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80s TV Ladies

80s TV Ladies

134 West | Susan Lambert Hatem & Sharon Johnson 120 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

80s TV Ladies is a podcast dedicated to the beloved female-driven shows of the 1980s. Hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson break down how these shows were made, how they were influenced by the times, and how they influenced pop-culture trends. The podcast examines shows like Cagney & Lacey, Designing Women, A Different World, and The Golden Girls through a feminist lens. Special guests include TV creators and stars. The podcast has won multiple awards and is Webby nominated.

Episodes

1980s Fall TV Previews: TV Guide, Crazy Network Specials, and Saturday Morning Nostalgia
1980s Fall TV Previews: TV Guide, Crazy Network Specials, and Saturday Morning Nostalgia Aug 19, 2026 3352 "As a TV junkie, the Fall TV Preview was the best time of the year. The network specials highlighted their new shows—they were always informative, joyful, and optimistic because everyone expected these shows to be big hits!" — Sharon JohnsonNEW EPISODE! Summer is winding down, back-to-school season is here, and the 80s TV Ladies are diving into one of the absolute best pop-culture traditions of th
REWIND: Neema Barnette | Directing A Different World, Making TV History, and Strategies for Revolution
REWIND: Neema Barnette | Directing A Different World, Making TV History, and Strategies for Revolution Aug 5, 2026 4939 "A lot of production companies who decide to do stories about people of color are not used to having the people of color they hire coming in with an opinion. Coming in contradicting them on certain things." — Neema BarnetteREWIND EPISODE: Happy Summer! We made it to August. This is our last rerun episode of the summer. In a few weeks we’ll be bringing you brand new episodes! We loved rewatching A
REWIND: Susan Fales-Hill | Showrunning A Different World, Resisting Industry Bias, and Making TV History
REWIND: Susan Fales-Hill | Showrunning A Different World, Resisting Industry Bias, and Making TV History Jul 22, 2026 4059 "We have to look back, not in anger, but in amazement and in hope over how much had changed... We're sending the message that all of our blackness is good." — Susan Fales-HillREWIND EPISODE! The 80s TV Ladies are almost done moving! A few more Bonus episodes to rerun, and we’ll be settled in and bringing you brand new episodes! We loved rewatching A Different World and learning about the show from
REWIND: A Different World | Looking Back at the 80s Hit with Writer Niceole Levy
REWIND: A Different World | Looking Back at the 80s Hit with Writer Niceole Levy Jul 8, 2026 4331 "It was the first time that the idea of an HBCU was even a thought to me of a thing I could do... it was so eye-opening to me that there was this whole other part of life in Black culture that I just didn't know anything about... we're sending the message that all of our blackness is good." - Niceole LevyREWIND EPISODEThe 80s TV Ladies are almost done moving! A few more bonus episodes to rerun, an
Jennifer Jones: Precision, Resilience, and Breaking Barriers on the Line
Jennifer Jones: Precision, Resilience, and Breaking Barriers on the Line Jun 24, 2026 3365 "When someone came at me or was very mean to me or made it clear that I was not welcome on the line, I still had my love for dance. I leaned into my dream as a child, and I was living it wholeheartedly, and they weren't allowed to take it away." — Jennifer JonesFor a century, the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes have represented the gold standard of precision dance, synchronized routines, and eye-h
Ch-ch-ch-changes: The 20 Most Revolutionary 80s Music Videos, Part 2
Ch-ch-ch-changes: The 20 Most Revolutionary 80s Music Videos, Part 2 Jun 10, 2026 3187 "Music videos were an avenue for women to break into directing, which was really important at the time. A lot of women basically got their start directing music videos because nobody wanted to do them... until they became super popular." — Susan Lambert HatemThe great mid-season packing and moving marathon continues! In the second half of this double-header special, hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and S
Ch-ch-ch-changes: The 20 Most Revolutionary 80s Music Videos, Part 1
Ch-ch-ch-changes: The 20 Most Revolutionary 80s Music Videos, Part 1 May 27, 2026 3589 "The more that things change, the more they stay the same... Nevertheless, we have to keep pushing forward. We have to keep moving that line forward in order to make a better tomorrow for all of us." - Sharon JohnsonWelcome to 80s TV Ladies The Winds of Ch-ch-ch-change!In this special episode—the first half of an epic two-part spectacular—hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson are joined by
RERUN: Bruce Boxleitner | The Scarecrow And Mrs. King Years, Part 2
RERUN: Bruce Boxleitner | The Scarecrow And Mrs. King Years, Part 2 May 13, 2026 3982 “Katie and I, our relationship could be a little exciting -- I had to watch my step, I had to toe the line. I had to behave myself or I’d get taken to the principal’s office... And she was the principal.” -- Bruce BoxleitnerREWIND EPISODE: The 80s TV Ladies - Sharon and Susan - are both moving! More details in our next episode. Meanwhile, please enjoy a few of our favorite episodes on repeat - con
RERUN: Bruce Boxleitner: The Scarecrow and Ms. King Years, Part 1
RERUN: Bruce Boxleitner: The Scarecrow and Ms. King Years, Part 1 Apr 29, 2026 2483 “Kate was able to go off script. Then I found I could go with her. Pretty soon we’re doing stuff that is not on the written page. That’s where we found the little ‘in-between’ moments.”  - Bruce BoxleitnerREWIND EPISODE: The 80s TV Ladies are both moving! More details in a later episode, so please enjoy a few of our favorite episodes on repeat - consider it early rerun season. Let us know what you
80s TV Legends: Stefanie Powers on Acting, Activism, and the Hart to Hart Legacy
80s TV Legends: Stefanie Powers on Acting, Activism, and the Hart to Hart Legacy Apr 15, 2026 4290 "It was very dangerous to be a friend of the Harts because... yes, they were always getting killed." -- Stefanie PowersGet ready for a masterclass in sophisticated glamour!In this episode of 80s TV Ladies, hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson sit down with the incomparable Stefanie Powers. Known to millions as the elegant and erudite Jennifer Hart from the smash-hit series Hart to Hart, St
Writing 80s Icons: Dallas, Fame, and One Day at a Time | Linda Elstad
Writing 80s Icons: Dallas, Fame, and One Day at a Time | Linda Elstad Apr 1, 2026 4180 “We asked her daughter, our friend Karin, to come on and talk with us about her mom, Linda, and what it was like to grow up the daughter of an eighties TV lady.” - Susan Lambert HatemSusan and Sharon welcome Karin Elstad — a modern TV powerhouse and Vice President at HBO — to celebrate the incredible life and legacy of her mother, the legendary television writer Linda Elstad. From the high stakes
Morgan Fairchild: Too Sexy for TV, Pee-Wee Herman, and Hollywood's Golden Era
Morgan Fairchild: Too Sexy for TV, Pee-Wee Herman, and Hollywood's Golden Era Mar 18, 2026 3998 "I said, John, you know, it's a visual art. You don't give me something to do, at least I'm gonna be something to look at." - Morgan Fairchild To celebrate the 100th episode of our podcast 80s TV Ladies, hosts Susan Lambert Hatem and Sharon Johnson welcome actress, activist, and podcaster Morgan Fairchild to discuss her decades-spanning career and how television and auditioning have changed from i

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