80s TV Ladies - Details, episodes & analysis

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80s TV Ladies

134 West | Susan Lambert Hatem & Sharon Johnson

Tv & Film

Society & Culture

Frequency: 1 episode/12d. Total Eps: 130

4-time Podcast Awards Winner! Webby nominated for Best Indie Podcast.
80s TV Ladies is dedicated to the beloved female-driven shows of the 1980s! Do you love 80s pop culture, television and fabulous women? On our show, you’ll hear a breakdown of how these shows got made, how they were influenced by the times and, in turn, how they influenced pop-culture trends to follow. We love discussing the “two-steps forward, one-step-back” lens of media-driven feminism.

Join hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson as they talk about the fabulous ladies of television: Cagney & Lacey, Designing Women, A Different World, The Golden Girls and more.

With special guests, TV creators and stars! Do these shows we hold so dear hold up? Let's find out.

Season 1: We examine three “detective duo shows” this season, with multiple episodes and awesome guests for each TV show we cover.
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Remington Steele
Cagney & Lacey

Season 2: Multiple episodes per TV show exploring representation and behind-the-scenes insight in science fiction, drama and sitcoms!
Queer representation in 70s and 80s
9 to 5 television show
It's a Living
Designing Women
Ladies of the 80s: A Divas Christmas
Star Trek Ladies
Moonlighting

Special guests: Eugenie Ross-Leming, Martha Smith, Robin Bernheim, Stephanie Zimbalist, Evan Ball, Debbie Evans, Barney Rosenzweig, Tyne Daly, Sharon Gless, Karen Arthur, Cynthis Beemis Abrams, Matt Baume, Jane Epsensen, Drew Greenberg, Paul Kreppel, Bryan Edward Hill, Maggie Friedman, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, Stan Zimmerman, Mary Lou Belli, Nana Visitor, Glenn Gordon Caron, Shery Main and more!

We publish every other Wednesday.
Tell us: Who should we interview and what's your favorite 80s Ladies television show? https://www.80stvladies.com

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The Best 80s TV Halloween Episodes! Elvira, Punky Brewster, Rosanne & More

Season 4 · Episode 25

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 • Duration 55:47

Trick or treat! The 80s TV Ladies count down their top seven Halloween and spooky episodes of 80s TV, from Elvira to Facts of Life to Roseanne, and judge each one a trick or a treat. Happy Halloween!
“In a haunted house, the scariest thing is usually someone telling you that you’re imagining it.”
– Susan Lambert Hatem

Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we love to grab a blanket and some hot chocolate and watch scary shows peeking through our fingers! In Season 4, Episode 25, our 110th episode, hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson and producer Melissa Roth hand out full-size candy bars. Way back in Season 1, we tacked a fun-size Halloween list onto the end of our Robin Bernheim interview. This time, it’s the good stuff.

The rules are simple: the episode must be female-driven, it must be from the 1980s, and it must be spooky, silly, or both. Susan, Sharon and Melissa judge every pick a Trick or a Treat as they go chronologically, so you can watch the decade get spookier, then sillier, then really, really weird. Along the way, they share Halloween candy scares of the 70s and 80s, their own Halloween plans, and the scary movies and commercials that traumatized them as kids. Plus, Melissa has a spooky mystery for YOU to solve!

THE CONVERSATION

- Elvira’s Movie Macabre (1981): The Queen of Halloween herself! Cassandra Peterson’s campy horror host took the show national, built a whole brand, co-wrote the 1988 movie Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and still owns the character. The ladies also discuss her 2021 New York Times bestselling memoir, Yours Cruelly, Elvira.
- Laverne & Shirley, “Ghost Story” (1983): Time for a confession: it’s a ghost story, not a Halloween story, and the ladies own up to putting it on their Season 1 list. Plus, Penny Marshall’s Hollywood history behind the camera as the director of Big, and why this episode is the lone Trick.
- The Facts of Life, “The Halloween Show” (1983): Edna’s Edibles, a vanishing customer, a butcher strike, and a very big knife. It’s The Facts of Life meets Sweeney Todd, with Charlotte Rae having a blast and a shout-out to director Asaad Kelada, our Season 3 guest.
- Punky Brewster, “The Perils of Punky” (1985): The two-part spooky cave adventure that traumatized a generation, plus the animated spinoff where Glomer turns everyone into pumpkins. A Treat with a warning: watch it before you show it to a child!
- Murder, She Wrote, “Reflections of the Mind” (1985): Jessica Fletcher, Angela Lansbury and a haunted mansion. It aired the Sunday after Halloween, so call it a Halloween hangover, and it’s a story about gaslighting and women believing women. Plus a shout-out to our Murder, She Wrote costumer guest, Eilish Zebrasky, and her “cuppa” stories with Ms. Lansbury.
- Kate & Allie, “Halloween II” (1986): Two divorced best friends and their kids go to war in a Halloween prank battle between the generations. Why is it called Halloween II when there is no Halloween I? And how did it help start a TV tradition that runs all the way to Roseanne and Brooklyn Nine-Nine?
- Roseanne, “Boo!” (1989): The Conners turn their house into a haunted tunnel of terror in a blood-and-gore battle of the sexes that kicked off the show’s annual Halloween tradition.
- Honorable Mentions: Hunter (Season 2, Episode 5), The Golden Girls’ “Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself” (Season 3, Episode 5), and Designing Women’s “Charlene Buys a House” (1990), a haunted house that is technically the 90s, but the rules are for ghosts, not live human beings doing podcasts about old television shows.
- Halloween Plans & Spooky Confessions: Susan’s first Halloween in the new house, Sharon’s plans for a very un-spooky evening, and Melissa’s candy-stealing reputation. Plus, the childhood scares: the Magic commercial, Count Yorga, Vampire, and the Nightmare on Elm Street phone call to Mom. And can you name the 70s movie with Sasquatch and a man covered in bees? Melissa needs to know!

