This Was the Top-Rated TV Show 40 Years Ago Today

Lauren Novak October 5, 2025, 5:00 pm

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1985 Throwback: Images from left; Rocky & Drago, Ronald Reagan, Madonna, The Breakfast Club, Marty McFly — All Images via Everett Collection

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What were you doing in the fall of 1985 … and what were you watching? There was one show that dominated the Nielsen ratings in 1985: The Cosby Show. The family sitcom, which centered on the Huxtable family in Brooklyn, led by comedian Bill Cosby as the patriarch debuted the previous fall. By the premiere of its second season, on September 26, 1985, the series was unstoppable, completely reshaping Thursday nights.

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