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Thanks to streaming rights and online availability, preserving media has become increasingly hard, yet it’s still doable. Back in the day, we depended exclusively on a show doing well for it to be preserved. Now, many of these shows are lost media, particularly if you don’t live in their originating countries.
We’ve also included a few entries that, while you can watch them today, their topics are in conflict with modern sensibilities. Their depictions of race, identity and the like make us wish that, although available, they did become lost media.
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The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show
Several episodes remain controversial because they reused or echoed racial stereotypes inherited from earlier cartoons. While the series is available in some forms, edited versions and content warnings reflect how dramatically animation standards have changed since the 1980s.
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Throb
This short-lived sitcom about a women-led music magazine was a modest hit during its original run but has never received an official home video or streaming release. Most episodes survive only through private recordings and unofficial uploads.
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Hot Hero Sandwich
Created as an educational series for teenagers, Hot Hero Sandwich featured musical sketches tackling drugs, sexuality, and peer pressure. Despite its ambitious goals, it has never received an official home media release, leaving much of it effectively lost.
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The New Zoo Revue
Although it began in the 1970s, reruns remained popular into the early 1980s. Today, the series is remembered more as a nostalgic curiosity, with limited official availability and production values that feel unmistakably dated.
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The Littlest Hobo
This beloved Canadian family series remains difficult to stream outside Canada because of music licensing and distribution issues. While not completely lost, it has been unavailable to many viewers for years despite its lasting cult following.
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Bosom Buddies
Tom Hanks’ first sitcom revolves around two men disguising themselves as women to secure affordable housing. Though groundbreaking in some respects, its treatment of gender identity and cross-dressing often feels uncomfortable through a modern lens.
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It’s Your Move
This teen sitcom starring a young Jason Bateman has never received a complete official home media release. Rights issues and limited preservation have left the show difficult to watch legally despite its reputation among television fans.
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The Charmings
This fairy tale sitcom imagined Snow White and her family living in suburban America. Despite lasting two seasons, it has never reached major streaming platforms or received a complete home video release, making it surprisingly hard to revisit.
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B.A.D. Cats
This action-comedy about motorcycle-riding animal control officers lasted only a single season. It has never been officially released on DVD or streaming, leaving collectors and archival recordings as the primary way to experience the series.
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Small Wonder
Small Wonder became a syndicated hit, but its portrayal of gender roles, parenting, and artificial intelligence often feels dated today. While still available in some markets, many of its jokes and character dynamics no longer land as intended.
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The Ropers
Although it premiered in 1979, most viewers experienced it through early 1980s reruns. Some of its humor relies heavily on stereotypes surrounding sexuality and marriage that have aged poorly, making portions of the sitcom uncomfortable for modern audiences.
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Webster
Webster was a family favorite throughout the decade, but several episodes contain jokes and storylines reflecting outdated attitudes toward race, gender, and disability. The series remains watchable, though some moments now carry content advisories or criticism.
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You Can’t Do That on Television
Nickelodeon’s cult sketch comedy frequently pushed boundaries with jokes about corporal punishment, gender stereotypes, and other topics that children’s television rarely touches today. Some sketches feel remarkably edgy by modern standards despite the show’s young cast.
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Today’s Special
This Canadian children’s series aired throughout the 1980s and was beloved by a generation of viewers. Despite its popularity, it has never received a complete official streaming or home video release, making many episodes difficult to find.
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Out of This World
This sitcom about a teenage girl with alien powers enjoyed several successful seasons in syndication. However, complicated distribution rights have kept the complete series off major streaming platforms, leaving fans with only scattered reruns and unofficial uploads.
The post 15 Shows from the ’80s You Can’t Watch Anymore appeared first on Den of Geek.