NEXT EPISODE TEASER
The ladies are back with a new special feature! We’re starting 80s TV Movie Ladies - a look at the groundbreaking, heartbreaking and titilating 1980s, women-led, television movies and miniseries. Kicking it off with a little remembered gem, Stone Pillow (1985) starring Lucielle Ball and Daphne Zuniga! Subscribe now so you don’t miss it!

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING

- Elvira’s Movie Macabre: Watch on the Shout Studios TV channel onhttps://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Elvira%27s+Movie+Macabre+Shout+Studios+TV.
- Laverne & Shirley, “Ghost Story”: Not on YouTube, but the episode is on https://pluto.tv/.
- The Facts of Life, “The Halloween Show”: Watch on https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=The+Facts+of+Life+The+Halloween+Show.
- Punky Brewster, “The Perils of Punky”: Find it onhttps://tv.apple.com/us/episode/the-perils-of-punky-pt-1/umc.cmc.76v1ncz1l13t9r3a3nw7cch26 orhttps://www.primevideo.com/detail/0PZNE7PSYN422ITBYIQC2LDTEDor https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/punky-brewster/6539541549324649112/seasons/2/episodes/perils-of-punky-part-1-episode-6/791006dc-cd0a-3671-b288-65ad86ab50a0. The full episode isn’t on YouTube, but clips are.
- Murder, She Wrote, “Reflections of the Mind”: Find it on Philo,https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0NE7Z4M5658UP0LX0UN9JD9JIM, or buy it on https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/reflections-of-the-mind/umc.cmc.3aqh4raz4cm01je369rc11ysb. Or buy it onhttps://www.youtube.com/show/SCYoovpVRRQhbvB1_57b1XMg?season=2&sbp=CgEyGkkKGFVDdF91YXFRQzFXU2J4X2lnY29ubE5KZyItY25jbDoxMGYtNjcwMDA0MTgtMDAwMC0yZTVhLThjM2YtNTgyNDI5YmI4NGE0.
- Kate & Allie, “Halloween II” (Season 4, Episode 6): Watch on https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0FRO6Z3O86YFR4GVCJUYM1CKCI, https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Kate+and+Allie+Halloween+II, or https://therokuchannel.roku.com/details/4ede45c1404c5b2fa5fc5d477270f5d6/kate-and-allie-s4-e6-halloween-ii.
- Roseanne, “Boo!” (Season 2, Episode 7): Stream on https://www.peacocktv.com/watch-online/tv/roseanne/6195887206535559112, or buy it on https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCAAB16B2CA92118A.
- Elvira Memoir: Read Cassandra Peterson’s https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/cassandra-peterson/yours-cruelly-elvira/9781549155932/ (also available at https://bookshop.org/p/books/yours-cruelly-elvira-memoirs-of-the-mistress-of-the-dark-cassandra-peterson/1a7f2c234894a006).
- Get Elvira Gear: Shop athttps://elvirasboutique.com/.
- Catch Up on Our Earlier Guests: Hear Asaad Kelada in https://www.80stvladies.com/episode/episode-318-the-facts-of-life-w-director-asaad-kelada-part-1at 80s TV Ladies, and our interview with Murder, She Wrote costumer Eilish Zebrasky, at https://www.80stvladies.com/episode/episode-207-80s-fashion-with-costume-designer-eilish-zebrasky.

