Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986)

If the top five comedies of all time were to be picked from among the great TV shows of the 80s, Diff'rent Strokes would make the cut with relative ease. Diff'rent Strokes first aired in 1978 and ran until 1986, but re-runs still play on the air to this very day. The story was about Arnold and Willis, two young African-American boys whose mother had passed away. While on her deathbed, the mother asked her employer to take care of her two sons and, as destiny would have it, the boys went from rags to riches.

The show covered some tough topics such as racism, drug abuse, and child molestation during its run. The show's target reached beyond being just about the laughs. It also created focus about breaking social and cultural barriers and imparted lessons about the various more important aspects of life itself, and, of course, it had Arnold's catch phrase, "Whatchou talkin' bout Willis?" It was definitely a culture clash at times, but the storylines and wonderful life lessons overshadowed those aspects. 

As the show aged, Arnold/Coleman was not allowed to mature–although by now he was a teenager, Arnold was treated as a young boy. All this didn't keep viewers tuned in. NBC cancelled 'Diff'rent Strokes' in 1985, but ABC picked up the series. But the change in networks didn't help ratings, and the final episode aired on ABC in March 1986.

Unfortunately, this show is best remembered now both for its special episodes and the unhappy fates of its three leading kid actors Coleman, Bridges, and Dana Plato, yet it was 80s TV at its best.