Actors are skilled in embodying characters so well that you believe they’re real. There are those villainous characters who make your blood boil with each new episode and those who reach a soft spot in your heart. While movie characters can capture your attention, there’s something to be said about TV characters who pop into your life in 22 to 24-minute increments each week for years on end. You watch them grow up and evolve, all the while maintaining their innate characteristics. You feel like you know them, and you genuinely grow fond of them.
Such is the case for the characters in the list below as it includes some of the most likable TV characters of the 1980s. From ultra-cool, charming characters like The Fonz from “Happy Days” and Sonny from “Miami Vice” to quirky characters like Kimmy Gibbler from “Full House” and Punky from “Punky Brewster,” these characters demonstrated their ability to win over audiences. There are characters with a penchant for saying questionable things with a hilarious delivery like ALF in “A.L.F.” and Sophia Petrillo in “The Golden Girls,” and even they manage to come off as endearing. (Check out the highest rated shows you can watch today.)
Sophia Petrillo
- Show: “The Golden Girls”
- Played By: Estelle Getty
Sophia Petrillo was one of the characters in the foursome that made up “The Golden Girls” (1985). Her irreverent quips add perfectly timed comedic gold to the show. When she isn’t making wisecracks, Petrillo is serving as the matriarch of the home, letting the love only a mother can possess shine through. Her toughness is a product of her family’s history and throughout the show, she makes side comments about previous mob connections. She is most likable when she isn’t placing a Sicilian curse on you, which she did several times to those whom she felt were deserving.
Kimmy Gibbler
- Show: “Full House”
- Played By: Andrea Barber
Kimmy Gibbler was a character on Full House (1987) who played the role of D.J. Tanner’s best friend (who also happens to live next door). She is an underdog but the kind you root for. She’s quirky, she settles for mediocrity, and takes a stand against authority. She’s an impulsive person who doesn’t filter her words (or actions for that matter). She looks to Tanner for support and Tanner enjoys a taste of the wild when she joins Gibbler in her escapades.
Natalie Green
- Show: “The Facts of Life”
- Played By: Mindy Cohn
Natalie Green was a character in “The Facts of Life” (1979), a show about an all-girls boarding school that is overseen by a housemother who also works as a dietician. Natalie Green is one of the girls who attended the boarding school. She’s an aspiring writer. She’s an impressionable young lady who is a bit overweight but has a positive body image. One of the quotes that display Green’s likability is spoken during a dieting episode. She exclaims, “Who wants to be a skinny pencil? I’d rather be a happy Magic Marker!”
Mike Seaver
- Show: “Growing Pains”
- Played By: Kirk Cameron
Mike Seaver was a character in the show, “Growing Pains” (1985). He is the oldest of the family and during the first season, you meet him at age 15 with a laser-focused interest in girls. Although he gets into a bit of trouble and hangs out with underachieving buddies, you realize in the second season that Seaver holds strong values. He is honest and well-intentioned and as his character grows, you realize how genuinely kindhearted he is.
Gordon Shumway
- Show: “A.L.F.”
- Played By: Mich Meszaros, Paul Fusco
Gordon Shumway, nicknamed Alien Life Form or ALF for short, was a character in the TV series, “A.L.F.” (1986). The show centers around him, a furry alien who is welcomed into the Tanner family after he crashes into their home escaping his home planet. He’s never at a loss for words when it comes to commenting on the oftentimes ridiculous nature of the human species. This arrogance and inability to mince words make him hilarious and endearing, sparking a protective instinct in those who come to know and love him.
Angus MacGyver
- Show: “MacGyver”
- Played By: Richard Dean Anderson
Angus MacGyver was a character in the aptly named show, “MacGyver” (1985). He chose non-violence whenever he could, and instead relied on his ingenuity to problem-solve throughout the series. The trauma he suffered early in life (after the accidental death of a friend due to a firearm) makes him outspoken about gun control. He possesses a brilliant mind and his non-lethal approach to the problems he faces makes him an admirable character.
Samuel “Mayday” Malone
- Show: “Cheers”
- Played By: Ted Danson
Ted Danson played the role of Samuel “Mayday” Malone in the show, “Cheers” (1982). He was the main character of the show, appearing in every episode each season. A recovered alcoholic who purchased a bar, he decides even in sobriety to keep the business for sentimental reasons. His establishment is the place where regulars come together to drink and let their hair down. His charm is undeniable, he always offers a listening ear, and he helps others whenever he’s able.
Daisy Duke
- Show: “The Dukes of Hazzard”
- Played By: Catherine Bach
Catherine Bach played the fictional character, Daisy Duke, in “The Dukes of Hazzard” (1979). She was popular in social circles, cheerleading and earning the title of prom queen. But her life was not without pain as she lost both of her parents as a child and met injustice time and time again at the hands of the Hoggs. She is irrevocably loyal and unafraid of displaying her feisty side whenever it’s needed.