PROTECT THE VOTE
- Election Day is Tuesday, November 3! Check your voter registration at https://www.vote.org/. Make sure you and the young adults in your life are ready to vote. Stay engaged. Let your voice be heard.
- https://indivisible.org/: Visit to get involved in your community?
- https://www.democracydocket.com/: Learn more about protecting our right to vote.

🌟 COMMUNITY CONNECT
- What are you doing for Halloween? Share your costumes, your favorite spooky 80s TV episodes, and the shows that gave you nightmares as a child! Email us at 80sTVLadies@gmail.com.
- And if you know Melissa’s mystery Sasquatch-and-bees movie, please tell us!
- Discover more great shows at https://weirdingwaymedia.com.

🌟🛍️ SPECIAL 8TL PROMOTIONS!

COZY EARTH: Get 21% OFF awesome bamboo sheets and pajamas at CozyEarth.com using promo code: 80STVLADIES.

TORRAIN BAGS: Get 15% OFF recycled bags perfect for travel and work with promo code: 80sTVLadies.
All Promo Deals: See all special offers at MyDeals.Page/19wy.

Visit 80sTVLadies.com for more info.

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One Day at a Time | The 90s TV Babies Review the 1975 Sitcom!

Season 4 · Episode 24

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 • Duration 01:12:22

The 90s TV Babies take on the 1975 - 1984 One Day at a Time! Sailor and Spenser react to Ann Romano’s single-mom independence, teen sex talks, workplace harassment, proto-Kramer Schneider, and whether this Norman Lear classic is truly feminist.

“The 80s were a time of great change... There wasn’t the internet, there wasn’t TikTok, there wasn’t YouTube. There was television, and television was how new ideas got spread around.” – Susan Lambert Hatem

Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we look back in order to leap forward! This week, one of our very favorite segments is back: The 90s TV Babies Take on 70s and 80s TV! Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson hand a 1975 - 1984 sitcom to two fresh-faced viewers who have never seen it, and then sit back to hear what lands, what shocks, and what still feels radical today.

Our subject is the groundbreaking Norman Lear-produced sitcom One Day at a Time (1975–1984), created by Whitney Blake and Allan Manings. Bonnie Franklin stars as newly divorced Ann Romano, who moves to Indianapolis with her teenage daughters Julie (Mackenzie Phillips) and Barbara (Valerie Bertinelli), with plenty of unsolicited “help” from tool-belt-wearing building superintendent Dwayne Schneider (Pat Harrington Jr.).

Returning 90s TV Baby Sailor and brand-new panelist Spenser Gerber Hatem (Susan’s stepson!) watched a hand-picked list of episodes and are now reporting back on single motherhood, teen sexuality, workplace harassment, disability representation, and the world’s most creepy (and eventually course-corrected) building super. Along the way, our Hoosier baby geeks out over Indiana shout-outs, everyone debates whether the show is feminist or merely progressive, and we all learn why you should never trust a man who announces he’s going to win back his ex… and then just sits there.

THE CONVERSATION

The Assignment: The episodes our babies watched: Ann’s Decision (S1E1), All the Way (S1E8), Father David (S1E13), Ann’s Out of Town Client (S3E5), Schneider’s Helper (S4E5), Yes Sir, That’s My Baby (S4E6), plus extra credit episodes: The Runaways (S2E1), Schneider’s Pride and Joy (S2E9, with a pre-Star Wars Mark Hamill), The Older Man (S3E1), Miracle of Birth (S8E8–9), and the bonus-bonus Indianapolis Story (S6E21). Bonus clip: Julie and Barbara spoofing Elton John and Kiki Dee’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

NEXT EPISODE TEASERDon’t miss our next episode, when the ladies are back with our favorite Halloween and spooky episodes of 80s television! Grab your candy, your Punky Brester blanket, and your remote. It’s boooooo-tiful fun.📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING COMMUNITY CONNECTConnect with 80s TV Ladies: Join our mailing list, follow 8TL on Instagram (@80sTVLadies), support us on Patreon for ad-free episodes, and discover more great shows on Weirding Way Media!PROTECT THE VOTE🌟 SPECIAL 8TL PROMOTIONS!Visit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

One Day at a Time: The Top 10 Most Norman Lear Episodes | Feminist TV, Taboo Topics, and the Sex Lives of Women

Season 4 · Episode 23

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 01:02:31

Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we look back in order to leap forward! With our lovely producer Melissa out having some fun life stuff, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem take the mic to break down the Top 10 Most Norman Lear-ish Episodes of One Day at a Time.

Susan and Sharon explore how TV titan Norman Lear revolutionized the 1970s and 80s sitcom landscape, using One Day at a Time to tackle second-wave feminism, workplace harassment, teen sex, runaway youth, and mental health without losing the comedy.

