The '80s Greatest

The 1980s begins with an Olympic Hockey game that lifts Americas spirits; Ronald Reagan battles Bruce Springsteen; and a sitcom helps invent the yuppie.

In the 80s, family values undergo a huge makeover, as depicted in films and sitcoms, despite President Reagans best attempts to stop it.

In the 80s, networks like CNN help drive the stratospheric rise of cable. The 24-hour news channels coverage of John Lennons death at the start of the 80s and the rescue of baby Jessica McClure near the end cemented its place in viewers homes. Niche channels are spawned, including MTV, QVC and many televangelism networks. The downfall of televangelists Jim and Tammy Bakker becomes must-see TV.

For American women in the 1980s, life is not easy. Bullied by their bosses or stuck at home, they find unlikely inspiration and support from stars of the stage and screen. Eighties icons like Madonna, Jane Fonda and Joan Collins encourage them to speak up and break out of traditional gender roles, and by the end of the decade, the difference between men and women is no longer so clearly defined.

In the 80s, shrinking gadgets and new technology bring the world together in unexpected ways but also trigger fears of Japanese economic might.