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Friends
The Central Perk gang actually went back to the '80s twice. The first time, "The One With the Prom Video," brings us pre-weight-loss Monica (Courteney Cox), pre-nose-job Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and moustachioed Ross (David Schwimmer) when the gang finds a video detailing all the humiliation on the girls' prom night. In a subsequent 1980s flashback when they tell their worst Thanksgiving stories, we once again see nosy Rachel, chubby Monica and afro-wearing Ross at a college party - where we also meet Chandler (Matthew Perry), boldly rocking a Flock of Seagulls hairdon't.
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The X-Files
In season five, a flashback to 1989 saw two salesmen and a government employee become reluctant allies when they help a woman evade her abusive boyfriend - who just happens to be FBI agent Fox Mulder (David Duchovny). Turns out she's fibbing, but this uneasy alliance ultimately proves to be the genesis of the fabled Lone Gunmen. As a bonus, the episode's Baltimore setting allows for a crossover with crime drama 'Homicide: Life on the Street' and an appearance from Det. John Munch (Richard Belzer).
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Hot in Cleveland
Melanie (Valerie Bertinelli), Victoria (Wendie Malick) and Joy (Jane Leeves) recall how they met back in the 1980s after Joy was ditched at the altar. Highlights include Victoria's Madonna-style outfit, as well as a scene in which she's fired as a backup dancer in Robert Palmer's 'Addicted to Love' video. In addition, we also see Elka (Betty White) on TV, culled from archival footage taken from some of the actress's numerous game show appearances during the 1980s.
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Modern Family
Claire (Julie Bowen) comes up with what she thinks is a killer anniversary present for Phil (Ty Burrell) when she hires Izzy Fontaine (guest star Edward Norton), former bass player for 1980s band Spandau Ballet, to give her and Phil a private performance - him playing his bass parts and singing backing vocals for the band's sole hit, "True". In fact, the lousy performance wasn't even the worst part of the gift; Claire ultimately learned she was wrong in remembering Spandau Ballet as Phil's favourite band from the 1980s - he was actually into Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
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Family Guy
'Family Guy' has made so many 1980s references it's nearly impossible to catalogue them all, but the 2007 episode "Meet the Quagmires" found Peter travelling back in time, 'Back to the Future'-style, to the 1980s in order to prevent teenage Lois from falling in love with Quagmire when she's supposed to fall in love with him. Peter succeeds and when he returns to the present, everything goes back to normal - with the exception that alien Roger from 'American Dad' is now apparently living with the Griffins.
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Will & Grace
This flashback takes us back to the mid-'80s to peek in on the early days of WIll (Eric McCormack) and college girlfriend Grace (Debra Messing), right before Will realizes he's gay - Jack (Sean Hayes) helps him figure it out. Meanwhile, we also get to see Karen (Megan Mullally) doing some Madonna-style voguing at an 1980s nightclub.
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Fringe
'Fringe' actually took us back to the 1980s twice, first with the game-changing episode in which Walter (John Noble) steals the alternate-universe version of son Peter (Joshua Jackson) after sickly Peter dies in our universe. A subsequent episode looks back at young Olivia (Anna Torv) during her time as a student/test subject on whom Walter is performing brutal experiments. As a bonus...
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Fringe
...check out the episode's cool '80s-style show opening, complete with cheesy synthesizer soundtrack.
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Gilmore Girls
This poignant full-episode flashback goes back to the 1980s high-school days of 16-year-old Lorelai (played in this episode by Chelsea Brummet) when she finds out she's pregnant - right before making her society debut. Refusing to have an abortion or marry the child's father, Lorelai instead has the baby and then eventually runs away to Stars Hollow, where, as we all know, she becomes television's coolest, fastest-talking single mother.
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The Simpsons
After 25 seasons, 'Simpsons' flashbacks are no big deal, but the season-three episode 'I Married Marge' gave us an early look back at the rocky relationship between knocked-up newlywed Marge and irresponsible hubby Homer in the early 1980s. Not only did we witness the births of Bart and, later, Lisa, the episode also served up a plethora of early-1980s references, ranging from Pac-Man to 'The Empire Strikes Back' to 'Charlies Angels'.
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Grey's Anatomy
Long before she terrorized surgical residents and earned the nickname "The Nazi," back in the late-'80s young Dr. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) was a meek, soft-spoken med student who was bullied by nasty Dr. Baylow (guest star Missy Pyle). We also got to see Meredith's mom, Ellis Grey, in her 1980s heyday (played by 'American Horror Story's Sarah Paulson) and young Webber (J. August Richards).
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The Big Bang Theory
Although this flashback technically takes place in the 1990s, seven years before Penny (Kaley Cuoco) moves into the apartment across the hall from Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki), let's include it just because the gang seems to be dressed as if it's still the'80s - especially Raj (Kunal Nayyar), who's rocking a stunning pink Don-Johnson-in-'Miami-Vice'-era suit.
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Arrested Development
In the recent fourth season, hilarious 1980s flashbacks took us to the early days of young George Bluth (guest star Seth Rogen) and wife Lucille (Kristin Wiig). That's right, some day Seth Rogen is going to look just like Jeffrey Tambor - hey now!
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