THE CONVERSATION

The Legacy of Norman Lear: A tribute to Lear’s WWII service, 22 landmark sitcoms (including All in the Family, Maude, and The Jeffersons), and his passionate civic activism through People for the American Way and voter registration drives.
What Makes an Episode "Lear-ish"? How One Day at a Time introduced the "sitcom dramedy" format—tackling taboo real-life issues with heart, humor, and authentic character conflicts.
The Groundbreaking Top 10 List: Deep dives into landmark episodes and multi-part story arcs, including the unaired pilot Three to Get Ready vs. Ann's Decision (S1E1), Important conversations about teen sex in All the Way (S1E8), serialized storytelling in The Runaways (S2E1–4), workplace harassment in Ann's Out of Town Client (S3E5), teen depression in Barbara's Friend (S3E9–10), and natural childbirth in Miracle of Birth (S8E8–9).
Schneider’s Evolution: How Pat Harrington Jr.’s iconic character shifted from creepy boundary-pusher to beloved family figure—plus his 1970s CB radio obsession and how he paved the way for characters like Kramer.
Career Milestones & Series Arcs: Ann Romano’s journey from a newly divorced homemaker searching for independence to a successful account executive heading to London.

NEXT EPISODE TEASER
Stay tuned for our next episode, where the '90s TV Babies step up to give their fresh take on One Day at a Time! What will the Babies say?

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING
Watch One Day at a Time: Stream the original series for free on Tubi or purchase episodes on Amazon and YouTube.Norman Lear Documentary: Watch Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You (2016) streaming for free on or available to purchase on Amazon and Apple.Norman Lear Memoir: Read Norman Lear’s biography, Even This I Get to Experience, on COMMUNITY CONNECTPROTECT THE VOTE🌟 SPECIAL 8TL PROMOTIONS!Visit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

25 Surprising Facts About One Day at a Time | Whitney Blake, Valerie Bertinelli & Schneider Secrets

Season 4 · Episode 22

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 52:44

Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we hold on tight and muddle through one day at a time! In this episode, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem kick off a multi-part deep dive into the classic 1975–1984 sitcom One Day at a Time.

Susan and Sharon break down 25 of the most surprising facts about the ground-breaking series—from its real-life origins and pilot changes to backstage rock-star encounters, and the evolution of everyone's favorite - and 80s inappropriate - superintendent, Dwayne Schneider.
Real-Life Origins & Creators: How co-creator Whitney Blake based the show on her own life as a divorced single mother raising three kids (including future Family Ties star Meredith Baxter).

The Conversation:

Pilot & Script Changes: The original pilot title Three to Get Ready, why Ann Romano was initially written as a nurse with only one daughter, and why Bonnie Franklin insisted on keeping her character’s maiden name.
Schneider’s Evolution: How Pat Harrington Jr. created Schneider’s iconic look, his shift from early-season "creepy" to beloved family figure, and his late-70s CB radio obsession.
Pop Culture & Rock Encounters: The time Elton John sent fan mail after Valerie Bertinelli and Mackenzie Phillips performed in full Elton drag, and how Valerie met Eddie Van Halen backstage.
Behind-the-Scenes Secrets: Taping at three different studio lots, theme song history (and the Gloria Estefan reboot cover), and intriguing directors Michael Lembeck, Bonnie Franklin, and past 8TL guest, Asad Kalada.
Series Finale & Backdoor Pilot: How the 1984 series finale doubled as an unsold spin-off pilot for Schneider - featuring a young Corey Feldman!

Next Episode Teaser: Stay tuned for our next episode, where we rank and break down the Top 10 Most Norman Lear-ish Episodes of One Day at a Time!

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING

Watch One Day at a Time: Stream the original series for free on Tubi or purchase episodes on Amazon and YouTube.
Mackenzie Phillips Books: Read High on Arrival: A Memoir and Hopeful Healing: Essays on Managing Recovery and Surviving Addiction on

🛍️ PROMO DEALS, VOTING & COMMUNITY CONNECTPROTECT THE VOTECOMMUNITY CONNECT🌟🛍️ SPECIAL 8TL PROMOTIONS! COZY EARTH - Best Deal - 21% OFF! At - Get the best discount on awesome sheets and pajamas.Use promo code: 80STVLADIES - 15% OFFGood cause - Great bag. Perfect for travel and adventure and back to school!Get your 80s TV Ladies deal: Code: 80sTVLadies🔗 See ALL our special deals at: 🎁 Promo Code: 80STVLADIESVisit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

Adrienne Barbeau on Maude, Creating Rizzo in Grease, Cult Horror and Return to Fantasy Island

Season 4 · Episode 21

Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 01:19:37

"Norman kept saying, 'If you don't trust yourself to know that you're good, trust me because I know you're good. This is what you're meant to be doing.'" — Adrienne Barbeau, on working with Norman Lear on Maude

Welcome to 80s TV Ladies, where we look back in order to leap forward, and where we say everyone has the right to body autonomy and boundless joy! In this episode, hosts Sharon Johnson and Susan Lambert Hatem are joined by six-decade stage and screen icon Ms. Adrienne Barbeau.

