The Facts of Life

The Facts of Life just about neatly lines up with the Reagan era. Kicking off in the tail end of 1979, the sitcom captured the shifting pop culture (and hairstyles) of the Eighties, up until its final episode in 1988. The show's fashion, color palette, music and "very special episodes" are all a capsule of the time. Blair, Tootie, Jo and Natalie were relatable to the young audience tuning in each week. Don't forget — the show also gave George Clooney's career a start.

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

Buck Rogers in the 25th Century dazzled anyone who grew up in the late 1970s. We were hungry for more Star Wars, and this colorful television series turned a classic comic strip character into a similar cinematic spectacle. Snarky robots! Weird aliens! Handsome heroes! A guy who looked like a bird! In a way, Buck Rogers was two shows in one. The series changed significantly in its second season, with a new cast and new mission.

Knots Landing

It was a year of successful spin-offs. Most of the shows on this list could be considered spin-offs, and Knots Landings was no different, spun out of the hit primetime soap Dallas. Knots Landing was just as successful, as both series ran for a whopping 14 seasons. The setting moved to Los Angeles and the suburban cul-de-sac known as Seaview Circle, which delivered more melodrama than Wisteria Lane.

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The Dukes of Hazzard

It's often forgotten that The Dukes of Hazzard was a movie adaptation, a television reboot of the 1975 film Moonrunners. (Both were created by Gy Waldron and featured the music and narration of Waylon Jennings.) Bo, Luke and the General Lee inspired dozens of toys and video games, not to mention a Hanna-Barbera cartoon (The Dukes) and a spin-off (Enos). But its lasting legacy might just lie in fashion, as the short-shorts became forever known as "Daisy Dukes," thanks to Catherine Bach's wardrobe.

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Benson

Theater veteran Robert Guillame became best known as Benson, the quick-witting, sharp-tongued butler on the sitcom Soap and its spin-off, Benson. Slotted on ABC the same evening as Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, the boundary-busting Soap surfed through some initial controversy, becoming a hit and a critical darling. For his work, Guillaume took home an Emmy in 1979 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In the fall of '79, Benson joined the network lineup. A family sitcom set in the world of politics, Benson lasted far longer than its parent show, largely thanks to the charm of Guillaume in the lead role. It aired for seven seasons. Heading into its final year, Guillaume at last won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

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Hart to Hart

Sidney Sheldon, at one point ranked the seventh best selling fiction writer of all time, has an enviable television career, too. He created both The Patty Duke Show and I Dream of Jeannie. The third time was a charm with Hart to Hart, his lighthearted adventure series about a rich, glamorous couple who solve crimes in their fleet of luxury cars and private jet. Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers played the Harts for five hit seasons.

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Trapper John, M.D.

Pernell Robert, also known to audiences as Adam Cartwright of Bonanza, entered the world of M*A*S*H for this spin-off, which followed the erstwhile Korean War surgeon in the modern day. Wayne Rogers had originally played the character. It was the rare, fascinating show to see what a popular character might be like three decades later. The onetime prankster had matured and settled down as the Chief of Surgery at San Francisco Memorial Hospital.

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Real People

Forms of reality television had been done in the past on series like Candid Camera and the PBS series An American Family. However, those were basically just a prank show and a long documentary film. Beginning in the spring of 1979, Real People blended profiles of everyday citizens, comedic studio commentary and viewer interaction. Folks at home could send in silly photos or funny newspaper clippings to share on air. In some ways, Real People was the combined prototype of America's Got Talent, the viral video and social media.

Image: The Everett Collection

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