Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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For this Backtrack, we’re turning the TV dial back 40 years to 1986. It was a year filled with unforgettable families, workplace comedies, crime-solving favorites, and some of the decade’s most enduring characters. But which shows drew the biggest audiences? We’re counting down the ten highest-rated television series of 1986.



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(May contain some explicit language.)



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Show Notes




• Full Ranking » classic-tv.com/features/ratings/1986-1987-tv-show-ratings (classic-tv.com/features/ratings/1986-1987-tv-show-ratings)


• Night Court » youtu.be/bjWxNiA_ciU?si=tJErq4xLuITDQ2oH (youtu.be/bjWxNiA_ciU?si=tJErq4xLuITDQ2oH)


• 60 Minutes » youtu.be/FI4zOcJfqZM?si=3fKEeQve7uBRS2Eu (youtu.be/FI4zOcJfqZM?si=3fKEeQve7uBRS2Eu)


• The Golden Girls » youtu.be/d6PdKxwY_RE?si=bGEWFR5jUBVu5NDB (youtu.be/d6PdKxwY_RE?si=bGEWFR5jUBVu5NDB)


• Murder She Wrote » youtu.be/_uq2ezQYer0?si=CePMeSotOhPgPdG6 (youtu.be/_uq2ezQYer0?si=CePMeSotOhPgPdG6)


• Cheers » youtu.be/VXED2AVlbR0?si=A_r-k0JDuadKaioX (youtu.be/VXED2AVlbR0?si=A_r-k0JDuadKaioX)


• Family Ties » youtu.be/oTjn9iFnn9Q?si=iH0jlNI4ABFenCMH (youtu.be/oTjn9iFnn9Q?si=iH0jlNI4ABFenCMH)


• Amen » youtu.be/p3mN6YHhwkA?si=za4qe3SaNm5tyHXo (youtu.be/p3mN6YHhwkA?si=za4qe3SaNm5tyHXo)


• Newhart » youtu.be/C1DIzpKlReM?si=soc2qKhrLkf7lm1q (youtu.be/C1DIzpKlReM?si=soc2qKhrLkf7lm1q)


• Dallas » youtu.be/nCEjeTb1rrs?si=iMb0kQ9EJxNXQ362 (youtu.be/nCEjeTb1rrs?si=iMb0kQ9EJxNXQ362)


• The Cosby Show » youtu.be/vPCJV90ks7Y?si=Myldw_JZ6C2DTODT (youtu.be/vPCJV90ks7Y?si=Myldw_JZ6C2DTODT)


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