From her early performing days touring East Asia with the USO to her Broadway roots, Adrienne shares how she went from Fiddler on the Roof alongside Bette Midler to originating the role of Rizzo in Grease. She opens up about being selected by Norman Lear to play Carol, Bea Arthur’s independent daughter on Maude, and reflects on the cultural impact of the landmark 1972 "Maude's Dilemma" abortion episodes.

Plus, Adrienne takes us behind the scenes of her legendary genre career, her love for voice and audio description work, and her second career as an author!

In this episode, we discuss:

Broadway Roots to Sitcom Stardom: How playing Rizzo in Grease earned her a Tony nomination and caught the attention of Norman Lear.
Working on Maude: What it was like working alongside Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan, the family culture on set, and learning comedic timing on the job.
"Maude’s Dilemma": The groundbreaking two-part episode about abortion, working in a healthcare clinic during hiatus, and writing her 2022 Guardian op-ed.
Cult Horror & Sci-Fi Royalty: Stories from filming The Fog, Swamp Thing, Creepshow, and the secret garage shoot behind her death scene in Escape From New York.
Classic 70s & 80s TV Guest Spots: Her memories from Fantasy Island (including full-face prosthetics), Murder, She Wrote, The Love Boat, Quincy, and playing a Romulan on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Life as an Author & Voice Artist: Writing her vampire mystery novels, her memoir, and describing films for blind audiences.

Next Episode Teaser:
Don't miss our next episode, where we begin our deep dive into the classic 1975–1984 Norman Lear sitcom One Day at a Time, starring Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips, and Valerie Bertinelli, featuring 25 surprising facts about the show!📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHINGLearn more about Adrienne Barbeau at or on Instagram.Watch The Fog , or Maude Check out the documentary Hollywood Does Abortion at.Read Adrienne’s 2022 op-ed on Maude's Dilemma in .Pick up Adrienne's books—There Are Worse Things I Could Do on .Listen to it on or Grease: Tell Me More, Tell Me More at And her Vampire Trilogy (The Vampyres of Hollywood, Love Bites, Make Me Dead)—atWatch the short film Oddities on YouTube. Watch Alice Jacobs is Dead on YouTube. Be ready for our next multi-episode primer on the classic sitcom, One Day at a Time, streaming ⭐️ Support the Pod: Loved this episode? Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, subscribe on Spotify, and join our Patreon community at for bonus content!PROTECT THE VOTECOMMUNITY CONNECT🌟🛍️ SPECIAL 8TL PROMOTIONS! COZY EARTH - Best Deal - 21% OFF! At Get the best discount on awesome sheets and pajamas.Use promo code: 80STVLADIES - 15% OFFGood cause - Great bag. Perfect for travel and adventure and back to school!Get your 80s TV Ladies deal: Code: 80sTVLadies🔗 See ALL our special deals at: 🎁 Promo Code: 80STVLADIESVisit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

1980s Fall TV Previews: TV Guide, Crazy Network Specials, and Saturday Morning Nostalgia

Season 4 · Episode 20

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 55:52

"As a TV junkie, the Fall TV Preview was the best time of the year. The network specials highlighted their new shows—they were always informative, joyful, and optimistic because everyone expected these shows to be big hits!" — Sharon Johnson

NEW EPISODE! Summer is winding down, back-to-school season is here, and the 80s TV Ladies are diving into one of the absolute best pop-culture traditions of the 80s: The Network Fall TV Previews! Join hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson, along with producer Melissa Roth and Carnegie Mellon summer intern, Shannon Lee, as they look back at how it felt when fall was approaching and a brand-new season of television was about to drop.

Before streaming, DVRs, or internet spoilers, catching a glimpse of upcoming shows meant waiting with bated breath for the extra-thick TV Guide Fall Preview issue and tuning into wild, star-studded prime-time network specials. Together, the ladies explore the history of TV Guide, the agonizing strategy of choosing between conflicting time slots, bizarre prime-time crossover promos, fever-dream Saturday morning cartoon previews, and the classic fall lineup shows that captured our hearts.
THE CONVERSATION