Mr. Rogers
- Show: “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”
- Played By: Fred Rogers
Fred Rogers, better known as Mr. Rogers, was the creator and host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” (1968) for a total of 31 seasons. Consistently displaying a generous and empathetic attitude, Mr. Rogers won the hearts of audiences. Children tuned into the show to enjoy a new adventure with Mr. Rogers taking the lead. The show was educational and he highlighted the humanity in each person he encountered. He also reminded viewers to be proud of being themselves at the close of each episode (an apt message for audiences of all ages).
Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli
- Show: “Happy Days”
- Played By: Henry Winkler
Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli is the two-thumbs-up heartthrob from the show, “Happy Days” (1974). Audiences loved him so much that he moved from a secondary character in the show to a primary character. He is a motorcycle-loving greaser who oozes coolness and whose noble character allows him to hold the respect of those around him.
Alex P. Keaton
- Show: “Family Ties”
- Played By: Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox played the likable Alex P. Keaton in the show, “Family Ties” (1982). He is ambitious and precocious, taking on a conservative attitude in stark contrast to his hippie parents. He is steadfast with his dreams of acquiring wealth and power but he offsets the more rigid aspects of his character with his charm and sense of humor.
Hawkeye
- Show: “M*A*S*H”
- Played By: Alan Alda
Alan Alda embodied the role of Hawkeye in “M*A*S*H” (1972). Hawkeye’s charisma is magnetic as is his enthusiastic and gregarious nature. He is stuck in the middle of a war practicing medicine and while he hates the conditions he and others have to endure, he manages to bring a sense of normalcy into the tented area where he dons a red bathrobe and drinks martinis.
Kermit the Frog
- Show: “The Muppet Show”
- Played By: Jim Henson
Kermit the Frog was the beloved puppet from “The Muppet Show” (1974), originally voiced by Jim Henson. Kermit was a bit awkward and reserved but his kindheartedness always shone through, making him a lovable character.
George Jefferson
- Show: “The Jeffersons”
- Played By: Sherman Hemsley
George Jefferson was the patriarch in “The Jeffersons” (1975) and was portrayed by the actor Sherman Hemsley. Jefferson doesn’t hold back his thoughts and is endlessly clever when he’s trying to get what he wants. Despite how hot-headed he can be, he has managed well to create a luxurious haven for his family. His antics always left audiences laughing.
James “Sonny” Crockett
- Show: “Miami Vice”
- Played By: Don Johnson
Don Johnson played the role of James “Sonny” Crockett in “Miami Vice” (1984). Sonny is a Miami detective whose confidence ushers him through any doorway with ease. He’s endured a difficult life, which is what makes him so untouchably cool and mysterious. Though he seems distant, beneath the surface is the heart of a caring and loving man.
Thomas Magnum
- Show: “Magnum, P.I.”
- Played By: Tom Selleck
Tom Selleck took on the role of Thomas Magnum in the show, “Magnum, P.I.” (1980). Magnum is undeniably heroic as a licensed private investigator though the way he goes about things is far from serious. He is seriously flawed and make mistakes out loud but it’s this aspect of his character that makes him so likable.
Jack E. Tripper, Jr.
- Show: “Three’s Company”
- Played By: John Ritter
Jack E. Tripper, Jr. was a fictional character in the show, Three’s Company (1977) played by John Ritter. Tripper is a clumsy guy who’s managed to fool his landlord, Mr. Roper, into thinking he’s gay. It’s just a clever way to ensure he’s not evicted as co-ed living is not allowed and he has two female roommates. Tripper is quick on his feet and has a caring attitude, which adds to his charm.
Elaine Benes
- Show: “Seinfeld”
- Played By: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the character of Elaine Benes in “Seinfeld” (1989). Benes is an assertive professional who displays her intelligence and practical nature by going after what she wants. She focuses on problem-solving, her dancing is ridiculous, and her temper makes her someone to reckon with. She prefers hanging out with the guys, including her ex and closest friend, Jerry Seinfeld.
Penelope “Punky” Brewster
Source: National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
- Show: “Punky Brewster”
- Played By: Soleil Moon Frye
Soleil Moon Fryer played Penelope “Punky” Brewster in “Punky Brewster” (1984). Punky is a spunky girl whose bubbly personality extends to her brightly colored clothing choices (which are frequently mismatched). She’s a free thinker with a caring heart who spends her time helping others.
Arnold Jackson
- Show: “Diff’rent Strokes”
- Played By: Gary Coleman
Arnold Jackson was a character in the show “Diff’rent Strokes” (1978). Jackson is snarky with a hefty appetite and a tendency to annoy his older brother. He is quite mischievous, which lands him in trouble frequently. However, his sense of humor, resilience, and charm easily win you over.