans" is always a fun idea, and a revival of this show could be very entertaining.
3. Dungeons & Dragons
A classic of 1980s animated series, this was one of the best introductions to the world of the role-playing game franchise, which was having a heydey at the time. A pack of kids on a fantasy-themed roller coaster are somehow sucked into another world. The mysterious Dungeon Master gives them powers and personas based on D&D characters as they try to find a way back home.
The kids tried to be heroes despite themselves while taking on Venger, one of the coolest villains of any animated show. Dungeons & Dragons is bigger than ever these days, and the potential of exploring this world in either live-action or animation offers limitless possibilities. Even non-D&D fans would enjoy a trip back to this realm.
4. Friday the 13th: The Series
It's a shame this fantastic horror show felt it had to take the name of the slasher franchise to get folks to tune in. It has nothing to do with Jason Voorhees or the movie, and stands well on its own.
Two cousins inherit the antiques shop of their late uncle, only to find out the guy had made a deal with the Devil to sell cursed objects. They work with their uncle's former friend to hunt the objects down before they cause more damage.
The series was a fantastic watch, spooky and using then-cutting edge FX for the magical scenes. Each item had a unique history and curse on it, leading to scenes that were truly shocking for the time. The show would be a blast if revived with a different title. There could be a larger mythology around the cursed object. This is one antique hunt sci-fi and horror fans would love to go on.
5. Spiral Zone
Among the bright cartoon series of the 1980s, this show stood out as being much darker. A twisted scientist drops pods that create "zones" over half of Earth, turning anyone inside them into mindless slaves. A small pack of soldiers in special suits have to fight him off in what is basically a war of attrition aimed at an audience that couldn't spell the word. The result was a gripping series where victories were often bittersweet.
The show was ahead of its time in many ways, with the darker themes, a villain who often came out a winner, and a seemingly never-ending battle to free the planet. A grittier version would still work today. Spiral Zone is an animated show that would be far more gripping in a modern context.
6. Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
Speaking of darker kids' shows of the '80s, this live-action series was a memorable watch. In the 22nd century, Earth is ruled by a brutal machine race led by Lord Dread, whose forces wouldn't just kill humans but "digitize" them to keep in computer systems. A small pack of warriors uses special suits to fight them off in an often brutal conflict.
The show was notable for using rare computer animation for some enemies while also being more adult, with innuendo and curses. It may have been too dark for its own good to succeed despite plans for a bigger second season.
Those plans can be realized today. A revival show could showing Dread's plot to wipe out humanity, and the focus on AI would be very timely. The future may be much brighter for Captain Power than it was in 1987.
7. Thundarr The Barbarian
This animated show has one of the coolest intros of any cartoon series of 1980. When a runaway comet comes between Earth and the moon, it sets off massive cataclysms that wipe out civilization. Thousands of years later, it's a new world of strange creatures, science and sorcery. Thundarr is a former slave who escapes and, with the aid of the beastly Ookla and magical Princess Ariel, seeks to help those in need.
The best part of the show was seeing the far-distant Earth in ruins, with adventures set in locales from Manhattan to Mount Rushmore. It was a stunning backdrop to wide-ranging adventures that involved anything from a tribe of werewolves to Amazons and more.
Imagine what a modern animation team could do with this premise; they could include bigger storylines and take us to more exotic places. Forget Conan, Thundarr is the barbarian hero who needs a modern reboot.
8. Hard Time on Planet Earth
This is one of those shows that flopped in the 1980s, yet has the potential to be better today. An alien soldier is found guilty of rebellion and sentenced to the most primitive planet around: Earth. Taking on a human name and stripped of many of his super abilities, the alien realizes the only way to escape the planet is to prove himself by helping others.
Hard Time on Planet Earth was was a road trip adventure where "Jesse" would travel to different places and help someone in need. The show found comedy in Jesse's attempts to get used to Earth; most of his knowledge of the place comes from TV shows. A reboot could be an intriguing mix of sci-fi drama and procedural series, with enough light-hearted bits to leaven the tension and make sure the show offered something for everyone.
9. The Greatest American Hero
There actually was an attempt to reboot this series in 2018. It's no surprise, as this ABC show retains a massive cult following thanks to its fun premise: a teacher (William Katt) is granted a suit from aliens that gives him superpowers. Unfortunately, he loses the manual that explains it, so he has to figure out how to be a hero on the fly (literally) while an FBI agent and a lawyer help him on his quest to fight crime.
The show was as much a comedy as an action-adventure and was far more realistic about what it'd be like for a normal person to suddenly gain superpowers than you'd expect. With superheroes bigger than ever today, a revival would present a good change to parody the genre while also celebrating it. Maybe another reboot attempt would go better, and his Hero could fly again.
10. Misfits of Science
This 1985 NBC series is best known today for featuring Courteney Cox in an early role. It's about super-powered folks coming together under a quirky scientist. Misfits of Science had fun characters, including an electric-powered rock-and-roller and a seven-foot-tall guy who could shrink to a few inches high.
The series was mostly an entertaining comedy, never taking itself too seriously. There were lots of homages to other movies and TV shows, and the irreverent style was fun to watch.
A new Misfits of Science show could be a humorous take on the superhero genre. The Misfits would fit right into today's sci-fi streaming world.
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