THE HOLY GRAIL OF TV GUIDE: Exploring the history of TV Guide magazine, from its iconic 1953 debut cover featuring Lucille Ball’s newborn son Desi Jr. to why the annual September Fall Preview issue was every TV junkie’s holy grail.
TIME-SLOT WARS & STRIKE DELAYS: How pre-DVR audiences navigated brutal schedule conflicts (sacrificing new shows for established favorites!), how the 1980 SAG actors' strike delayed fall premieres, and the wild 1980 magazine ads for hard liquor, cigarettes, and brand-new Maxwell VHS videotapes.
WACKY NETWORK PROMO SPECIALS: Recapping the gloriously surreal prime-time preview specials—from the 1983 ABC Love Boat crossover where real stars boarded in-character, to Kenny Loggins singing "We've Got the Touch" on CBS, and ABC’s bizarre 1985 parody of "I Love L.A."
SATURDAY MORNING CARTOON FEVER: Remembering the surreal Saturday morning cartoon preview specials hosted by 80s icons like Mr. T, Joyce DeWitt, Ted Knight, Weird Al, and the cast of The Facts of Life.
FALL SHOW HITS & MISSES: Reminiscing about short-lived gems, cult classics, and massive hits from fall lineups, including WKRP in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues, Ladies' Man, Freebie and the Bean, Breaking Away, The A-Team, and Hardcastle & McCormick.

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHINGTHE PREVIEW AND PROMO SPECIALSYouTube has a lot of the Fall TV Specials and promos. PROTECT THE VOTECOMMUNITY CONNECT🌟🛍️ SPECIAL 8TL PROMOTIONS! COZY EARTH - Best Deal - 21% OFF! At Get the best discount on awesome sheets and pajamas.Use promo code: 80STVLADIES - 15% OFFGood cause - Great bag. Perfect for travel and adventure and back to school!Get your 80s TV Ladies deal: Code: 80sTVLadies🔗 See ALL our special deals at: 🎁 Promo Code: 80STVLADIESVisit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

REWIND: Neema Barnette | Directing A Different World, Making TV History, and Strategies for Revolution

Season 4

Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 01:22:19

"A lot of production companies who decide to do stories about people of color are not used to having the people of color they hire coming in with an opinion. Coming in contradicting them on certain things." — Neema Barnette

REWIND EPISODE: Happy Summer! We made it to August. This is our last rerun episode of the summer. In a few weeks we’ll be bringing you brand new episodes! We loved rewatching A Different World and learning about the show from our incredible guests. We think this interview with legendary producer and director Neema Barnette is so powerful and timely. We hope you enjoy it, too!

Sharon and Susan welcome legendary producer-director Neema Barnette to talk about her incredible journey from Harlem to Hollywood. Ms. Barnette made television history in 1986 when she became the first African American woman to direct a prime-time sitcom (What’s Happening Now?). She followed this historic milestone with episodes of Frank’s Place, It’s A Living, and The Cosby Show before directing seven iconic episodes of A Different World. With over 50 film and TV directing credits to her name, she was also the first African American woman to sign a three-picture deal with Sony Pictures.

Neema also served as producer-director for Season 1 of Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey’s Queen Sugar. In this episode, she shares stories of making the transition from New York theater to Hollywood sets, fighting for creative integrity, inspiring new generations with the truth, and applying actual "strategies for revolution" to transform the entertainment industry.

🗣️ THE CONVERSATION

BARBARA CORDAY’S INSTANT YES: How one look at Neema’s directing reel prompted the head of Columbia Pictures to demand, "Get this woman a job!"
STRATEGIES FOR REVOLUTION: Taking a college course on revolutionary strategy and directly applying those lessons to navigate, challenge, and disrupt Hollywood's power structures.
MAKING SITCOM HISTORY: Directing the groundbreaking episode of What’s Happening Now? with support from Shirley Hemphill, and helming The Cosby Show episode where Bill gets pregnant.
FROM HARLEM TO THE APOLLO: Growing up in the 1960s, grabbing Sherman’s BBQ, spending 12-hour days at the Apollo Theater watching Aretha Franklin, and bringing authentic New York theater sensibilities to West Coast sets.

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHING🛍️ FAMOUS LAKE PARK FREE SCREENING!See Susan at the NYC Film premiere of Famous Lake Park - the wild and hilarious puppet animation comedy short. Premiering at the International Puppet Fringe Festival in the Lower East Side! 🛍️ PROMO DEALS - SPECIAL COZY EARTH PROMOTION! Get 21% OFF at - or the BEST DEAL they have going.Great deals on awesome cozy sheets and pajamas at COZY EARTH.Be sure to use the promo code: 80STVLADIES for the best deal they’re offering. Happy Shopping!🔗 Get them at: 🎁 Code: 80STVLADIESCONNECTSign up for the 80s TV LadiesFollow 8TL on or .Get ad-free episodes and exclusive videos onFind more cool podcasts at our host sight, . Visit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

REWIND: Susan Fales-Hill | Showrunning A Different World, Resisting Industry Bias, and Making TV History

Season 4

Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Duration 01:07:39

"We have to look back, not in anger, but in amazement and in hope over how much had changed... We're sending the message that all of our blackness is good." — Susan Fales-Hill

REWIND EPISODE! The 80s TV Ladies are almost done moving! A few more Bonus episodes to rerun, and we’ll be settled in and bringing you brand new episodes! We loved rewatching A Different World and learning about the show from our incredible guests. We think this interview with legendary showrunner, writer, and author Susan Fales-Hill is so insightful. We hope you enjoy it, too!

