Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980s is the logical sequel to an earlier work also by Bob Leszczak titled Single Season Sitcoms 1948-1979, A Complete Guide. The decade of the 80s is presently being viewed with much reverence, and television programs, especially the situation comedies from that era, are enjoying renewed interest. Because of the increase in the number of available channels as a result of the exploding cable television industry at that time in history, the number of failed programs was also on the rise.

For every successful sitcom from this period, such as The Golden Girls, Family Ties and Newhart, there were dozens upon dozens of almost forgotten flops such as Take Five with George Segal, Annie McGuire with Mary Tyler Moore, One Big Family starring Danny Thomas, and Life with Lucy starring Lucille Ball.

A big name star didn’t always equate with long-running TV success. Many of the short-lived shows addressed in this volume were mere springboards to bigger and better things for future stars such as Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, George Clooney, Jim Carrey, Brian Cranston, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

A player’s short stay with a major league baseball team is referred to as
a cup of coffee.
The programs written about in Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980s drank from the very same mug, and the behind-the-scenes stories from cast members, guest stars, writers, producers, directors and musicians affiliated with these short-lived shows are the cream and sugar. Turn back the hands of your Swatch Watch and relive those Single Season Sitcoms of the 1980s.