Content Warning: At approximately 53:00-58:00, this episode includes a short discussion of date rape and child sexual assault.

Susan shares what it was like rising from writer’s apprentice to showrunner on A Different World, working alongside Debbie Allen, writing for icons like Diahann Carroll and Patti LaBelle, and battling network executives to tell real, impactful stories about Black culture, college life, and social change.

Sharon and Susan continue their look at the groundbreaking 80s sitcom A Different World (1987–1993). In this episode, they sit down with award-winning television writer, producer, and author Susan Fales-Hill. Susan started her career on The Cosby Show before joining A Different World, where she rose from story editor to showrunner—making her one of the youngest and few Black female showrunners in Hollywood at the time.

Together, they dive deep into the behind-the-scenes realities of taking over the show alongside Debbie Allen, fighting network pushback to tackle heavy topics like AIDS and date rape, and using comedy as a powerful form of cultural resilience.

🗣️ THE CONVERSATION

FROM WRITER'S APPRENTICE TO SHOWRUNNER: How Susan navigated pitching directly to Bill Cosby, "re-potting" her voice in the writers' room, and rising to executive producer at a record age.
THE DEBBIE ALLEN RESET: How bringing in Debbie Allen transformed the tone of the show, allowing the cast to explore authentic college experiences, topical issues, and integrated dance sequences.
LEGENDS ON SET: Writing iconic comedic moments for Diahann Carroll and Patti LaBelle, and the deeply moving moment Diahann Carroll shared with the young cast about Black representation in Hollywood.

📦 AUDIOGRAPHY & RECOMMENDED WATCHINGAUDIOGRAPHYWatch A Different World -- streaming on and .Find out more about Susan at Follow her at Must-Watch Episode: Check out the Season 4 Thanksgiving episode "," featuring the legendary pairing of Diahann Carroll and Patti LaBelle.Explore Susan Fales-Hill’s memoir Always Wear Joy and her four other published books at .Get Susan’s President Carter play, Confidence (and the Speech) at Help Abortion Access at 🛍️ PROMO DEALS - SPECIAL COZY EARTH PROMOTION! Get 21% OFF at - or the BEST DEAL they have going.Get awesome cozy sheets and pajamas at COZY EARTH.Be sure to use the promo code: 80STVLADIES for the best deal they’re offering. Happy Shopping!🔗 Get them at: 🎁 Code: 80STVLADIESCONNECTSign up for the 80s TV LadiesFollow 8TL on or .Get ad-free episodes and exclusive videos onFind more cool podcasts at our host sight, . Visit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

REWIND: A Different World | Looking Back at the 80s Hit with Writer Niceole Levy

Season 4

Wednesday, July 8, 2026 • Duration 01:12:11

"It was the first time that the idea of an HBCU was even a thought to me of a thing I could do... it was so eye-opening to me that there was this whole other part of life in Black culture that I just didn't know anything about... we're sending the message that all of our blackness is good." - Niceole Levy

REWIND EPISODE
The 80s TV Ladies are almost done moving! A few more bonus episodes to rerun, and we’ll be settled in and bringing you brand new episodes! We loved rewatching A Different World and learning about the show from our incredible guests. We think this interview with TV writer/producer Niceole Levy is so fun. We hope you enjoy it, too!

Sharon and Susan begin an all-new series of episodes looking at the groundbreaking 80s sitcom A Different World (1987-1993). This Cosby Show spin-off starred Lisa Bonet, Kadeem Hardison, Jasmine Guy, Charnele Brown, Dawn Lewis and Marissa Tomei. It explored the lives of students at Hillman College, a fictional HBCU, and addressed issues such as race, sexual assault, HIV/AIDS and equal rights while still keeping the laughs coming. In 1988, Lisa Bonet and Marissa Tomei left the show and a new showrunner was brought on -- the legendary actress, producer, director and choreographer Debbie Allen.

To help kick off this in-depth look at A Different World, we welcome A Different World fan and amazing “2020s TV Lady” -- writer, producer, and author Niceole Levy. Niceole’s numerous TV writing/producing credits include Cloak and Dagger, Shades of Blue, SWAT, The Recruit and Found. She is the co-writer, along with George Nolfi, of the 2020 feature film The Banker. She has also written a book for aspiring TV writers called "The Writer’s Room Survival Guide."

THE CONVERSATION

80s TV made marriage look easy and fun -- cuz the couples were usually crime-solving millionaires!
How watching every syndicated show on TV -- Perry Mason, I Love Lucy, Marcus Welby, Dick Van Dyke Show, Ironside -- prepares you for a life of TV writing.
Everything retro is new again: Getting that first gig -- with Blair Underwood -- on the 2013 re-boot of Ironside!
Niceole’s advice for getting into TV and film -- DON’T GO TO FILM SCHOOL!
For Niceole -- and so many others -- A Different World’s Hillman College was her first exposure to an HBCU.

So, join Susan, Sharon -- and Niceole -- as they talk Miami Vice, watching 1,000 television shows, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,keeping a TV journal, Boyz II Men, dancing with Kamala Harris, scheduling your life around a TV show -- and the importance of not messing up the lunch order!AUDIOGRAPHYWatch A Different World -- streaming on and .Find out more about Niceole Levy at Read her article “What I Learned Watching 1,000 Television Shows” . Buy Niceole Levy’s book "The Writer’s Room Survival Guide" at .Get Susan’s President Carter play, Confidence (and the Speech) at Help Abortion Access at PROMO DEALS - SPECIAL COZY EARTH PROMOTION! NOW Thru July 16th! Get 30% OFF at -After July 16, you can still get 21% OFF - or the BEST DEAL they have going - on awesome sheets and pajamas at COZY EARTH.Be sure to use the promo code: 80STVLADIES for the best deal they’re offering. Happy Shopping!🔗 Get them at: 🎁 Code: 80STVLADIESCONNECTSign up for the 80s TV LadiesFollow 8TL on or .Get ad-free episodes and exclusive videos onFind more cool podcasts at our host sight, . Visit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .

Jennifer Jones: Precision, Resilience, and Breaking Barriers on the Line

Season 4 · Episode 19

Wednesday, June 24, 2026 • Duration 56:05

"When someone came at me or was very mean to me or made it clear that I was not welcome on the line, I still had my love for dance. I leaned into my dream as a child, and I was living it wholeheartedly, and they weren't allowed to take it away." — Jennifer Jones

For a century, the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes have represented the gold standard of precision dance, synchronized routines, and eye-high kicks. But for the first 63 years, that famous line failed to reflect the diversity of the audiences watching them, and the demographics of America herself. In 1987, that history changed forever when professional dancer Jennifer Jones was hired as the very first African American Rockette, making her unforgettable debut on television screens across the nation during the 1988 Super Bowl XXII halftime show!

In this episode, Sharon and Susan sit down with this groundbreaking icon to talk about what it was really like to break through a decades-old institutional barrier at just 20 years old. Jennifer shares the stage with us to discuss her incredible 15-year tenure on the line, her full-circle Tony Award-winning run on Broadway in 42nd Street, and her deeply personal, triumphant battle surviving Stage III colorectal cancer with that signature Rockette resilience.

🗣️ THE CONVERSATION

STEPPING ONTO THE FIELD AT SUPER BOWL XXII: Overcoming intense nerves in a massive football stadium, learning complex precision terminology on the fly, and feeling the ultimate validation that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
NAVIGATING INSTITUTIONAL RESISTANCE: Dealing with antiquated industry mindsets regarding "uniformity," handling behind-the-scenes pushback from PR and management, and the crucial, historic knock on the door from the NAACP that forced Radio City to change.
THE ART OF PRECISION DANCE: Moving your limbs "through peanut butter" to seamlessly look like a single dancer, and how the mental discipline of a professional athlete shapes a lifetime of character.
FROM THE WIZ TO THE TONY AWARDS: How seeing vital Black representation on stage as a child inspired her dreams, and her breathtaking full-circle moment performing at the Tony Awards inside Radio City Music Hall.
THE RHYTHM OF RESILIENCE: Her sudden diagnosis with Stage III colorectal cancer at age 50, learning to fiercely advocate for her own health when doctors brushed her symptoms aside, and her vital mission to spread awareness about early cancer screenings.

📦 AUDIOOGRAHY - WHERE TO FIND JENNIFER'S WORK🩺 HEALTH RESOURCES & VITAL ADVOCACY📻 CONNECT WITH 80s TV LADIESVisit for more info.Listen to 80s TV Ladies at . Subscribe and help us grow.Don’t miss out. Sign up for the 80s TV Ladies !Help us make more episodes and get ad-free episodes, video interviews, and exclusive content on .